Today is the 140th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. So he would have been 140 today had he not been assassinated in 1948.
Gandhi may not be around anymore but his legacy and his message of non-violence lives on and he is indeed the light the world needs today.
He has always been one of my heroes from a young age and I remember crying after watching Richard Attenborough’s famous film Gandhi.
We had made a special trip to London and watched the film in Leicester Square just a few days after its release – watching it was a defining moment in my life.
I have watched this remarkable movie about a remarkable man many times since then.
“Generations to come will scarcely believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood.” – Einstein
I have read a lot about Gandhi since then and also been influenced by my late father who collected a huge library of Gandhi’s teachings.
It is now up to all of us to apply Gandhi’s teachings in our daily life – after all his message about peace and non-violence is more pertinent than ever before today.
On this 140th anniversary of his birth, here are 6 keys lessons for all of us to apply in our life from today
1. Be the change you wish to see in the world.
This is possibly Gandhi’s most famous phrase and tells us that before we can go and change the world, we have to change ourselves.
From the being, comes the doing and ultimately the having.
So we now have the message – “Do the change you wish to see in the world”.
Focus on changing yourself and being the change you wish – and soon we can begin to look at the bigger picture and solve the world’s challenges.
There is this anecdotal story about how a mother came with her son to see Gandhi. She wanted Gandhi to tell her son to stop eating too much sugar as it was harmful for his health. He asked her to come back a month later by which time he himself had cut down on his own sugar intake.
The point is that before you can get anyone to take on your own teachings, you have to apply them to your own life. There are various phrases to reflect this message such as “practise what you preach” and “walk the talk”.
“Let your life be your message” – Gandhi
Is your life the message you want to give the world?
When will you be the change you want the world to be?
2. Reduce, reuse and recycle
“There is enough in the world for everyone’s need, but not for everyone’s greed” – Gandhi
Even in Gandhi’s time there was vast disparity in the world between the rich and the poor. He could see how the world’s resources were being pilloried to satisfy the excessive demands of the West whilst most people in the rest of the world were barely surviving.
Today I would argue that the way we are all living in the West and elsewhere, there is not even enough for everyone’s needs. We must revisit how we live our lives and truly learn to reduce, reuse and recycle – the 3Rs.
The time has come when we cannot just rely on others – each one of us has to do our bit. Increasingly, more and more people and also businesses are waking up to their responsibilities to the environment, the larger community and the global implications of their activities.
Start today and apply the 3Rs in your life.
3. Live a simple, minimalist life.
Gandhi lived a very simple, frugal life. He died with very few possessions and he preached simplicity and minimalism in all areas of life.
He also dressed simply and even persisted with his simple Indian loin cloth when he visited England and met the King. When asked if he was under dressed for a meeting with the King, Gandhi replied that the King had enough clothes on for both of them!
Minimalism is something I am beginning to apply in my life too. To get you started, please check out this excellent “Minimalist Guide” from my blogging mentor and friend Leo Babauta of Zen Habits.
Leo is a man Gandhi would have approved off for his humility, sharing, compassion and also his hairstyle:-)
Please get your copy of Leo’s minimalist ebook here.
Start living a simpler minimalistic life from today – and you will release a lot of time and energy to bring more of Gandhi’s teachings into the world.
4. If no one walks with you, walk alone
Believe in your cause, follow your truth and stick to your journey even if you have to walk the path on your own.
Gandhi at the end of his life was said to be heart broken with the partition of India as millions were killed and displaced. Even then, he still had a message for the world – it takes just one man to make a difference.
If no one responds to your call, go forward alone.
If no one talks to you, oh luckless one,
If everyone turns away from you in fear,
Reveal your thoughts and express your ideas to yourself.
If everyone leaves you while you are travelling a dangerous road,
If no one wants to look after you,
Walk on alone, on the road strewn with thorns, trampling on them with bleeding feet.
If no one shows a light, if in the dark stormy night everyone shuts their doors,
Use your rib as a torch, lit from the fire of thunder. – Rabindranath Tagore
So anything and everything you do counts and will make a difference.
5. Get your power through humility
Gandhi was a very humble, down to earth, ordinary human-being but therein lay his power and authority. His power came from being very clear about who he was, his values and his mission.
So the clearer you are about who you are and what you stand for,the more power you will exert in the world, whilst remaining humble and as down to earth as you wish.
Of course, by power what I mean here is not the power that corrupts but one that changes the world and makes a positive contribution.
6. Start today
“The difference between what we do, and what we are capable of doing, would solve most of the world’s problems” – Gandhi
Believe that what you do matters, and that it will make a difference.
You can’t save the whole world single-handedly, and we can’t all be a Gandhi or a Mandela, but you can certainly make a difference to one person at a time. So look for ways to contribute.
Ask yourself what special skill or knowledge you have that can solve a problem or make the best of a situation and that will help or support others.
And actually, maybe we can all be a Gandhi or a Mandela:-)
Start small – and get started no matter what. They too started small one day at the beginning of their own life journeys.
So fear not – you already have and know enough – new skills will come for sure as you progress on your journey. And whatever you choose to do, it will make a difference.
The point is that everything we do matters and makes either a positive or a negative impact on everything around us.
You can start today to apply Gandhi’s message in your life, simply by focussing on this one question:-
How can I bring more love and peace into my life today?
Just know that every little bit helps and by you being more loving and peaceful, the rest of the world becomes more loving and peaceful too.
After all, we all have a “Gandhi” inside of us, just waiting to emerge.
As for me, I too shall continue to work on letting my own Gandhi emerge, but perhaps not his dress sense!
The way forward – become crazy to change the world!
What makes one person a Gandhi or a Dr Martin Luther King? Is it pure coincidence or do such inspirational historic figures have some special powers?
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify and vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” – Steve Jobs, Apple
So just how crazy are you?
And how will YOU change the world?
To get you started right away, please check out this related post at once:-
Feel the Fear and Change the World Anyway!
{ 56 comments… read them below or add one }
This is such an inspiring article Arvind! You’ve put so much into it, embraced so many important areas and wrote a wonderful tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. Now I am going to go and think how I can change the world :-)
Thanks Anastasiya – what I have learnt is that it doesn’t take much to change the world, even a simple smile will brighten up someone else’s day:-)
Start small today and build on that.
Great article, thanks for remembering Gandhi at this convulsive times.
Thanks Evely for visiting and your kind words.
I really do believe that even if our current times seem convlusive, we are on the cusp of lots of positive changes:-)
A fantasic post and reminder of the lost lessons of a true mahatma. Thanks Arvind.
Thanks Aarti – please do continue to visit often.
Just to clarify to other readers – “Mahatama” literally translates to “Great Soul”
thanks Arvind, this is the best Gandhi’s commemorationI can remember ;-0
Thanks Alex! It is so many years since we met. I remember the time I came to yours for the Buddhist evening.
Do you still do those evenings?
Lets reconnect soon:-)
Great post, Arvind!
I have admired Gandhi since I first learned about his acts of non-violence. Your point #1 is in my signature in my personal gmail address. He is an excellent reminder that human beings have the capacity to be extraordinary if we so choose…
Thank you for this.
Thanks Belinda – and great to connect with you via the Bootcamp.
I guess if you are going to have a role model, why not just reach for the top!
Be the change – such a simple concept. Lets us all aspire to make our life our message:-)
Wow, what a post. Your own heart shines through.
…and I laughed out loud when you said that Gandhi would have approved of Leo’s hairstyle.
Thanks!
Kye
Thanks Kye for your kind words.
Leo does really remind me of Gandhi:-)
Gandhi would have been a keen subscriber of Zen Habits!
I have to admit that this is my first visit on your blog Arvind, but wow, this post is great! It’s so inspiring and very motivating… I think I’ll also watch the film as I haven’t seen it yet :)
Andrew
Thanks Andrew for visiting my blog – more the merrier!
You are in for a such treat when you finally watch “Gandhi”.
Make sure you have some tissues handy:-)
Dear Arvind,
How lovely to read such a thoughtful and wonderful message for us on the Mahatma’s birthday, Arvind. It was great for me to be reminded of his marvellous teachings. You’ve constructed the message in a really inspiring and positive way. Congratulations and thank you.
God bless you. Christine.
Thanks Christine for your kind words, positive thoughts and blessings.
I remember meeting you at the Gandhi peace event at the British Library in March 2008 – glad to see that Gandhi has reconnected us again!
A great article about a man whose legacy will never die…I love the make it happen book and thank you for inspiring us with all your treasured posts.
Dear KK,
Thanks for visiting and for your kind words. I am glad you downloaded the ebook (twice!) and you are finding it inspiring.
Please do share it with all your community:-)
Thank you for putting together this list Arvind. I remembered reading Ghandi when I first started my quest for self-improvement. You captured many of his best lessons here, though the man had so many lessons to choose from!
Justin – yes, Gandhi shared so much wisdom with us, that I could probably just blog about him for a few months!
Arvind, this is a great summary of what Ghandi stood for. And it is also necessary that Ghandi shouldn’t been placed as a monument but he should act as a reminder for each of us about what capabilities are inside each of us.
How can we express those qualities on our everyday life?
How can we overcome the fear of our own greatness and do what we ate capable of?
Dare we to find out? Dare you?
Patrick, you have asked some great questions!
Maybe you should be a coach:-)
I dare YOU to become what you are capable of and make your blog and your work a huge success!
Let us agree a plan of action!
Beautiful and inspiring article…I read Ghandi’s autobiography – experiment with truth and was very insightful – help me align my goals and stand up for my values while practicing Satya. Thank you for the reminder and sharing this Arvind.
Jai, I read that book “Experiments with Truth” as a young boy and it made a huge life long impact on me.
Such simple words and yet so powerful – it should be made compulsory reading for every one:-)
Thanks ..I really enjoyed this
Excellent post! Thank you for sharing these words of wisdom with us. Take care, A.
Thanks Anita for visiting – as Gandhi would say, we all have the same widsom us – we just have to access it and live it:-)
Dear Arvind,
It is very noble of you to have written and remembered our ‘Mahathma Gandhi’. He was one of a kind and although he is long since gone, we can all learn from his teachings and examples. The film is brilliant and I too have seen it a few times. Today just happens to be my father’s death anniversary. He died too young and too suddenly. I always think of MG on 2nd October in a special way and always will. You have expressed your points so well. Yes we all can and should make a difference by starting from something small…not just words but actions which is what counts in the end.
Warm sunny hug from Spain!
Anne
Thanks Anne for that sunny hug from Spain. It is a beautiful autumnal day here in London and I am just off for a walk in the rain.
Actions are always better than words and let us all do our bit from today.
There is this quote from Sai Baba that I like “Hands that help are better than lips that pray”
Another powerful blog, thanks Arvind.
One other quote of Gandhi’s that i think about on the not so good days is: “When i despair i remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won.”
Thanks Tania for that wonderful quote from Gandhi – I shall use that in a future post.
And it will become a reminder for me anytime when I need perking up:-)
Tania, here’s another quote from Gandhi shared by a friend on Facebook:-
“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty” – Mahatma Gandhi
Hi Arvind,
Thank you for the blog and your continued efforts to make people strive to be better. It is through such efforts that we as a collective move forward. Gandhi always noted that change does not always occur in big steps but in small changes and such changes occur even when on the face of things we have failed. That was his message in his Satyagraha movements.
Thank you
Omar
Trustee, The Gandhi Foundation
Dear Omar,
Thanks for your kind words – and for your ongoing inspirational work with the Gandhi Foundation.
I love what you say about change happening in small steps and that even though we may feel we have failed, such small changes are leading us in the right direction.
This is a great reminder for all of us in our daily lives where so often we get disheartened with apparent setbacks.
Thank you, Arvind, for this inspirational post.
It reminds us that we must follow our heart and conscience – even if it is different from the status-quo ‘business-as-usual’.
It also reminds us to practice what we preach.
Or even better: preach less and practice more!
Ghandhi and others like him are inspirational for me because they are not either/or.
Change is about inner and outer – and/and.
Thanks, Arvind.
Thanks Elisabeth for your wonderful interpretation of Gandhi’s message – preach less and practice more!
Yes, let us all look at both inner and outer change.
It’s almost possible to see Ghandi as a 140-year-old-man, isn’t it? :-)
Thank you for raising these points about what to remember from his life and teachings. There’s not a dud in the bunch, all good stuff. Anyway, carry on! I was directed here by a RT on Twitter, and I’m glad I stopped by…
Thanks John for stopping by.
Yes, Gandhi could be 140 years old – he seems to have been with us all these years though he passed away over 60 years ago!
I guess his wisdom lives on with us…
Love it. And to end with one of my favorite quotes is icing on the cake!
Thanks Tess!
I love the Crazy Ones quote – in case you didn’t see the video in the link, here it is again:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvn_Ied9t4M
Enjoy!
Beautiful and brilliant post, thank you. How wonderful for you to have been immersed in Gandhi’s wisdom from such a young age and now to offer this up so clearly to us.
Thanks Mahala.
My late father was an ardent Gandhi follower and we still have files and files of Gandhi cuttings from over 50 years ago.
My father would have loved this Gandhi post:-)
Thank you for reminding me about Ghandi’s words and wisdom. It came at a perfect moment. Your spirit as well as Ghandi’s shows through. Thank you.
Thanks Cheryl for your kind words.
It is a privilege to be able to write on this space in such a way that anyone in the world can read it.
I am now excited by the challenge of spreading my work to a much wider audience…
Hi Arvind,
This was a thoroughly enjoyable post. I was directed here to see a good example of an Apture user in action and was very impressed with your gathering of material.
I too love Gandhi, his spirit, his philosophy and his legacy. I was also delighted to learn more about Tagore and to see Mandela, another of my role models right after he left prison and to be impressed all over again by Martin Luther King.
I loved the fun things you included and followed every link, right up to the last one…I didn’t dare go there as it took me 3 days to watch all the things you have on this post…I didn’t dare go on to another post just yet. :)
Thanks and best wishes,
Nili
Dr. Nili Marcia
Mama Duck EFT
Dear Dr Nili,
Thanks for visiting and checking out the the use of Apture.
Creatings these Apture links was as much for me as it was for you to go through them! There is so much wisdom to be shared by these great historical figures such as Gandhi, Dr King, Mr Mandela and I am so glad to have found something like Apture to do justice to their legacy.
As for my other posts, you will be pleased to know that I will not be using Apture as widely in most cases:-)
Thank you for giving me exactly what I needed at this moment. To realise the power within us can sometimes feel like a struggle but what you have shared gives me so much strength and energy – I forget that the small things do actually count, that being alone is ok and that it is what I do in this moment that really really matters. I am grateful.
Laxmi, great to hear from you from India!
I know you are doing some great work in a remote part of the country and though it may seem like a challenge being on your own, it DOES make a difference, no matter how small it may seem:-)
So keep it up and know that you are impacting so many people’s lives, directly and indirectly.
Superb post Arvind. Gandhi will always be one of my lifes hero’s.
Thanks Amit – Gandhi should be everyone’s hero:-)
He left such a legacy that he will be a hard act to follow. However what we can do ourselves now is to apply his many lessons.
Thank you so much . What an inspiring article ? Ghandi inside us deserves to emerg . . so inspiring
Thanks Sarah – as you say, the Gandhi inside us deserves to emerge:-)
Thanks Arvind. I like this article so much. Gandhi is great teacher. What a wonderful article.
Thanks Lily for your kind words – so glad you liked this article.
Gandhi was indeed a great teacher – and his biggest lesson was of course his life. As he said, let your life be your message:-
http://www.arvinddevalia.com/blog/2010/01/30/let-your-life-be-your-message/
I guess we all have to keep learning and applying his lessons in our life:-)
Arvind, thank you so much. I just found this post. A wonderful, powerful tribute, beautifully expressed. I will return again and again to the light of your article. How incredibly generous of you to compose this post and share it with us all – Catrien Ross.
Thanks Catrien – this Gandhi post has become my most popular post by far – I am sure he would have been proud of it too.