Satyagraha is a term coined by Mahatma Gandhi to describe organized efforts to achieve political change. I believe he used the word to differentiate his method of political change from the use of passive resistance.

The quote below deals purely with the concept of Satyagraha as it may pertain to *personal* change. Someone gave it to me years ago at a time in my life when it was exactly what I needed to hear. It was what set off a chain of events which changed my entire life. I don't know who wrote it, but it still helps me greatly. I hope it helps you too:

"Satyagraha is a willingness to take advantage of what life has to offer. It is the ability to bring joy back into life by consciously appreciating what you have. It is gratitude for the love of those closest to you as well as opening up with warmth to new people who enter your life. It is the wisdom that all of life is a mixture of suffering and joy."

Emmy

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." -- The Dalai Lama

[dexter]

I love that word... mostly because it is an opera by one of my favorite composers Phil Glass.

The word just feels very good in your mouth. I believe that opera is a companion piece to another piece entitled Akhnaten, after the egyptian prince. Michelle and I (my friend who shares my love of Phil Glass, we've been to many of his concerts together) love to just say the word "Akhnaten" with a Bugs Bunny voice over and over when we are just being silly.

Isn't it great to have friends with whom just the silliest, nonsensical things can make you laugh? I really miss that relationship.

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Just checked, yes he considers it a part of his opera trilogy along with Einstein on the Beach.

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

Akhnaten, Gandhi and Einstein - three men who revolutionized the thoughts and events of their times through the power of an inner vision. This, then, is the theme of the trilogy. Einstein - the man of science; Gandhi - the man of politics; Akhnaten - the man of religion. These themes (science, politics, religion) are, to an extent, shared by all three and they inform our ideological and real worlds.

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-- The world is what we make of it --
-- Dave
-- <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.idexter.com>http://www.idexter.com</A>

[Zenobia]

I like that. It is hard to do sometimes so I try to write in my gratitude journal every day...ok I write about 2 out of 3 days but that isn't too bad...ok 2 out of 5. Sigh, but it is a beginning.
Carrie

<font color=green>But the implicit and usually unconscious bargain we make with ourselves is that, yes, we want to be healed, we want to be made whole, we're willing to go some distance, but we're not willing to question the fundamental assumptions upon which our way of life has been built, both personally and societally.--Bill Plotkin, Soulcraft