There’s so much talk about Grace. Born again, Pentecost, Yoga, New Age, from every corner we hear this word used. What is Grace? For me, Grace is knowing who I really am. Knowing through Being is what Grace gives us.
Many people believe that Grace is having the bells and whistles; the lights, sounds, feelings, smells, and even tastes that comprise supernatural experiences. The Desert fathers spoke of the dangers of seeing lights or hearing voices. They knew that these supersensuous experiences could delude a monk into thinking he was somewhere he wasn’t. Today we face the same concern. If I have extravagant experiences, then I can delude myself into thinking I am superior to others. I should be on the long path heading to God, but I fall to the side of the road, believing that if I see subtler colors or hear subtler sounds than you then I am further along the path than you. Considered this way, it looks rather silly.
In the ashram of Swami Muktananda, many people had incredible experiences. These experiences were amazing, but for many people everything went back to normal after they returned to their homes. Around Baba people would have extravagant experiences and even feel that they saw and knew the Truth. And some did. And what was the truth? Knowing and Being who they were. Baba used to say, “I give you what you want so that someday you will want what I have to give you”. Those people who went beyond the experiences to know themselves had Grace. This is what Baba wanted to give each of us.
Sometimes people who had very powerful experiences but had not done the work of stilling their own individuality ended up having humongous egos, enlightened small selves that were sure they had achieved something great. These people ended up deluding themselves, and often others. Because they believed everything that came from them was from God they could never do anything wrong. Their orientation brought them to this: “If my intentions are always good, then I am always good. When I commit a wrong, since it was not my intention, I am not wrong or bad. I am above judgment, because I am sure that I have nothing but good intentions.” How sad.
Powerful experiences can show us that we may be on the right track, but these experiences are not the goal. If that were the case, then on the physical plane people who have wealth and beauty would be Realized despite the fact many of these people are not even interested in knowing Reality.
Without reflection, we are just senses with feet. And then when we have supersensuous experiences we think we are super. It is only when we reflect and see that these experiences are nothing but subtle matter, subtle vibrations, that we can then move on toward our true destination. Let us say we want to go to Boston from Baltimore. We reach Philadelphia, which is filled with many distractions, so we do not leave. We never get to Boston, our goal. Supernatural powers are like that image of Philadelphia: we have to go through them, but we need to leave our attachment to them behind. We need to move on to the goal. If we have not received Grace, then we may just stay in Philly fascinated and deluded by signs, thinking we have reached our destination.
Receiving Grace is receiving the Reality of who we are and knowing it.
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