January 13 “The more we give up our attachment to the physical frame of the person we love, the purer and more expansive our love grows.” –Gandhi (Letter to ashramite Prabhudas, 2-2-18, from Day to Day with Gandhi, vol. 1, p. 21) Another term for nonviolence is love-in-action. It’s not always an apt term, because… read more
Tag Archives: gandhi
Humility and Nonviolence–Daily Metta
January 11 “The spirit of nonviolence necessarily leads to humility.” -Gandhi (Young India, January 12, 1921) Humility is one of those delicate virtues that disappears the moment we think that we have attained it. If Gandhi was a humble man, it was not because he lived frugally or because he wore only home-spun khadi, or… read more
Self-Discipline and Nonviolence–Daily Metta
January 10 “Violence like water, when it has an outlet, rushes forward furiously with an overwhelming force. Nonviolence cannot act madly. It is the essence of discipline.” –Gandhi, (Harijan, 3-21-1939) A friend recently confided in me that if he had not had the nonviolent mentorship of an adult in his life at a key moment,… read more
“Beauty, Purpose, Nonviolence”–Daily Metta
January 9 “I cannot impose my personal faith on others, never on a national organization. I can but try to convince the nation of its beauty and its usefulness.” -Gandhi (Young India, 11-20-1924) Perhaps Antoine de St. Exupery was influenced by Gandhi when he wrote, “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum… read more
“Forgiveness and Strength”–Daily Metta
January 8 “A definite forgiveness would mean a definite recognition of our strength.” -Gandhi (Mahatma, vol 2. p. 5) (Gandhi and Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the man who ‘had a problem for every solution Gandhi came up with’) When it is not confronted with nonviolent resistance, violence always leads to more harm than any physical harm… read more
“Duty of Noncooperation and Cooperation”–Daily Metta
January 7 “Sometimes non-cooperation becomes as much a duty as cooperation.” -Gandhi (Young India 1-19-1921) In Sanskrit, the word for “duty” is dharma. There is an expression repeated throughout the Indian spiritual tradition, ahimsa paramo dharma, nonviolence is the highest dharma, or duty. There should be no wonder why Gandhi was so keen on duties. It… read more
“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
“Heart’s earnest and pure desire”– Daily Metta
January 5 The heart’s earnest and pure desire is always fulfilled. -Gandhi (Autobiography, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, p. 110) If you were alive during Gandhi’s day and you wanted to listen to him speak, you would likely attend one of his interfaith prayer meetings. Prayer for Gandhi was more than an empty… read more
“Happiness and Human Dignity”- Daily Metta
January 4 Happiness means an enlightened realization of human dignity and a craving for human liberty which prizes itself above mere selfish satisfaction of personal comforts and material wants and would readily and joyfully sacrifice these. -Gandhi (Young India 3-5-1931) When people who knew Gandhi reflect on what it was like to be around him,… read more
“Disagree without hostility”- Daily Metta
January 3 Differences of opinion should never mean hostility. -Gandhi (Young India 3-17-1927) Gandhi created this pair of sandals for his “opponent” in South Africa, General Jan Smuts, which were clearly worn very often. Where there is more than one person, there will be differences of opinion. How we handle differences of opinion is a… read more
