An Introduction

Hello all,

My name is Abel Collins, and perhaps you know me as a writer, or as a community organizer for environmental causes, or even as a friend. However, I’d wager that mostly you don’t know me that well or at all, and I suppose that is one of the reasons that I have come to write in this space. I am thirty-one years old, born and raised in Rhode Island like the rest of my family stretching back to the first days of the colony. Rhode Island is a quirky place and I attribute much of my own peculiarity to its environment. It was founded with rebellious intent and it drew outcasts who sought freedom and equality. To this day, it is a State of hope with egalitarian aspirations. Even more formative than the social history of RI for me is its natural history. It is beautiful here. The emerald and sapphire of the ocean and bay; the gentle hills that roll down to those waves; the ponds that the rolling undulations of the land cup and spill through river or aquifer to meet the greater waters; the fertile fields outlined in granite; these are the beauties that have inspired me throughout my life.

Like the multitude of forms beauty has embodied in nature, the inspiration I take from them has taken many paths. I consider myself a philosopher, not in the sense that I have a sheaf of paper proclaiming me a doctor of knowledge, but in the original, Satyagraha, sense. I approach the world with a curiosity born of a love for truth. My thirst for truth, in knowledge and wisdom, and its exposition find expression in my poetry, and much of what I share in this blog will be my natural philosophic verse. I take time to dwell upon the transcendent perfection of the universe, and I allow the awareness I attain through that meditative process to inform my writing. My writing and thought return constantly to the plight of humankind, and I have dedicated my life to helping achieve a peaceful and sustainable future. As such, this blog will also devote a lot of discussion to understanding the social forces we have engineered to organize our society. In other words, I hope you are prepared to talk about politics and the economy and where they fit into the greater scope of nature.

Ideally, this blog will become a sounding board for evolutionary ideas. I would like to create a space for new ideas and new ways forward, and I will need you. Together with the spirit of Satyagraha, let’s make peace.

In Unity,

Abel

Ps- I’d like to thank Nick for putting this site together. I can already feel that tickle of excitement in my mind that always precedes the joy and productivity of new thought and good conversation.

The Genesis

For the wellbeing of humanity we must live sustainably, courageously and compassionately; it is our duty. If we neglect this duty our brothers and sisters all around us will suffer unduly and as individuals, we will not realize our greatest potential. Currently violence, disregard for our environment, poor health choices and materialization plague our existence. It is upon each of us to transform these ills and uplift our communities. We each have unique roles to play, skills to dedicate and paths to tread, yet it is only together that we can transform this world. TheSatyagraha.org is a forum dedicated to chronicling the challenges that face our humanity and fostering discussion of means to overcome these challenges and build a more sustainable future.

Satyagraha is a term that was first coined by Mohandas Gandhi to describe the essence of his philosophy of nonviolent resistance. When asked to define the term, Gandhi stated that Satyagraha is “the force which is born of truth and love”. Truth and Love are the gatekeepers of self-realization and they light the path that leads to the practice of serving others. We must cultivate and harvest Truth and Love as forces for personal and social transformation. This website hopes to play a role in manifesting such forces.

Thank you for your interest in TheSatyagraha.org. Check back frequently for new posts and please let us know if you have any ideas that may enhance the experience of this website. Let us work together for a more compassionate, healthy and peaceful world.

In Unity,

Nicolas Katkevich