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Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words

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Peace Pilgrim walked alone and penniless "as a prayer" more than 25,000 miles across America to inspire others to pray and work for peace. Her message was simple-"This is the way of peace: Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love." Her 28-year pilgrimage started in 1953. She would not tell you her real name this silver-haired lady with penetrating blue eyes "Peace Pilgrim" is the only name she wished to carry. And she would not tell you the years that she had spent in this world although a friend said she was probably around 80 when she died in a car accident in Indiana in 1981 on her way to a speaking engagement. After walking 25,000 miles, which took her until 1964, she stopped counting the miles. Although she mostly slept under the stars without a sleeping bag she never had another headache or pain or cold once she started her pilgrimage. Carrying in her tunic pockets her only worldly possessions: a comb, a folding toothbrush, a ball point pen, her current correspondence she vowed, "I shall remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food." She talked with people on dusty roads and city streets, in churches, colleges, to civic groups, on TV and radio discussing peace within and without.
Her pilgrimage covered the entire peace picture: peace among nations, groups, individuals, and inner peace-because that is where peace begins. She believed that world peace would come when enough people attain inner peace.

Since many of us are in deep despair about the human cost of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan the life and teachings of Peace Pilgrim are particularly compelling right now. The press continues to report the grim tally of American soldiers killed in action in Iraq-922 killed and 5,457 wounded. But there are figures neither the Pentagon nor the press talks about-the more than 11,000 American soldiers that came home disabled injured and sick in what the Pentagon considers non-combat circumstances. Nor do we know the number of Iraqi and Afghanistan soldiers and civilians deaths and wounded.

Peace said, "All present wars must cease-we need to find a way to lay down our arms together. We need to set up a mechanism to avoid physical violence in the world." We people of the world need to learn to put the welfare of the whole family above the welfare of any group. The means determines the end-only a good means can really attain a good end. Real peace is more than the absence of war: it is the absence of the cause of the war. Have as your objective the resolving of conflict not the gaining of advantage and live to give instead of get.
Peace said the cause of all difficulties is immaturity. If we were mature, war would not be possible and peace would be assured. In our immaturity we do not know the laws of the universe, and we think evil can be overcome by more evil. One symptom of our immaturity is greed, making it difficult for us to learn the simple lesson of sharing. Then there are symptoms of symptoms like access to pure food, water and air. 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 good life could be provided for all people. Immaturity leads to a negative mind for example, a military mind set usually has only military answers. The animal nature thinks in terms of using `the jungle law of tooth and claw' to eliminate all opposition. But this law solves no problems for humans; it can only postpone the solution, and in the long run it worsens things. All war is bad and self-defeating.
Peace suggests America established a Peace Department in our government. It would research peaceful ways to resolve conflicts, war prevention measures and economic adjustments to peace since America's economy seems to work more smoothly in a war or war preparation period. It would ask other nations to establish similar departments and come and work with us for peace. Communications among Peace Departments would be a step towards peace in our world. She said the military forces could clean up the air, the oceans and rivers or take on drainage projects to prevent disastrous floods and other such benefits for humankind.
Many people from other countries told Peace that they considered America the biggest menace to peace in the world because it is the only nation that used the nuclear bomb to kill people and there is no evidence that America will not do it again. Other countries do not always see our kind heart when they look across the sea.
Peace recommends a four-part Community Action Group in every town. The first meeting would teach and focus on inner peace, the second on harmony among individuals, the third on harmony among groups and the fourth on harmony among nations. The sequence would be repeated.
Concerning war Peace consoles "Remember that the darkest hour is just before the dawn." She explains, "There is within the hearts of people a deep desire for peace on earth. It is the job of the peacemaker to inspire out-of-harmony people from apathy, ignorance and fear." Knowing that all things contrary to God's laws are transient we must continue to pray, speak, and act for peace in whatever way we can; to inspire others we must continue to think of peace and know that peace is possible. As Peace said in her book, "One little person, giving all of her time to peace, makes news. Many people, giving some of their time can make history."

From 1953 until 1981 Peace Pilgrim walked thousands of miles for peace among nations, groups and individuals, as well as for inner peace. She walked penniless, giving up even her name and her past identity, to live her faith. Consequently, this compilation of her teachings, to me, has enormous credibility, and the authentic ring of inner truth. This is the simplest and purest guide to inner peace I've ever encountered. It should appeal to people of all faiths, but especially to those of no faith -- seekers of spiritual truth who, for whatever reason, are not attracted to any particular "organized" religion. In essence, her message is a pure distillation of those core spiritual beliefs shared by virtually all religions. Peace Pilgrim belonged to no denomination. The kernel of spiritual truth is too often obscured by dogma, she believed. Yet this remarkable woman was welcomed and embraced as a speaker and teacher in churches of many faiths. Such was the universality of her message. Peace Pilgrim's simple guidance: live a life of service, leave behind a self-centered and materialistic life based on ego and possessions, love and show compassion for every person, live by the Golden Rule, banish negative thinking, look within for your own divine purpose. The purity and simplicity of her message is astoundingly. I've already seen a transformation in my own life from taking this book to heart. Working actively to eliminate negative thinking, I find myself remarkably serene in the face of daily provocations and irritations. Peace Pilgrim has taught me that allowing others to get under my skin has absolutely no impact on the "offenders," and hurts only me. Amazingly, I find myself viewing with compassion those I would have previously despised. This is, indeed, one powerful book.

This wonderful women lived as we all have and do live. She did as we all are doing: working, making money, making a living, raising a family, and enjoying all the fruits of our efforts. But somehow there's a spark of something missing, something undefinable eludes us, something that percolates up in a thought when one takes just a moment of complete silence. During that silence why are you not smiling and your heart is not singing? As it should be with this wonderful life. Peace Pilgrim gives definition and focus to how she found meaning to that spark and to her life. Her words help sort out the clutter that living builds up in one's mind. Her pilgrimage, courage and commitment is an inspiration of thoughts and words. She does not encourage us to take a pilgramage like herself, but she offers very basic steps towards inner peace in the little pamphlet that accompanies the book. She outlined the steps clearly to make it easy for anyone to find their inner peace as she did when she set out on her pilgrimage at the age of 45. The little pamphlet can be obtained free from the Friends of Peace Pilgrim if you do not have one that comes with the her book.

One time in my life when I was really confused and troubled I read "Creative Visualization" by Shakti Gawain and found it to be good guidance. A lot of things changed in my life and I became happy again. But a lot of what I found there just seemed kind of weird and eventually the strength of it ran out for me. Later I read an article about Peace Pilgrim in Utne Reader. It was the most compelling and soul touching thing I had ever seen. I really tried to live up to the advice it offered. One thing I particularly remember was how the Peace Pilgrim suggested to live all the good things one believed in; that believing in a good thing would be perfectly useless unless one lived that belief. She wrote of living as many good things as one could and that the more one did this, the more light would be opened up to a person. This was the beginning of my spiritual walk. Peace Pilgrim's life and work in her own words is the most inspirational book I have ever read or will ever read...

I read this book several years ago and was stunned to think that such a remarkable person could have actually existed! Her friends have done a wonderful job of compiling the materials for this book. I have read and reread this book. I imagine I will wear it out before I am through. Her message was simple, her thoughts were clear. Her 28 year pilgrimage was awe inspiring!

Peace Pilgrim was a person who literally walked and talked her belief. She believed in God, she believed in sharing, she believed in the healing and uplifting of every person she met. And most of all, she believed in peace. This book, told in Peace's own words, explains how she learned from her own life and applied what she learned. She shares her own process of growing into a mature faith and shows us the many benefits of living so close to God. I was touched and inspired by Peace's words and example and recommend this book... to anyone who wants to find and give more good to the world.

Ahhh. What a wonder is this book (any part of which MAY be reproduced or copied, by the way - classy, classy, classy) and what a wonder was this dear woman's life. She reminds one of the traveling saints of India with her personal dedication to her Truth and her tireless living of her message of peace. This book came to me as a gift while I myself was on the road on tour, and I immediately felt the simple truth of Peace's living message. The book is simply written, easy to read, and provides the reader a glimpse into the truly spiritual and faithful life. I think Peace lived the life that deep down we all would like to live. If she can do it to the extent she did, so can we all in our own way.

Today our consciousness has become clouded with fear and this has made us focus on war instead of peace. Peace Pilgrim's journey is an inspiring insight into the way one person with determination and humility can teach us the age old lesson of loving one's neighbor.

This book has the power to change your beliefs and help to create a world that is more loving,successful and sustainable.
Give yourself a precious gift by reading her inspiring story.

I am not going to give a lot details to this wonderful book. I must say that reading it was a life-altering experience. I could not put this book down when I read it. Ironically, I was able to print the entire text of this book for free off the internet (Peace Pilgrim did not write this book for the money--ALL of her writings were free). All I can say is that I plan on giving everyone I love a copy for Christmas! Everyone should read this book, it was ineffable. Get a copy today!

My sister gave me this book fourteen or fifteen years ago. When I first read it I felt as though I became somewhat of a different person. Peace Pilgrim's life had been lived so deliberately, in such an uplifting manner that I couldn't help but to be touched and lifted by her words and experiences.

It helped me make a decision about changing my career to one that allowed me to be of greater service to others (retail sales to nursing home administration). And the book's reading and rereading have brought a dimension of truth and peace to my life that I may not have found otherwise. I am very grateful to her for setting the ultimate example of living one's life according to their "highest light".

My last comment is that you get a sense that "Peace" is a regular, real person. Her language and words are very down-to-earth and rather homespun.

I hope that you enjoy this insightful work as much as I have.