February 14: “The force of love is the same as the force of the soul or truth. We have evidence of it working at every step. The universe would disappear without the existence of that force.” –Gandhi (Hind Swaraj, pp. 77-79) What passes for love in popular music videos, television, and film often has very… read more
Posts by Stephanie Van Hook
“Gandhi’s Mantram”–Daily Metta
February 13 “When a child, my nurse taught me to repeat Ramanama whenever I felt afraid or miserable, and it has been second nature with me with growing knowledge and advancing years.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 8-17-1934, p. 213) Ramanama is the repetition of the Rama’s name (Rama-nama). Rama is the name of a Hindu diety whose… read more
“Not by reason alone”–Daily Metta
February 12 “The conviction has been growing upon me that things of fundamental importance to the people are not secured by reason alone, but have to be purchased with their suffering.” –Gandhi (Young India, 3-19-1931) Gandhi does not hide the very unpopular fact that when one decides to undertake nonviolent discipline, one is preparing… read more
“No Defeat in Satyagraha”–Daily Metta
February 11 “There is no time-limit for a Satyagrahi nor is there a limit to his capacity for suffering. Hence there is no such thing as defeat in Satyagraha.” –Gandhi (from the Satyagraha leaflets, No. 14., 5-4-1919) After awakening to the power of nonviolence, conducting many successful experiments in it, and refining some of its… read more
“Meeting Our Purpose”–Daily Metta
February 10 “Mere abstention from physical violence will not meet our purpose.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 6-10-1939) Perhaps as a child you learned this retort to insults: “sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.” Experience, however, is a different matter–words do hurt. It is not a matter of only insulting words, even… read more
“Awakened Public Opinion”–Daily Metta
February 9 “An awakened and intelligent public opinion is the most potent weapon of a Satyagrahi.” –Gandhi (Young India, 8-8-1929) Gandhi felt that it was necessary in a nonviolent action to get the public to pay attention to what one is doing. His faith in human nature was such that when they observed the dynamic… read more
“Re-telling History”–Daily Metta
February 8 “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it–always.” –Gandhi (The Story of My Experiments in Truth) The story… read more
“History of the Real”–Daily Metta
February 7 “History, then, is a record of an interruption of the course of nature. Soul-force, being natural, is not noted in history.” –Gandhi (Hind Swaraj, Chap. XVII) Imagine walking into a history class in a mainstream, public institution and hearing not the stories of generals and apologies for genocides and massacres, but stories… read more
“Non-Embarrassment”–Daily Metta
February 6 “I have no desire to cause you unnecessary embarrassment, or any at all, so far as I can help.” –Gandhi, from a letter to the Viceroy, written on the eve of the 1930 civil disobedience campaign (Young India, 3-12-1930) Gandhi’s faith in the power of Truth was so deep that… read more
“Still Small Voice”–Daily Metta
February 5 “I shall lose my usefulness the moment I stifle the still small voice within.” –Gandhi (Young India 12-3-1925, p. 422) Mindfulness has recently gained in exposure–from classrooms to boardrooms to even the military. Many people feel positive about this new culture intended to help us “succeed,” while many others take pause at… read more
