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Shared Vision – A Better World is Possible
“You must be the change you want to
see in the world”. – Mahatma Gandhi
There are people everywhere who want to help create a better world – people
deeply concerned about widespread suffering, environmental destruction,
escalating materialism and the loss of our sense of community. There is a
deep and growing hunger for a wiser and more loving society. Gandhi and
King modeled the vision to create such a society.
They claimed the power for social change lies within individual
consciousness. That if we really want to create a wise and loving world, we
must first become wise and loving ourselves. With a vision of a society
governed by love and the common good -- we have a powerful antidote to the
violence, distrust and division of today’s politics of fear.
In practicing the relational principles of Nonviolence we seek to recover
and renew ourselves, our families and our politics - so violence and secrecy
no longer shape our behavior. We realize that our lives, and those of our
children, depend on our evolution. Learning to be non-violent is a new way
of living – requiring a healing process that begins with the individual and
ripples out into the larger world. As we heal our own relations we are
demonstrating that people, organizations and governments can move the world
pro-actively toward peace and wisdom. Join us in exploring and building
this new future.
Joint (Gandhi-King) Principles of
Nonviolence
“At the center of non-violence is
the principle of love”. - M. L. King
- Nonviolence means to honor the inherent worth of every human being. In NV
we naturally seek to understand each other, build friendship and
community.
- Nonviolence means believing that our lives are linked together, that what
we do impacts the lives of everyone we encounter. That, we are responsible
to and for one another. That we can trust one another and work toward the
common good.
- Nonviolence means dedicating ourselves to the fundamental rights of every
human being (justice, equity, equality).
- Nonviolence is courageously choosing to practice compassion with our
adversaries. We oppose injustice, not people.
- Nonviolence means recognizing love as the power of the human spirit to
triumph over injustice, inequity, suffering - a true hero’s journey of
personal-social change.
Gandhian Principles of Non-Violence
“The only devils in the world are those running around in
our own hearts that is where the battle should be fought. …”
“Truth is
my religion and non-violence (love) it’s only realization”. – M. K. Gandhi
1. Respect
I vow to respect others and the interconnectedness of all life.
2. Understanding
I vow to understand the "whys" (meaning behind behavior), for myself
and others.
3. Acceptance
Out of respect and understanding, I vow to accept the differences of
others.
4. Appreciating Differences
I seek to move beyond acceptance into appreciation and celebration of
difference.
5. Truth and Truthfulness
I commit to be truthful and authentic and to confront untruth wherever
I find it.
6. Absorbing Suffering
I take on without complaint any suffering that results from my
confrontation with untruth. I also accept that all forms of violence cannot
be totally eliminated.
7. Ahimsa (nonviolence) with my
Adversary
I vow to help my adversary avoid all suffering, especially from our
confrontation.
8. Trusteeship and Constructive
Action
Beyond personal necessities, I see myself as God’s trustee over my
possessions and talents. I promise to use them to empower others and make
things fair for all.
Eight Social Blunders – M. Gandhi
- Wealth Without Work - Pleasure Without Conscience
- Knowledge Without Character - Commerce Without Morality
- Science Without Humanity - Worship Without Sacrifice
- Politics Without Principles - Rights Without Responsibilities
Martin Luther King’s Principles of
Nonviolence
"The aftermath of violence is
tragic bitterness, while the aftermath
of nonviolence is the beloved
community." – M.L. King Jr.
1. Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.
2. Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
3. Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people.
4. Nonviolence holds that suffering for a cause can educate
and transform.
5. Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate.
6. Nonviolence holds that the universe is on the side of justice
and that right will eventually prevail.
King's Six Steps to Social Change
1. Information Gathering
2. Education
3. Personal Commitments
4. Negotiation
5. Direct Action
6. Reconciliation and Healing Process