Send Me Your Peace Prayer!

The walk for peace from LaVerna to Assisi in Italy doesn’t start until October and the excitement I already feel has traveled through the group of 40 adventurers hiking the 187 kilometers together. We come from the mountains and the prairies, the deserts and the oceans, the highland and the swamps. We walk with open hearts, our feet pressing your prayer into the earth.

I haven’t been to LaVerna but I’ve been to Assisi. I remember walking from St. Francis’ Basilica on one side of Assisi to St. Clare’s Basilica completely on the other side of Assisi. That it was all uphill was not surprising since Assisi is in the mountains. What was surprising was that walking back was still all uphill.

My closest guess is that 187 km equals 131 miles which we’ll do in 10 days. I’ll put the complete itinerary in another blog so you can follow along.

Through Divine Inspiration the idea came to me that since I’m going to be walking for peace why not take with me prayers for peace that I can read along the way. Yes, it’s a beautiful country to look at but I’m sure I could read a prayer while I’m walking and still have plenty of time to ogle and chat.

So here’s the deal. On the Walk for Peace page on this Perfect Ceremonies site there is a form you can click on to write down your own special prayer. Send it to me and I’ll carry it with me on the walk to the World Peace Conclave in Assisi.

You can also add a donation, if you’re so inclined, by clicking on the Pay Pal button, or if you prefer to write a check then send it by mail or hand me any amount in cash when you see me. When you donate include your address and I’ll send you a silicone wrist band embossed with the affirmation, “May peace prevail in my heart.” The bands are in light blue, the color of peace, are soft, about a half inch wide and stretch to fit any wrist. Nice! Or as my son would say, “Neat!”

Other spiritual explorers on the walk are collecting prayers too. One said she wanted to make them into a book. Who knows? You could be writing a prayer that could one day show up in print!!

Reading your prayers every day will help keep me focused. It will also connect me to you. Every time I read your prayer I will also be praying for you personally.

If you think you don’t know how to write a prayer, don’t let that stop you. Think of it as a wish. I know you can make a wish. Send me that. Send me your wish for peace. Or send me your wish, your prayer for yourself.

If I can say a prayer for you that will help you feel more peaceful, then we have started having peace in the world. Peace begins with you and with me.

The Italian word for peace is pace (pah’ chay).

Pace Bene.

Be The Peace You Want To See

You may have seen that someplace before. I didn’t make it up and it’s not one of those lofty, airy-fairy ideas that is impossible to reach. If you’re reading this, the message is for you. Keep reading. It’s possible to be peace – at least some of the time and every little bit counts.

Each and every time you’re able to feel peaceful adds to the peace in the world. Each and every time you’re fearful adds to the fear in the world. You count. Your feelings count. What you project counts. Maybe you can’t be peaceful every minute, but, every minute you can be peaceful counts.

Maybe you feel like you have no control over what happens out there in the world. It could be true. You may have caused a rumble or two in your house but you probably didn’t cause one of the earthquakes that are happening in the world today.

The one thing you and only you have control over is yourself. The Creator gave you free will which means that you get to control you which also means that no one else has that right nor do you get to control anyone else. Works both ways.

Think about these suggestions for being peace. They work for me. You may want to try them.

Start first thing in the morning before you even get out of bed. Decide what kind of a day you want to have. Every day you wake up on the right side of the grass you get to determine your day. You could decide to be happy or bite someone’s head off or stretch your capacity for calmness.

Too late you say! You’re already having your first cup of coffee or tea or shake and you forgot to set your intention. Start now. If you’re breathing its not too late. Decide if you want to look at the up side or the down side.

Really! You know that old saying about the cup being half full or half empty. It’s true! How do you want to perceive it? Will your day be partly cloudy or partly sunny? Since it’s your life you get to choose.

One way I stay peaceful is to give the other guy a break. Say a driver cuts me off in traffic. I used to really get upset over that. But, I’ve cut in front of cars myself. So, when someone does it to me perhaps they’re in a really big hurry because someone needs their help, or they didn’t notice I was there. I don’t take it personal which means I have no reason to get mad.

Another one is when you’re kept waiting. There could be a ton of reasons why. One of the secrets to patience is doing something else in the meantime. Now a days when I have the occasion to wait I see it as another chance to take a deep breath or two and allow my body to relax. Yes, I do. I call it a mini-med. You could take that as a medication or a meditation. Either way deep breathing WILL cause you to relax and feel calmer. We’re not talking about hyperventilating we’re talking about slow deep breaths in and long exhales.

How about if you’re called an idiot, or stupid, or clumsy? You can’t do anything about another person’s opinion but you don’t have to believe them. When Viktor Frankel was in a Nazi concentration camp suffering torture every day he remarked, “You can’t make me hate you.” He would not let them into his head.

Another opinion is another opinion. An opinion and a preference is a personal matter. You decide what’s true for you. You decide if you want to remain peaceful or do you want to get mad. Sound too simple?

I’m not talking about ignoring a situation or making believe an issue doesn’t exist. I’m saying to refuse to be upset. Be a duck instead. A duck doesn’t mind being in the rain because it doesn’t get wet. A duck does not have to dry off. The water rolls off the back of the duck. The water never gets in to wet the duck in the first place.

Next time you get cut off or have to wait, be a duck. Be the peace you want to see in the world. Be the peace you want to be.

Walking For Peace

In September of 2005, on the afternoon of my ordination in Assisi, Italy, I started a walk for peace from Assisi to Rome, a distance of about 100 miles. It was quite a life changing experience that 65 of us shared as we walked in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi. He had undertaken the same walk 800 years before in order to see the Pope. We too saw the Pope. We’re not quite sure if the Pope saw us.

Our walk was lead by James Twyman, known as the Peace Troubadour. The Torch of Peace and Hope had been passed to him for us to carry on our walk. Its flame represented the Truth present in all of us.

I can see us now, gathered together in the courtyard of St. Francis’ Cathedral, with Hotel Sabasio, where we had stayed, right behind us. The torch was lit, a section of the mile long Cloth of Many Colors was unfurled for some of us to carry, and we listened to the words of encouragement from James to start us on our 10 day pilgrimage through the beautiful small towns of Italy.

James was telling us that we were now instruments of peace. We would be walking with our hearts open, walking our prayers for peace into the earth. We were called to be Ministers of Peace. Our loving, peace-filled energy would ripple out to affect the entire world.

Then James led us in our Office of Peace which we said every day. This Office is made up of the 12 prayers from 12 major religions which originated in the Peace Conclave that had been called by the Pope in 1986 to seek out the sameness in the religions not the differences. (You can read them on the Peace Bracelet page.)

At the very end of this starting ceremony one of the walkers stepped forward to read our intention, our inner mission which we all had composed. It went like this: “We are Peace Walking. We will search for truth and balance. We understand with our infinite hope, creativity and integrity that we are love and compassion in the world. We are celebrating a unity for all, a state of grace, joy and perpetual peace. And so it is.”

Two by two and one by one, we turned and left the courtyard, waving to all as we walked. We mingled with the people on the narrow streets some of which were only large enough for one small vehicle to pass at a time.

Onward we walked, literally, over hill and dale, hiking in and out of villages and mini towns only stopping for lunch and whenever nature called. Somehow it seemed easy. Sure we got tired but never crabby. It’s pretty hard to be crabby and peaceful at the same time.

One day we had been erroneously routed on a highway. By detouring around the major road we added a few miles. I think that day we walked 18 to 20 miles. You just keep going. You really have to because your luggage is at the ending point of the day so you must reach the pre-chosen ending point. We only carried a day pack with water, snacks, tissues and little plastic bags for the used tissue, and whatever else we chose to carry for the day. Oh yes, a poncho to keep us a little dry in the rain.

One day, as we were passing a row of houses, a young boy ran outside waving and yelling, “Ciao, pace bene.” (Loosely translates to “Hello, good peace to you”.) You know he went to school the next day telling all his friends that he had seen the Peace Walkers.

The story had spread. People in cars honked and waved. Women leaned out windows to call their encouragement and yell “Pace” (pah’-chay) - Peace.

Each night we stayed at a different hotel. Each was beautiful in its own rite. Each had its own personality and charm.

I think the 10th day when we arrived in Rome we were practically trotting we were so excited. My heart sounded to me like a big base drum proudly beating in my chest. I was sure everyone could hear it. If there was any doubt of my feelings all you had to do was to look at my face. It was the same look all of the walkers were wearing. Our faces said, “We have walked. We believe in peace for you and me. We have arrived. It was all worth it – every minute and every penny.”

Would I do it again you ask? Today I know the true answer is YES! I have already signed up for the next Walk for Peace which will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the World Peace Conclave to be held October 27, 2011 in Beloved Assisi, at the very same cathedral.

A new page has been created for updates so you can follow along with the excitement of the preparations. This walk will be 187 km from LaVerna to Assisi.

More information to follow so keep tuned in.