If you are renewed by grace, and were to meet your old self, I am sure you would be very anxious to get out of his company. ― Spurgeon C. H.
Seeking, Awakening to the truth and Self-realization, is a combination of movement of Grace and Ego.
A character in a movie appears to be putting in effort to achieve something great. As long as we are watching the movie, we totally believe it to be true and identify with the character and the character’s efforts, struggles, victory and failures. In reality it is an illusion, a story narrated by the script writer and personified by the actors.
Most often, the actor takes all credit and may be awarded for the performance and the writer is completely overshadowed and never known.
Similarly, the ego takes “the last bow” for spiritual seeking and realization. But in reality the ego is just the performer, the show is directed by the puppet master, which is the Self, God, Grace, Love, Guru, Light, presence, awareness are synonyms terms. The awareness in the background illuminates all that arises. Based on the destined time, karmic causes and conditions, intelligence, and evolution of consciousness, the Eternal Self arises as Grace as wisdom which guides the ego to turn within, to be interested teachings, to seek. It also depends on the softness, maturity, receptivity of the ego to flow with Grace, to let go for the shift to happen from ego to the Self. Ultimately, it is all done by arising of Eternal Grace.
Surrender to your own self, of which everything is an expression.
- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Grace is also a blessing, a gift that is always there within but it is up to the seeker to turn within and acknowledge the presence of the Higher Self.
This process can be seen in egos that are defeated, failed to gain mastery, fallen to dust, lost its identity, unable sustain life, desperately looking for something to hold on to, surrenders to that which is higher and beyond. This ego is malleable, pliable and receptive and open to let Grace shine through.
Millions of seekers and practitioners are waiting since years, lifetimes, and aeons. There are also beings who are never spiritually inclined, hardcore criminals, offenders, and immoral people get spontaneous awakening. Both scenarios are by Grace. It happens in divine timing.
Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, but sometimes the trial of extraordinary graces. ― Matthew Henry
This whole ploy of falling and rising seems to be a doing or actions of the ego. Ego seems to put effort such as seeking, renouncing, practising spirituality and realizing. In reality it is just enacting a preordained script. All this pain suffering and misery is part of script in the movie of illusion. Eventually everything merges in to the Eternal Self.
But, it is the Self, Grace, even appearance of a Guru happens by Grace, to lead the Ego on the path to realization. The withdrawing and turning inwards happens by Grace. However, from the Ego perspective, it appears that the Ego itself, as a separate self, is desiring and seeking. There is no doer, no doing, no ego, no seeker- all these are phenomenal appearances, thoughts that are arising from and dissolving into I am awareness, the Eternal Self, conscious presence, emptiness- are many names for that which is unnamable.
Grace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off. – Max Lucado
I share this from my own personal journey, Grace was always dropping subtle clues but ego was blinded by temptations, expectations and hopes, these were much weighty and ego was gravitating towards the illusion. Only when devastation struck, the ego ravaged on the brink of life, the inner voice became loud and clear. It was Grace that nudged me on the right track, and my path started to reveal. Relevant aids, teachings appeared in my path. There was no resistance whatsoever, letting go happened and the rest was done by Grace, from inner guidance and Guru.
Wound is a place where light enters you. - Rumi
In conclusion, it is the play of the I am or the Eternal Self. Grace is made of the Self, experienced by the Eternal Self and it appears in the Eternal Self. The whole process of seeking and self-realization is a play of I am or the Eternal Self -nothing gained nor lost, nothing added nor subtracted, it is Perfection, rest is illusion.
May Guru’s Grace shine and light up hearts of all beings.
Thank You!
Namaste
AB