The starting point for spiritual growth is to recognize a degree of imperfection in one's capability to hear the guidance of one's inner wisdom (one's spirit) and the lack of clarity in perceiving that inner wisdom. Jesus was a peacemaker who helped provide a vision of our potential. The Christian definition of "The fall" is associated with a loss of awareness of our spiritual nature, and being lost in material things, e.g. the apple. At any one moment in one's life a person is at a step in the journey to learning and growing to their full potential as spiritual human beings. They have achieved a degree of what I refer to as wholeness. A state in which in their daily lives they are able to contribute to building heaven on earth and in the process of learning from their experiences to be "one" with others and nature. The Beatitudes defined specific characteristics that we need to develop on our journey to oneness.

WAYS OF BEING

Once there is awareness and the commitment to move towards the vision, there is a need to learn how to improve certain capabilities or characteristics. These ways of being are personal characteristics which help us become effective peacemakers. It is in the process of struggling to learn and to be a peacemaker that one recognizes the importance of these 5 ways of being. It is important for us all to recognize that we can always improve our levels of ability in each of these areas, and it is in the process of learning how that we help ourselves to become effective peacemakers.