Ahimsa: non-violence, kindness no harm in your action.

Practice: compassion, kindness, generosity, love (presence), understanding, patience, self-love, and worthiness.

Non-violence in action, thought, or words toward self and/or other living beings.  Begin by viewing yourself with tenderness and compassion and then extend this gift to all those who you pass or meet on the sacred journey of your life.

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. The true practice of 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 thoughts

There 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 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 practices

It 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.

To practice breathing techniques or postures, for example, without Ahimsa negates the benefits these practices offer. 

Vedic Story of a Snake: Ahimsa

There is a famous and powerful story about Ahimsa told in the Vedas, the vast collection of ancient philosophical teachings from India. The story is about a sadhu, a wandering monk who would make a yearly circuit to a number of villages in order to teach. One day as he entered a village, he saw a large and menacing snake. The snake was terrorizing the villagers and making their life difficult. The sadhu spoke to the snake and taught him about Ahimsa; it was a lesson that the snake heard and took to heart. 

The following year when the sadhu made his annual visit to the village, he again saw the snake. How changed he was. Now this once magnificent snake was skinny and bruised. The sadhu asked the snake what had happened to cause such a change in his appearance. The snake replied that he had taken the teaching of Ahimsa to heart and had realized the error of his ways.

Thus, he had stopped terrorizing the village. Because he was no longer menacing, the children now threw rocks at him and taunted him. He could hardly hunt and was afraid of leaving his hiding place. The sadhu shook his head wisely and said that while he had indeed taught the importance and power of practicing Ahimsa, he had never told the snake not to hiss. 

The powerful message of this story can help to clear up the confusion that sometimes occurs when we try to practice Ahimsa. Making a choice to protect others and ourselves does not violate Ahimsa. To allow violence to occur does not express ahimsa. Staying “neutral” is in reality a form of action.