Creating Peace by Being Peace: The Essene Sevenfold Path

by Gabriel Cousens

Representing a synthesis of the author’s decades of multidisciplinary work in meditation, psychiatry, psychotherapy, and spirituality, Creating Peace by Being Peace guides readers in creating peace on seven levels of engagement, from the body to the ecology to God. Author Gabriel Cousens addresses the increasingly urgent need to transform humankind with the ancient peace wisdom of the Essenes, a Judaic mystical group that flourished two millennia ago. He begins by explaining the Essenes and the lessons they can teach us as creators of peace. Individual chapters cover a wide range of possibility, from the personal (“Peace with the Mind”) to the political (“Peace with the Community”). The final chapter, "Integrating Peace on Every Level," presents a comprehensive plan for peace with the body, mind, family, community, culture, ecology, and God as a pervasive experience in life—moment to moment, day by day. Cousens blends documentary evidence with original interpretation to show that the Essenes actually did live this experience of peace. Most importantly, he transfers their gift to modern seekers as a breathing blueprint for realizing this reality as we walk in our lives; work according to our gifts, joys, and sacred design; and live the path of spiritual awakening—the sevenfold peace.

264 pages, Paperback

First published August 19, 2008

Reviews

[Lasita-angel]

Dr. Cousen wrote this book using the third person narrative which is easy to adjust to once you begin. He does this because he is speaking from the awareness of Christ Consciousness and not from the identity of the ego self. It allows you to do the same while reading. It is a wealth of information on how to live a balanced spiritual life similar to the first Essenes. In fact this whole book is about how to balance all areas of life, thus creating peace within one's self which in turn creates peace in family, in community, and globally.

[Alina Lazarescu - Abboud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr Cousins proposes a seventh fold path to peace by being peace and making peace with body, making peace with mind, making peace with spirit,making peace with family, making peace with community,making peace with culture, making peace with ecology. I found some interesting ideas and it gave me a bigger awareness about on how many levels there is discord inside a person and in relationship with the outside and how any small individual change affect the global state. We're have our share of responsibility for the good and the bad on this planet.

[Christin Weber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good and ancient recommendations for living individually and communally in a spirit of peace.