May 1 “Nonviolence should never be used as a shield for cowardice. It is a weapon of the brave.” –Gandhi (Mahatma, Vol. 7, p.30) In his nonviolence classic, Courage in Both Hands, late Quaker activist Allan Hunter tells the story of Mrs. Pean-Pages, headmistress of a girls’ school in Paris during World War II. She had been hiding… read more
Posts by Stephanie Van Hook
“Nonviolent alternative to military and police”–Daily Metta
April 30 “The Congress should be able to put forth a non-violent army of volunteers who would be equal to every occasion where the police and military are required.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 3-26-1938) If we can train people in violence to serve in fighting and war, does it seem so impossible that we can train them… read more
“Nonviolent Non-cooperation”–Daily Metta
April 29 “Non-co-operation is an attempt to awaken the masses to a sense of their dignity and power.” –Gandhi (Young India, 2-1-1920, p. 3) When we hear calls to be “peaceful and non-violent” from government officials during moments of riots and tension, we owe it to ourselves to question their understanding of what nonviolence means.… read more
“The way to Gandhi’s heart”–Daily Metta
April 28 “Ahimsa is our supreme duty.” –Gandhi (Yeravda Mandir, p. 7) Ahimsa means respect of all of life, and as this can seem impossible, Gandhi would always connect the ideal with a practical suggestion. For example: “Look at the flowers–which belong to all of life–that surround the ashram. Why would picking them as an offering… read more
“Sparks of the same fire”–Daily Metta
April 27 “None can be born untouchable, as all are sparks of one and the same fire.” –Gandhi (Yeravda Mandir, p. 19) While working to free India from external oppression, Gandhi also dedicated himself to reform within the Indian culture itself, particularly of what was known as “untouchability,” the doctrine that some people by birth… read more
“Be the Change”–Daily Metta
April 26 “We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” –Gandhi Get ready for a shock–as far as those who have really studied Gandhi can find, he never actually ever said this. That’s right–perhaps the most famous words of Gandhi are not really his. (Note above, there is no citation!) The… read more
“Food as Medicine”–Daily Metta
April 25 “Food has to be taken as we take medicine.” –Gandhi (Yervada Mandir, p. 11) Before the pharmaceutical cooptation of our health; before the patenting of seed, and pesticides and packaging stale foods; before making it illegal to feed those without homes, there was food itself–fresh and alive. When Gandhi talks about food as medicine, he’s… read more
“The spirit beneath the act”–Daily Metta
April 24 “It is not any single isolated act which can be called Satyagraha apart from the spirit behind.” –Gandhi (Young India, 9-24-1925) You cannot get far in the world of nonviolence before coming across Gene Sharp’s famous list of 198 methods of nonviolent action. Sit-ins, reverse strikes, pray-ins, they are all listed, and this list is… read more
“The Dance of Nonviolence”–Daily Metta
April 23 “We all know more or less what military training is like. But we have hardly ever thought that nonviolent training must be of a different kind.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 10-13-1940) When training to enter a violent conflict in a nonviolent spirit, what kind of material might you review first? Certainly, it seems wise to… read more
“Our Planet, Ourselves”–Daily Metta
April 22 “To forget how to dig the earth and tend the soil is to forget ourselves.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 8-25-1946, p. 282) On Earth Day, we owe it to our beautiful planet to ask ourselves why we harm her. Why do we exploit her? Is this because it is our nature to do so? Hardly.… read more
