Blog: The Power of Non-Resistance Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. taught and modeled non-violent resistance to the world. Consider that this principle is more than a powerful political tool; it is also a practical technique for living life. The rebel within tells us we must fight that which we don’t like so that it will cease to exist. But the opposite is true. By resisting an annoyance, we maintain attention on it, thus giving it power. Attention is the key. If you are sitting in traffic, worried about being late for an appointment, your tendency is to become anxious. By concentrating on the problem (tardiness), it doesn’t desist, but rather builds anxiety. To act non-resistantly, you let the annoyance be itself and place your attention elsewhere, hopefully on something you can control. (You can’t control traffic or the fact that you are late.) By not resisting the irritant, you release yourself to be yourself, thus you are free in the moment. While experiencing traffic, plan the fastest route to your destination, then relax, turn up the radio and sing. You can control your mood, attitude, and activity. You can’t control the light, flow of traffic or blockages up ahead. As you contemplate the principle of non-resistance, you can see that its point is profoundly placed in controlling what you can and releasing what you can’t control. The more you occupy your mind with irritating, external factors, the less you remember to be yourself. Apply these ideas to life – a disgruntled boss, emotional spouse, high prices, taxes, mechanical failures, illness – and you begin to unfold the meaning of non-resistance. These elements are a part of life. Respond to them as you must, but don’t uproot your peace. Handle situations with ability and imagination. Then move on. Gandhi and King used non-violent resistance to make powerful political and social statements. You can incorporate this principle to maintain peace and build self expression. And talk about synchronicity...today, I received this information from Shambhala Publications. In 2000, the Hopi Elders issued a prophecy for the challenging times that are now upon us. “There is a river flowing now very fast,” they said. “It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are being torn apart and will suffer greatly.” The modern world is very good at showing us vividly how we’re hooked, stuck in fixed mind, habitually riding the wheel of suffering. These times are making the option of clinging to the shore more and more unpalatable. Therefore, the Hopi Elders advise us to “push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.” Once there, we’ll be able to see our companions in the river and “celebrate.” The Elders don’t lament what is happening. On the contrary, they say, “This could be a good time!”