Ahimsa: Love over Fear
So, what is ahimsa? Ahimsa is the first + one of the yamas. The yamas are one of the 8 limbs of yoga. Ahimsa translates to mean ‘non-harm’ + ‘non-violence’. We can practice this quite literally by not causing harm or violence in our actions in more obvious ways. But it actually goes much deeper than that. So let’s dive in.
Love, Not Fear
If one were to describe ahimsa + its qualities + feelings, they would use words like: love, kindness, compassion, empathy, gentleness, equality, communication, connection, forgiveness, commitment, harmony, healing, patience, peace, trust, understanding + unity (and many more, but you get the idea, right?!)
Just like all of the yamas + niyamas, it’s not just about learning about the teachings, but also living them. We can live a life inspired by ahimsa through our behaviors, actions + thoughts.
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.” He was a big believer in ahimsa + his actions of non-harm + non-violence demonstrated this. He didn’t just practice ahimsa in his political life + not in his personal life. It’s a WAY of living.
If we hold the belief system that people deserve all the above qualities of ahimsa, we HAVE to include ourselves in that. Otherwise, it’s almost like we’re saying one thing + doing another – being hypocritical almost. We would NEVER dream of speaking to a loved one, or even a stranger the way we talk to ourselves at times.
Power of Thoughts
Our thoughts are so incredibly powerful. As Ghandi said, “Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.” This is why practicing ahimsa through the self first is so powerful. We will be giving off the energy of our thoughts.
One of my favourite short stories is the one of the two wolves:
An old man is teaching his grandchild about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the child. “It is a terrible fight + it is between two wolves. One’s behaviour is full of anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority + ego.”
The old man continued, “the other wolf’s behaviour is full of joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, + faith. The same fight is going on inside you + inside every other person, too.”
The grandchild thought about it for a minute + then asked the grandfather, “which wolf will win?”
The old man simply replied, “the one you feed.”
We are possibly aware of the ‘devil’ + ‘angel’ sitting on each shoulder. I love to think of it as a low vibe version of myself + high vibe version of myself that sits on each shoulder + speaks to me. We give life to what we give energy too. If we feed the low vibrational version of ourselves, it’s just going to get really strong. I wouldn’t want to be real-life friends with someone like that because of how it would make me feel, so why would I spend time hanging around without that version of myself 24/7 every. single. day.
Loving Change
Make the change to your way of thinking. It can be done – through the powers of neuroplasticity! I’ve completely changed the personal relationship with myself. Through learning about ahimsa + practicing it through opportunities in life, on the yoga mat + in meditation.
Yoga isn’t a selfish practice. It’s not about doing the work just for ourselves. But by doing the work on ourselves, we naturally give off this energy + vibration.
Think of a time when you’ve been stressed, tired, irritable + then snapped as a result. Because you’re not looking after yourself, right?
Well, when we practice yoga (especially philosophy) in our everyday lives, we can then be of service to the world. If we practice ahimsa + believe in non-harm + non-violence for all living things, we then begin to see our relationships with others in a different light.
We’re able to see that just like ourselves, “The same fight is going on inside you + inside every other person, too.” This isn’t to excuse low vibrational behaviour or to let people walk over you. It’s about seeing that people behave that way because they’re suffering. People who are giving off low vibe behaviours don’t live in a happy inner home. We don’t have to become best friends with them, but we can recognize that it’s not personal, it’s often a mirror reflection of them. People do the best they can with the tools they have. Sometimes they’re calling out for a helping hand, but don’t know how to ask.
Calm + Compassionate
In certain situations, because we practice ahimsa ourselves + respect ourselves, we can then choose who we let in + who we don’t. BUT it’s not about ‘sinking to their level’, it’s about stepping away, letting go or accepting because we respect ourselves.
Yoga can really enhance relationships with loved ones because we act from a place of love, kindness + compassion. We’re more understanding of experiences + situations.
Practice ahimsa with strangers too – the ripple power of a smile right?! “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all which have the potential to turn a life around.” I even practice ahimsa with Siri by saying please + thank you – haha!
Ahimsa can be a practice of self-care. But it’s so much deeper than that. We can then begin to take these teachings into the world.
“No act of kindness is too small. The gift of kindness may start as a ripple that over time can turn into a tidal wave affecting the lives of many.”
Gandhi believed ahimsa to be the greatest force of disposal of humankind. Look at all he achieved politically through ahimsa, working to achieve freedom + equality for all. The power of peace, love, and kindness!
Nelson Mandela said, “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, + if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” Not only do I love this quote for its more obvious message, but how it highlights that we CAN change our way of thinking + approach.
Love for our Home
We can also practice ahimsa by how we treat our home. Earth is our home. Our beautiful home. That through humankind’s actions + behaviors, we are destroying, causing harm to the very home we live on. The opposite of ahimsa.
We can begin to think of our own personal actions + behaviors as a ripple effect for change. We can practice ahimsa through the choices that we make through acts like recycling, up-cycling, mindful consumption, knowing where our food sources come from, knowing where our clothes are made + who makes them.
“When we know better, we do better.” This quote by Maya Angel
ou has always inspired my choices + actions so much. I have a thirst for knowledge + once I’ve learned how my past actions have caused suffering, I chose not to ignore but to take action by making changes to my lifestyle choices. It’s a very personal practice + there is no right or wrong. It’s very nuanced. But I do believe that if we all let the teachings of ahimsa inspire our actions, the world that we live in will be a very different place.
Learn More
Learn more about ahimsa + how to live a yoga-inspired life over on the Inspired Club.