Ahimsa: non-harming/non-violence; loving-kindness and compassion
“Ahimsa (non-violence), the first and foremost of the five yamas (restraints) described in the Yoga Sutra, entreats us to live in such a way that we cause no harm in thought, speech, or action to any living being, including ourselves. In its pure form, ahimsa is the spontaneous expression of the highest form of love—an unconditional positive regard for everyone and everything.” – Irene Petryszak
Ahimsa is the foundation, the very cornerstone for our entire practice of yoga and meditation.
It is usually translated as non-violence or non-harming but as we start to explore the meaning more deeply we see that it is first and foremost about creating a loving and kind relationship with ourselves. And if we want to grow to a place of unconditional love for all beings it must first start with ourselves!
Ahimsa invites us to look closely at how we treat ourselves…
Is our self-talk supportive and uplifting or is there a tendency to put ourselves down or be overly critical?
Do we take care of ourselves or are we always putting the needs of others first? Often this can look like a very selfless act, however, it can be stemming from the lack of a loving relationship with ourselves or not having a solid sense of self-worth.
Even being mindful of what we eat is a very powerful practice in ahimsa as we start to recognize what is beneficial and supportive of our health, and what is possibly harming or contributing to health concerns that could grow over time.
The beauty is that the yamas and niyamas build our self - awareness so that we can make better choices and we can start to move through the world in a more mindful way. Ahimsa is the first building block.
When we invite ahimsa into our daily life we learn to love and respect ourselves and through this we begin cultivating reverence, respect and love for others. We develop compassion, patience and understanding and this reflects through our thoughts, words and actions.
Just as we may have noticed our own critical inner voice, we may start to notice the criticism that may arise with or towards others. Even if the thoughts are not expressed, there is a subtle energy of harming and judging of another that manifests.
It is in each moment that we have the power to shift our thoughts and let go of judgments, and criticisms to bring forth love and understanding in our interactions and relationships.
The principle of ahimsa helps broaden our perspective to see the inter-connectedness of every being and the beauty that can come from treating others with kindness and compassion and vowing to not harm others in any way.
If you would like to learn more about the Yamas and Niyamas, join me for the next round of studies. You can read more by clicking here.
📸Photo by Simon Ray on Unsplash