STEPS TOWARD INNER PEACE¹

She was forty-five years old when she began her journey, giving up a comfortable home, warm bed and all possessions to spread her message—"This is the way of peace: Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love." She called herself the Peace Pilgrim and walked more than 25.000 mile across the United States vowing to "remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food." Throughout her lifetime as a pilgrim, without ever asking for anything, Peace Pilgrim was supplied with all she needed for her journey. She believed that as we achieve inner peace, we contribute to manifesting peace in the whole world. Here are some of her ideas on how we can start to create world peace right now.

• 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. That criterion is, "Have they brought you inner peace?" If they have not, there is something wrong with them—so keep trying.

• If you love people enough, they will respond lovingly. If I offend people, I blame myself, for I know that if my conduct had been correct, they would not have been offended, even though they did not agree with me. "Before the tongue can speak, it must have lost the power to wound."

• 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. For guidance and for truth, it is much better to look to the Source through your own ‘Inner Teacher’ than to look to people or books. Books and people can merely inspire you. Unless they awaken something within you, nothing worthwhile has been accomplished.

• The spiritual life is the real life—all else is illusion and deception. Only those who are attached to God alone are truly free. Only those who live up to the highest light they have, find their lives in harmony. Those who act on their highest motivations become a power for good. It is not important that others be noticeably affected. Results should never be sought or desired. Know that every right thing you do—every good word you say—every positive thought you think—has good effect.

• All people can be peace workers. Whenever you bring harmony into any unpeaceful situation, you contribute to the total peace picture. Insofar as you have peace in your life, you reflect it into your surroundings and into your world.

• You cannot leave a situation without spiritual injury unless you leave it lovingly.

• Physical violence can end even before we have learned the way of love, but psychological violence will continue until we do. Only outer peace can be had through law. The way to inner peace is through love.

• All difficulties in your life have a purpose. They are pushing you toward harmony with God’s will.

• There is always a way to do right!

• 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.

• 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.

• 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 that is fair to all concerned can be workable in the long run.

1. From Steps Toward Inner Peace by Peace Pilgrim. This document is not
   copyrighted and may be reprinted in whole or part. The complete text
   can be obtained from Friends of Peace Pilgrim, 43480 Cedar Ave., Hemet,
   California 92544, Tel. (909) 927 7678.