Today is the fourth International Day of Yoga—June 21 was proclaimed as such by the United Nations in 2014. As noted on the UN site about this day, the purpose is to “raise awareness about the benefits of practicing yoga.” The 2018 theme is “Yoga for Peace.” Who would argue for less peace in the… read more
“Ahimsa means the eradication of the desire to injure or to kill.” ~ Gandhi, CWMG, XIV, 463 Once again, intuition, spiritual insight, outruns scientific knowledge. Gandhi could not have known that a-hiṃsā is most probably what linguists call a desiderative based on the root √han, “injure, strike, slay,” i.e. that is indicates the desire or… read more
“I feel, too, that our progress towards the goal will be in exact proportion to the purity of our means.” ~ Gandhi, “Amrita Bazar Patrika,” September 17, 1933 Here’s where people might balk at Gandhi, call him a “purist” and then reject everything he has ever said about nonviolence. I’m not exaggerating, I’ve heard the… read more
This summer, the Metta Center for Nonviolence is hosting a series on nonviolence education and building community that particularly focuses on how and why nonviolence can be particularly effective for reconciling conflict in schools. Special guest Robin Wildman, a nonviolence educator from Broad Rock Middle School in Rhode Island with 25 years of teaching experience,… read more
“The Scriptures of the Christians, Mussalmans, and Hindus are all replete with the teaching of ahimsa.” ~ Gandhi, CWMG, xxv. 522 As are those of the Jains, Buddhists, Jews, etc. The differences are only of degree, with the Jain scriptures (and practices) carrying their ahimsa teaching to the furthest and most demanding degree. This should… read more
In this video, Michael Nagler explores the concept from the Hindu scriptures, “Nonviolence is the highest dharma (law)” from the context of nonviolence as a tool for deep transformation of ourselves and our world. Please add your comments below. About Daily Metta Stephanie Van Hook, the Metta Center’s executive director, launched Daily Metta in 2015… read more
“When there is no desire for fruit, there is also no temptation for untruth or himsa.” ~ Gandhi, Mahatma, vol. 2. p. 311 To revisit the excellent Daily Metta of March 1st: The Gita’s “theory of action” (as we like to call it). It is quite nuanced, but it’s main tenets can be summarized as… read more
“When there is no desire for fruit, there is also no temptation for untruth or himsa.” ~ Gandhi, Mahatma, Vol. 2, p. 311 When Gandhi tells us, based on his adherence to the mystical teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, to let go of the results of our actions, fruit, or phalam in Sanskrit, he is… read more
November 5: “I am trying every moment of my life to be guided by ahimsa, by love.” –Gandhi (Harijan, January 12, 1934) Hafiz asked Rabia, “O Daughter of God, is hate the opposite of love?” She replied, “No. Love has no opposite.” Rabi’a, the 7th Century mystic from Basra (not yet Iraq) and founder of… read more
October 26: “The essence of the nonviolent technique is that it seeks to liquidate antagonisms but not the antagonists themselves.” –Gandhi (Harijan, April 29, 1939) The other day I noticed a box of ant bait on a store shelf. In bold letters, it told me that this product DESTROYS ant colonies and so on along… read more
