Vision

Our Vision of nonviolence is rooted in the spiritual traditions of all humanity. All wisdom traditions state that there is an underlying law of unity holding all beings in what Martin Luther King, Jr. called “an inescapable network of mutuality…a single garment of destiny.” We believe that violence comes from the failure to recognize this interconnectedness, the underlying unity of life, and that nonviolence is a force that comes through the awakening of this recognition.

While various terms in human language refer to this law of interconnectedness — love, truth, dharma, etc. — nonviolence is the implementation of that law in the specific area of conflict. Because of this combination of humanity and practicality, nonviolence is the only creative and dignified way to resolve conflicts that can bring lasting benefit to everyone involved.

Nonviolence is, as Gandhi said, “as old as the hills.” But since it is only recently that people have begun thinking about nonviolence consciously (the word nonviolence only entered the English language in the 1920’s, and is not itself an accurate translation of Gandhi’s ahimsa), there are many shades of meaning given to it by different activists and writers.

The nonviolence that we cultivate, live, and share at Metta is:

• Person-Centered. Where other groups talk about “people power,” we focus on “person power.” Nonviolence works bottom-up via the transformation of the individual through word, thought, and deed.
• Unifying. Principled nonviolence is focused on cooperation rather than competition, and always gives priority to relationships over strategic gain.
• Deep. Principled nonviolence is directed at the heart of the problem (violence, conflict, etc.), rather than at relieving its symptoms. We are interested in alleviating, not a specific instance of violence, but violence itself.
• Holistic. Principled nonviolence integrates the best of science – rigor, honesty, and seriousness – and the best of art – getting beneath the surface to reveal deeper truths.
• Positive. We focus on constructive solutions that build alternatives to failed systems whenever possible, rather than merely protesting injustice. Nonviolence is not passive, but rather, is the conversion of negative drives to positive action. Metta hopes to reach people who want and need to experience that conversion, and to support their efforts in every way.
• A Way of Life. Nonviolence is not a strategy to be used for effect. It is a force, a power, and a way of being in the world.

Of course, nonviolence is more than a method of conflict resolution: it is the ultimate goal, individual and social, of human life. The nonviolence we strive to embody is not for the likes of heroes, but for every human being. Nonviolence is something that everyone can learn, and everyone can do. Not only that, it is inspiring! As one of the Metta team recently said, “Nonviolence is the tool that everyone has been looking for to get from where we are to where we want to be.”

Our mission at Metta, then, is to support all of us who are lost and hurt by the violence we see around us, and searching for a beacon to light the way. Nonviolence is that beacon we have been searching for, and it has been within us all along. We only need to open our eyes to see.