Ahimsa

Years ago, I never would have imagined willingly holding a spider, yet here I am! Sure, it’s a very small spider, but it’s a big deal for someone who used to be an arachnaphobe. Some credit must be given to one of my daughters, who taught me that spiders are not to be feared and are actually pretty cool!

As I’ve continued to learn and grow in my own Yoga practice, I’ve come to truly respect all creatures, big and small, and to acknowledge their right to life. This is Ahimsa (which, coincidentally, is what the tattoo on my arm says).

The Yamas are the first limb on Patanjali’s eight limb path of Yoga.  There are five Yamas, and they are essentially a value system, or guidelines for being a good person.  The Yamas apply to our thoughts, words and deeds and provide a framework for living an ethical life.  Ahimsa is the first Yama and is a key Yogic principle.

The Yogic path actually begins with the Yamas, not poses on a mat.  It’s said that once we are famiilar with the life principles of the Yamas and Niyamas (the second limb) and are living an ethical life to the best of our abilities, we are then ready to proceed with the third liimb, Asana (the physical Yoga practice).  The physical practice is what most people in the West think of as Yoga, but there is much more to it.  

Ahimsa means non-violence or non-harming, and this applies to others as well as ourselves.  As previously mentioned, the Yamas apply to thought, word and deed, and “violence” in this context includes criticsm, blame and judgement of ourselves and others as well as physical violence or harm.  To truly practice Ahimsa means to not think harmful thoughts, speak harmful words or commit harmful deeds.  This is easier said than done of course. None of us are perfect, but we can continue to work on bettering ourselves.

Ahimsa extends to all living beings, not just humans.  The development of love, compassion and respect for all life forms as we proceed along the Yogic path is one reason that many Yogis – myself included – become vegetarians.  I’m not suggesting that everyone become a vegetarian however, this is a personal choice that needs to be carefully thought out and may not be right for everyone.  What we can do though, is begin to see all living creatures as valued beings and respect their right to live, right down to the smallest insect.  

Ahimsa also comes into play in our Yoga practice.  Pushing ourselves into a pose that isn’t suitable, ignoring the cues our bodies give us, competing with others in the class or staying in a pose when our bodies tell us not to are forms of violence toward ourselves, and if we feel jealousy, resentment or anger toward others in the class, that is a form of violence toward others.  

If someone comes in late or their phone goes off in class, this is an opportunity to practice Ahimsa and be understanding and compassionate rather than angry.  If an ant walks across your mat in an Outdoor Yoga class, remember that it has a right to life just as you do and let it be.  Practice Ahimsa toward yourself by honouring your body during class. Rather than feeling disappointed or frustrated or being critical of yourself, accept where your body is at and be grateful for what your body does for you on any given day.

Compassion is an essential part of Ahimsa.  We can try to keep Ahimsa in mind and do our best to be compassionate as we move through life and interact with all other living beings.  When we slip up, this is an opportunity to be aware of our thoughts, words and deeds and the impact they have on other living creatures and make improvements. It is also an opportunity to practice compassion and Ahimsa toward ourselves, as feelings of guilt, anger, resentment and regret can also be harmful.