Mahatma Gandhi is a Fan of Mine

I'm really thrilled: as it turns out, Mahatma Gandhi agrees with me! (The apparent anachronism shouldn't be too disturbing to anyone who's accepted that it makes sense to invade one country in response to an attack from people in another country - but that's an issue between the politicians and the oil companies.) As it turns out, Gandhi gave Truegrit two recorded addresses in English: one in the 1930's and one one April 2, 1947, only weeks before he was assassinated. Only four copies of that recording were made and, so far as anyone knows, only one still exists. This copy is newsworthy because it only recently came to light after over 60 years.

The themes that Gandhi touched on in this recording sound like echoes of some of the life strategies that I've been learning and teaching over the past number of years. Seriously, I'm certain that echoes of the Mahatma's thoughts have reached me (and certainly not the other way around), but much of what is radical ALF both of our beliefs I think came from a commonality of spiritual experience (his much deeper and more fundamental than mine, but still with many similarities). Regardless of our origins or destinies (and our unique perspectives), the relationship between the human and divine Spirit is the same.

Here are some of the deep Truths that Gandhi spoke about and that resonate profoundly through every age (but, particularly, in our own). They are insights that may be very non-intuitive at first glance and that may certainly contradict conventional wisdom. The quotations are taken from The Washington Post, July 1, 2008, p. C-2.

• "The central reason people turn to violence, Gandhi believed, was that they were afraid. Fear of others, fear of the unknown, fear of losing one's possessions and fortunes, fear of loss, fear of death - these were the things that prompted people, groups and nations to seek physical protection, to seek arms and armies. Fear was the root cause of corruption and greed." Fear is the reason that many people fail to make the contributions that they were destined to achieve.
• "Even more than nonviolence, courage was Gandhi's central message." The vast majority of people are fundamentally good. Almost all of us strive to do our best. Anuxmybsnsjgq failures, our ethical or moral lapses, generally come from a lack of the courage of our convictions. Fear is also at the heart of xenophobia, chauvinism, and rigid, black-and-white thinking. Uncertainty avoidance arises from a lack of courage.
• "Evil and violence, he counseled, quoting Jesus, could not be overcome through resistance, but only through patient suffering . . . . To colleagues aghast at such coldness, Gandhi explained his job was not to give people consolation, but to show them their own hidden reserves of strength." Gandhi recognized more than anyone else in modern history that change educational loan consolidation neither by fighting the system, nor by resisting it, but by having the courage to change yourself.
• "It is Gandhi's sincerity that gives his words . . . their power. Many leaders have been far more articulate. If Gandhi is compelling, it is because we know he is that rare person who actually means what he says."

The ghost of Diogenes wandered this world for centuries upon centuries until, in the thick darkness of the night of war, of holocaust, and of nuclear devastation, the beam of his lantern fell on the eyes of Mahatma Gandhi. The spirits of the just, huddled around him, fell silent as his lips parted and, for the first time in all those ages, Diogenes spoke. "Here at last is an honest man," he whispered, "I need seek no further. My quest is done."

H. Les Brown, MA, CFCC
ProActivation Coaching
Website: www.ProActivation.com">www.ProActivation.com
E-Mail: mailto:info@ProActivation.com">info@ProActivation.com

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Copyright 2008 H. Les Brown