“Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment, and the other by arts of love.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, January 8, 1925 Kenneth Boulding, a founder of modern peace research, called these respectively “threat power” and “integrative power,” and (economist that he was) identified a third that was between these… read more
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Power of Love: Daily Metta
“Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent than the one derived from fear of punishment. . . . I am fascinated by the law of love. It is the philosophers’ stone for me.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, January 8, 1925 Discovering, and thoroughly testing the “power of love,” gave Gandhi’s… read more
War: Daily Metta
“War … has got to go. I firmly believe that freedom won through bloodshed or fraud is no freedom.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, September 13, 1928 Wherever we turn in Gandhi’s writings or his life, the law that “means are ends in the making” greets us. If only we could grasp the simple idea that… read more
Reason & Heart: Daily Metta
“Both reason and heart refuse to reconcile themselves to torture for any crime, no matter how vile the crime may be.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, February 26, 19256 There are certain human universals to which we can never afford to lose our sensitivity (as has recently happened in the post-9/11 policy of this country). The… read more
Fine Line: Daily Metta
“Fasting cannot be undertaken against an opponent. Fasting can be resorted to only against one’s nearest and dearest, and that solely for his or her good.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, September 30th, 1926 Gandhi recurred to the topic of fasting from time to time because it is subtle, and powerful. When you fast—we’re thinking particularly… read more
The Inner Work: Daily Metta Weekend Video
Michael Nagler, still in Chapter Six of Search for a Nonviolent Future, discusses some insights he has had about the development of the inner spark as it relates to the outer fire. 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… read more
Real Swaraj: Daily Metta
[R]eal Swaraj will come, not by the acquisition of authority by a few, but by the acquisition of the capacity by all to resist authority when it is abused. In other words, Swaraj is to be attained by educating the masses to a sense of their capacity to regulate and control authority. ~ Gandhi, Young… read more
Truth Be Told: Daily Metta
“Suspicion is of the brood of violence. Nonviolence cannot but trust.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, May 20, 1925 Nonviolence is never about changing another person directly. It’s always about changing ourselves in order to see more directly into the heart of a conflict and effect transformation there, which can, in time, change others. Truth be… read more
Permanent Good: Daily Metta
“Some of the immediate and brilliant results of modern inventions are too maddening to resist. But I have no manner of doubt that the victory of [wo]man lies in that resistance. We are in danger of bartering away the permanent good for a momentary pleasure.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, June 2, 1927 Perhaps it is… read more
Nature’s Laws: Daily Metta
“Nature is relentless and will have full revenge for any such violation of her laws.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, March 12, 1925 Nature has its laws. Some we can see take effect immediately when they are violated, such as the pollution of a river; some remain unseen, such as selfishness and egotism (“nature,” you see,… read more
