AAAHIMSA
Non-resistance
The only activity and substance lives in the kingdom of the single Self. There’s no power or law of disease, of accident, of war, of violence, of verbal attacks, no physical or mental laws governing or controlling anyone. “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” Of course, when we think these things have power in our lives, it looks as if they do. Then in becoming consciously aware of our oneness with God, we discover our inviolability, our freedom.
The All-Power is not a power. Omnipotence is not a force to apply against other forces, there is no other power. It runs freely, easily, the only Being of all there is, knowing no outer opponent. When we struggle we already “lose a fight,” for now. So appearances of physical or mental powers exist solely as visions, having no strength at all. What did hinder you? There is no evil domain we need to battle; as we’ll learn, there is no evil person who needs our forgiveness.
Ahimsa (Sanskrit: “non-injury”). It’s the central principle of the Jain religion of India, shared by Hinduism and Buddhism as well. Avoiding injury: Beloved, when we reach the spiritual level of awareness through meditation (taught in the next chapter) we let God’s love clear the picture, we enlarge beyond human efforts and naturally switch to the underlying harmony.
Is there a good word in English that means the opposite of resisting? “Waving” (weaving, webbing) describes the moving peace, flowing like African dance, a plant, wind or water.
Different ways of expressing the ineffable: Non-resistance---Resist not evil---No power---Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him---Love your enemy---Desirelessness---I Am, Being Is---No Thingness appears As everything.
Taking no for an answer. A good thing to do.
Non-violence isn’t passivity. When we learn how to rest and behold what unfolds, we get busier than ever before.
Every goat and every deer just has to come home to our garden and feast, when we ward off free spirits, when we guard forbidden fruit: When raccoons invaded and moved in under our house, we finally put out a live trap. But transporting them singly could split up their family. As concern supplanted resistance, we took the insoluble problem into meditation, and they all left overnight. When divine compassion fills us, the outer scene corresponds, we find the inviting open stellar door into the kingdom of God.
God leads us mysteriously, never literally, to our unique actions. It helps to tune in to a concrete message, less chance of kidding ourselves: Twenty years ago, jogging, started thinking that no argument proves the worth of my vegetarianism. We could say that domestic animals wouldn’t be raised, except to be eaten after a cushy life. So why be vegetarian? Asking myself this, passed an open book lying in the street, decided to run back and see if it had an answer. The book was soggy, pages fused; didn’t touch it. Across the top, where ordinarily the name of the book and chapter might be printed, it headlined HIS LOVE OF ANIMALS. So that was the answer for me, in my particular unfoldment.
How we cut the gordian knots of complex rituals unintentionally, finding their hidden meanings: For instance, if in practicing non-violence we were led to vegetarianism, then we’d be keeping kosher. Don’t put the cart of any activity, such as a diet, before the horse of intent. We’re not proselytizing for any behavior, this isn’t a literal world where anyone can be hurt. So it’s better to eat some meat than to judge and upset other people at a meal, as we live out our love.
Do Violence to No Man
A survey of U.S. infantrymen after World War II revealed that most of those in battle never once fired their rifles. Jesus said to the soldiers, “Do violence to no man.” Joel S. Goldsmith practiced this in World War One: resist not evil; don’t resist the draft; if in the army, don’t attack the enemy, pray for them.
Put up thy sword.
Relying on the miraculous, our fists unwind and we drop our fears and desires, our defenses. So now we turn to God, on the meeting ground of meditation, of spiritual healing, leaning on It, resting in It, having It live Its life as us.