Everyday Grace: Having Hope, Finding Forgiveness, and Making Miracles

Rating:
Summary: Practical Spirituality for those who prefer to be devotees
Review: Williamson provides lots of practical gems in this book. Most are quite helpful. The only things that seems to be a re-occurring pattern is how much of the content follows Williamson's guru-inducing writing. She seems to write alot about herself as if she is sharing her journals from therapy sessions. Everyday Grace does its job of highlighting our consciousness about providence in daily life. I just get the sense that this is another one of Williamson's attempts to maintain her guru status. Nothing wrong with being a guru but don't confuse it with spiritual leader. Every Williamson lecture and book is about her and they appeal to followers who would rather use Williamson as their compass instead of their own inner guidance. So ... it may sound good and feel great ... but Williamson's spirituality is akin to Jenny Craig diets. The program will get you where you want to go because someone else's program takes over your life practice. Then when you step into yourself you lack the core skills from the inside out to really sustain and extend your own personal growth. If you truly want to be a leader, borrow this book from the library, seek what enhances your personal life values, and use it as a tool. Don't confuse Williamson as a minister nor consider her writings the bible. A Course in Miracles is simply a path for some. It is not the only way and nothing, especially L.A.-driven gurus offering miracles in a pricey lecture, takes the place of a grounded spiritual practice. Long-times students of Buddhist practice still must struggle with the four noble truths even every day. Now that is grace. Grace is an energy that exists everywhere and corresponds to our level of consciousness. To offer grace in a slick, a la New Age industry package, diminshes the beauty of it. Williamson has made a career of this since 1983. Perhaps I'll believe her interpretations of A Course in Miracles ... a self-study program of spiritual psychotherapy (not validated by the counselling profession still) ... and all about replacing thoughts of fear with love ... when she actually has (A) love in her personal life, and (B) isn't seen as a neurotic control freak within any official organized ministry to which she is employed. If you are one who wishes to be the "Primary Creative Force" of your own life ... then begin inside and check out The Hoffman Process, Cheryl Richardson's life coaching books (meant for guidance versus guru), and SOnia Choquette's material on accessing your inner power (teacher versus guru).