Yoga 101: Ahimsa – Dynamic Peacefulness | Hugger Mugger

There is a lot of debate in the blog of Bloggen/social media about what yoga is and not. Popular yoga is often seen as a lifted version of Yoga Asanas (postures). While a smaller but just as vocal camp, see Camp Yoga as a whole system that includes meditation and daily life. As a yoga practitioner of almost 40 years I fall in the second group. If I had to choose one aspect as the most fundamental basis of yoga, I would choose Ahimsa.

Ahimsa is the first of the Specialwhich include the first of the eight limbs of yoga, according to the Yoga Sutras. The Yama’s are moral/ethical guidelines for conscious life. Ahimsa is usually defined as non-damaged. That is a good start, but it is more than that. Sutra -scholar Alistair Shearer calls it ‘dynamic peace’.

I love this definition. Instead of just avoiding damage, the expression suggests active participation in leading a peaceful life. For me it also implies a cultivated state of inner peace. We can act from this inner state of peace in our yoga practice and in our lives.

Ahimsa on the Yogamat

We can practice Ahimsa on or outside the mat. Here are some ways to explore Ahimsa on the mat:

• Check your judgments: We all come to yoga practice with certain genetic and usual physical qualities. Some qualities are beneficial for certain poses. Some of them can hinder our ability to practice some poses. We are all different. Comparing yourself with others in the classroom can get the joy and spontaneity out of your yoga. Note the times that you assess yourself compared to others – positive or negative. (Be careful not to assess for assessing!) Note how it feels. Instead, tune in to your internal experience in the pose. What can you learn?
• Check your breathing: Ultimately, our yoga practice should supplement our energies. But very often, pushing and striving for the mat can actually exhaust our energies. The most reliable way I have found to check my efforts is to check in with my breathing. When I am practicing my intelligent lead, my breathing will be relaxed and deep. If I drive up against the limits of my body, my breathing will feel shallow and limited. Deeply breathable in yoga postures is what allows us to feel that incomparable calm energy after we have completed Savasana (relaxation pose). If your breathing is limited, you go back and do less.
• Check your stretching: Yoga is the most effective if we follow a “less is more” strategy. Western culture loves intensity and the mentality “no pain, no profit”. That is not what Asana practice is about. Pain is a signal that we may cause damage. Strive for a mild to moderate piece, one that gives you space to explore.

Cultivating dynamic peace

Ahimsa van de Mat is a huge practice. You could spend the rest of your life to concentrate on this single Yama. In my book, Mindful Yoga, Mindful LifeI will discuss some of the ways to practice Ahimsa, but here are a few ideas:

• Think before you act: The tricky thing about Ahimsa is that non-damaging action can vary, depending on the situation. Release the evaluation of actions such as “good” or “bad”. Instead, while you are considering taking an action, you should think about whether you think your promotion has potential to cause damage or to cause happiness. Also think about your intentions. Are you considering taking action from anger, greed, jealousy or another unbound mental state? Or do you take action from compassion, friendliness, generosity or another skilled state? Mindful speech is a huge reconnaissance area. Here are some ideas to refine your speech.
• Cultivate dynamic peace: When our actions are tailored to our integrity and our choices are skilled, we naturally feel more peaceful. Practicing the above suggestion can therefore be a long way to cultivate dynamic peace. But we can also do this in our meditation and yoga practice. You can practice the above suggestions “Ahimsa on the Yoga Mat”. You can also take the time to practice mindfulness and friendliness meditations. Ultimately, we want the state of dynamic peace to be where we come from, so that Ahimsa leads our actions naturally.
• Consider your choices: We can express Ahimsa in our lifestyle choices. For example, we can choose to buy products that are friendly to the earth. Or we can choose if we should eat animals. This is a difficult, often loaded with judgment. For some of us, the choice is easy because Meatless Going Word feels good. For others whose bodies thrive on animal products, the Ahimsa can be an interested choice to consume meat. To begin with, choose one area that you are passionate about – small life, getting involved in charity causes, being available for wrestling friends or family members. There are many ways to cultivate dynamic peace in your life. What do you feel passionate about?

Let us know how to cultivate Ahimsa on and out of the mat.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell discovered Yoga in 1982 and started teaching in 1986. Charlotte is the author of Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice and Yoga for Meditators, both published by Rodmell Press. Her third book is entitled Hip-Healthy Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Guide to Protect the hips and avoiding SI joint pain (Shambhala publications). She writes a monthly column for Catalyst Magazine and serves as an editor for Yoga U online. Charlotte is one of the founders of board member for GreenTree Yoga, a non-profit organization that brings yoga to disadvantaged population. Charlotte, a lifelong musician, plays oboe and English horn in the Salt Lake Symphony and Folk Sextet Red Rock Rondo, whose DVD won two Emmy Awards.