GRACE

Grace was forced to retire from a career as a world-champion athlete and equestrian coach due to chronic disabling health issues. After an additional collapse of life circumstances, she had a spontaneous transformative event related to Christian mystic, Bernadette Roberts. Shortly after, Grace was left homeless and had no other option but to live in the desert in a tent. The vision for New Mystics Refuge came to her one dark night in a remote desert when a bright orange light from nowhere awoke her. She went on to live in Buddhist monasteries and to practice with Christian monks where she discovered her love of community, prayer and meditation. She knew she would need formation for the mission she was called to and went on to be certified in trauma-sensitive mindfulness with David Treleaven, achieved certification as an ecumenical eco-chaplain from Sati Center for Buddhist Studies and Insight Meditation Center. She completed the neuroscience/Buddhist meditation based The Mind Illuminated dedicated practitioners program and Dr. Jeffery Martin's researched-based awakening courses. After decades of healing, spiritual practices, and sitting retreats with renowned meditation teachers in the U.S., her journey was still unfolding. One evening, so ill she collapsed from exhaustion and made a final prayer for freedom from suffering. The next morning she had a waking vision of an Indian saint offering her darshan. She came to discover this was Ramana Maharshi whom she had never heard of. Grace gives her life to sharing the blessings from all she has learned with all beings so they may embody the freedom and truth alive in them right now. She currently facilitates weekly online Centering Prayer sessions, trauma-sensitive classes for Buddhist and Christian contemplatives, Christian satsang, and private spiritual practice guidance.