May 11: “Whatever cannot be shared with the masses is taboo to me.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 11-2-1934, p. 303) While popular figures and politicians today fly around in private jets and claim to be servants of the people, Gandhi wanted to show his dedication to the principle we would today call “servant leadership” by living with… read more
Posts by Stephanie Van Hook
“Gandhi had a mother”–Daily Metta
May 10 “The outstanding impression that my mother has left on my memory is saintliness.” –Gandhi (Autobiography, p. 4) (See photo below of Gandhi with his mother.) While Gandhi had many influences in his life, none was greater in his spiritual development than his mother, Putilbai. A very earnest spiritual aspirant, Putilbai upheld in… read more
“Rescuing Peace from War”–Daily Metta
May 9: “I can say with confidence that if the world is to have peace, nonviolence is the means to that end and no other.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 7-20-1947, p. 243) Aristophanes, the Greek comic playwright, used his craft as a means for opening the hearts and minds of his ancient audience to urgent truths, and his work remains… read more
“An insight from Kasturba Gandhi”–Daily Metta
May 8: “The pursuit of Truth is true bhakti (devotion).” –Gandhi (Yeravda Mandir, p. 4) The night before morning prayer meetings, Kasturba Gandhi used to memorize the prayers shared from the various religious traditions. During prayer time, she would close her eyes as words were slowly, purposefully recited, and let them sink deep into her… read more
“Unknown Peacemaker”–Daily Metta
May 7: “My seventy years’ experience has taught me that the truly great are often those of whom and of whose greatness the world knows nothing during their lifetime.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 12-10-1938, p. 77) We have all heard of the grave of the Unknown Soldier, but have you come across a national monument to… read more
“We want healers of souls”–Daily Metta
May 6: “We want healers of souls rather than of bodies.” –Gandhi (Young India 9-29-1927, p. 327) There is no better time to plant the healing seeds of nonviolence than during early childhood. Children need examples of how to transform their frustration into words and other creative channels, and they are looking to us… read more
“The Truth about Elephants”–Daily Metta
May 5: “What appears as truth to one person may appear as untruth to another.” –Gandhi (Yeravda Mandir, p. 4) Have you heard the story before about the blindfolded men who were standing all around an elephant, each describing what they felt? One man next to a leg says, “An elephant is round and straight,”… read more
“Michael wakes up”–Daily Metta
May 4: “Those who know anything of this matchless force should teach their neighbors to bear repression not weakly and helplessly, but bravely and knowingly.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 4-8-1939, p. 80) How did you come to realize the potential of the “matchless force” of nonviolence? My mentor’s story is one of my favorites. If you can… read more
“Facing Repression”–Daily Metta
May 3: “Repression itself affords a training in Satyagraha, even as an unsought war affords a training for the soldier.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 4-8-1939, p. 80) One common misconception about nonviolence is that it will be met with peaceful, gentle words and action by those to whom it is offered. This is rarely, if ever, the… read more
“When we lose hope”–Daily Metta
May 2 “A sincere prayer can work wonders.” –Gandhi (Young India, 3-24-1920, p. 1) Let us be clear: there will be times when we seem to come to the end of our capacity for love, for forgiveness, for service, for nonviolence. There will be days when we want to lose our temper, strike back and… read more
