Daily Inspiration Blog

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Welcome to World of Maps!

This channel is dedicated to all types of maps!

This means not just geographical maps but imaginary maps, inner maps, mind maps, spiritual maps,

 colour maps, language maps, memory maps, sound maps, music maps, mind-body maps, food maps,

and more.

 

So, to introduce this channel, I have included "Map Piece" by Yoko Ono (1962) which is part of her “Instruction Paintings” series. Yoko invites you to create your own imaginary map. I feel this connects beautifully to my first blog post for this channel, about Peace Pilgrim, who followed her own imaginary map (inner compass) not to a place, but to a way of peace (being).

"Map Piece" by Yoko Ono

Image from Ellen Mueller

More information about "Map Piece" can be found here

 

Below is one of Peace Pilgrim's maps that outlined some of the

many routes she took on her pilgrimages.

Truly amazing!

 

Above map from here

My previous blog post on my channel, "Bookshelf", is about this inspirational woman 

who described herself as a pilgrim and wanderer.

“I am a pilgrim — a wanderer with a purpose. I walk until given shelter, fast until given food.

I walk until mankind learns the way of peace.”

I, too, love wandering, and Peace Pilgrim inspires me to do some more!!

I hope she inspires you, too!

❤️ Enjoy!! ❤️

Here are some more profound words from Peace Pilgrim:

"It was out of a very deep seeking for a meaningful way of life, and after having walked all one night through the woods, that I came to what I now know to be a very important psychological hump. I felt a complete willingness, without any reservations, to give my life, to dedicate my life to service. I tell you, it is a point of no return. After that, you can never go back to completely self-centered living.
And so I went into the second phase of my life. I began to live to give what I could, instead of get what I could, and I entered a new and wonderful world. My life began to become meaningful."

 

Below is a chart of Peace Pilgrim's Spiritual Growth that she mapped out herself.

(Another type of map 😊)

Above image from Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in her Own Words

 

Following are the seven points on Peace Pilgrim's map including quotes from her about the different points on her path.

1. Ordinary living: the ups and downs of emotion within the self-centered nature.

From age 25 to 30

In my early life I made two very important discoveries. In the first place I discovered that making money was easy. And in the second place I discovered that making money and spending it foolishly was completely meaningless. I knew that this was not what I was here for, but at that time (this was many years ago), I didn't know exactly what I was here for. 

2. The first hump of no return: Complete willingness, without reservation, to give life to serve the

higher will. "Living to give instead of to get".

1938 age 30
It was out of a very deep seeking for a meaningful way of life, and after having walked all one night through the woods, that I came to what I now know to be a very important psychological hump. I felt a complete willingness, without any reservations, to give my life, to dedicate my life to service. I tell you, it is a point of no return. After that, you can never go back to completely self-centered living.

And so I went into the second phase of my life. I began to live to give what I could, instead of get what I could, and I entered a new and wonderful world. My life began to become meaningful.

3. Battle between the God-centered nature and the self-centered nature.

Age 30 to 45

From that time on, I have known that my life-work would be work for peace; that it would cover the entire peace picture – peace among nations, peace among groups, peace among individuals, and the very, very important inner peace. However, there's a great deal of difference between being willing to give your life, and actually giving your life, and for me, 15 years of preparation and of inner seeking lay between.

During this time I became acquainted with what Psychologists refer to as Ego and Conscience. I began to realize that it's as though we have two selves or two natures or two wills with two different viewpoints. Because the viewpoints were so different, I felt a struggle in my life at this period between the two selves with the two viewpoints. So there were hills and valleys – lots of hills and valleys.

4. First peak experience: A glimpse of inner peace.

Age 37

Then in the midst of the struggle there came a wonderful mountain-top experience, and for the first time I knew what inner peace was like. I felt a oneness – oneness with all my fellow human beings, oneness with all of creation. I have never felt really separate since.

5. Longer and longer plateaus of inner peace. 

I could return again and again to this wonderful mountaintop, and then I could stay there for longer and longer periods of time, and just slip out occasionally.

6. Complete Inner peace. 

Age 45
Then came a wonderful morning when I woke up and knew that I would never have to descend again into the valley. I knew that for me the struggle was over, that finally I had succeeded in giving my life, or finding inner peace. Again this is a point of no return. You can never go back into the struggle. The struggle is over now because you will do the right thing, and you don't need to be pushed into it.

7. Continuation of growth on a steadily upward path. (Peace Pilgrim, 1982, p. 137)
However progress is not over. Great progress has taken place in this third phase of my life, but it's as though the central figure of the jigsaw puzzle of your life is complete and clear and unchanging, and around the edges other pieces keep fitting in. There is always a growing edge, but the progress is harmonious.

The world may look at you and believe that you are facing great problems, but always there are the inner resources to easily overcome these problems. Nothing seems difficult. There is a calmness and a serenity and unhurriedness – no more striving or straining about anything. Life is full and life is good, but life is nevermore overcrowded.

 

Above information from:

The Dharma Overground

Australian Centre for Inner Peace

 

Check out my blog "Islands of Life"

for more on inner peace!