“There can be no Satyagraha in an unjust cause. Satyagraha in a just cause is vain, if the men espousing it are not determined and capable of fighting and suffering to the end; and the slightest use of violence often defeats a just cause. Satyagraha excludes the use of violence in any shape or form, whether in thought, speech, or deed. Given a just cause, capacity for endless suffering and avoidance of violence, victory is a certainty.”

- Gandhi

In the last lesson, we talked about how at Metta Center, we like to say, “Be constructive where possible, and obstructive when necessary.” There comes a time when it is necessary to be obstructive, and that’s when, as nonviolence practitioners, we engage in satyagraha, or nonviolent resistance.

“Satyagraha” was coined by Gandhi and it means “clinging to truth”—the truth being that we are all one. He coined the term because at the start of the 20th century, when he was first discovering the power of nonviolence, the term that was commonly used was “passive resistance.” Through his experiments with truth, Gandhi realized that nonviolence was anything but passive, and he needed a way to describe it that would better encapsulate its active power. Here we are also specifically referring to clinging to truth in conflict, and when we understand the truth that we are all one, we can see that there is a solution to any dilemma that would be beneficial to all parties.

It becomes necessary to use satyagraha when other efforts have not led to results. When you have been working on personal empowerment, have engaged in constructive program, and have tried conversing with your opponent without a satisfactory response, the time calls for satyagraha. In employing in satyagraha, you aim to persuade your opponent who has not listened to your requests through means such as nonviolent direct action, civil resistance, and non-cooperation.