"As swimmers dare to lie face to the sky and water bears them, as hawks rest upon air and air sustains them so would I learn to attain freefall, and float into Creator Spirit's deep embrace, knowing no effort earns that all-surrounding grace"

-Denise Levertov

The concept of grace - of quiet clarity and openness - is one that transcends religion and stands as a noble aspiration for anyone seeking to develop and grow.

Yet grace is not something we can reach through striving, no matter how powerful our effort. The inherent nature of grace - of opening our hears and hands to receive what is always being offered - means that it is achieved through omission. Grace happens. It emerges when we chip away at our pre-conceptions, our yearning and our distractions.

This truth and the humble process it implies can be hard for Type A achievers to accept. Are we not acculturated to believe that everything worth having is acquired through effort? When we have lived a life measured in accomplishments and have tied our identity and self worth to such external markers the suggestion that we cannot "do" grace into being sounds almost like a challenge, or worse, an insult.

Paradoxically, this is the challenge: to cede the illusion that we are in control and must act in order to succeed in all endeavors and must do in order to be worthy of reward.

"Falling into Creator's embrace" and receiving the gift of unconditional love requires this cessation of control and demands humility. This surrender is a process of letting go, of setting aside the planning and perspiration that has yielded success in other areas of our lives. It is slowing down in a world that demands fast, quieting ourselves in a time that rewards the loudest voice at the table, opening to receive in a paradigm that urges us to seize whatever we can.

Even if we are able to set aside these programs, there is no guarantee of grace. Creating the conditions is merely an invitation. Open the space and at some unexpected moment, Grace may flow in, illuminating everything. A sense of unity with all beings, a trust in how we are supported, and a gentle compassion for ourselves and others.

Intention and attention replace effort in this process. Diligent practice and focus help us clear the path for grace's entry into our lives. We align our free will with this higher goal and with the laws of love and allocate our most precious resources- time and attention - to cultivating space and removing boundaries such as judgement, demands, and expectations. We cull distractions and mindfully apply our effort in the appropriate areas, training our minds so that we may just as deftly cease our efforts, silence ourselves, and tune in to the higher call.

A life crafted with intention, with significant niches carved our for reflection and stillness, offers us a better chance at true fulfillment. Intention guides us in achieving our goals, but perhaps more importantly can guide us to set the goals and milestones and measures aside at times and to dwell in a sacred, quiet place. That is where grace happens.

Photo by Kirill Pershin on Unsplash