“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.” — Peace Pilgrim (born Mildred Lisette Norman in 19081)
Kabir – The couplet
जग मे बैरी कोई नह , जो मन शीतल होय ।
यह आपा तो डाल दे, दया करे सब कोय ||
Transliterated:
Jag me bairi koi nahi, jo man sheetal hoy |
Yah aapa to daal de, daya kare sab koy||
Translation:
In the world, there is no enemy if one’s mind is calm and composed|
Cast aside your ego, and everyone will show compassion ||
My understanding:
Kabir’s couplet teaches that a serene mind sees no enemies, and by relinquishing the ego, one can experience universal compassion.
The quote by Peace Pilgrim encapsulates the idea that internal peace is a prerequisite for harmonious relationships with others. It mirrors Kabir’s thoughts on how a calm mind perceives no enemies and the importance of relinquishing ego for universal compassion.
- NOTE: Peace Pilgrim, born Mildred Lisette Norman in 1908, was an American spiritual teacher and peace activist. Starting in 1953, she dedicated her life to a personal peace mission, walking across the United States for nearly three decades. Remarkably, she vowed to remain a wanderer until mankind had learned the way of peace, walking without money and carrying only the essentials. Peace Pilgrim relied on the kindness of strangers for food and shelter and wore a tunic with the words “Peace Pilgrim” on it. Her pilgrimage covered more than 25,000 miles on foot, during which she spoke about peace, both as an internal personal commitment and as a collective societal goal. She authored “Steps Toward Inner Peace,” detailing her philosophies and practices, which include achieving inner peace by overcoming evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love. Peace Pilgrim’s teachings and unique approach to living her message continue to inspire people dedicated to peace and spiritual fulfillment. ↩︎