Ahimsa: we seek to cause no intentional harm in our actions or thoughts to ourselves or other beings

Ahimsa means non-violence and compassion. This can be applied to all living things, our surroundings and ourselves in both thought and action. Many yogis interpret ahimsa by eating a plant based diet among other things, while for others ahimsa means thinking and acting kindly.

When bringing ahimsa to the mat, you should consider the following:

- Accept where you are at this point in time with your yoga. Embrace falling out of a pose with a smile — enjoy testing your balance and strength.

• - Know where you are at in your development. Don’t over extend yourself to get into a pose you’re not ready for. Enjoy the challenge without pushing yourself too far.
• - Acknowledge when your body needs rest or is unwell. While regular practice is great for the mind and body, sometimes taking the day off is just what the doctor ordered.
• - Bobby McFerrin was onto something in his song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Your practice is the perfect time to de-stress and enjoy the happiness of yoga.

How about bringing ahimsa into your life?

While as yogis we consider ourselves non-violent people, the idea of violence can work on a subtle or subliminal level. Thoughts of shame, resentment and guilt; words like ‘must’ and ‘should’ all have seeds of violence within them.

Non-violence is unconditional love; it is true compassion. By learning how to love and be loved we can truly embody the practice of ahimsa in our lives.