“Service and not bread becomes with us the staff of life. We eat and drink, sleep and wake for service alone. Such an attitude of mind brings us real happiness.” ~ Gandhi, from Yeravda Mandir, p. 4

Gandhi is turning the propaganda wing of militarism, the commercial mass media, on its head by emphasizing that service—not consumption—leads to lasting happiness. But note: he understands service primarily as a mental state, suggesting that we should allow it guide us in our actions wherever we may find ourselves in the course of a day. It’s not a couple of acts, in other words. Some people make a blessing over their food before taking a bite, that the nourishment contained therein will strengthen the body and mind for serving others. How do you develop your capacity for service?

Thanks for sharing a comment below.

About Daily Metta

Stephanie Van Hook, the Metta Center’s executive director, launched Daily Metta in 2015 as a way to share Gandhi’s spiritual wisdom and experiments with nonviolence.

Our 2016 Daily Metta continues with Gandhi on weekdays. On weekends, we share videos that complement Michael Nagler’s award-winning book, The Search for a Nonviolent Future: A Promise of Peace for Ourselves, Our Families, and Our World. To help readers engage with the book more deeply, the Metta Center offers a free PDF study guide.

Enjoy more Daily Metta: See the  archives

Get Daily Metta by email: Subscribe