Writer’s note: Please see the addendum below.

I’ve written previously about John Templeton and his inspirational tome the Worldwide Laws of Life. Within the book he has a brief but important passage that appears randomly at the end of a chapter and is credited to “Anonymous”. It’s titled the Symptoms of Inner Peace and while I’ve modified the list slightly, I’ve kept its intent intact.

Symptoms Of Inner Peace

1. Do you have a tendency to think and act spontaneously, rather than based on past experience?
2. Do you have an unmistaken ability to enjoy each and every minute?
3. Have you lost interest in judging others?
4. Have you lost interest in judging yourself?
5. Have you lost interest in conflict?
6. Have you lost interest in interpreting the actions and motives of others?
7. Have you lost the ability to worry?
8. Do you have frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation?
9. Do you have contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
10. Do you have frequent attacks of smiling through the heart?
11. Do you have increased susceptibility to love that’s extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it?
12. Do you have an increasing tendency to let things happen, rather than to manipulate them and make them happen?

I won’t tell you my score, but I will tell you this: I can see where it would have been lower just a few years ago. And, as we collectively grow older and wiser, I think that’s true for most of us. As we find our calling and life path, we achieve a greater level of inner peace, at the same time growing closer to the Divine.

Addendum: After this post was published, I received a message from a Saskia Davis of Seattle who identified herself as the author behind the original “Symptoms Of Inner Peace”. The piece was written in 1984 and originally appeared in a church newsletter. It then took on a life of its own, being distributed far and wide until her name had fallen off the piece. She has since trademarked SYMPTOMS OF INNER PEACE (c) 1984. You can learn more about the story and Saskia’s goal of spreading a pandemic of Inner Peace at symptomsofinnerpeace.net where you can also order posters of the original text.