As some of you may or may not know (i think that covers the complete range), a couple of months ago i made it all the way to cosmos consciousness.  And if you do not know what i am talking about, then you might as well quit reading because i am not going back to explain what i mean by that.

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It is impossible to pick up any reliable literature relating to anything like cosmos consciousness, the Jesus mind, the Buddha mind, enlightenment without finding the mentioning of "Divine Grace".  

Divine Grace is a theological term present in all God-oriented religions.  It has been defined as the divine influence which operates in humans to regenerate and sanctify, to inspire virtuous impulses, and to impart strength to endure trial and resist temptation; and as an individual virtue or excellence of divine origin.

The religions all tell us that it is only through Divine Grace that one can reach cosmos consciousness, the Jesus mind, the Buddha mind, enlightenment.

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Now, i would like to address how i view this Divine Grace.

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I must admit that when i crossed over into cosmos consciousness, i had no sense of receiving any Divine Grace--at least not in any truly clear manner to me.  My observer had changed, but as far as God went, i did not experience any change there.  This concerned me a bit, making me wonder if i was really there (i.e., in the land of cosmos consciousness, the Jesus mind, the Buddha mind, enlightenment).

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Then i learned something that i had not considered before.  I realized that i had been receiving Divine Grace my entire life, but i just did not know it.  It was periodic to say the least, but periodicity counts as much as getting it all in one final big blast at the end of the road.

Now, i must admit that some of the Divine Grace that i received was not exactly on my menu of wants, nor was it viewed positively at the time by me, but it was Divine Grace just the same.  Divine Grace comes in all different kinds of shapes, colors, sizes, etc.  

Divine Grace opens up paths of discovery that are not there without Divine Grace.  Some of those paths are rather easy, but some of those paths are actually quite hard--like climbing the face of El Capitan (btw, that is distinguishable from el trumpo).

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The funny thing about all the above is this.  I did not feel Divine Grace when i reached cosmos consciousness, but it was only after t obtained cosmos consciousness that i could see what role Divine Grace had played throughout my life.

It almost makes one want to cry.