Finding the Gandhi Within

      

By Barbara Berger

Barbara Berger   Gandhi is one of my greatest heroes. I admire him so much because he continually tried to practice what he considered doing the right thing and live the oneness of humankind in his daily life. Because of his ruthless honesty, earnestness, intention to relieve suffering, and enormous dedication, he changed the course of history. When we read about his life, we find that he was constantly experimenting and trying to do the right thing (as the title of his autobiography so eloquently expresses it “The Story of My Experiments with Truth”) – and we also discover that he was willing to accept the consequences of his actions. His practice of ahimsa (non-violence) and non-violent civil disobedience was based on the realization that it could cost him his life and he said more than once, “I am prepared to die, but there is no cause for which I am prepared to kill.” (See “Gandhi” the film by Richard Attenborough from 1982 for an inspiring look at Gandhi’s life and philosophy.)    According to his biographers, Gandhi’s spiritual reference book was the Bhagavad Gita and the end of Chapter Two summed up Gandhi’s life philosophy. According to historians, he meditated on this verse every single day of his life. I quote it here for your inspiration:   From the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2: The Illumined Man “Sri Krishna says: They live in wisdom Who see themselves in all and all in them, Whose love for the Lord of Love has consumed Every selfish desire and sense craving Tormenting the heart. Not agitated By grief nor hankering after pleasure, They live free from lust and fear and anger. Fettered no more by selfish attachments, They are not elated by good fortune Nor depressed by bad. Such are the seers...   When you keep thinking about sense objects, Attachment comes. Attachment breeds desire, The lust of possession, which when thwarted, Burns to anger. Anger clouds the judgment And robs you of the power to learn from past Mistakes. Lost is the discriminative Faculty, and your life is utter waste.   But when you move amidst the world of sense, From attachment and aversion freed, There comes the peace in which all sorrow ends, And you live in the wisdom of the Self.   The disunited mind is far from wise; How can it meditate? How be at peace? When you know no peace, how can you know joy? When you let your mind follow the siren Call of the senses, they carry away Your better judgment as a cyclone drives A boat off the charted course to its doom…   They are forever free who have broken Out of the ego-cage of I and mine To be united with the Lord of Love. This is the supreme state. Attain thou this And pass from death to immortality.”   From the book, “Gandhi The Man – The Story of His Transformation” by Eknath Easwaran.   Living change, being peace For me I feel the most important thing we can do is be the change we want to see in the world. And this goes for all areas of our lives – in our personal relationships with our families and friends and in all our social, political and business dealings. I believe that if we want to see peace in the world, we must be that peace first. For me this means first of all ending the war inside our own minds and then secondly finding and being peace in our closest relationships – with family and friends – and then in our communities and in our world. This is the only peace we can be, know or experience. No other peace is possible for us.    So all we can do – each one of us – is work where we are and ask ourselves questions like this:  Where am I failing to be the peace I want to see in the world? Where am I not being peace? Where am I in conflict? What are my intentions in every situation? Are they peaceful? Am I treating every person I meet on my pathway through life with respect? And how will my actions affect each situation? Am I being the change I want to see in the world? Am I being peace?    Blessings to you on this precious day! _____   About Barbara Berger American-born Barbara Berger is the best-selling author of “The Road to Power – Fast Food for the Soul” (published in 30 languages), “Are You Happy Now? 10 Ways to Live a Happy Life” (published in 21 languages), “The Awakening Human Being – A Guide to the Power of Mind” and "Find and Follow Your Inner Compass".  Just out, Barbara’s new book “Healthy Models for Relationships – The Basic Principles Behind Good Relationships with Your Partner, Family, Parents, Children, Friend, Colleagues and All the Other People in Your Life”.  Barbara lives in Copenhagen, Denmark and works as coach and therapist, helping people around the globe come into alignment with their own true power. For more about Barbara see her Web site: http://www.beamteam.com   ** Below are titles & links to the beautiful work from Barbara. She is a long time contributor and my dear friend :**     mysticlivingtoday.com – articles by Barbara Berger   The Ultimate Self-Empowerment Tool – Your Inner Compass http://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2087    The Key to Happiness; Understanding the Way the Mind Works http://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2113   Who would you be if you didn’t know your age? http://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2147   The Power of Right Seeing http://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2177   Review of Barbara Berger’s book Find and Follow Your Inner Compass by Riki Frahmann http://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2184   Are You Here Now? Are You Happy Now? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2247   Discovering Who You Really Are https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2284   Getting in Touch with Your Heart https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2299   Follow Your Passion & Accept the Consequences https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2324   The Power of the Joyful Giver https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2359   You have nothing to deal with but your own thoughts https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2374   Radio show http://www.blogtalkradio.com/starzcast/2018/09/26/natalie-interviews-barbara-berger--author-on-self-empowerment   Peace Is Your Nature https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2398   The Power of Contemplating Love https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2423   How Can We Serve? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2452   The Importance of Mind Management https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2472   Focus on the Real – A Way of Dealing with Worry and Catastrophic Thinking https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2499   Nothing External Can Disturb Us https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2527   Just Let Everything Be! https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2548   The Gift of Crisis https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2563   The Power of Asking for Help https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2592&fbclid=IwAR1ZK91thdusdkQTdqu0fHXgarR7Ghv7rmAjR6NypUUfLh2wv1ozLLi-HjU   What does it mean to be psychologically mature? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2625   The Meaning of Life https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2644   The Power of Praise & Blessing https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2682   Our Unalienable Rights https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2712   Meeting the Family & Keeping Your Peace of Mind https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2737   Healthy Boundaries – the Secret of Good Relationships https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2758   Healthy Parenting https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2777   Wanting What You Have https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2801   NOW IS THE TIME TO THINK POSITIVE https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2813   A Scientific Prayer to Lift Your Consciousness https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2828   Healthy Self Talk about the Body https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2850   Time Are Changing Aren’t They? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2881   Are You Following Your Inner Compass? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2904   What Happens When We Don't Listen to Our Inner Compass?    https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2920   Your Right to Be You https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2961   Doing the Right Thing https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=2992   Seeing Behind Impermanence https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3026   Opening Your Heart – A Prayer for the New Year https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3051   Welcome to the World of Starbrow and His Amazing Spiritual Adventures https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3050   Use This Simple, Effective Right Reaction Exercise to Tackle Stressful Moments   https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3084   No Healing Without Feeling https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3102   Happiness Is an Inside Job https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3131   The Power of Joy and Laughter https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3158   Watch Out for Black and White Thinking! https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3173   The Power of Eating Less https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3217   Good Ways to Say No and Set Limits https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3242   Higher Consciousness and the Power of Nature https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3259   Gratitude for the Gift of Life https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3284   Do Not Be Bluffed by Your Body https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3297   What Is Spiritual Bypass? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3329   The Intention of Oneness https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3358   The Importance of Having a Daily Program https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3381   What Is Preventing You From Being Happy? https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3417   Happiness Now https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3428   Staying Sane in Insane Times https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3462   The Power of the Choice-Maker https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3477   Understanding and Using Mental Technology https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3503   Cleaning Up Our Act About Money https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3516   No Comparisons (A Meditation or Contemplation) https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3538   Being Your Own Best Friend https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3573   The Power of Release https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3603 Meeting the Family & Keeping Your Peace of Mind https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3636   Freedom for Ukraine! https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3653   LET US JOIN TOGETHER FOR 10 MINUTES HEALING MEDITATION EVERY DAY https://mysticlivingtoday.com/view_page.php?ID=3675