Every living creature is violent in some form or another.
Observe the seasons, the weather, the earth, wind, rain, water and air and one can see power of nature unleashed so ferociously. It is not difficult to recognise that nature is violent.
Great advances in learning seems to have fooled us humans in believing that non violence is the natural order. Whereas conflict and violence is the natural order.
There are mainly two recurring phases in human history – One phase is a time of conflict and violence. The second phase is the intervening periods of peace, during which preparations are being made to either attack or defend oneself.
We have misunderstood the means of achieving non violence. It is not to make oneself weak and ineffectual but rather to become strong and remain prepared to meet challenges and imposed violence.
As the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh ji, taught humanity that, only a strong entity can genuinely choose non violence. A weak, impotent or cowardly entity can only pretend to be non violent.
Written and Posted: on Gandhi Jayanti (birth anniversary) 2nd Oct 2020 ~ Gurvinder Singh