You know how big plants come from super small origins? A tiny seed grows and blossom into something SO MUCH bigger than itself. The same is true of my yoga website and Facebook page (not that they’re “huge” or anything, but more that a small idea and passing comment is what spurred their birth). While rehabbing my knee with my Physical Therapist (PT), we talked a bit about my teaching yoga, after which he asked me: “Do you have any cards I could have to give out to clients? I recommend yoga quite a bit.” That’s a fantastic idea! I thought to myself, I should definitely get some. Before I made cards though, I figured I should have a website and FB page they pointed people toward. So, when it came time to name my yoga pages (i.e. “brand” myself), it seemed a natural and easy choice to call it Grace and Peace (note: they turned out Grace n Peace because “gracenpeace” is the domain name that was available 🙂

This begs the question: Why grace and peace? Well, thanks for asking! 🙂 Grace and peace have literally changed my life. Eight or more years ago I listened to Rob Bell give a series of teachings on the Book of Philippians, and he started the whole thing with grace and peace. Rob noted that of the thirteen letters attributed to Paul, ALL thirteen BEGIN with a hope, wish/desire, and prayer for grace and peace to bless the letter’s audience. He wondered: What if we ALL approached EVERYONE in our lives with the same mentality? Wouldn’t that change us AND the world?

This, naturally, begs another question: What does grace and peace mean specifically and practically? Since I’m a bit of a word geek and I have a tattoo with them, I’m going to start with the Greek words Paul used for them: Charis and Eirene. Charis means “the absolutely free expression of the love of the Divine for and toward you.” Meanwhile, eirene means “every good thing.” Pretty sweet! Right? Who doesn’t want those things? Regardless of your take on the Divine or God or the Source, I bet you DO believe in things or forces that are bigger than yourself, and while being loved is pretty sweet in and of itself, isn’t it flat out dope to be loved by the proverbial Power(s) That Be?

 (My tattoo of the Swords to Plowshares statue in front of the United Nations Building with charis and eirene on its base)

In short, to wish and desire grace and peace on others means you honestly hope she or he experiences the absolutely free favor and love of the Divine AND is blessed by every good thing.

Let me take this a bit further though. The game-changing power of grace and peace lies not only in you and I earnestly hoping a person receives abundant amounts of love, peace, joy, connection, and health, but in you and I ALSO speaking, acting, and caring in a manner that ACTUALLY helps make those a reality for him or her. Crazy hard, right? AND also crazy good and totally doable when we give ourselves the grace to slip up from time to time, which is aided by remembering that we’re all wildly and freely loved EXACTLY as each of us are.

Grace and peace to you,

Lang