Satyagraha is a force - a philosophy rooted in loving firmness. And just as a soft mushroom is able to break through thick concrete, the power of love can crack the hardest of hearts. Satyagraha is a philosophy and the practice of nonviolent resistance developed by Mahatma Gandhi. It was utilized in the Indian independence movement and also during his earlier struggles in South Africa. Satyagraha influenced Nelson Mandela in his struggle to overcome apartheid. Martin Luther King, Jr. relied upon its power in the civil rights movement in the United States, as well as many other social justice and similar movements. It is alive today.