Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience? . . . I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. Henry David Thoreau
The sixty-four days between the dates of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on January 30 and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4 are a time to consciously practice sixty-four ways to implement nonviolence. Throughout this season for peace you can read inspiring quotes for reflection and contemplation. You may also choose to espouse and affirm peace, or allow your daily spiritual practices to revolve around peaceful actions. You are a spiritual leader and how you respond to the confrontational dynamics of life will demonstrate to all that you’re deeply grounded in peace.
Peace is not a passive choice—it is a courageous one. King, Gandhi, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama are examples of bold individuals who didn’t lie down for peace but instead took a stand that didn’t include guns in order to have their principles prevail. Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha, which is loosely translated as soul force—an insistence on truth or truth force—is a particular practice within nonviolent civil resistance. His approach influenced Nelson Mandela’s struggle in South Africa as well as the campaigns of Martin Luther King Jr. and James Bevel during the civil rights movement in the United States.
Spiritual Contemplation: Where in your life are you tired of the oppression going on? Are you willing to change that without a violent approach?
Affirmation: I am moved by the soul force and am insistent on truth being expressed!