Ahimsa and Satyagraha – Non Violence, Compassion and Truth for Justice and Peace in Society and with the Earth

Online Course of Navdanya

Register at: earthuniversity@navdanya.net ; +91 (0) 135-2693025

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed”.

Nature and society have been forced to the brink-a threat of extinction, Climate Chaostrophy, and the brutality of human inequality and injustice.Both the ecological and social emergency are connected through extractivism and violence as the structural principle of colonialism and the dominant economy.

Non violence (Ahimsa) is an ecological and social imperative. Compassion connects us to the living earth and each other instead of separating and dividing us through violence, domination, hate, exclusion and injustice.

Satyagraha, force of truth, generates the power within all of us “to be the change you want to see in the world”, to work for justice and peace in society and peace of the earth.

We share this planet with other beings, all of whom have a right to live and evolve, in health, well being and freedom. All beings need their share ecological space and the right to participate in the living processes the ensure food and water for all. We do not have a right to take the share of other species, other humans and future generations. When we extract more from the earth we overstep the limits of our rightful share, we disrupt planetary boundaries, ecological limits, the integrity of species. In the web of life species sustain each other. Robbing others of their share finally deprives humans of basic needs with a deepening crises of food and water, poverty, hunger and starvation. Sustainability and justice are interconnected because we live in an interconnected world. Following in Gandhi’s footsteps, we will discover how Swaraj (Self Organisation), Swadeshi (Creativity and Self Making) and Satyagraha (non violent non-cooperation and civil disobedience) sow the seeds of protecting life and freedom.

Bija Vidyapeeth – Earth University