“It is to me a matter of perennial satisfaction that I retain generally the affection and trust of those whose principles and policies I oppose.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, March 17, 1927, p. 82

Nonviolence is a supreme art, and here, Gandhi points to a hard-won skill: opposing someone without damaging the relationship. Indeed, in what we might call “deep” nonviolence or principled nonviolence, we are bound to become closer to those around us. Our entire life is formed of relationships, and when we turn to nonviolence, we risk strengthening all of them: to ourselves, to others and the rest of life.

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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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