Martin Luther King, Jr's Words of Peace
A few years ago, I stood at the base of the Martin Luther King, Jr. statue in Washington, DC and looked up at the towering figure you see above.
A flood of emotions came over me as I tried to imagine the life he led, the sacrifices he made and his dedication to justice through peaceful means.
This was a man dedicated to love.
His quote about peace is especially meaningful to me. As a serious student of A Course in Miracles, I believe the way to create a more peaceful world, is for each of us to to cultivate inner peace.
I love a quote from the Course that says, "Peace is stronger than war because it heals."
Let's dedicate this year to peace. Our purpose can be to nurture our own inner peace that then radiates to our families, communities and throughout our world. Let's allow peace to heal us.
Let's allow peace to be our goal, our path and our state of being.
Love, Peace and Gratitude to Thich Nhat Hanh
Dirty dishes, an out of sorts spouse, or a maddening series of red lights when you’re already late for an important appointment…Thich Nhat Hanh taught me these are all invitations to come back to the peace that dwells in my own heart.
And my choice is to accept that invitation.
I began to explore his work more intently as my interest in ways to live love started to blossom. I’ve particularly enjoyed the simple message in his books “Teachings on Love” and “Peace is Every Step” although there are many titles to choose from. His work has given me a deeper understanding of the power of mindfulness, deep listening, and the sacredness of each and every moment of the day.
I found his teachings on healing relationships particularly powerful. In essence, the secret is to be totally present with others. Really. Present. Not the “I’m listening to you while I just check my phone” kind of present.
Insightful. Simple. True.
Thich...
Welcome the Beloved Community
In a world that appears to be divided on so many fronts, I’ve been thinking a lot about the “Beloved Community” that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about.
The idea was first coined by philosopher Josiah Royce and refers to “an ideal community… a society of justice, peace and harmony which can be achieved through nonviolence.” In 1957 during a sermon to Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama Dr. King said, “The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community.”
The King Center’s website is a rich resource and lists Dr. King’s Fundamental Philosophy of Nonviolence:
- Principle 1: Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.
- Principle 2: Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
- Principle 3: Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people.
- Principle 4: Nonviolence holds that suffering for a cause can educate and transform people and societies.
- Principle 5: Nonviolence...