May 6:

“We want healers of souls rather than of bodies.”

–Gandhi (Young India 9-29-1927, p. 327)

There is no better time to plant the healing seeds of nonviolence than during early childhood. Children need examples of how to transform their frustration into words and other creative channels, and they are looking to us adults to show them the way, even if they do not–or cannot–say they are. As a friend, a former preschool teacher, recalled in a recent conversation, the children in her classroom were not interrupted from their work when a conflict took place, rather, the resolution of the conflict naturally attracted their attention, and became the work of all of those present. And she would then assist the children in resolving the conflict on their own, developing their own capacity for peacemaking.

I experienced this just the other day, as well, when two children began pushing each other. Those witnessing were quite aware, even fascinated, but showed fear by putting their heads down, as if they were not paying attention. I knew, of course, that they were, and I brought the willing group together to go through a restorative process right then, asking what happens when violence takes place in our community and what can we do about it? Each child took a turn expressing themselves–not discussing who did what, but how it felt to us individually. Then, we took another step in which we reaffirmed our support and friendship for one another. It wasn’t a perfect process, but it did help us to see that when violence happens, we can come together instead of letting it drive us apart; instead of letting it imprint itself on us in a destructive way.

When we help children to become peacemakers, let us assist them in seeing the deeper and spiritual aspect of the conflict. Let us certainly teach them to offer first aid if someone has been hurt physically, but let us help them to articulate their emotions around what it felt like to receive, offer, or witness violence. Let us help them to understand that violence hurts more than our bodies, it hurts our souls; and let us honor our human spirit by giving them in all the ways we can offer, the tools and strategies of nonviolence to heal, nurture and protect their spirits.

Experiment in Nonviolence:

The next time you resolve a conflict, take into consideration that others are learning from you.

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.