May 29: “I am content with doing the task in front of me.” –Gandhi (Harijan, September 7, 1935, p. 234) We’ve all seen it: families and friends filling a room, and everyone is looking down at their devices. What would happen if we gave our attention instead to what–or who–is really in front of… read more
Tag Archives: Nonviolence
“The Power Behind the Khadi”–Daily Metta
May 28: “The only real and reliable guarantee for khadi would be honesty, truthfulness and sincerity of khadi workers.” –Gandhi (Mahatma, vol. 7, p. 20) The khadi–or home-spun cloth–campaign was a key constructive program for the Free India movement. It meant that if you were part of the struggle, you would not only wear the… read more
“The greatest force at our disposal”–Daily Metta
May 27: “Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of humankind.” –Gandhi (Harijan, July 20 1931) Whenever anyone tries to tell me that violence works better than nonviolence, I like to tell them the story of Antoinette Tuff. Working as bookkeeper in a public school in Decatur, Georgia, Tuff had no special training in… read more
“Nonviolence, not a negative”–Daily Metta
May 24: “Language is at best a poor vehicle for expressing one’s thoughts in full.” –Gandhi (Young India, September 13, 1928) Arabic is said to have close to sixty words for the concept of love. Talk about precision. Words that express the beginning of love, the kind of love where you really like someone to… read more
“Teaching by example”–Daily Metta
May 23: “On Tolstoy Farm we made it a rule that the youngsters should not be asked to do what the teachers did not do.” –Gandhi (Autobiography) Gandhi felt that the best method of education for children (ok, for everyone) was through personal example. Hence, when children “misbehaved” at the ashram, instead of punishment, he… read more
“Care of the present”–Daily Metta
May 19: “I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned enough with taking care of the present.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 1-25-1935, p. 399) St. Augustine did not believe that the past, present and future were “times” as much as states of mind. The past is recollection; the future, anticipation; and the present: awareness.… read more
“The Divine Radio”–Daily Metta
May 18: “The Divine Radio is always singing, if we could only make ourselves ready to listen to it, but it is impossible to listen without silence.” –Gandhi (Truth is God, p. 60) While the Metta Center does host an awesome community radio program, Peace Paradigm Radio, which tackles the tough questions around nonviolence in… read more
“No Greater Bravery”–Daily Metta
May 17 “There is no bravery greater than a resolute refusal to bend the knee to an earthly power, no matter how great, an that, without bitterness of spirit.” –Gandhi (Harijan, 10-13-1948, p. 291 Experiment in Nonviolence: Try, just for a thought-experiment, to turn some of your fears on their head, and… read more
“Hugging Meditation”–Daily Metta
May 16: “Perfection in love or non-possession will remain unattainable ideal as long as we are alive, but towards which we must ceaselessly strive.” –Gandhi (My Religion 1935, p. 412) Gandhi always wanted to bring together the best of the East and the West as he developed his nonviolence. Vietnamese monk, spiritual activist Thich… read more
“Conscientious Objector”–Daily Metta
May 15: “I must not suppress the voice of conscience.” –Gandhi (My Nonviolence, p. 201-2) We all know about Memorial Day, President’s Day, and “Columbus” Day, but did you know that there is an international holiday to celebrate the courage of the Conscientious Objector? That’s right. The date of May 15 marks the recurrence of… read more
