Those who were privileged to live during the time of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. witnessed true leadership. Dr. King spoke with conviction: his words had the power to reach people’s hearts and motivate them because his words came from the deep experience of a man of faith, a man who walked his talk.
Dr. King did not hold himself separate or above others. He took the practical approach of helping others, following the example of Jesus. In analyzing the parable of the good Samaritan from the Bible, he said, “The question is not, if I help the man in need, what will happen to me, but rather if I do not help the man in need, what will happen to him?”
Dr. King studied and followed the example of Mahatma Gandhi in the non-violent resistance movement that forced the British to “quit India!” Ahimsa or non-violence is the first rule of yoga. Dr. King said, in his speech in Memphis: “..the question for today is not violence or non-violence, but rather non-violence or non-existence.”
In the last speech of his life, Dr. King used the metaphor, “I’ve been to the mountaintop and looked over and seen the Promised Land!” This was of course a reference to Moses, who according to the Torah or the Old Testament, led the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, but was only allowed to see, and not enter, the Promised Land.
At Mount Madonna, we aspire to follow many of the essential teachings of Dr. King. We strive to experience truth in our lives and meditate to connect with the inner spiritual reality. We practice living in a non-violent way. We pursue a life of service.
In the spirit of service, led by our teacher Baba Hari Dass, we built Mount Madonna Center, Institute, and School as a vehicle to hold the authentic teachings of Yoga and Ayurveda for practice and sharing with the greater society. We aim for the Mount Madonna community to be an expression of freedom and opportunity through cooperation.
We are deeply grateful to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his leadership, for the impact he had on society and the world, and for the teachings that will continue to benefit many generations to come.
