“I have, after much prayerful consideration, and after very careful examination of the Government’s standpoint, pledged myself to offer Satyagraha against the Bills, and invited all men and women who think and feel with me to do likewise.” ~ Gandhi, in a speech made at Madras, March 18, 1919

The key phrase here is “prayerful consideration.” Gandhi did not jump into an act of satyagraha for the thrill of nonviolent struggle nor for the exhilaration of meaningful action in an otherwise chaotic world. He was deliberate and conscious about his choices. He was not reacting—rather, he was responding (in this case to the infamous Rowlatt Bills). This requires detachment from oneself and a strong sense of inward security. Prayerful consideration means that we do not take on every struggle that comes along but choose wisely, knowing that if we do our best to serve that cause—with conviction and commitment to nonviolence—it is bound to produce a good effect there and elsewhere.

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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.

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