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5 Ways to Practice Ahimsa

4/1/2021

Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word that translates roughly to Non-Violence or doing no harm. When we begin to practice ahimsa we choose to walk compassionately through this life. We understand our interconnectedness and make a conscious decision to show up in this world in a gentler and more peaceful way. So we ask, what are ways we can begin to bring ahimsa into our everyday lives?

Intuitive Eating: When people first begin to explore ahimsa often the first thing considered is what we are eating and the impact that it has, not only on living beings but on our planet. We consider how some of the animals we eat are treated while being raised for food. And maybe we aren’t ready to go full vegetarian or vegan, but we start to make more conscious choices. We take time to honor the things that we eat, making a conscious effort to eat things that bring our bodies health. Eating things that bring us joy, not shame or guilt. It’s a process where we begin to eat in a balanced and intuitive way guided by this idea of bringing health and energy to our bodies without compromising the world or other living things in the process.
Supportive Self-talk: The way we speak to ourselves creates the environment of our mind. Our Self-talk influences our perspective and the way we feel towards our Self, our life, and our body. When we speak to ourselves in harmful ways we hold ourselves emotionally captive by our expectations and personal judgments. This in turn can make it easier for us to speak or act this way with others. Knowing this, we can take time each day to change our inner dialogue, finding kinder ways to encourage and support ourselves. Taking time for growth and reflection, finding ways to nourish our inner world one mindful thought at a time. Mantras and affirmations can be a part of our tools to accomplish this. "I forgive myself when I make mistakes because I am learning!"
Mindful Communication: Our words are powerful, they have the ability to transform the Self, the world, experiences, and others. The way we choose to speak about others can show more about who we are than it does about the person we are speaking about. Hate speech and violent words can fuel hate crimes and violent acts. When we speak negatively about others we are consciously choosing to hurt them, to tear them down rather than build them up, to separate rather than connect. Each day we should make the decision to communicate in healthy and compassionate ways. By choosing the words we share about others and choosing to not engage in harmful gossip and speech, we are showing others and ourselves that there is another, kinder way to live in this world. Turning down the opportunity to speak harmfully of others begins to heal the separation that has been created by drama and societal encouragement of judgment and hate speech.
Awareness in Asana: Our yoga mat can be one of the perfect places to practice ahimsa with ourselves. During this time we learn the language of our body, becoming aware of what it needs and taking the time to practice giving our bodies compassion and support. This can look like resting, using props, working with and accepting the space that our bodies are in today, in each moment. It can also look like understanding when our body needs strength. When we need to hold the posture and breathe into our power. Recognizing when we need to build support for our joints by taking more strength building classes and by offering our bodies the movement they need. Practicing yoga gives us the opportunity to confront our ego, to let go of the shame and judgment that we so often harm our bodies with, and replace it with love and acceptance. Within our asana we are shown the resilience of our bodies and in that we are able to practice being kind and grateful for all it has done for us.
Healthy Boundaries: Creating boundaries within our lives honors us and our emotions. When we allow our boundaries to be pushed aside or disregarded we are doing violence to ourselves, our needs, and telling ourselves we are not worthy of the boundaries we have created. Kindly enforcing our boundaries not only teaches others the importance of respecting the needs of others, but also, allows us to show up for ourselves in a way that says “I will support my needs and honor my value.” This can be hard for many of us; and like every practice, we are learning and likely to make mistakes along the way. Starting with simple acts of kindness to ourselves, saying No when we need to, communicating our needs with others, and exploring and getting to know our needs is a great start!

By: Morgan Furgeson

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Reflections on Ahimsa

4/1/2021

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Great leaders such as Gandhi lived by the teaching ahimsa parama dharma: “Nonviolence is our greatest walk of life.”

Ahimsa, an ancient concept originating in the Vedas, is commonly referred to as “nonviolence” or "non-harming” but can more literally be translated from Sanskrit as “absence of injury." The Vedas, or “divine knowledge,” were considered authorless and were originally passed down in oral tradition for centuries until a sage known as Vyasa studied and compiled four of the Vedas in written text known as the Bhagavad Ghita. Another sage, Patanjali, is said to have studied these Vedic texts and developed what we know as the Yoga Sutra and the basis of classical yoga’s eight limbs- the Yama (Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha), Niyama (Saucha, Samtosa, Tapas, Svadhyaya, Isvara Pranidhana), Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi.

Ahimsa is part of the first of the eight limbs known as yama, or practices of self-regulation designed to free us from being victims of our own human impulses. Yama practices are likened to cleaning techniques for our minds, bodies, and spirits that allow us to live more conscious, liberated lives. But with our modern-day responsibilities and jobs, we may not live ahimsa as a sole way of life. Instead, we can apply and devote our practice of Ahimsa to the many facets of our lives including the places that we inhabit, recreate and enjoy. For instance, we can practice ahimsa in our neighborhood, parks and wild places by practicing "Leave No Trace." Leave No Trace consists of seven principles that form an easily understood framework of minimum impact practices for anyone visiting the outdoors. The seven principles are: 1) Plan ahead and prepare 2) Travel and camp on durable surfaces 3) Dispose of waste properly 4) Leave what you find 5) Minimize campfire impacts 6) Respect wildlife and 7) Be considerate of other visitors.

Inflicting injury is not limited to causing physical harm to other people. Words, tones, behaviors, and even our thoughts can turn into weapons if used destructively. Though we can consider physical, word-based, or thought-based forms of harm as separate, we should understand that all of them are inextricably linked. As Gandhi said, “If one does not practice nonviolence in his personal relationships with others, he is vastly mistaken. Nonviolence, like charity, must begin at home.” We are all co-creators amongst this community on both macro and micro levels, and thus it is important to be mindful of the impacts that we might have on our wild lands and how those impacts may affect others.
The ahimsa-based practices of pausing, looking ahead, empathizing, and being mindful in our choices move us closer to a more fulfilled and embodied way of living. When we see ahimsa in action, it allows us to maintain a positive connection with ourselves, the Earth and the world. Ahimsa is present and relevant to all, in each of our unique lives. Bringing awareness to it as a practice is key to its continuation and expansion.
What is your understanding of ahimsa, and where do you see its positive impact in your life, community, and world?
By: Candace Weisser

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