Elizabeth Griffin - A Taste of Grace: Meditations and Recipes for a Fulfilling Life

I was never looking for God. All I knew is that I needed to stop doing what I was doing and begin to explore an overwhelming desire within me for something else, something more to life. In the late '80's I left my job, sold almost all my belongings and placed what was left in my ’69 American Motors Rambler names Ruthann for a trip alone with no itinerary and no destination. After months traveling around the Western US, I settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico for two years, participating in small group spiritual development courses. Resuming my travels I came halfway around the world to Italy, to marriage, children, and a life filled with grace.

Instead of just writing my story I give workbook and mediation exercises so that we can experience the “journey” together. Here is an example of the meditation technique I developed.

My Weekly Meditation is a time to reflect on the happenings during the week and observe themes that have come to our attention. I use a weekly format of time for reflection. But any block of time would do. I find the calendar week is a handy one to “summarize” what is going on. The idea is not to assess your life for the purposes of commanding a certain outcome. Rather, themes are grouped together to help us see issues that are up for our consideration.

The basis for my approach is in the belief that our outside world is a mirror of our inside one. What we view in physicality is a reflection of our beliefs, preconceived ideas, disposition, etc. That is our minds create – the viewer and the viewed are the same. And, by observing the outside world, we can better see what issues are presenting themselves for our growth and healing. This is a belief that presents itself in many different philosophies: Quantum Physics, Metaphysics, Buddhism, A Course in Miracles. Nevertheless it can be a heavy idea to address since it involves 100% personal responsibility and can turn on itself into guilt and condemnation.

This leads us to the next important step. Once we see clearly what is in front of us, it is time for forgiveness, the key to resolution, and then release. Healing will come. Don’t take my word for it. Try out the approach and look for proof of your “healed” Mind in your day to day life.

Let’s get started. Sit quietly alone in a comfortable position. I prefer to sit with my back rested flat against a chair or wall. It makes for easier breathing during the meditation exercises. When you are ready, take in a deep breath. Hold it for a minute and then let it out. As you breathe out, feel the concerns of the day go. All the issues from your life are still there. You are simply not focusing on them. Keep breathing. Let your thoughts go for now. Feel the silence. Feel yourself without the regular worries and deliberation about your day to day life. Feel the calm when concerns or grievances no longer hold your focus. Enjoy the moment with yourself for yourself.

In this quiet space, look back on the week. What episodes “filled” your week? What themes or reoccurring situations appeared? Look at your life as you would view a play. What happened? Recount the events. Were there circumstances that seemed to repeat themselves? Which ones? Why? Was there a person who you feel is responsible for your life’s condition? Who? Review everything. Take your time. Write down your thoughts if you’d like. There is no rush. No objective to reach. No deadline. Take the space and time you want.

For me, the week has been a particularly notable for me. I was called in for yet another appointment with my oncologist to tell me that the tumour diagnosed 4 years ago has unfortunately reappeared over the scar tissue in my right breast. I will go to see the surgeon next week who will give me her suggestions of how to move forward.

Look carefully at how easy it is to be caught in the events themselves. The details can be very elaborate and capture our attention. Feel the sensation of “stepping back” and see the actions and situations as something to view, not something that involves you. Continue to view your life as on a movie screen. It is over there. You, instead are here.

As you sit quietly in an essence of “no details in life,” observe how you feel? Empty? Maybe but you are full of something? What is it? You are away from the specifics of life that normally define you and yet you are something? What? Observe you.

In this divine state of nothingness that is everything-ness, envision a White Light within you begin to grow. Start from the area near your heart center. See the Light, at first a pin point that seems to open within you and grow. Bigger, wider, brighter. The Light easily spreads down to your stomach area, pelvis, hips, calves, feet, and toes. As well it moves up through your chest, shoulders, arms, neck, throat, face, and head. You, your entirety is filled with Light.

The Light continues to expand. It penetrates out from the boundaries of your body. The rays of Light embrace you and bring you with It. You are a part of the Light. You are the Light. You are the rays of Light beaming out. The Light extends to the point of no longer having borders or finite limits. There is only Light. You are here. You are you and yet you are the Light.

Feel the freedom. Feel the grace. Here. In Light. All-ness. Enjoy.

From this place, bring the observed aspects of the week you noted above to mind. Imagine writing the major themes on a white board in front of you. Then one by one fold them into the Light. As you do, forgive each one. State it clearly to yourself. Forgive the detail or circumstance. Forgive yourself. Forgive others involved. Forgive all. Continue to forgive. Release the issues, one at a time in your forgiveness, into the Light.

For me, I have a dooser of a item to forgive – the tumour and the destiny that has brought it to me again. I forgive the tumour. I forgive the destiny that has brought it to me again. I forgive myself for creating it. I forgive illness as a learning tool. I forgive illness, period. I forgive the cancer. I forgive the doctors. I forgive the chemotherapy. I forgive the healing I thought I already done. I forgive the circumstances. I forgive myself. I forgive God. I forgive Holy Spirit. I forgive. I forgive. I forgive. I forgive.

I see the tumour in the Light. I see myself in the Light. I see life in the Light. I see all of us in the Light. We are the Light. I release the cancer. I release the outcome. I release the future. I release the fear.

Allow the details and circumstances of life meld into the Light with You. We are here together, all of us, in the Light.

When you are ready, take in a deep deep breath. Feel yourself once again with the words of the meditation in front of you. Feel the room around you. Feel your body. Feel yourself sitting in a meditative process.

Just let be. Sit peacefully here with me. And let’s watch together what happens.

In gratitude, Elizabeth Griffin

I'll be in touch weekdays through Grace Notes (available on www.tasteofgracebook.com - click on the top homepage menu). There's nothing for you to do, really, except find that place within you that expresses life not as a separate experience, but as togetherness, or more, as One.

I'll look forward to your company. It will be nice to see at the tumour together instead of by myself.

© Copyright by Elizabeth Griffin, 2010. All rights reserved.

Elizabeth Griffin: After two months traveling around the Western US on a trip alone when she was 26 with no schedule and no destination, she decided to settle in Santa Fe, New Mexico where she participated in several small group discussion and meditation groups, writing down her experiences in a manuscript called Heart Felt Truth. From Northern New Mexico, she traveled to India, resettled in Los Angeles, then returned to Seattle for a brief period, before being invited to Rome for a "vacation."

She arrived in Italy in December 1992 at the age of 32, and never really left. She met her husband, Mauro, months later. They married in May 1996 and started a small family. Life with our their 2 young sons took on a new rhythm of happiness until she noticed a nut shaped lump on the top of her right breast. Unfortunately the cancerous cells had already exploded all over her right breast and into my lymph node area. She went through 2 operations and 6 chemotherapy sessions in the following 6 months. The process of healing required a great deal of reflection, meditation, and writing.

From her notes from the meditation courses she'd taken years before and put them together with personal stories, reflections from reading of A Course in Miracles, thoughts from the Pathways of Light Ministry Training, Italian lifestyle anecdotes, and recipes from Mauro's kitchen. Her book, A TASTE OF GRACE is the result.

She currently lives outside of Trieste with her husband, Mauro, and their two sons. She does some ESL teaching but mostly writes every chance she gets!

See: A Taste of Grace: Meditations and Recipes for a Fulfilling Life, www.tasteofgracebook.com for more information. If you’d like the first three chapters are available free online through the publisher: www.fearlessbooks.com.