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;void(0)) As we begin our sojourn into 2005 and start our respective New Year’s Resolution programs let’s take a moment to give some thought to the fact that January is the month of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday. If anyone in this country’s history comes close to being considered a Patron Saint, Dr. king certainly comes very close to this consideration. His character, bearing, and ultimate martyrdom places him in the pantheon of world renowned giants. The Center for Nonviolence in Atlanta is a monument to Dr. King and his followers. It is a must-see for travelers to that city. Martin Luther King Jr. was a fervent student of another world giant – Mahatma Gandhi – the Patron Saint and master-mind behind India’s independence movement. Although the media focused upon the political and more dramatic aspects of these men’s lives (the jailings; beatings; lengthy political fasts; etc.) we know very little about their early upbringing and spiritual development. Mahatma Gandhi, like Dr. King, was raised in a very religious family. Gandhi’s family was Hindu, with a strong leaning toward Jainism – a branch of Hinduism that placed a great deal of emphasis on strong ascetic practices such as vegetarianism; fasting; and other practices that challenge the soul of the average person. Of special significance in these practices was the practice of taking moral oaths and vows of various types – and keeping them! We saw Gandhi or Dr. King in the process of one of their fasts or boycotts and often thought to ourselves about the profound political impact that these men had on events of their time but few of us understood that these men were practicing something that very few of us are capable of – keeping a promise. A study of Gandhi’s life would show that he had been practicing keeping vows since childhood. He started with little things like giving up certain candies that he liked and eventually developed a strong enough discipline to overcome the might of the British Empire. He once said: “If we resolve to do a thing, and are ready even to sacrifice our lives in the process, we are said to have taken a vow. It is essential for every person to train himself to keep such vows; one can strengthen one’s power of will by doing so and fit oneself for greater tasks.” We live in a world where “Promises are made to be broken” is a common refrain. Entire industries and philosophies are built around this common quote. No, it’s not imperative that we risk our lives just to say that we are keeping a New Year’s Resolution or some other oath. Hopefully, some of the vows that we take are, in fact, life-giving, such as a decision to give up smoking; starting an exercise program; or budgeting our finances. Regardless of what we set out to do it is best to use moderation and take it a little at a time. Start off by practicing small, easy tasks then work on larger ones as you progress. Next month we will take a look at Behavior Modification and how you can use it to eradicate problematic behaviors and to add preferable behaviors into your life. Newsletter Directory The Aton Project - Home Page Tony VanSluytman info Tony VanSluytman - the Author | Return Home | The BOOK DOCTOR | The BANYON NETWORK | The Banyon Buzz Newsletters | The Aton Project Newsletters | Contact Us | |
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