PEACE PILGRIM QUOTES & PHILOSOPHIES |
" . . . if I believe something, I live it. Otherwise it would be perfectly meaningless." |
This is the way of peace: Overcome
evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love. |
"There is nothing new about this message, except the practice of it." |
The following are words from Peace Pilgrim's
Steps Toward Inner Peace booklet and the photography of william [except for photo of Peace Pilgrim used as background] |
You begin to
do your part in the Life Pattern by doing all 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.
I've met a few people who had to change their jobs in order to change their lives, but I've met many more people who merely had to change their motive to service in order to change their lives.
You see, the ego is never in control. The ego is controlled by wishes for comfort and convenience on the part of the body, by demands of the mind, and by outbursts of the emotions. But the higher nature controls the body and the mind and the emotions.
If you're harboring the slightest bitterness toward anyone, or any unkind thoughts of any sort whatever, you must get rid of them quickly. They aren't hurting anyone but you. It is said that hate injures the hater, not the hated. It isn't enough just to do right things and say right things, you must also think right things before your life can come into harmony. 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! No outward thing – nothing, nobody from without – can hurt me inside, psychologically. I recognized that I could only be hurt psychologically by my own wrong actions, which I have control over; by my own wrong reactions – they are tricky but I have control over them, too; or by my own inaction in some situations . . . Judging others will avail you nothing and injure you spiritually. Only if you can inspire others to judge themselves will anything worthwhile have been accomplished. You cannot change anyone except yourself. After you have become an example, you can inspire others to change themselves.
Spiritual growth is a process the same as physical growth or mental growth. Five year old children do not expect to be as tall as their parents at their next birthday; the first grader does not expect to graduate into college at the end of the term; the truth student should not expect to attain inner peace overnight. If you want to teach people, young or old, you must start where they are — at their level of understanding. If you see that they are already beyond your level of understanding, let them teach you. Since steps toward spiritual advancement are taken in such varied order, most of us can teach one another.
No one is truly free who is still attached to material things, or to places, or to people. We must be able to use things when we need them and then relinquish them without regret when they have outlived their usefulness. We must be able to appreciate and enjoy the places where we tarry, and yet pass on without anguish when we are called elsewhere. We must be able to live in loving association with people without feeling that we possess them and must run their lives. Anything that you strive to hold captive will hold you captive, and if you desire freedom you must give freedom.
. . . knowing God is not reserved for the great ones. It is for little folks like you and me. God is always seeking you — every one of you. Anything that you cannot relinquish when it has outlived its usefulness possesses you, and in this materialistic age a great many of us are possessed by our possessions. We are not free.
After a wonderful sojourn in the wilderness, I walk again along the streets of a city which was my home awhile. It is 1:00 p.m. Hundreds of neatly-dressed human beings with pale or painted faces are hurrying in rather orderly lines to and from their places of employment. I, in my faded shirt and well-worn slacks, walk among them. The rubber soles of my soft canvas shoes move noiselessly along beside the clatter of trim, tight shoes with high heels. In the poorer sections I am tolerated. In the wealthier sections some glances seem a bit startled, and some are disdainful. On both sides of us as we walk are displayed the things which we can buy if we are willing to stay in the orderly lines, day after day, year after year. Some of the things are more or less useful, many are utter trash — some have a claim to beauty, many are garishly ugly. Thousands of things are displayed — and yet the most valuable things are missing. Freedom is not displayed, nor health, nor happiness, nor peace of mind. To obtain these, my friends, you too may need to escape from the orderly lines and risk being looked upon disdainfully.
Those who act on their highest motivations become a power for good. It is not important that others be noticeably affected. Of course I trust the Law of Love! Since the universe operates in accordance with the Law of Love, how could I trust anything else? In a conflict situation you must be thinking of a solution which is fair to all concerned, instead of a solution which is of advantage to you. Only a solution which is fair to all concerned can be workable in the long run. There is a magic formula for avoiding conflicts. It is this: Be concerned that you do not offend, not that you are not offended.
Although others may feel sorry for you, never feel sorry for yourself — it has a deadly effect on spiritual well-being. Recognize all problems, no matter how difficult, as opportunities for spiritual growth, and make the most of these opportunities. Worry is not concern which would motivate you to do everything possible in a situation. Worry is a useless mulling over of things we cannot change. There's no greater block to world peace or inner peace than fear. What we fear we tend to develop an unreasoning hatred for, so we come to hate and fear. This not only injures us psychologically and aggravates world tension, but through such negative concentration we tend to attract the things we fear. If we fear nothing and radiate love, we can expect good things to come. How much this world needs the message and example of love and of faith!
From all the things you read and from all the people you meet, take what is good — what your own 'Inner Teacher' tells you is for you — and leave the rest. Books and people can merely inspire you. Unless they awaken something within you, nothing worthwhile has been accomplished. For Light I go directly to the Source of Light, not to any of the reflections. Also I make it possible for more Light to come to me by living up to the highest Light I have. You cannot mistake Light coming from the Source, for it comes with complete understanding so that you can explain and discuss it.
This is the way of peace: Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love. The Golden Rule would do as well. Please don't say lightly that these are just religious concepts and not practical. These are laws governing human conduct, which apply as rigidly as the law of gravity. When we disregard these laws in any walk of life, chaos results. Through obedience to these laws this frightened, war-weary world of ours could enter into a period of peace and richness of life beyond our fondest dreams. |
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To obtain a free copy of Peace Pilgrim's Steps Toward Inner Peace booklet simply contact me requesting one. For multiple copies of the booklet, or other Peace Pilgrim materials, contact the Friends of Peace Pilgrim (listing in my links pages). If you are local, Peace Pilgrim videos and books can also be borrowed at the T&SC of Grand Ledge lending library. |
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