“Whoever tries to serve his private ends without serving others harms himself as well as the world at large. The reason is obvious.” ~ Gandhi, Ashram Observances in Action, p. 68 Most of us do not grow up with the understanding that pursuit of private satisfaction and well-being, without regard for others, is in any… read more
Tag Archives: daily metta
Level of Principle: Daily Metta
“I have sacrificed no principle to gain a political advantage.” ~ Gandhi, Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, p. 38 You can always count on Gandhi for words that will soothe and refresh. Imagine it: in the midst of political turmoil, he is able to profess that he refuses to sacrifice his principles to gain an advantage.… read more
Distance & Time: Daily Metta
“I wholeheartedly detest this mad desire to destroy distance and time.” ~ Gandhi, Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, p. 233 In order to see life as it is, to see people as they are, not to mention ourselves, we have to slow down. Instead of long walks or journeys, we fly from one place to the… read more
Short of the Ideal: Daily Metta
“I see no courage or sacrifice in destroying life or property for offense or defense.” ~ Gandhi, Mahatma 6.67 I’m revisiting this statement (see yesterday’s post) because in it Gandhi refers offhandedly to something that is quite controversial in contemporary nonviolence practice: property destruction. There are circumstances—for example breaking into a military base and destroying… read more
Sacrifice: Daily Metta
“I see no courage or sacrifice in destroying life or property for offense or defense.” ~ Gandhi, Mahatma 6.67 Naturally, Gandhiji’s point here is to stress two cardinal features of “nonviolence of my understanding” (title of a small book he wrote): the one is that nonviolence is a positive force, which is obvious only to… read more
Transforming anger for nonviolent power: Daily Metta
In today’s Daily Metta video, Michael discusses the story about a Kerala bear from the life of his teacher, Eknath Easwaran, who saw an opportunity for transforming anger into constructive action, and draws out nonviolent lessons from it. Please add your comments below. About Daily Metta Stephanie Van Hook, the Metta Center’s executive director, launched… read more
Nature, nurture and nonviolence: Daily Metta
In today’s Daily Metta video, Michael continues onward in Search for a Nonviolent Future on the question of nature vs. nurture within the broader context of the history and science of nonviolence. Please add your comments below. About Daily Metta Stephanie Van Hook, the Metta Center’s executive director, launched Daily Metta in 2015 as a… read more
Soul Force: Daily Metta
“It is easy to see that soul force is infinitely superior to body force.” ~ Gandhi, Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, p. 165 Is soul force really superior to body force? We would need to look at the big picture, I think, in order to decide. Gandhi says that it’s easy to see, but is it… read more
Our Dignity: Daily Metta
“My goal is friendship with the world and I can combine the greatest love with the greatest opposition to wrong.” ~ Gandhi, Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, p. 424 Every human being has dignity. When we teach ourselves to keep this simple idea in mind, friendship with everyone is no longer hyperbole, but a real (and… read more
Conscious Agents: Daily Metta
“Man is the maker of his own destiny, and therefore I ask you to become makers of your own destiny.” ~ Gandhi, Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, XXVI p. 294 Gandhi’s vision—of life, of human nature—is in so many ways an opposite and a remedy to today’s popular beliefs. He is very much a prophet… read more
