Ahimsa: non-violence, kindness, no harm in your action.Awareness and gentleness in action, thought and speech. Violence arises out of fear, anger, restlessness and selfishness. Practice: compassion, love, understanding, patience, self-love, and worthiness. Non-violence in action, thought, or words toward ourselves or other living beings.  Begin by viewing yourself with tenderness and compassion and extend that gift out to all those who you pass or meet on the sacred journey of your life. Build bridges with people.This is NOT “how to be a doormat.” One side of non-violence is creating boundaries for peace if someone is acting violently towards you. “NO” needs to be in your vocabulary to practice Ahimsa. Ahimsa can be powerful.In the actual practice of ahimsa we take responsibility for our own harmful behavior as well as for attempting to stop the harmful behavior we experience around us. Sometimes it takes a great deal of love and compassion, two key elements of ahimsa, to step in and say “no” to what we see happening. Being neutral is not necessarily practicing ahimsa. Instead, practicing true ahimsa springs from the clear intention to act with clarity and love. The Greatest Teaching: Ahimsa (not being like the Lion)Ahimsa, the first yama, is perhaps the most famous. It is usually translated as meaning “non-violence,” However, one Sanskrit teacher translated it slightly differently; he defined “himsa” as “lion” and “a” as the negating prefix. Thus, “ahimsa” became “not being like the lion.” This colorful and endearing translation is helpful to those of us seeking to live a life of clarity and insight. Violent thoughtsThere have been many words written about what ahimsa means. Besides physical violence, there can be the violence of words or thoughts. What we think about others or ourselves can be as powerful as any physical attempt to harm. To practice ahimsa is to be constantly vigilant, to observe ourselves in interaction with others, our thoughts about those interactions and the intention behind our words.Ahimsa perfected subsumes all other yogic practicesIt is often said that if one can perfect the practice of ahimsa, one need learn no other practice of yoga, for all the other practices are subsumed in it.  Also understood is that whatever practices will be recommended after the yamas must include Ahimsa as well.Practicing breathing practices or postures without Ahimsa negates the benefits these practices offer.