THE ARCANE ARCHIVE
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To: alt.peace,misc.fitness.walking,talk.religion.newage,alt.christnet,alt.magick.tyagi
From: tyagi@arkaotika.abyss.com (tyaginator)
Subject: Lobster: Simple Truths of PEACE PILGRIM
Date: 27 Mar 1999 01:50:17 -0800

[from tariqas@world.std.com: "Lobster" ]

BLESSED are they who give without expecting even thanks in return,
for they shall be abundantly rewarded.

BLESSED are they who translate every good thing they know into
action - even higher truths shall be revealed to them.

BLESSED are they who do God's will without asking to see results,
for great shall be their recompense.

BLESSED are they who love and trust their fellow human beings, for
they shall reach the good in people and receive a loving response.

BLESSED are they who have seen reality, for they know that not the
garment of clay but that which activates the garment of clay is real
and indestructible.

BLESSED are they who see the change we call death as a liberation
from the limitations of this earth-life, for they shall rejoice with
their loved ones who make the glorious transition.

BLESSED are they who after dedicating their lives and thereby
receiving a blessing have the courage and faith to surmount the
difficulties of the path ahead, for they shall receive a second
blessing.

BLESSED are they who advance toward the spiritual path without the
selfish motive of seeking inner peace, for they shall find it.

BLESSED are those who instead of trying to batter down the gates of
the kingdom of heaven approach them humbly and lovingly and
purified, for they shall pass right through.

YOU CAN KNOW GOD: There is a power greater than ourselves which
manifests itself within us as well as everywhere else in the
universe. This I call God. Do you know what it is to know God - to
have God's constant guidance - a constant awareness of God's
presence? To know God is to reflect love toward all people and all
creations. To know God is to feel peace within - a calmness, a
serenity, an unshakeableness which enables you to face any
situation. To know God is to be so filled with joy that it bubbles
over and goes forth to bless the world. I have only one desire now -
to do God's will for me - there is no conflict. When God guides me
to walk a pilgrimage I do it gladly. When God guides me to do other
things I do them just as gladly. If what I do brings criticism upon
me I take it with head unbowed. If what I do brings me praise, I
pass it immediately along to God, for I am only the little
instrument through which God does the work. When God guides me to do
something I am given strength, I am given supply, I am shown the
way, I am given the words to speak. Whether the path is easy or hard
I walk in the light of God's love and peace and joy, and I turn to
God with psalms of thanksgiving and praise. This it is to know God.
And 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.
You can find God if you will only seek - by obeying divine laws, by
loving people, by relinquishing self-will, attachments, negative
thoughts and feelings. And when you find God it will be in the
stillness. You will find God within.

ON FEAR: 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 faith!

THE FREEDOM OF SIMPLICITY: Some seem to think my life dedicated to
simplicity and service is austere and joyless, but these do not know
the freedom of simplicity. I know enough about food to nourish my
body properly, and I have excellent health. I enjoy food, but I eat
to live. I do not live to eat, and I know when to stop eating. I am
not enslaved by food. My clothes are most comfortable as well as
most practical. My shoes, for instance, have soft fabric tops and
soft rubberlike soles - I feel free as though I were walking
barefoot. I am not enslaved by fashion. I am not a slave to comfort
and convenience - for instance, I sleep equally well in a soft bed
or on the grass beside the road. I am not burdened by unnecessary
possessions or meaningless activities. My life is full and good, but
not overcrowded, and I do my work easily and joyously. I feel beauty
all around me and I see beauty in everyone I meet - for I see God in
everything. I recognize the laws which govern this universe, and I
find harmony through gladly and joyously obeying them. I recognize
my part in the Life Pattern, and I find harmony through gladly and
joyously living it. I recognize my oneness with all mankind and my
oneness with God. My happiness overflows in loving and giving toward
everyone and everything.

ON PEOPLE IN OUR TIMES: In order to help usher in the golden age, we
must see the good in people - we must know that it is there, no
matter how deeply it may be buried. Yes, apathy is there and
selfishness is there - but good is there also. It is not through
judgment that the good can be reached, but through love and faith.
Love can save the world from nuclear destruction. Love God - turn to
God with receptiveness and responsiveness. Love your fellow human
beings - turn to them with friendliness and givingness. Make
yourself fit to be called a child of God by living the Way of Love!

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.

MAGIC FORMULAS: There is a magic formula for resolving conflicts. It
is this: Have as your objective the resolving of the conflict, not
the gaining of advantage. There is a magic formula for avoiding
conflicts. It is this: Be concerned that you do not offend, not that
you are not offended.

ON IMMATURITY: What people really suffer from is immaturity. Among
mature people war would not be a problem - it would be impossible.
In their immaturity people want, at the same time, peace and the
things which make war. However, people can mature just as children
grow up. Yes, our institutions and our leaders reflect our
immaturity, but as we mature we will elect better leaders and set up
better institutions. It always comes back to the thing so many of us
wish to avoid - working to improve ourselves.

MY MESSAGE: My friends, the world situation is grave. Humanity with
fearful faltering steps, walks a knife-edge between complete chaos
and a golden age, while strong forces push toward chaos. Unless we,
the people of the world, awake form our lethargy and push firmly and
quickly away from chaos, all that we cherish will be destroyed in
the holocaust which will descend. 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 beyond
our fondest dreams.

GRASS-ROOTS PEACE ACTIVITY: You can start a Community Peace
Fellowship with a peace prayer group for seeking the way of peace.
In some places my literature has been used since it deals with peace
from a spiritual standpoint. Read a paragraph, dwell upon it in
receptive silence, then talk about it. Anyone who can understand and
feel the spiritual truths contained therein is spiritually ready to
work for peace.

Then would come a Peace Study Group. We need to get a clear picture
of what the present world situation is like and what will be needed
to convert it into a peaceful world situation. Certainly all present
wars must cease. Obviously, we need to find a way to lay down our
arms together. We need to set up mechanisms to avoid physical
violence in a world where psychological violence still exists. All
nations need to give up one right to the United Nations - the right
to make war.

We people of the world need to learn to put the welfare of the whole
human family above the welfare of any group. Starvation and
suffering need to be alleviated, as do fear and hatred. There are
some national problems in connection with peace. Work needs to be
done on peace among groups. Our number one national problem is the
adjustment of our economy to a peacetime situation. We need a Peace
Department in our national government to do extensive research on
peaceful ways of resolving conflicts. Then we can ask other
countries to create similar departments.

After world problems and steps toward their solutions become pretty
clear to you, you are ready to become a Peace Action group. You can
become a Peace Action group gradually - acting upon any problem that
you have learned to understand. Peace action should always take the
form of living the way of peace. It can also take the form of
letter-writing - to commend those who have done something good for
peace, to members of Congress about peace legislation, to editors on
peace subjects, to friends on what you have learned about peace. It
can take the form of public meetings on peace subjects, speakers on
peace subjects, distributing peace literature, talking to people
about peace, a Peace Week, A Peace Fair, a Peace Walk, or a Peace
Float. It can take the form of voting for those who are committed to
the way of peace.

Grass-roots peace work is vitally important. In this crisis period,
there should be a Community Peace Fellowship in every town. Such a
group can begin with a handful of concerned people. It can begin
with you!



Co-counceling. Listening. Being listened to . . .
Speak Easy:
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/park/gcn23/speak/index.html

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