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# Introduction
Although the words are her own, this book is not written by her as an
autobiography. Some material was transcribed verbatim from tapes,
which gives certain passages a spoken rather than a written quality.
The book is full of catchy and snappy soundbites. Constantly i felt
like writing quotes in my notes. Peace was high powered!
# Chapter 1
Phase 1: preparation and inner seeking. The author briefly describes
her childhood and unconscious preparation for her pilgrimage. First,
she set priorities. Second, she searched for God. She found her
answers within and evidences without.
You are within God. God is within you.
She expounded on the Golden Rule.
If you want to make friends, you must be friendly.
If you want to make peace, you must be peaceful.
She insisted on her right to make choices, and she chose freedom.
She discovered it was easy to make money and meaningless to make and
spend it foolishly. She uprooted the false training that success
depends on greed.
# Chapter 2
Phase 2: dedicating life to service instead of self-centered living.
Live to give rather than live to get. She felt this added meaning to
her life.
Unordered list of the author's steps toward inner peace:
## Preparations:
Right attitude toward life. It is through solving problems in
accordance with the highest light we have, that inner growth is
attained. Now, collective problems must be solved by us
collectively, and no one finds inner peace who avoids doing his or
her share in the solving of collective problems...
Bring our lives into harmony with the laws that govern this universe.
Live according to the highest light you have.
Each individual has a special place in the Life Pattern (dharma, or
true calling). If you do not yet know where you fit, I suggest that
you try seeking it in receptive silence. You begin to do your part
in the Life Pattern by doing all of the good things you feel
motivated toward, even though they are just little good things at
first. You give these priority in your life over all the superficial
things that customarily clutter human lives.
Simplification of life. Bring life down to a need level. There is
great freedom in simplicity of living, and after I began to feel
this, I found harmony in my life between inner and outer well-being.
## Purifications:
Purification of the body. Eat better food. Breathe better air.
Sleep better.
Purification of thought. If you realized how powerful your thoughts
are, you would never think a negative thought. They hurt you. You
must learn to forgive yourself as easily as you forgive others.
Purification of desire. Your desires should be centered and focused
toward harmony with the laws that govern human conduct and with your
part in the scheme of things.
Purification of motive. The motive, if you are to find inner peace,
must be an outgoing motive. Service... Giving, not getting. Your
motive must be good if your work is to have good effect.
## Relinquishments:
Relinquishment of self-will. Subordinate the lower self. If you are
motivated to do or say a mean thing, you can always think of a good
thing. You deliberately turn around and use that same energy to do
or say a good thing instead. It works!
Relinquishment of the feeling of separateness. As soon as you begin
working for the good of the whole, you find yourself in harmony with
all of your fellow human beings.
Relinquishment of attachments. Any material thing that you cannot
relinquish when it has outlived its usefulness possesses you. You do
not possess any other human being. When we think we possess people
there is a tendency to run their lives for them, and out of this
develop extremely inharmonious situations.
Relinquishment of all negative feelings including worry.
If [life] is overcrowded, then you are doing more than is right for
you to do--more than is your job to do in the total scheme of things.
# Chapter 3
In the final analysis, only as we become more peaceful people will we
be finding ourselves living in a more peaceful world.
## Peace Pilgrim's message:
This is the way of peace--overcome evil with good, and falsehood with
truth, and hatred with love.
You lose any spiritual contact the moment you commercialize it.
## Peace Pilgrim's personal prayers:
Make me an instrument through which only truth can speak.
Every experience is what you make it and it serves a purpose. It
might inspire you, it might educate you, or it might come to give you
a chance to be of service in some way.
Concealed in every new situation we face is a spiritual lesson to
learn and a spiritual blessing for us if we learn that lesson. It is
good to be tested. We grow and learn through passing tests.
When you approach others in judgment they will be on the defensive.
When you are able to approach them in a kindly, loving manner without
judgment they will tend to judge themselves and be transformed.
# Chapter 4
Many anecdotes about people met on the way.
# Chapter 5
Peace Pilgrim's vow:
I shall not accept more than I need while others in the world have
less than they need.
Unnecessary possessions are unnecessary burdens. If you have them,
you have to take care of them.
# Chapter 6
I have been asked if a certain amount of fear is healthy. I don't
think any amount of fear is healthy. Unless you're talking about the
fact that if you have fear about a street, you'll look up and down
before crossing the street. But you see, I believe we are required to
do everything possible for ourselves and therefore when I walk out
onto a street I always look up and down. But I don't think that's
fear. That's just being sensible.
...
I don't think that apprehension can do anything except attract.
"That which I feared came upon me."
I would never wish [a life of no problems] for any of you. What I
would wish for you is the great inner strength to solve your problems
meaningfully and grow.
Prayer is a concentration of positive thoughts.
Worry is a habit. It is something that can be worked on. ... [Worry]
is a total waste of time and energy.
Tremendous energy comes from anger. ... What you do is transform it.
You somehow use that tremendous energy constructively on a task that
needs to be done, or in a beneficial form of exercise.
# Chapter 7
The most important part of prayer is what we feel, not what we say.
We spend a great deal of time telling God what we think should be
done, and not enough time waiting in the stillness for God to tell us
what to do.
Now, beside God's laws, which are the same for all of us, there is
also God's guidance and that is unique for every human soul.
When you feel the need of a spiritual lift, try getting to bed early
and get up early to have a quiet time at dawn. Then carry the serene
"in tune" feeling that comes to you into your day, no matter what you
may be doing.
One must be very careful when praying for others to pray for the
removal of the cause and not the removal of the symptom. A simple
healing prayer is this:
"Bring this life into harmony with Divine Purpose... may this life
come into harmony with God's Will. May you live so that all who meet
you will be uplifted, that all who bless you will be blessed, that
all who serve you will receive the greatest satisfaction. If any
should attempt to harm you, may they contact your thought of God and
be healed."
If we could look a bit more deeply into life, we might see that
physical difficulties are reflections of spiritual difficulties, and
that negative thoughts and feelings are much more harmful than
disease germs. If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you
would never think a defeatist or negative thought.
When we attempt to isolate another, we only isolate ourselves. We
are all God's children and there are no favorites. God is revealed
to all who seek; God speaks to all who will listen.
If you desire confirmation of a truth, it is best to seek it from
within and not upon a printed page.
We need not reach out to tear down that which is evil because nothing
which is contrary to God's laws can endure. All not-good things in
the world are transient, containing within themselves the seeds of
their own destruction. We can help them fade away more quickly only
insofar as we remain in obedience to God's law that evil must be
overcome with good.
[This bold, confident, and declarative language reminds me of the
writing of A.P. Mukerji.]
In order to help usher in the golden age we must see the good in
people. We must know it is there no matter how deeply it may be
buried. ... Pure love is a willingness to give, without a thought of
receiving anything in return. ... Make yourself fit to be called a
child of God by living the way of love.
Thoughts to Ponder
To attain inner peace you must actually give your life, not just your
possessions. When you at last give your life--bringing into
alignment your beliefs and the way you live--then, and only then, can
you begin to find inner peace.
# Chapter 8
A few really dedicated people can offset the ill effects of masses of
out-of-harmony people, so we who work for peace must not falter. We
must continue to pray for peace and to act for peace in whatever way
we can, we must continue to speak for peace and to live the way of
peace; to inspire others, we must continue to think of peace and to
know that peace is possible. What we dwell upon we help to bring into
manifestation. One little person, giving all of her time to peace,
makes news. Many people, giving some of their time, can make history.
Those who seem to fail pave the way and often contribute more than
those who finally succeed. I cannot help feeling grateful to the
peace pioneers, who worked for peace when the going was rough and
there were no apparent results.
You don't have to be very good at arithmetic to figure out that if
the nations of the world would stop manufacturing implements of
destruction, the conditions for a very good life could be provided
for all people.
## THIS STRANGE CREATURE CALLED MAN
An outsider might view this strange creature called Man this way:
A Being from another world parked their space ship in an isolated
spot. The next morning they passed a military camp, where it saw men
sticking knives fastened to odd looking poles into bags of straw.
"What is this?" it asked a uniformed youth. "Bayonet practice,"
answered the youth. "We're practicing on dummies. We have to learn
to use the boynet a certain way to kill a man. Of course we don't
kill many men with bayonets. We'll kill most of them with bombs."
"But why should you want to learn to kill men?" exclaimed the Being,
aghast. "We don't," said the youth bitterly "We are sent here
against our will and we don't know what to do about it."
That afternoon the Being passed through a large city. It noticed a
crowd gathered in a public square to see a uniformed youth being
decorated with a medal. "Why is he being decorated with a medal?"
inquired the Being. Because he killed a hundred men in battle," said
the man nearby. The Being looked with horror upon the youth who had
killed a hundred men and walked away.
In another part of the city the Being heard a radio announcing loudly
that a certain man was soon to be executed. "Why is he to be put to
death?" asked the Being. "Because he killed two men," said the man
nearby. The Being walked away bewildered.
That evening, after the Being had thought the matter over, it opened
its notebook and wrote: It seems that all youths are forced to learn
how to kill men efficiently. Those who succeed in killing a large
number of men are rewarded with medals. Those who turn out to be
poor killers and succeed in killing only a few men are punished by
being put to death.
The Being shook its head sadly and added a postscript: It looks as
though this strange creature called Man will soon exterminate himself
very quickly.
# Chapter 9
Peace extended pacifism to vegetarianism, not paying federal taxes,
and not becoming angry with anyone.
# Chapter 10
This is a three page chapter regarding the upbringing of children and
peace.
# Chapter 11
In Peace's opinion, a global language would be an important stride
toward world peace.
We need the people of the world to learn to put the welfare of the
whole human family above the welfare of any group. Starvation and
suffering needs to be alleviated ... Our number one national problem,
however, is the adjustment of our economy to a peacetime situation.
She outlines a program for a community to start a Prayer Group, which
would lead toward a Study Group, which would lead toward an Action
Group.
# Chapter 12
Who am I? It matters not that you know who I am; it is of little
importance. This clay garment is one of a penniless pilgrim
journeying in the name of peace. It is what you cannot see that is
so very important. I am one who is propelled by the power of faith;
I bathe in the light of eternal wisdom; I am sustained by the
unending energy of the universe; this is who I really am!
You cannot mistake light coming from the Source, for it comes with
complete understanding so that you can explain it and discuss it.
There is a spark of good in everybody, no matter how deeply it may be
buried. It is the real you.
After you have read all the books, and heard all the lectures, you
must still judge what is for you. ... But if you must read books,
read many books, so that you will contact as many conflicting
opinions as possible. In this manner you'll be required to form your
own opinions after all.
... get as much light as possible through the inner way. If such
receiving seems difficult, look for some inspiration from a
beautiful flower or a beautiful landscape, from some beautiful
music or some beautiful words. However, that which is contacted
from without must be confirmed within before it is yours.
Most of us fall short much more by omission than by commission.
There is a criterion by which you can judge whether the thoughts you
are thinking and the things you are doing are right for you. The
criterion is: Have they brought you inner peace? If they have not,
there is something wrong with them--so keep seeking!
Inner peace is found by facing life squarely, solving its problems,
and delving as far beneath its surface as possible to discover its
verities and realities.
# Appendix
Q: What is mysticism?
A: One who takes the mystic approach receives direct perceptions from
within. This is the source from which all truth came in the first
place.
Q: Can one's divine nature be awakened through meditation?
A: If you are really meditating, your body is so comfortable that you
are not aware of it. Your emotions are serenely still. Your mind is
at peace--waiting but not pushing. Now that you are receptive and
silent, divine receiving can take place through your divine nature.
It is very important that you put into practice any insights that
came to you.
Q: Are science and religion irreconcilable?
A: You might say that science operates pragmatically and religion by
divine guidance. If valid, they would reach the same conclusions but
science would take a lot longer.
Q: What do you think of capitalism?
A: ... Capitalism usually means competition--and the work for the
future is cooperation.
Q: Do you believe that communism could take over the world and wipe
out religion?
A: ... Communism at its best represents communal living--sharing. As
practiced in some small societies, it is not an enemy of religion...
Q: What is your interpretation of dreams?
A: Most dreams represent either wanderings in the psychic realm or
illusions producced by physical or emotional stresses, and should be
promptly forgotten. A few times there is a vision, which you will
not be able to forget.
Q: What shall I do when I feel put upon?
A: Ask yourself whether or not what is required of you is
unreasonable. If not, you will attain spiritual growth through
serving; if so, you must learn to say 'no' lovingly.
author: Friends of Peace Pilgrim |
