March 8: “Bravery is not man’s monopoly.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 1-5-1947, p. 478) As the world’s consciousness evolves to understand that all human beings, regardless of sex, are human beings, thus worthy of dignity, equality, economic justice, respect, and so on, it is the realm of nonviolent action that portrays this reality most effectively. Nonviolence… read more
Tag Archives: gandhi
“Father Kolbe–Nonviolent Resister”–Daily Metta
March 7: “So long as the superstition that men should obey unjust laws exists, so long will their slavery exist. And a nonviolent resister alone can remove such as superstition.” –Gandhi (Hind Swaraj, p. 92) In The Search for a Nonviolent Future, Michael Nagler recounts the story of one of his personal heroes, Catholic… read more
“Value of Obstructive Program”–Daily Metta
March 6: “Do you believe that a coward can ever disobey a law that he dislikes?” –Gandhi (Hind Swaraj, p. 93) Nonviolence, according to Gandhi’s vision, is about more than idyllic notions of “being the change you wish to see in the world.” It is about the courage to live for a greater purpose. For… read more
“Empowerment–Gandhi style” –Daily Metta
March 5: “Some Englishmen state that they took, and they hold, India by the sword. Both these statements are wrong. The sword is entirely useless for holding India. We alone keep them.” –Gandhi (Hind Swaraj, p. 41) The lie that violence projects is that it is all-powerful, and once someone uses it against us we… read more
“Practical Discoveries Await Us”–Daily Metta
March 4: “The proper way to view the present outburst of violence throughout the world is to recognize that the technique of unconquerable nonviolence of the strong has not been at all fully discovered as yet.” -Gandhi ( Harijan, 6-9-1946, p. 174) Here is food for thought: the vast majority of human beings do not… read more
“Doctor as Servant”–Daily Metta
March 3: “The mere title of a doctor is no criterion; a real doctor is he who is a true servant.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 2-10-1946, p. 8) Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish was born in the Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, and became the first Palestinian to work in an Israeli hospital. Tragically, in 2009, he… read more
“Everyone is a Peacekeeper”–Daily Metta
March 2: “Democracy and dependence on the military and police are incompatible.” -Gandhi (Mind of Mahatma Gandhi, p. 347) Inspired by Gandhi’s vision of personal empowerment, in the pre-school classroom where I work with three to six year olds, we do not designate only one or two people to act as “peacekeeper” for a day.… read more
“Penance not Punishment”–Daily Metta
March 1: “Experience gained in two schools under my control has taught me that punishment does not purify; if anything, it hardens children.” –Gandhi (Mahatma, vol. 2, p. 218) (Pictured: Gandhi’s wife Kasturba, and their four children) One day, Gandhi’s grandson Arun was in Johannesburg with his father, Manilal, getting their car fixed. While… read more
“A life of joy”–Daily Metta
February 28: “Mine is a life full of joy in the midst of incessant work.” –Gandhi (Young India, 10-1-1925, p. 338) (Image: Gandhi was a very brisk walker…) When Gandhi was asked why he never took a vacation, his reply was that he was actually always on vacation. In other words, his mind was at peace, not… read more
“The battle in our hearts”–Daily Metta
February 27: “I do not believe that the Gita teaches violence for doing good. It is pre-eminently a description of the duel that goes on in our own hearts.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 8-24-1934, pp. 392-393) (The battlefield, Krishna and Arjuna in the Gita…) Many people wonder how someone who was committed to nonviolence like… read more
