March 6:

“Do you believe that a coward can ever disobey a law that he dislikes?”

–Gandhi (Hind Swaraj, p. 93)

Nonviolence, according to Gandhi’s vision, is about more than idyllic notions of “being the change you wish to see in the world.” It is about the courage to live for a greater purpose. For example, his answer to transforming injustice includes not only building up new and better laws and systems, including parallel institutions, which is the constructive side of the work — “constructive programme.” He also tells us to be ready to resist and disobey unjust laws, what we call at the Metta Center “obstructive program.” This kind of resistance is both necessary and extremely risky. When an entire system, set up on unfair structures of justice, is willing to defend itself with imprisonment and other severe forms of violence, it takes immense courage to be nonviolent and withhold one’s support.  But does that not show the weakness and corruption of such a system? It cannot survive a sustained, strategic disobedience, and if we are willing to face the consequences, nothing can stop us from offering just that.

Experiment in Nonviolence:

If you were to disobey one unjust law, which one would it be? What do you need to do to prepare to disobey an unjust law?

Daily Metta 2015, a service of the Metta Center for Nonviolence, is a daily reflection on the strategic and spiritual insights of Mahatma Gandhi in thought, word and deed. As Gandhi called his life an “experiment in truth,” we have included an experiment in nonviolence to accompany each Daily Metta. Check in every day for new inspiration. Each year will be dedicated to another wisdom teacher.