Opening to Grace, part II

Having been out of the country for many weeks, I've only taught a handful of lessons since the end of June.  Today, as I went to put hands on my student, my last blogpost came to mind, and I had a new experience when I contacted her, which I'd like to write about in case it might be useful to others.

In my last post, I spoke about having open, empty hands, unfurling to receive grace-fullness as they touch each other.  As my hands approached my student today, I noticed the emptiness of my hands, and as they made contact, connecting with her through her body, I had that same sense of my hands being filled with grace.

The human body is full of life.  And what is life if not grace--that elusive, indescribable, miraculous Essence of existence?

As I put my hands on a living person, the life in me makes contact with the life inside another.  This is miraculous to me and fills me with awe.  Every body is full of the grace of life.  Every cell is grace-full.

As my hands rest on this living being, what could there possibly be to change?  What could there be to fix?  What could be missing for this person?  What is lacking?  My hands feel the warm miracle of life, and I am in awe of its simple, innocent perfection.  Perhaps the only thing missing is an awareness and deep appreciation of this wholeness, this grace-full perfection of Life's Wonder that lives within.

Perhaps, if I can be present to my student's essential wholeness/perfection as I teach (as well as my own, for the life in us is not different), my student will wake up to it a bit more, too.  Deep down, I think this is what everyone who walks through the studio door is really seeking.  This awareness is what heals.  For what is health, but wholeness?

Exercise:

• After becoming aware of your hands as in the previous post, practice placing your empty hands on different parts of your own body, and sense the life within your body, meeting your hands.
• The next time you touch someone, take a moment to appreciate the emptiness of your hands first, and then appreciate their Grace-fullness as they make contact with the life in the other person.
• Let your hands transmit appreciation from your heart.
• Be aware of the innocent perfection of life, and know that this life cannot be added to, fixed, changed, or diminished.  It simply IS.