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
Tag Archives: eknath easwaran
“My nonviolence lineage”–Daily Metta
“I was the shortest kid in Midwood High School” In this Daily Metta, Michael Nagler responds to a question from a friend who wrote in, wanting to hear more about his nonviolence lineage. Comment on this Daily Metta below, and send us your questions!… read more
“Gandhi and the man from Assisi”–Daily Metta
October 4: “Compassion or love is the human being’s greatest excellence.” –Gandhi (Indian Opinion, August 9, 1913) Only a couple of days after the celebration of Mahatma Gandhi falls the “feast day” (in the Roman Catholic tradition) of St. Francis of Assisi. Two people from different times, hundreds of years apart, they realized one and… read more
“My duty to love you”–Daily Metta
September 22: “I do not love you because you agree to love me. I love you because I feel it is my duty to love you.” –Gandhi (Day to Day with Gandhi, Volume 4) In the Dhammapada, the Buddha points out a sad but familiar dynamic between us human beings; namely, “people will blame you… read more
“An insight from Kasturba Gandhi”–Daily Metta
May 8: “The pursuit of Truth is true bhakti (devotion).” –Gandhi (Yeravda Mandir, p. 4) The night before morning prayer meetings, Kasturba Gandhi used to memorize the prayers shared from the various religious traditions. During prayer time, she would close her eyes as words were slowly, purposefully recited, and let them sink deep into her… read more
“Real Lovers of God”–Daily Metta
April 11 “I decline to be bound by an interpretation [of a religion], however learned it may be, if it is repugnant to reason or moral sense.” –Gandhi (Young India, 10-6-1921, p. 317) Gandhi’s favorite hymn, “Vaishnava Jana To” or “The True Lover of God,” was composed by 15th century Gujarati poet-mystic, Narsinha Mehta. So… read more
Meditation: A Brief Reflection
“Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh I’ve been practicing meditation for more than two years, and I come to this realization each and every time I sit: Meditation meets us where we’re at in life, opening and strengthening our hearts and minds where they most need… read more
Meditation and the New Physics: A talk by Eknath Easwaran
In the following video meditation teacher Eknath Easwaran bridges the findings of the new physics with the experiences of the mystics. The insight he gives sheds light on some of the powerful ways that science and the wisdom tradition overlap, and he certainly inspires this blogroll on our website. For more information about meditation and… read more
Spinning Wheel #3: Facing Fascism
by Michael Nagler Police brutality, suppression of dissent, heartless cruelty toward the disadvantaged, xenophobia and other forms of racism, Freikorps-type vigilante groups, corporate domination subjugating law and government, election fraud and war — America has virtually all the telltale characteristics of fascism, not just some. And it could not be otherwise, because the culture of… read more
The Spinning Wheel #2: Love as a Practice
“Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” ― Mother Teresa Spiritual teacher, Eknath Easwaran, maintains that love is a skill that all of us can… read more
