The aim of life is to attain peace.
No one can give us peace. We can’t buy or borrow it. We have to cultivate it by practicing yama and niyama [yoga restraints and observances].
-Baba Hari Dass
As many of you know, the life and teachings of Baba Hari Dass are a strong influence on my yoga practice. The tradition is known as Classical Ashtanga (Eight-limbed) Yoga. Yoga is often described as a tree with eight branches or limbs; one is asana (postures), and two others are yama and niyama, the restraints and observances mentioned in the quote above. There are five yama and five niyama.
Starting with the yama, the first one usually listed is Ahimsa, non-harming or nonviolence. Many of you will be familiar with the life of Mahatma Gandhi and his practice of ahimsa. Some people interpret this concept broadly and apply it to ways of speaking (i.e. nonviolent communication), eating (vegetarianism) and being in the world (i.e. be gentle with one’s body). This could include mindful actions and careful discernment when making choices, from the smallest decisions to the larger ones This does not mean being overly passive if you are being harmed. (sorry, mosquitoes!). Some ways I think about practicing ahimsa in my life are who I vote for, how I treat my body (enough rest, proper food and exercises), what media I take in, how I talk to myself, where I spend money (i.e. avoiding sweatshop made clothes, excessive packaging etc.) and which career path to follow. One aspect of this concept is that all actions have consequences or a ripple effect. The effect may be far off in time and space from the original action. We may say one word to someone and then forget about it, however, that word could radically change their day or week. Whether its kind or hurtful, is up to us. If we are seeking a life of peace, our actions require the intention of peace.
I invite you to inquire if non-violence is an important part of your value system and if so, observe how you are practicing ahimsa in both big and small ways. This is one way of taking your yoga practice off the mat and being in integrity. Pondering what ahimsa or non-harming means to you is another yoga practice called svadyaya or self-study. Let me know what you discover.
