July 4: “Real Swaraj will come, not by the acquisition of authority by a few, but by the capacity by all to resist authority when it is abused.” –Gandhi (Young India, January 29, 1925) When Gandhi met with the British Viceroy Lord Irwin after his imprisonment following the 1930 Salt Satyagraha, they shared a pot… read more
Tag Archives: Nonviolence
“Happiness–Key to Economics”–Daily Metta
July 3: “The extension of the law of nonviolence in the domain of economics means nothing less than the introduction of moral values as a factor to be considered in regulating international commerce.” –Gandhi (Young India, December 26, 1924) Morality in economics sounds like an oxymoron. I can just hear it: leave morality to your… read more
“Gandhi and the Problem of Evil”– Daily Metta
July 2: “If you feel tempted to regard anybody as evil, the odds are that the evil is within you.” –Gandhi (Harijan, April, 28, 1946) Gandhi had very few possessions: a pair of glasses, two pairs of homemade sandals for different occasions, some books, a spinning wheel, and little else. Each item has a story… read more
“The legend of Lucia Zenteno”–Daily Metta
July 1: “To me it [nonviolence] is one of the most active forces in the world. It is like the sun that rises upon us unfailingly from day to day. Only if we would but understand it, it is infinitely greater than a million suns put together. It radiates life and light and peace and… read more
“Faith is not a delicate flower”–Daily Metta
June 30: “Faith is not a delicate flower which would wither under the slightest stormy weather. Faith is like the Himalaya mountains which cannot possibly change.” Gandhi (Harijan, January 25, 1934) Growing up, for some reason, I thought that ‘faith’ meant believing in and defending something because someone else said it was right, even though… read more
“A true story of nonviolent power”–Daily Metta
June 29: “Nonviolence of the strong is any day stronger than that of the bravest soldier fully armed or a whole host.” –Gandhi (Harijan, November 19, 1938) If you have never heard of Krishnammal Jagannathan, you may never forget her now. ‘Courageous’ doesn’t begin to describe her. Born into the Dalit caste during the… read more
“Equal Respect for All Religions”–Daily Metta
June 28: “Science of war leads one to dictatorship pure and simple. Science of nonviolence can alone lead one to pure democracy.” Gandhi (Harijan, October 15, 1938) Rajmohan, the son of Gandhi’s fourth son Devdas, did not spend a significant time with his grandfather as a young man, yet each moment with the Mahatma was… read more
“The discipline of bravery”–Daily Metta
June 27: “Exercise of nonviolence requires far greater bravery than that of swordsmanship.” –Gandhi (Harijan, August 4, 1946) Burmese nonviolence icon and political leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been a great admirer of the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. Like Gandhiji, nonviolence is not an intellectual pursuit or a strategic posturing for her, it is a firm conviction,… read more
“A grain of wheat”–Daily Metta
June 26: “I can say with confidence that if the world is to have peace, nonviolence is the means to that end and no other.” –Gandhi (Harijan, July 20, 1947) According to his grandson, Arun, Gandhi enjoyed telling the following story about peace: Once there was a great king and he wanted with all of… read more
“Move the heart”–Daily Metta
June 22: “I have come to the fundamental conclusion that if you want something really important to be done, you must not merely satisfy reason, you must move the heart also.” –Gandhi (Young India, October 14, 1926) Tell a smoker all the good reasons to quit smoking, show them facts and statistics, and watch what… read more
