Ghandi Sits Still

     Rev. Paula Zabkar told a story in her Sunday service @ Spiritual Soul Center this week about Ghandi. After returning to India after 20 years absent, Ghandi traveled the country to see for himself the condition of the county.  He witnessed the deep needs of India’s people who were being oppressed under Britain’s rule. All Ghandi’s people wanted him to ACT, DO and CHANGE things NOW, but rather wise Ghandi retreated into the silence to seek, pray and discern. He did the exact opposite of what everyone else wanted.
     Ghandi cultivated a practice known as “satyagraha, a technique for redressing wrongs through inviting, rather than inflicting, suffering, for resisting adversaries without rancor, and fighting them without violence.” How different our entire world experience would be if this posture was the norm rather than the rarity. 
     Inspired by the story of Ghandi, I started reading his autobiography and am learning that from an early age, Ghandi activated, sometimes acquiesced, but ultimately accepted vows and choices he made about his life and person. Living in England as a poor student, he was very hungry and reevaluated a vow he had made to his mother about remaining a vegetarian – not only did he refuse to eat meat, but decided that eggs (a staple of much of the food he was eating) were unacceptable to consume. 
     How can I be more Ghandi-like this week? What vows am I challenged to make and then keep? What posture is a Higher Power calling me to take – even if it doesn’t seem fair or feel good? May I sit still like Ghandi when I am disturbed and seek the wisdom of silence. 

(https://www.britannica.com/summary/Mahatma-Gandhi-Timeline)