"Praying without ceasing is not ritualized, nor are there even words. It is a constant state of awareness of oneness with God." ~Peace Pilgrim

“…awareness of oneness with God.” What does this mean?

Have you ever had an incredible feeling of wellbeing suddenly sweep over you? Your heart feels full of love and joy and everything feels right with the world. To me, this is a state of Grace—of oneness with God.

I always feel this to be such a great gift when it happens spontaneously to me. I also see it as a great gift when I consciously open my heart—which is what happens when I choose the intent to learn about loving myself, and take loving action on my own behalf. This is especially important right now when many people are struggling with being alone.

I have found some loving actions that always give me that expansive feeling of Oneness. This is my list, and I’d love to hear yours.

• Being fully present in my heart while being kind, tender, understanding, compassionate and caring with others.
• Smiling into someone’s eyes and feeling their soul smiling back.
• Sharing love in many different ways.
• Laughing or crying with someone.
• Loving on my dog, cat, and horses.
• Honoring and learning from all of my feelings.
• Doing creative things—making pots on the wheel, painting and drawing, writing.
• Cooking and eating delicious and healthy, nurturing food.
• Walking in nature and being very present with the beauty of trees, flowers, rocks, pieces of gnarled wood, clouds, mountains, birds, grass, and sky.
• Reading a really good book.
• Being connected with my spiritual guidance and receiving new thoughts and ideas.
• Wandering through a day off, allowing myself to do whatever catches my attention.
• Being—doing nothing.

I’m sure there are more ways, but this is what comes to mind right now.

I know that my soul—who I truly am—is a spark of the divine, just as a drop of the ocean is a part of the ocean. When I allow my soul—my inner child—to express who she really is, that’s when I feel the Oneness. It’s up to my loving adult to stay conscious of this choice, rather than slip into unconsciousness and allow my wounded self to take over.

My wounded self can never feel Oneness with God, because she is my fabrication, not God’s creation.

When I let her be in charge, I feel cut off from my divine source. I feel alone, separate and miserable. Since I really hate feeling that way, I’m very motivated to make the loving choices that lead to feeling instead that wonderful sense of wellbeing.

Still, as good as it feels to be in that state of Grace, I will sometimes fall back into making the choices that cut it off. I might go to sleep too late because “I just need to get one more thing done,” and then I’m too tired the next day to connect with myself, others and God. I might not balance work and play—working too much and playing too little. I might let a negative thought creep in. In the past, I would succumb to eating something that I knew my body doesn’t handle well, which always lowers my frequency, making it harder for me to connect.

I ask myself, “Why would I continue to indulge my wounded self at all?” And the answer is—because I’m human. Interestingly, just writing that, and the self-compassion that it invokes, brings me right back to that lovely open feeling that is so aligned with Grace.

Join Dr. Margaret Paul for her 30-Day at-home Course: "Love Yourself: An Inner Bonding Experience to Heal Anxiety, Depression, Shame, Addictions and Relationships."

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