Peace Pilgrim (1908-07-18 – 1981-07-08), born Mildred Lisette Norman, was an American pacifist, vegetarian, and peace activist.
Sourced
Among mature people war would not be a problem — it would be impossible.- I shall remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace; walking until given shelter and fasting until given food.
- Personal vow with which she began her peace pilgramage (1 January 1953), later published in Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words (1982)
- I deal with spiritual truth which should never be sold and need never be bought. When you are ready it will be given.
- As quoted in "Pushing World Peace — it's a living" by Beverly Creamer in Honolulu Advertiser (15 August 1980)
- In order for the world to become peaceful, people must become more peaceful. 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.
Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words (1982)
- I HAD A VERY FAVORABLE BEGINNING, although many of you might not think so. I was born poor on a small farm on the outskirts of a small town, and I'm thankful for that. I was happy in my childhood. I had a woods to play in and a creek to swim in and room to grow. I wish that every child could have growing space because I think children are a little like plants. If they grow too close together they become thin and sickly and never obtain maximum growth. We need room to grow.
- Ch. 1 : Growing Up
- Stop being an escapist! Stop being a surface liver who stays right in the froth of the surface. There are millions of these people, and they never find anything really worthwhile. Be willing to face life squarely and get down beneath the surface of life where the verities and realities are to be found.
- Ch. 2 : My Spiritual Growing Up : My Steps Toward Inner Peace
- There is great freedom in simplicity of living.
- Ch. 2 : My Spiritual Growing Up : My Steps Toward Inner Peace
- A PILGRIM IS A WANDERER WITH A PURPOSE. A pilgrimage can be to a place — that's the best known kind — but it can also be for a thing. Mine is for peace, and that is why I am a Peace Pilgrim.
- Ch. 3 : The Pilgrimage
- When you approach others in judgement they will be on the defensive. When you are able to approach them in a kindly, loving manner without judgement they will tend to judge themselves and be transformed.
- Ch. 3 : The Pilgrimage
- This is the way of peace — overcome evil with good, and falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.
- The one-sentence peace message summarizing her ideas. Ch. 3 : The Pilgrimage
- 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 world of ours will enter a period of peace and richness of life beyond our fondest dreams.
The key word for our time is practice. We have all the light we need, we just need to put it into practice.
- Ch. 3 : The Pilgrimage
- I am constantly thankful. The world is so beautiful, I am thankful. I have endless energy, I am thankful. I am plugged into the source of Universal Supply, I am thankful. I am plugged into the source of Universal Truth, I am thankful. I have this constant feeling of thankfulness, which is a prayer.
- Ch. 7 : Living the Spiritual Life
- Praying without ceasing is not ritualized, nor are there even words. It is a constant state of awareness of oneness with God; it is a sincere seeking for a good thing; and it is a concentration on the thing sought, with faith that it is obtainable.
- Ch. 7 : Living the Spiritual Life
- Never think of any right effort as being fruitless. All right effort bears fruit, whether we see the results or not.
- Ch. 7 : Living the Spiritual Life
- Knowing that all things contrary to God's laws are transient, let us avoid despair and radiate hope for a warless world. Peace is possible, for thoughts have tremendous power.
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.
- Ch. 8 : The Way of Peace
- You have much more power when you are working for the right thing than when you are working against the wrong thing. And, of course, if the right thing is established wrong things will fade away of their own accord. Grass-roots peace work is vitally important. All who work for peace belong to a special peace fellowship — whether we work together or apart.
- Ch. 11 : Transforming Our Society
- Spiritual truth should never be sold — those who sell it injure themselves spiritually.
- Appendix III
- 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 them — then, and only then, can you begin to find inner peace.
- p. 95 (1994 edition)
External links
Wikipedia has an article about: Peace Pilgrim Wikisource has original works written by or about: Peace Pilgrim Category: Activists
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