Full Effort is Full Victory

The Anonymous fellow above does bring up some very good points. I wish people would learn who and what Gandhi actually was and not the "politically correct" propaganda surrounding his persona especially his affiliation to the Nazis. Herr Hitler would send representatives of the Reich to India, Persia and the Middle East to learn their their faiths to revamp the Germanic Occult Aryan Thule. Of course this had lead to a terrible desaster to all Europe and the world. Gandhi, sadly, was a misguided Hindu that made the leap from the peaceful aspects of Hinduism with the lies and attrocities of misguided "egalitarian" Socialist ideal, not to mention the fellow had a fetish for playing with his own feces.  Paul Johnson has a very good little chapter on this fellow within his book "Modern Times".  I truly hope that people seek the entirety surrouding various personalities and not willy-nilly cater to that developed throughout the media.  Examples being Che Guevara or Yassir Arafat - who were misguided Communist/Islamic murderers who were too turned into something they were entirely not.  Regards SRA

Please forgive my comment, for it is not meant to be disrespectful or hurtful to Mahatma Gandhi or anyone else. In fact, I have learnt a lot from Gandhiji in my life and have spent many years with Gandhians who are doing some beautiful work in the villages and slums of India. However, in my years around Gandhiji's teachings and Gandhian communities, I also feel a certain discomfort with the overly strong morality and rigor. The paradox is that rigor is both very nourishing and also very draining. One has to remember that all our bodies are made differently and be very sensitive and respectful to it. We also need to realize that we come from different conditioning and socio-cultural-economic backgrounds over our evolutionary cycle. Hence, it might be beautiful to feel inspired by someone's else love and integrity in life, but at the same time one should be very very aware that one is not "trying to become like someone." For there is nothing more nourishing then being TRUE to our own truth and nothing more draining then trying to ape someone. The greatest violence on ourselves is idealism. To live around "I should do this" or "I should be like that!"

I was led to thought by some readings;

To begin, there is so much more to us and our experience than the next news story, the gossip around town, who drives us nuts, what to wear today, what to do, where to shop, where our next vacation is, and all the activities surrounding the almighty dollar by getting ahead-being the best-competing and clawing our way to the top.  We are much more than our job description.  When we peel back all the layers of unconscious living, we rediscover our heart.  Within our heart we know what is true and necessary.  We are led to serve others for the higher good.  We are to connect to our passion, our Gifts, do our work, our action, and not be attached to the outcome.  Gandhi did exactly that.  When we are connected to what we know to be the truth about why we are here, we have tapped into the wellspring of boundless energy that is the Universe.  We wake each morning with purpose and vision.  We rest in the calm peace that comes with the deepest sense of gratitude.  Each encounter, each step, each conversation, each smile is heavenly and holistic.  We are guided by the Big S Self, our heart.  We express our Spirit which is Universal and connected to each Spirit within each heart, to everything around us, within us, and continue to nurture that with each breath.  While we are on this journey of our life, we are experiencing life and all it offers.  With this experience comes deeper understanding of what it is to ‘fail’, or make a ‘mistake’.  We may judge ourselves or others a ‘failure’ or by our ‘mistakes’, based on cultural norms and expectations, and when we do we suffer and cause suffering.  That can’t be what is true spiritually.  Each experience can offer Love, and we can live in Love in this effort.  The relationship we have with all sentient beings can be the expression of this Love.  Full effort is fully living.  Being present with the effort is life.  Putting down attachment to the outcome of such divine effort is the ultimate in moksha (liberation) and experiencing this deepest joy daily is ananda (bliss).  Therein lies full victory.        

 What I was touched by is the sincere effort that Gandhiji made throughout his life to be a servant leader -- to be self less in service. When I look back and think about where I have been sincere and persistent, self less interest does not come to the top. It is more about getting approval, looking good and gaining self esteem. I worked on them for a very long time -- over 30 years and then something shifted in me. I realized that only way I can gain those things is to give to others what I really want. Finding ways to make others feel good around me, helping people to find their self confidence and self worth and getting people to discover their own genius struck me as ways to be in the world. Then the next struggle has been how to live in that shifted consciousness and not go back to my own needs. In this journey, I am realizing that fully being other centered might never happen, but if I can remember to touch people, move them to discover who they are and inspire them to go after their dreams and believe that they are bigger than who they think they are -- even once a week -- consistently -- then I would consider my life sincere and purposeful.

Eknath’s article was inspiring. It reminded me of  Buddha and Christ.
My young grandchildren are most on my mind. They are happy and peaceful as I want them to be. I often think how great it will be when I am with them.
My most persistent and sincere efforts seemed to be to understand everything and everyone. I am still mostly intellectual about most matters, yet deep down I know there is much more to healthy, peaceful living than intellectually understanding everything and everyone. I have come to understand that I do not understand, as I have come to accept uncertainty. Part of my problem remains that I want to be certain of my uncertainty.
I'm very impressed with William Penn's notion that "we will pass this way but once, and any good, therefore, that we may do, or any kindness that we may show, to any human being, let us do it now. Let us not defer nor neglected for we shall not pass this way again." I say that to myself every couple of days but I do not often practice it , nor do I practice the St. Francis of Assisi prayer which I also love.
It seemed that Gandhi practiced what St. Francis said: "Preach the gospel always – – use words if necessary." The gospel, as I understand it, preaches for us to be compassionate and kind to others and oneself.  I have 50 or 60 more paragraphs to say about this but I don't like to read long responses. These 50 or 60 more pages are part of my delusion of grandeur which Gandhi did not have. I say I would like to be no one, going nowhere, but I seem to enjoy the attention others give me when I say that. Thanks Viral and Nipun again for giving me the opportunity to say what I think and feel. You all have my gratitude. Warm and kind regards to everyone.