Monday, July 21, 2008

Walk a mile in her shoes


In the past, I've wondered where all of the "enlightened" people have gone. We all reference Christ and the Buddha, but that was sooooo long ago. Many make reference to more recent luminaries like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, or Mother Theresa. But for those that are household names, the list is very short, don't you think? And we can use all the help (pointing the way) we can get.

Well here is one more that I just stumbled across the day before yesterday. The gentleman in this video (which is just my "teaser" -- I liked the short video) mentions a woman called Peace Pilgrim. Strange name, perhaps, but a fascinating story of modern-day enlightenment (at least that's how I see it). There is no doubt in my mind that she was in tune with that which prophets and sages and gurus and yogis describe. Her words and actions illustrate the results of attaining inner peace (loving-kindness, boundless energy, unbridled joy).

For those that wonder what modern-day, western-oriented enlightenment might look like ... what expressions it might result in ... what actions one might take ... what are some practical repercussions in the work-a-day world ... and the like, I commend this story of her life. It's really just a collection of her thoughts and insights, both written and spoken, pulled together in one place by some of her friends along her journey.

Read it with an open mind, and see if any of these messages resonate somewhere deep inside. I suspect we'll talk more about Peace Pilgrim in the future.

Namaste.