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His philosophy of Satyagraha is both a personal and a social struggle to realize the Truth, which he identifies as God, the Absolute Morality. He seeks this Truth, not in isolation, self-centeredly, but with the people. He said, 'I want to find God, and because I want to find God, I have to find God along with other people. I don't believe I can find God alone. If I did, I would be running to the Himalayas to find God in some cave there. But since I believe that nobody can find God alone, I have to work with people. I have to take them with me. Alone I can't come to Him.'

Nelson Mandela#76

CommunityFaithGodIsolationSpiritualityTruth

About this quote

What does it mean?
The author views truth and God as something found through collective human effort rather than solitary isolation.
In plain terms
You cannot find truth alone; you must work with others to reach it.
What can you take from it?
True understanding comes from community, not isolation.

Where it applies

  • spiritual quests
  • social movements
  • team leadership

Putting it to work

  • build collaborative teams
  • seek consensus
  • engage community

Questions to consider

  • How do you balance solitude and community in your search for meaning?
  • Can truth exist without shared experience?

Another view

Solitary contemplation can also yield deep insights for some individuals.

More from Nelson Mandela

  1. Gandhi arrived in South Africa in 1893 at the age of 23. Within a week he collided head on with racism. His immediate response was to flee the country that so …

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  2. The sight of wounded and whipped Zulus, mercilessly abandoned by their British persecutors, so appalled him that he turned full circle from his admiration for …

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  3. Gandhi himself never ruled out violence absolutely and unreservedly. He conceded the necessity of arms in certain situations. He said, 'Where choice is set bet…

    Permalink to quote #74

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