“Habit is not nature.” ~ Gandhi, The Gita According to Gandhi, p. 187

If our nature is good, then why do we do things that harm ourselves and others? Because there is a difference between habit and nature. We might acquire a negative habit—of judgment rather than mercy; of condemnation rather than forgiveness; of self-centeredness instead of selfless action—over time, through repeated words, thoughts, and deeds. If we convince ourselves that our nature is selfish, it would seem to contain these qualities. But when we turn that image around we can see our habits and tendencies more clearly and begin to do something creative to redirect them closer toward our real nature.

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