By María Gabriela Mata Carnevali

Peace begins with love and finds its fullest expression in Ahimsa, the ancient Indian principle of total nonviolence—of thought, word, and action—which embraces all living beings and requires aligning one’s life with what is morally and spiritually right. Rooted in inner discipline, Ahimsa nurtures simplicity, empathy, and moral integrity, yet it demands translation into action, guiding constructive responses to injustice. Gandhi showed that the pursuit of Truth—the highest moral reality—must be grounded in nonviolence, not force. Satyagraha, his method of principled resistance, encompasses non-cooperation, civil disobedience, boycotts, strikes, and fasting. In his vision, Truth, Ahimsa, and ethical action are inseparable: to act rightly in the world is to act from love, moral courage, and conscience.

But let us be clear, for Gandhi, choosing nonviolence does not mean avoiding struggle, nor does it imply cowardice. It requires moral courage, disciplined commitment, and a willingness to suffer in the pursuit of justice. He wrote:

“There is no peace without struggle. Struggle is inherent in peace. Life is a perpetual struggle, both internal and external, and peace is born from it.” — Letter to Esther Mennon, May 22, 1932

“Non-violence and cowardice are opposite terms. Non-violence is the greatest virtue, cowardice the greatest vice. Non-violence springs from love, cowardice from hatred. Non-violence implies suffering, cowardice inflicts suffering. Complete Non-violence requires supreme courage; therefore, it is heroic. Conduct that results from the philosophy of Non-violence will never be demoralizing, while cowardice always is.” — Quotes of Gandhi

In another text he even says:

“I am a man of peace. I want the peace that covers the breast exposed to the arrows of the whole world, but which is protected from all evil by the power of the Almighty… Just as one must learn to kill in order to practice the art of violence, one must know how to prepare to die in order to be trained in the practice of Non-violence. Violence does not liberate from fear, but rather seeks to fight its cause. Non-violence, on the other hand, is free of any fear…” — Letters to the Ashram

Jean-Marie Muller (1995), in his interpretation of this paragraph, explains that the fear of the other—the unknown, the foreigner, the enemy—is ultimately rooted in the fear of death. A person who embraces violence does so because he does not want to die; he kills in an attempt to overcome death. In stark contrast, those who choose nonviolence act with the awareness that refusing to kill entails the risk of dying.

The willingness to die thus becomes a central element in the struggle against injustice and the pursuit of peace, expressed through Satyagraha or passive resistance.

Every campaign Gandhi led—whether resisting colonial rule, challenging untouchability, alleviating poverty, or promoting women’s rights—was grounded in nonviolence. By embracing Ahimsa in thought, word, and deed, and expressing it through Satyagraha, he demonstrated that lasting peace and justice arise from moral courage, disciplined action, and the fearless pursuit of Truth. Yet carrying such principles into the fabric of society remains one of humanity’s greatest challenges.

The good news is that decades of social science research reveal that because violence is largely a learned behavior, nonviolence can also be taught and practiced. Nevertheless, this vital skill remains mostly absent from our educational systems and from the broader social narrative. If society is to truly embody Gandhian philosophy, nonviolence must become woven into our education, our institutions, and our daily lives. Only then can aspiration give way to reality, paving the path toward a better world.

Maria Gabriela Mata Carnevali (@mariagabPa2024), PhD, Venezuelan researcher on International Relations and Catholic Nonviolence Days of Action Animator.

Cover picture: Mahatma Gandhi. Mural by Darwin Rodríguez in a barrio of Caracas, Venezuela

Photo via Darwin Rodriguez

By María Gabriela Mata Carnevali

Peace begins with love and finds its fullest expression in Ahimsa, the ancient Indian principle of total nonviolence—of thought, word, and action—which embraces all living beings and requires aligning one’s life with what is morally and spiritually right. Rooted in inner discipline, Ahimsa nurtures simplicity, empathy, and moral integrity, yet it demands translation into action, guiding constructive responses to injustice. Gandhi showed that the pursuit of Truth—the highest moral reality—must be grounded in nonviolence, not force. Satyagraha, his method of principled resistance, encompasses non-cooperation, civil disobedience, boycotts, strikes, and fasting. In his vision, Truth, Ahimsa, and ethical action are inseparable: to act rightly in the world is to act from love, moral courage, and conscience.

But let us be clear, for Gandhi, choosing nonviolence does not mean avoiding struggle, nor does it imply cowardice. It requires moral courage, disciplined commitment, and a willingness to suffer in the pursuit of justice. He wrote:

“There is no peace without struggle. Struggle is inherent in peace. Life is a perpetual struggle, both internal and external, and peace is born from it.” — Letter to Esther Mennon, May 22, 1932

“Non-violence and cowardice are opposite terms. Non-violence is the greatest virtue, cowardice the greatest vice. Non-violence springs from love, cowardice from hatred. Non-violence implies suffering, cowardice inflicts suffering. Complete Non-violence requires supreme courage; therefore, it is heroic. Conduct that results from the philosophy of Non-violence will never be demoralizing, while cowardice always is.” — Quotes of Gandhi

In another text he even says:

“I am a man of peace. I want the peace that covers the breast exposed to the arrows of the whole world, but which is protected from all evil by the power of the Almighty… Just as one must learn to kill in order to practice the art of violence, one must know how to prepare to die in order to be trained in the practice of Non-violence. Violence does not liberate from fear, but rather seeks to fight its cause. Non-violence, on the other hand, is free of any fear…” — Letters to the Ashram

Jean-Marie Muller (1995), in his interpretation of this paragraph, explains that the fear of the other—the unknown, the foreigner, the enemy—is ultimately rooted in the fear of death. A person who embraces violence does so because he does not want to die; he kills in an attempt to overcome death. In stark contrast, those who choose nonviolence act with the awareness that refusing to kill entails the risk of dying.

The willingness to die thus becomes a central element in the struggle against injustice and the pursuit of peace, expressed through Satyagraha or passive resistance.

Every campaign Gandhi led—whether resisting colonial rule, challenging untouchability, alleviating poverty, or promoting women’s rights—was grounded in nonviolence. By embracing Ahimsa in thought, word, and deed, and expressing it through Satyagraha, he demonstrated that lasting peace and justice arise from moral courage, disciplined action, and the fearless pursuit of Truth. Yet carrying such principles into the fabric of society remains one of humanity’s greatest challenges.

The good news is that decades of social science research reveal that because violence is largely a learned behavior, nonviolence can also be taught and practiced. Nevertheless, this vital skill remains mostly absent from our educational systems and from the broader social narrative. If society is to truly embody Gandhian philosophy, nonviolence must become woven into our education, our institutions, and our daily lives. Only then can aspiration give way to reality, paving the path toward a better world.

Maria Gabriela Mata Carnevali (@mariagabPa2024), PhD, Venezuelan researcher on International Relations and Catholic Nonviolence Days of Action Animator.

Cover picture: Mahatma Gandhi. Mural by Darwin Rodríguez in a barrio of Caracas, Venezuela

Cover Picture via Darwin Rodriguez