Recently I was prompted to Peace Pilgram’s website, and specifically to her “Steps toward inner peace.” There she talks about the preparations, purifications and relinquishments that are necessary on the spiritual path.
She came to a point in her life where she desired to dedicate her life to service, and prayed to God to please use her. She realized that she could never go back to self-centered living. She also realized this:
“However, there’s a great deal of difference between being willing to give your life to service and actually giving your life, and for me, fifteen years of preparation and inner seeking lay between.”
“However, there’s a great deal of difference between being willing to give your life to service and actually giving your life, and for me, fifteen years of preparation and inner seeking lay between.”
I was reminded of when I too, prayed a similar prayer. And for me, it’s been twenty years of preparation, purification and relinquishment since then. Around that time, a friend said that she was talking about me to another person and said that I was so spiritual, and that I was like that naturally and did not even have to work it. I laughed-out-loud and said, I have to work really hard at it! Here I am twenty years later still needing much vigilance. I bring this up because spiritual work is hard work, and it is a process to be willing to relinquish the ego’s thought system.
Here I am reminded of a passage from The Way of Mastery, which says:
“I have said many times that the world you see is nothing more than the effect of the thoughts you have held within the mind. Therefore, awakening requires the act of vigilance and discipline. The discipline to cultivate a way of living in which you observe your own thoughts, in which you listen to the words that are coming out of your mouth, in which you observe the feelings that are evoked within your body, the reactivity that seems to own you, and to see these things as innocent and simply self-caused.”
In the previous blog I wrote about entering into a year of increased willingness to relinquish what is no longer needed. When I came across these steps by Peace Pilgrim I was inspired to talk and write about the preparations, purifications and relinquishments that are required. Here I will start with preparations, using her steps as a springboard for my own experiences regarding these steps. As usual, much more is shared in the audio, but for the sake of brevity I will share highlights here.
Four Preparations
1. Assume right attitude toward life.
Peace Pilgrim says about this step: “Stop being an escapist or a surface-liver as these attitudes can only cause disharmony in your life. Solve the problems that life sets before you, and you will find that solving them contributes to your inner growth.”
With this step, I was immediately reminded of the first two stages in the “development of trust” as outlined in the manual of A Course in Miracles.
Many have gone through experiences in their lives where it seems as if all hell is breaking loose – a time where it seems like we are loosing what we value, perhaps a job, relationship, etc. This is a time when the universe seems to be directing us into new directions.
The Course calls this “a period of undoing”, one which need not be painful, but often is because is seems that things we find valuable are being taken away. Yet it is also a time where we can learn that these changes are necessary and helpful. Once we learn this we go to the next stage, “a period of sorting out”. We are told that this stage is always somewhat difficult because through life experiences, we are being taught the difference between what is valuable and what is valueless.
“It takes great learning to understand that all things, events, encounters and circumstances are helpful.”
“It takes great learning to understand that all things, events, encounters and circumstances are helpful.”
The Inner Teacher uses the fabric of our very lives to teach us, and as we realize this, life becomes more interesting, meaningful and fun. Everything can be used for healing.
SQT ~1~
Accept all things given
as a gift from our Holy Spirit
for the purpose of peace
and awakening to love.
Accept all things given
as a gift from our Holy Spirit
for the purpose of peace
and awakening to love.
2. Live good beliefs.
Peace Pilgrim says: “The laws governing human conduct apply as rigidly as the law of gravity. …Since many of these laws are already common belief, you can begin by putting into practice all the good things you believe. No life can be in harmony unless belief and practice are in harmony.”
The workbook of the Course came to mind for me here, as it was an incredible preparation period for me which spanned three years, as I was guided to do it twice and each time took exactly 14 months.
Through the practice of the workbook we are being shown the ego thought system of guilt, attack and fear, and we are introduced to the Inner Teacher who then can help us specifically to undo the ego. We are told: "The purpose of the workbook is to train your mind in a systematic way to a different perception of everyone and everything in the world.”
It tells us not to decide for ourselves that the lessons apply to some situations and not others. I’m sure I am not the only one who has had thoughts like:
“Well I can see how remembering that “I am sustained by the Love of God” may be helpful if I am feeling in the dumps, but what-on-earth does it have to do with this horrible financial situation!?”
When mesmerized by the world of form we might not see that the lessons are applicable, but with willingness to actually apply the lessons, not just to some situations, but to all situations, we see their efficacy.
In fact, when I read this step, I immediately thought of this lesson I am sustained by the Love of God. “Here is the answer to every problem that will confront you, today and tomorrow and throughout time.”
“I am sustained by the Love of God” is a great belief to live by, one that I have personally found to be the workbook lesson for the self-employed! And my friend Teddy says that it is God’s diet plan! Ha!
3. Find your place in the Life Pattern.
Peace Pilgrim says: “You have a part in the scheme of things. What that part is you can know only from within yourself. You can seek it in receptive silence.”
Several things came up for me when I reflected on this step. First, I was directed again toward the manual, to section 9: Are Changes Required in the Life Situation of God’s Teachers?
When we embark on the spiritual path we may anticipate great changes, or we may be fearful of great changes occurring, and fear is often more likely. Twenty years ago when I became incredibly inspired to dedicate my life to service, I can still recall the trepidation I felt as I wondered if I was going to be asked to so something I didn’t really want to do, or if I would have to give up relationships or something else I valued.
Fortunately though, I had realized by then that I had lived the first 33 years of my life without God, and at that point, a year with God had made a major difference – I was not going back!
In this section in the manual of the Course, we are told that our training is always highly individualized, and that the majority are given a slowly-evolving training program. So let’s not beat up on ourselves for noticing that these steps of preparation, purification and relinquishment require decades, and maybe lifetimes!
Twenty years ago, and still today, a daily prayer for me was this prayer from ACIM:
I am here only to be truly helpful.
I am here to represent Love that sent me.
I do not have worry about what to say or what
to do, because Love that sent me,
will direct me.
I am content to be where I am, knowing
that Love goes with me.
I will be healed as I let Love teach me to heal.
Through this I was led to a deeper calling. If you who are reading this have been wondering what you are meant to do in the world and what your true purpose is, simply be willing to ask: How Can I Serve Today?
As we act on how we are inspired to serve today, then we are guided to the next step, and then the next. My true calling, my true passion is doing what I am doing right here today, letting Holy Spirit speak to me and through me about who I really am.
4. Simplify life to bring inner and outer well-being into harmony.
Peace Pilgrim says: “Many lives are cluttered not only with unnecessary possessions but also with meaningless activities. Cluttered lives are out-of-harmony lives and require simplification.”
In my self-help junkie days I learned about making goals and setting affirmations, and how this process could be used to change various aspects of my life. Even then I recognized that there were not enough hours in the day to chant affirmations about all the things I wanted to fix! What a revelation it was when I finally got to A Course in Miracles to learn that I could let go of all those useless goals and focus on one goal – God.
I have found that the very best way to simplify my life is to recognize that I need focus on only one goal, one purpose, one desire: Know thy Self as Love created it, unlimited and free.
As we are willing to do this, to seek first the Kingdom, then automatically we step into all four of these preparations to living in inner peace.
I absolutely love what Peace had to say here: “Your lower self sees you as the center of the universe – your higher Self sees you as a cell in the body of humanity.”
It’s with ego that we get caught up in what we’re meant to do or achieve, or focused on me, me, me.
Rest in today: How can I serve today? How can I be truly helpful in this moment? In this way, Love can use us as a cell in the body of humanity to serve one another.
*******************
In my next talk, I will be talking about purification.[i] In this audio I share quite a bit more on living these steps.
* SQT, Single Quiet thoughts can be found at: http://www.reginadawnakers.com
[i] I will be speaking on this on Sunday, 12/18/11 at Acimgather. Visit my website, and click on ‘lectures’ for information on how to listen in. http://www.sherylvalentine.com
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