The Way of Grace: The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation

by Miranda Macpherson, Russ Hudson (Foreword)

“Perhaps you hunger to finally end the struggle of living from a consciousness of fear and separation. Perhaps you yearn for a saner, wiser, more spiritually elegant way to move through our world. Perhaps you are weary of the dizzying pace of a culture that drives us ever further from our true nature. There is another a way of Grace. This book is a hand of friendship to help you come to abide in the living presence that you are and always were.”—Miranda Macpherson, The Way of Grace Many of us struggle to truly live what we believe spiritually. What if closing that gap wasn’t about trying harder, but something quite the opposite? The Way of Grace is a guide to spiritual surrender and nondual realization based on the practice of ego relaxation—a holistic, feminine approach to welcoming all of your experience and responding with compassion and wisdom in a world in need of your unique gifts. “Grace has four primary dimensions, or ways that it comes alive,” explains Macpherson.“Ego relaxation gives us access to these dimensions, so we can stop trying to beat ourselves into spiritual shape and yield instead to an unshakable presence within.” In The Way of Grace, she shares reflections, inquiries, and meditation practices for each phase of your  • Relaxing into the Ground of Grace—move beyond identification with your personality and return to the felt sense of your connection to Grace as your natural and ever-present foundation• Receiving the Blessings of Grace—move beyond “the spiritual poverty of lack” and rediscover the gift of life in every moment through the portals of trust, humility, patience, and joy• The Transforming Power of Grace—move beyond that which limits your full freedom through forgiveness, compassion, unwinding ego identity, and abiding in your boundless nature• Living the Embodiment of Grace—continue to surrender anything that binds you into self-centered patterns and behaviors and become a “Grace-delivery device,” the presence of love here on Earth “Grace will always deepen, season, and bring out the very best in you,” writes Macpherson. “You are its embodiment, always and forever.” The Way of Grace will be your steady companion to “live as the fountain we were made to be, letting the living waters flow to quench our parched and tired Earth.” Foreword by Russ Hudson.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality

242 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2018

About the author

Miranda Macpherson is a contemporary spiritual teacher, counselor, and author of Boundless Love, Meditations on Boundless Love (an audiobook) and The Way of Grace: The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation, Miranda has been teaching internationally since 1995. She is known for her depth of presence and refined capacity to guide people into direct experience of the sacred.
Miranda's work is a synthesis of self-inquiry, spiritual psychology, devotion, and meditation practice offered with feminine grace that embraces the totality of our human experience as a gateway into the depths of our true nature.
Find out more at www.mirandamacpherson.com or visit her YouTube channel to experience her transmission and teachings.

Reviews

[Cass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enthusiastically recommend this brilliant book. After years of dedicated spiritual study, I have come to see through Miranda Macpherson’s work that I have, as she writes, “been trying to push past my bad habits by grasping for some idealize state, rejecting how things are.” This spiritual bypassing has kept me cut off and feeling separate from embracing All of my humanity as part of the totality of my divine Self.
If you are looking for a hand of spiritual friendship to guide you deeply into the mystery of who and what you are, this luminous book is that loving, kind and compassionate guide. With exquisite teaching, meditation, inquiries and devotion, born of years of direct enlightened experience, Miranda guides us on a journey of “dropping the knife of judgment”, condemnation and fear of the unexamined dark places within all of us. She leads us lovingly and gently into laying down that knife and relaxing the ego structures that keep fear, control, and the sense of separation in place. We come into the mystery of discovering as Ramana Maharshi says that “Grace rushes forth as from a spring with in you.” Please consider taking this transformative journey that is without ego efforting or struggle, across to the other shore, to the truth of who we truly are, the embodiment of Love.
We are sharing this book as gifts for our friends ❤️

[Dilia Narduzzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this on audible and I enjoyed it. Needs chapter titles b/c there are a lot of chapters and chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3 etc. etc. don't cut it! But very interesting material... will need to re-listen to parts.

[Jenny Grainger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a student of Miranda Macpherson's work for 9 years now and have attended many of her retreats over that time. My experience of life has been forever altered because of her teaching.
This new book offers a really direct, powerful transmission of her work on the theme of the transformative power of ego relaxation. It is not just a book but my constant companion which is full of powerful inquiry exercises that help me drop through the grapplings of my ego-mind and into the deep peace and stillness which lie below.
The book is structured in an easy to follow form so that even those who have not yet worked with Miranda in person can grasp the concepts and practices included.
I also highly recommend following Miranda on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube where you will find a great library of videos, LIVE teachings and other support materials. The Way of Grace Book Group on Facebook will provide you with inquiry partners and the support of other life-minded folk too - https://www.facebook.com/groups/23200.... It is a great resource.

[Brianna Delott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I am familiar with the authors work, I'm ​in awe with​ the gems she offers page after pag​e, and her writing is exquisite​. H​er psycho-spiritual wisdom/knowledge is hydrating for my soul and nurtures ​​me to be kind and accepting myself. She writes, Ego relaxation asks for your commitment to being present while meeting your direct exp​erience​ fully.. Grace does not ask you to fix yourself or amputate anything..." ​I really enjoy the short meditations and the inquiry exercises that are to be done with presence & curiosity, not the mind. They bring me deeper into myself. ​​I feel she really gets the struggles that spiritual seekers go through because she's done her own deep personal work and has worked with ​so many students and clients one on one. The book carries a lovely energy/transmission.

[David Banner]

This is quite a wonderful book. I took a 12 day sangha with Miranda in India in 2009. I was hooked! This woman is the "real deal" and her book is very unusual yet highly potent. Her feminine path to ego relaxation really rings true; trying to crush the ego (a masculine approach) really inadvertantly strengthens the ego. Miranda asks us to just be present for everything that shows up, both "good" and "bad".

What a gift this book is! I am a voracious reader of spiritual texts and this book stands alone in its clarity and its invitation to allow one's egoic protection "rackets" to dissolve.

David K. Banner,PhD
Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change
Department of Management
Walden University'Minneapolis, MN 55401

[Gillian Haran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miranda's words flow like a warm fresh breeze of grace, guiding us home. Her gentle words dive deep
into our consciousness and our jangled egos surrender with compassion and acceptance. Miranda's 'way' is the way of peace for us, and our hope for the world.
My experience of surrender to fear and control, gave me liberation from 35 years of antibiotics.
Miranda's guidance with meditation and 'presence' has lowered my blood pressure and stabilised my kidney disease. Thank you Miranda ❤️
I have experienced a vision of unity in nature with Miranda's teaching, and an expanded boundless love, a great joy 💫💫

[Kris Ulliman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace driven "how to"

The structure, language, and additional footnotes reminded me how the author gently guides the reader through authentic, knowledgeable, and experiences of grace given to all. Meditations and journaling put the grace into the reader's hands.

[Patricia Hallahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profound. I will continue to read & listen and to repeat the inquiries & meditations in this book. A brilliant & accessible resource for spiritual development.

[Nancy Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! The audiobook is great, too! I have it going in my car and have listened to the entire book twice. There are so many wonderful meditations and inquiries you could use this to study for years and years. If you find a connection with Miranda as you read this, I highly reccomend you check out her website and attend a retreat with her! She is the best meditation teacher I've found in my 50 years of studying. There are not enough stars to give her!

[Cristie Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest and in-depth advice for reaching your full potential in living a life of grace. This advice is presented in easy to follow language that can be broken up and applied in pieces at a time.

[Ann T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Sounds True Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in return of my honest opinion.

This is a wonderful, spiritual book that will appeal to a wide variety of readers, regardless of faith (or not).
Miranda Macpherson writes in a kind, caring manner that embraces the reader and encourages them to live with grace by dropping the ego and awakening their true qualities.

The book is seperate into four sections of grace and includes practices in each chapter and methods to enable the reader to have direct experiences.

I will return to this book and reread passages slowly.