The Gift of Inspiration Wakes Us Up
“Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent than the one derived from fear of punishment.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
At Mohandas K. Gandhi’s funeral Nehru recognized that, “A glory has departed and the sun that warmed and brightened our lives has set, and we shiver in the cold and dark.” Like Nehru, we are all moved by greatness when we see it, and although the experience is personal, we feel it. When we experience it something in us wakes up, and encounters what was inside us all along. Irrefutably, Gandhi was one of the greatest inspirations ever to walk upon our Earth.
Years ago, I started spiritual classes by showing the scene where Gandhi was thrown off the South African train. As a British lawyer, he wasn’t aware that brown people had to travel third class in South Africa when he purchased a first class train ticket. When ordered to move to third class, Gandhi refused. So, he was indignantly thrown off of the train. Rising from the ground, brushing the dust from his clothes: Gandhi made a decision to improve living conditions for the Indian minority by eradicating the injustice. We all have defining opportunities in our lives, this injustice called Gandhi to work against increasingly racist legislation by Great Britain.
Gandhi introduced a visionary method of non-violence in the Indian struggle for basic human rights called ‘Satyagraha,’ or ‘truth force’. Satyagraha insist upon truth in all one’s actions. The premise was that without rejecting the rule of law as a principle, the Indians should break those laws which were suppressive. Civil disobedience was a specific form of this mode of action. Individual citizens consciously accepted punishment for breaking the unjust laws against the people. Satyagraha’s goal was to demonstrate to those who created the unjust laws, to recognize the tyranny of their legislation.
Today, the Canadian truck drivers are an example of courage and moral conviction needed for justice and freedom.
When Gandhi returned to India in 1915, news of his peacefully taking down the British empire in South Africa preceded him. In only a few years, during World War I, he became an inspiration in the Indian National Congress. Through the interwar period he initiated a series of non-violent campaigns against the British authorities. Gandhi’s non-violence was a matter of principle. His resolve on that point made people respect him regardless of their attitude towards Indian nationalism or religion. Even the British judges who sentenced him to imprisonment recognized Gandhi’s rare integrity. At the same time he made strong efforts to unite the Indian Hindus, Muslims and Christians, and struggled for the emancipation of the ‘untouchables’ in Hindu society.
Gandhi was by no means a diminutive person. He became affectionally known as the “Father of the Nation,” after taking down the British Empire by peacefully earning India its’ independence from Great Britain. When Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948, the United Nations flag flew at half mast in homage to a humble man who was an honored citizen of a newly independent India.
Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) has become the strongest symbol of non-violence in the 20th century. Moreover, Gandhi’s unique journey put his profound mark on an ethical and political attitude which prevails around the world today. It is widely held that the Indian national leader should have been selected for the Nobel Peace Prize. Although, he was nominated FIVE times in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947 and 1948, Gandhi is not a Nobel Prize laureate.
What was the secret of Gandhi’s greatness? His greatness was not rooted in corrupt politics—he was not a politician. Gandhi was a man who believed in God and equality. He had long been recognized as a ‘Mahatma,’ a spiritual person rooted in moral principles. Consciously shutting the doors of the political arena opened wide for him the expansive cosmos of ethical conduct unsullied by the quest for political power. Principles are, first and foremost, of great import. For example, standing firm on the principle of a unified India, Gandhi spoke sorrowfully at the idea of India having a civil war.
When looking for a clue to the secret of Gandhi’s greatness, I would insist that his deep moral conviction and boundless love for all life, and particularly his compassion for the suffering are prominent factors. Compassion is the capacity to feel another; they alone are inspiring leaders who feel the pain of others as their own. For many, Gandhi belongs in a timeless perspective with Krishna, Gautama Buddha and Jesus Christ. His all-embracing moral convictions and compassion were, surely, aspects of Gandhi’s inclusive inner truth.
His ashram taught us that the achievements of one person always belong to many people, for we accomplish nothing alone in this world. People who display greatness rely upon others who are able to see as they do, to listen, encourage, and support. Without those people who recognize greatness and move in to support it, even the greatest ideas, and global transformation would remain dormant.
When we respond to someone else's greatness, we feed our own.
We may feel called to dedicate ourselves to their vision, or we may be inspired to follow a path we forge ourselves. Either way, we cannot lose when we recognize that the greatness we see in others belongs also to us. Our recognition of this is a call to action that, if heeded, will inspire others to see in us the greatness they also possess. This creates a chain reaction of greatness stretching itself from the roots of love that give it birth.
Ultimately, greatness is simply the best of what humanity has to offer. Greatness does what has not been done before and inspires the same courage that it requires. When we see greatness in others, we know it, and when we trust its presence in ourselves, we embody it.
One of the greatest challenges in life is daring to be who you really are. And the even greater opportunity is daring to be who you might yet become. Few of us are lacking information on how to improve our lives, yet we often lack the strength of character and moral courage to act on the information to truly fulfill our potential. What really limits us is fear, pride, and negative repetitive patterns that are holding us back from fulfilling true greatness. Inspiring greatness is all about how you journey through life: It is the discovery of ourselves as a glorious reflection of divine light.
Seven traits of inspiring leaders:
1. They live from impeccable inner integrity.
Inner integrity is a highly valued trait of leaders who inspire us to love; they live from their deep inner truth. Having integrity means that you live in accordance to your deepest values, you're honest with everyone, and you keep your word. Great leaders possess strong ethical or moral principles and follow them at all times, no matter who's watching. They seek wisdom and refuse to compromise their values or do anything that would damage their or another’s self-respect. Gandhi was gifted at using the simplest actions to live from truth. I suspect that this wisdom rose from his knowing the insanity of repeating the same thing over and over, and expecting different outcomes. For example, he reminded us that an eye for an eye, simply makes both people blind. You are in inner integrity when the life you are living on the outside matches who you are on the inside.
2. They possess immense courage.
Leaders who inspire us model choosing love not fear, and they insist on nurturing an open mind and heart. They know that if you want to make a difference in the world, you have to make friends with your own demons first. They’re unflinching and have the fortitude and courage to push through their fears, and stand on their principles. They face and overcome their challenges, and they know how to transform darkness through the light, to help others overcome their challenges too. They are light warriors who fight for what they believe in and how they see themselves and the world. In Gandhi’s words, “Silence becomes cowardice when occasion demands speaking out the whole truth and acting accordingly.” Today, humanity is rising all over the world, taking actions, to take our freedom back: You are all inspiring leaders (or you wouldn’t be reading this).
3. They are compassionate.
Those who inspire us are fully capable of feeling compassion. They humbly express their ability to understand our personal stories and who we really are and what we feel, deep down. They don’t coddle or overprotect, or control us, but they validate and appreciate who we are inside, which enables us to expand our awareness and consciousness more fully. The scene in the movie “Gandhi,” exemplifies this. Gandhi meets a tormented Hindu father whose young son was murdered; the father murdered another’s son. Gandhi tells him, “I know the solution to keep you from going to hell. You find a young boy without a family, about this high. You must raise him as your own son, only you must raise him as a Muslim.” On the other side, it’s treacherous to be in a relationship or a culture that is totally incapable of compassion, because a narcissist, or sociopath, or psychopath will do anything to you and against you without remorse. They simply will not or cannot understand or accept how you feel. Their ignorance and arrogance stems from deep insecurity which manifest as their acting as if they are superior to others.
4. They overtly cultivate freedom.
The people who inspire us the most are conscious and express love; they don’t harbor hatred and they don’t encourage competitive divisive thinking. Instead, they humbly nurture cooperation and creativity. Inspiring leaders model equality based on the sovereignty of every person. They are full of love, gratitude, and wisdom expressing it always. Love and acceptance is at the basis of what they do. Look at those who’ve made the biggest positive difference throughout history. There is love, understanding, compassion, and gratitude at that heart of who they are and what they stand for. Many, like Gandhi who have made a deeply enlightened difference, have been compelled to advocate for radical transformation and for a cause bigger than themselves. Consciousness and compassion are at the root of their care and service for humanity and the Earth.
5. They are whole.
There’s an expression, “Happy people don’t hurt people.” If you’re wounded, not healthy and whole, you’re not in a position to inspire people at the highest level. Why? Because open wounds govern how you see and interact with yourself and others in the world. The untransformed wounds you experience create stories caused from hurt. Leaders who inspire and uplift others constantly do the work to heal their individual and cultural wounds, so that they are not projecting their pain onto others. Every human on this planet has experienced hurt and pain at some point in their lives. But those who inspire and positively influence others have done the inner work to transform their wounds and lovingly move forward. As Gandhi reminds us, “Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization.” Only in love will we find peace.
6. They experience sovereignty.
Those who inspire others understand and know the power of personal sovereignty. They utilize uplifting others so that change manifests from joy and not suffering (change inspired from joy happens more quickly). They’re not focused on amassing their own wealth, power and influence. They want to see all of humanity free; with each individual loving, growing, and expanding: Sovereign. That’s what motivates their decisions and behaviors in all realms. In doing so, they may become wealthy, but it’s a by-product of their focusing on freedom for all of the world.
7. They love life.
Great leaders live life to the fullest. Whether they are cleaning the latrine or addressing injustice, they are fully present and in the moment. Like “The Giving Tree” in Shel Silversteen’s book, inspiring leaders give not expecting anything in return, not asking for their due, not reminding you of all that has been sacrificed. The enlightened leader lives to make a difference in your life and the world. Invariably, inspiring leaders use all of themselves; their pain, their raw experiences, their unique voices, their struggles, EVERYTHING to inspire the world to shift into higher levels of consciousness, compassion and enlightenment.
Are you living from the light of your inner truth, your soul?
Which of these seven traits inspires you most to be more of you? In the evening, as you reflect on your day, try to think of the moments when you practiced integrity or when you could have practiced integrity. Are you serious about liberation from the distractions and resistance to see what is coming up inside you: like anger, rage, sadness, sorrow, jealousy, lust, greed, fear? Do you have the courage to stop there, and bring observation? Can you become aware of the root deep inside you, and move deeper to see the underlying emotion that needs to be illuminated? Spiritual evolution is the act of bringing awareness to the energies and emotions within you, but it is creativity that teaches us how to express and release it. Surrender is facing what you encounter, opening up, receiving what is giving, and knowing it will only make you better because that is life’s only option.
The gift of inspiration can wake you up, but you can only stay exactly where you are at, until you are ready to step forward into the destiny of your true greatness.
Now, there is great darkness. History will judge this period of global violence against humanity and the Earth. It will judge the successes and the failures; to understand what has happened and what has not happened. What’s important to know is that it is not completely dark, because when we look into our hearts we still find the living flame which God put there. With our effort, God’s grace, and following the path of love in our hearts, let’s recall Gandhi’s wisdom: “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it—always.”
