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“Blessed are they who love and trust their fellow beings,
for they shall reach the good in people and receive a loving response.”
Peace Pilgrim
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The Rushes and the Peace Abbey (index)
by Mayte Picco-Kline
This year a Memorial Service was held to honor the lives and work of Ann and John Rush,
founders of Friends of Peace Pilgrim, at the Peace Abbey in Sherborn, Massachusetts, USA.
Ceremonies included singing their favorite peace songs as part of a Religious Society of Friends
service, a ceremonial burial of their cremated remains around a granite Memorial stone on the
Conscientious Objectors Hill of Remembrance and we closed with a light supper and a New England
style folk dance -- John and Ann met at a
folk dance and they loved to dance!
Ann and John were two of the
compilers of the Peace Pilgrim book. Ann's
revelation by the ocean that the book had to be written in Peace's "own words" guided the
primary decision on how to organize what
later became "Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and
Work in Her Own Words".
The Peace Abbey was a perfect place to honor their lives in light of their mission to create
innovative models for society that empower individuals on the path of peacemaking. Founded
following Mother Teresa's visit in 1988, the Peace Abbey serves as a model for religious
organizations, communities and individuals seeking pathways to peace and social justice.
This inspiring place offers an environment to hold the sacred documents and objects of
the twelve major faith traditions. Within its multiple activities, the Peace Abbey also provides
conference and retreat space, has a place for the New England Peace Studies Association, and
oversees a group home for adults with disabilities at the Life Experience School and the Lavender
House Shared Living.
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Group "Seeds of Peace" finishes 16th Season (index)
of International Camp in Maine
from the Seeds of Peace Newsletter, Oct. 7, 2008
Another successful event at the Seeds of Peace International Camp in Otisfield, Maine, USA
was completed recently. The season included two sessions, each three weeks long. By the end of
this international development, "Seeds of Peace" had empowered 332 young people to be
peacemakers in the Middle East and South Asia. The season empowered young people from Egypt,
Jordan, Israel, Palestine, United States, Pakistan, and India.
Many of the most difficult moments of the International Camp program happened in the
daily dialogue sessions. Guided by the help of a professional conflict resolution facilitator, these
young people were encouraged to be open in dialogue sessions and think for themselves, rather than
sustaining old arguments that had been handed to them by others. They were also taught the art of
listening to others.
Now that these young people have returned to the Middle East, South Asia, and across the
United States, they prepare to be actively leading positive changes in their communities. They join a
network of nearly 4,000 young people around the world working in government, medicine, business,
nonprofit, media and as community organizers. The "Seeds of Peace" group is dedicated to
supporting them in their efforts to create a more peaceful future.
Visit Seeds of Peace online at: www.SeedsofPeace.org
"Eternity is unity in the total embracing capacity of all-ness."
Marc Edmund Jones
Affirmation for Prosperity
I build new sense of values every day.
The secret of consecration
Great movements evolve from the dreams of
consecrated individuals who devote all their powers
to some cause that benefits all men.
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Foggy Field
Photo by Bruce Nichols
Nature can help me become realigned with the wholeness of life.
Patti Hudson, inspired by quotes from
A New Earth - Awakening to Your Life's Purpose
by Eckhart Tolle
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Photo by Mayte Pico-Kline
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In Touch
Silence, a communion with God
And those who share it.
In contemplation, peace flows,
Essence of the divine.
In fellowship, the practice
of brotherhood,
In the unity that is the All.
Jonas Mather
Pennsylvania U.S.A.
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Moving Onward
(index)
by Bob Kline
We’ve decided to make a few changes here, starting with moving from Enlace Internacional, a
title Mayte launched in 1994, to Peaceful Journey. The content will remain the same, focusing on
inspirational items we find as well as contributions from our many friends around the world. We
invite you to participate by sending us items, artwork, poetry and photos, and look forward to
hearing from you, wherever you might be!
Our website has been extensively redesigned and relaunched and we invite you to visit
www.WholenessInLiving.com at your convenience. While the site is currently available in English
only, we will add a Spanish version this year. Peaceful Journey will be available online as new issues are
published and links to prior publications will be provided. In addition we’ve expanded the section
containing Inspirational Words and Images. It will continue to be updated fortnightly, and we’ve
added an email signup for your convenience if you would like to have them delivered to your email.
Many other new features have been added, including Mayte’s blog where we invite your contribution
and exchange of ideas. Our website design partners, mCm designhaus (www.monkeycmedia.com), did
a great job of taking our ideas and turning them into a site that reflects our mission, activity and
artistic expressions. We’re also happy to announce that our site is hosted by ThinkHost, an ‘earth
friendly hosting’ company which uses 100% renewable energy.
 At the heart of our activity for the last year or so is Mayte’s recently published book
Wholeness in Living; Kindling the Inner Light. Currently available in English on our website and
through the New Leaf Distributing Company, the book is now in
more than 20 states in the U.S.A. and 12 countries worldwide. We
have found an enthusiastic response from our readers and some of
their comments can be viewed on our website. This site also
includes information about Mayte and her journey in writing the
book, other articles she has published, and details about the team
which contributed to the publication. Our plan is to publish the
book in Spanish this year and we invite you to visit our website as
we move forward in this activity.
International Peace Garden
from a story and photos by John Christopher Fine
published in "Birds and Blooms"
shared by Patti Hudson, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
 ". . . I've discovered a special garden where beauty and tranquility reign," he affirms.
"Founded 75 years ago, the International Peace garden is as much a mind-set as it is a
botanical garden." Situated about the geographical center of North America (North Dakota and
Manitoba), it straddles the border
between the United States and
Canada. Inside the garden, you are
neither in the United States nor in
Canada, Doug Hevenor explains. He
adds, "When you leave, you can go to
either country."
The Japanese government
donated seven Peace Poles that stand
on a large overlook with the words "May Peace Prevail on Earth" written
in 28 languages.
Welcome (index)
A warm welcome to our newest friends in the Peaceful Journey circle: Lorena Trejo in
Mexico, Luis Paneca in Cuba, Ignacio Vargas in Colombia and Isidoro Sorto in the United States.
If we all work together, expanding consciousness from the everyday situations and through
the simple things, we will be in a position to generate a better quality of life and cohabitation for
all Humanity. It is essential to assume conscious responsibility in this process.
Néstor Hugo Almagro
Mendoza, Argentina
The Power of Love (index)
Unconditional Love is a dynamic and powerful energy that lifts us through the most difficult
times. It is available at any moment by turning our attention to it and using its wonderful potential
to free us. It requires practice and intent to allow this energy to fully permeate our daily
experience.
Within us is an unlimited supply of love and we hold the key to its release. Loving is a choice
we can make every moment.
When we are clear and receptive to our loving nature, we can then direct this love to people
and places around us. Our peace becomes the peace for others. Our love becomes the love other
people feel. The power of love is held within each of us every moment. This wondrous energy is
available merely by our use and conscious recognition. We appreciate then our oneness, wholeness
and interconnectedness.
This is a universal love that recognizes the beauty in life, every moment. It is giving just for
the sake of giving. It is in this sharing and giving of love to others that we receive as we give.
When we give love we experience love itself.
Shared by Anthea Mitchell
Glastonbury, England
A Peace Pilgrim Memory (index)
extract from a note by Elise Harvey, USA
Thank you for encouraging me to tell you about my meeting Peace Pilgrim. In 1956, Peace
visited the University of Delaware. I was 18, a student there. She spent the night and ate her
simple meals at the home of my favorite teacher, Dr. Bernard Phillips. He was a Zen Buddhist, my
philosophy professor. I always loved visiting his home because of the PEACE he personified, and
the peaceful atmosphere.
It was truly thrilling to meet Peace Pilgrim and listen to her message. I wanted to go with
her, but she said "No, you have to do your own thing." I told her I didn't know what my "own
thing" was -- not yet, anyway. "Well," she said, "You have to find that out."
Now, approaching the age of 66, I can better understand what she meant. For 15 years
I've been Chair and Co-chair of our local Peace Education Center in East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
My memories of Peace are very clear. She was gentle, simple and straightforward in her
message.
Peace Partnership International (index)
Forging Alliances to Co-Create a Culture of Peace
extract, shared by Bob Kline
The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace, which Peace Partnership
International co-founded in 2005, is a community of individuals and groups around the world
(35 countries to date) calling for government structures that support a culture of peace - for
example, The Peace Alliance in the U.S., Ministry for Peace in the U.K., Japan United for
Ministry for Peace, South Africa Peace Alliance, Rasur Foundation in Costa Rica and Ministry
for Peace-Australia. This organization {www.peacepartintl.org} is associated with the United
Nations Department of Public Information.
A principle activity of the Global Alliance in support of its community is sponsorship of
the annual Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace. The aims of the Global
Summit encompass building relationships, sharing experiences, learning from one another,
conducting trainings that expand the bank of knowledge and skills of the community, and
raising awareness of the movement in the eyes of governments, civil society, and the general
public. So far, Global Summits have been held in United Kingdom in 2005, Canada in 2006, and
Japan in 2007, and the next one is planned for Costa Rica in 2009. Among the key outcomes of
the Summits to date have been an associated global youth movement, which was launched at
the Canada Summit, and the African Alliance for Peace, which was formed by delegates from
Africa to the Japan Summit in order to extend the movement for ministries of peace
throughout Africa.
The Global Alliance is committed to partnership and cooperation with governments and
civil society organizations working to change the manner in which conflict is dealt with so as to
meet the fundamental needs of all humanity for security, mutual respect, justice, and a
sustainable Earth.
Earlier this year I was encouraged to send a "Thought for Peace" out into the world as
part of my daily activities. This Prayer for Peace would connect with all similar thoughts and
create a thought-form of peace around the world.
Rosemary Southwell, Noordhoek, South Africa
Focusing on the Present
Every moment, each day, can become a fresh emergence into a living reality within
ourselves and the world. Each moment, each day offers beauty in all that is - the joy of growth
and expanded understanding, the glory of action, the splendor in accomplishment.
from Wholeness in Living
by Mayte Picco-Kline
Reflections
(index)
We invite you to participate in this section by selecting a phrase or sentence from the Peace Pilgrim materials. Please
indicate source and page.
If we are out of harmony through ignorance, we suffer somewhat; but if we know better and
are still out of harmony, then we suffer a great deal. Suffering pushes us toward obedience.
(Emilia Kuri, Mexico)
The God centered nature is constantly awaiting to govern your life gloriously. (Rosemary Southwell,
South Africa)
May you so live that all who meet you will be uplifted, that all who bless you will be blessed.
(Stephen Awudi Gadri, Ghana)
A simple healing prayer -- bring this life into harmony with divine purpose. (Mayte Picco-Kline, United
States)
Favorite Quote:
Concentrate on giving so that you may open yourself to receiving. (Amparo Vila Pérez, Spain;
Emilia Kuri, Mexico; Jorge Rougier, Argentina)
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