January 31 “A burning passion coupled with absolute detachment is the key to all success.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 9-29-1946, p. 336) When Gandhi uses the term “detachment” he does not mean a passive disinterest or cold indifference; he is pointing to an active state of conscious awareness of the unity of life. We glimpse that… read more
Tag Archives: detachment
“Love and non-possession”–Daily Metta
January 6 “Love and exclusive possession can never go together. Theoretically, where there is perfect love, there is perfect non-possession.” -Gandhi ( (Modern Review, October 1935, p. 412) (Pictured: Gandhi’s only possessions at the time of his death.) Nonviolence meant more to Gandhi than “not being violent.” It was closer to a state of perfect… read more
karma yoga
Karma yoga is the path of detached, selfless action. In yogic tradition, it is one of four paths to self-realization—along with bhakti, devotion or selfless, detached love, jnana, wisdom or intuitive awareness of the real, and raja, the royal path, a blend of the other three based on the practice of meditation. Gandhi was a supreme practitioner… read more
Gita Theory of Action
The Gita Theory of Action, derived from the ancient Indian spiritual text the Bhagavad Gita, is Gandhi’s approach to nonviolent action in a nutshell. The basic formula for selfless action is: choose the right goal, use the right means, and leave the results to God. The right goal is unity, or reconciliation, rather than winning or… read more
Detachment
According to the Gita Theory of Action, the philosophical basis of Gandhi’s approach to nonviolence, inaction is not possible for the human being as our thoughts themselves are actions. In effect, the decision not to act is a kind of action in itself. Since inaction is impossible, human beings must focus on how to act in… read more
Three Gunas
The three gunas of the Yogic tradition are the three energy states of the phenomenal world, tamas, rajas, and sattva. Tamas is a state of apathy and inaction, rajas of excitement and activity, and sattva meaning law or balance, is a state in which detachment, or selfless action is possible. Tamas describes people who respond to… read more
