October 2, 2016 is the 147th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. A time for reflection, no doubt, and today that’s bound to be sobering. Violence is eroding the human mind, body, and spirit, indeed life in general, almost—but not quite everywhere. It is just about everywhere that most people would ever look, i.e. the mass media.… read more
Tag Archives: michael nagler
No Delusion: Daily Metta
“I am an uncompromising opponent of violent methods even to serve the noblest of causes. Experience convinces me that permanent good can never be the outcome of untruth and violence. Even if my belief is a fond delusion, it will be admitted that it is a fascinating delusion.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, December 11, 1924… read more
Home-rule: Daily Metta
“To prepare for home-rule individuals must cultivate the spirit of service, renunciation, truth, nonviolence, self-restraint, patience. They must engage in constructive work in order to develop these qualities.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, January 8, 1925 This is a tall order. It’s very helpful for us to consider it, though, because we see so many cases… read more
Fasting: Daily Metta
“There is considerable force in the warning given by the Prophet against his disciples copying his fasting over and above the semi-fasts of Ramzan. ‘My Maker sends me food enough when I fast, not so to you,’ said the Prophet.” ~ Gandhi, Gandhi’s Health Guide (Freedom, CA: Crossing Press, 2000), 177-8 If you put together… read more
Respect: Daily Metta
“Man does not live by bread alone. Many prefer self-respect to food.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, February 5, 1925 Which is why some will go so far as to fast from food, if necessary “unto death,” to restore their dignity—or that of their religion or their people. We forget, in some of the shouting matches… read more
Rights: Daily Metta
“The true source of rights is duty.” ~ Gandhi, Mahatma, 2. 179 This concept, here stated so clearly, is one of the great insights Gandhi offered which could, if taken to heart and implemented, change the face of most progressive politics. There is a parallel to Constructive Programme: first build what you want and then,… read more
Heart-prayer: Daily Metta
“Worship or prayer is not to be performed with the lips but with the heart.” ~ Gandhi, Mind, p. 78 The hallmark of mysticism wherever it arises is its recognition of inner realities, the priority of states of mind over outward acts (though no one disputes their importance). What we call principled nonviolence actually springs… read more
Social Networks: Daily Metta
“Man is a social being. Without inter-relation with society he cannot realize his oneness with the universe or suppress his egotism.” ~ Gandhi, Young India, March 21, 1929 [swap man for “a person” and he or his for “she” or “her” where you see fit.] Much of what Gandhi said, based on his own awareness,… read more
Tender Toward Others: Daily Metta
“Whilst we may attack measures and systems we may not, must not, attack men. Imperfect ourselves, we must be tender toward others and slow to impute motives.” ~ Gandhi, Young India Sept. 29, 1921 It is interesting that this statement of the core principle of nonviolence (and the reasoning behind it) occurs a little less… read more
One Reality: Daily Metta
“All religions enjoined worship of the One God who was all-pervasive. He is present in a drop of water or even in a tiny speck of dust. ~ Gandhi, Mahatma, 7. P. 115 Our Mahatma is seeing past the all-too-common misuses of religions to the One Vision shared by their great founders: that God is… read more
