The Small Side of Ahimsa - Ending the World's Pain Begins in Your Own Home

A discussion of Yoga's ethics usually begins with Ahimsa, the Yama of non-violence. Although there are nine other Yamas (disciplines) and Niyamas (observances), non-violence seems to sum up all of Yoga's philosophy - and the spirit of India, its country of origin - particularly well. After all, aren't most yogis vegetarians who refuse to harm animals, and wasn't the Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi a beacon of non-violence for the twentieth century? The problem with looking at Ahimsa in this sweeping, all-encompassing manner is that it makes it hard to adopt as a personal credo. Most of us would have a hard time giving up meat, if we even wanted to, and even fewer of us aspire to becoming a Ghandi for the new millennium. The truth is that Ahimsa can, and should, be added into your lifestyle in small, subtle doses. You don't have to immediately give up hamburgers or throw yourself into protests for world peace. Most types of revolution or radical change are violent in nature and inherently against the principle of Ahimsa. Change is more likely to be effective if brought about slowly, bit by bit.

We all commit small acts of violence every day. We don't have to eat a steak, beat our children or even step on a bug to do it. Did you have a spat with your significant other? Did you commit an act of passive-aggressive revenge at work? Did you forget to recycle that glass bottle or your junk mail? During your Yoga practice, did you force your body to stretch farther than you knew it should? All these are examples of the types of violence we commit every day without even thinking about it. We carelessly harm each other, the earth, and ourselves in dozens of different ways, mainly because we are not living our lives in compassion and awareness.

Ahimsa comes from the Hindu belief that God - the force that animates the universe - is all-pervasive. The whole world is holy ground, every being is sacred, and not only does this power express itself through everything in the universe, we are all interconnected by this power. Even if your belief is different from the Hindu, you have to admit that little, harmful acts can add up. The fighting between a couple can escalate until it results in divorce. Trash pollutes the earth's air and water, destroying the ecosystem. Being rude to the harassed check-out girl will cause her to leave work angry and curse other drivers on the road, who will in turn take that energy home to their families. All these negative forces can be halted, right now, by just a little bit of consideration and understanding. Practice small acts of Ahimsa every day, and they will add up as surely as those harmful behaviors would have turned into something big and ugly.

The Small Side of Ahimsa

Making Ahimsa Personal

But while practicing Ahimsa towards others, don't forget about yourself. Treat your body with the same sort of care that you would any prized possession. No matter what town you call home, your body is where you live, so avoid harming it with polluting substances and keep it healthy. Neglecting your body is doing it harm. Even more importantly, be aware of your thoughts - when you make a mistake do you beat yourself up over it? Do you ever engage in vengeful thinking? When you are stressed out, do you forge ahead anyhow without taking a break? All this harms your psyche and has a direct effect on your attitude, not to mention your health. Negative thoughts, even if you are trying to repress them, also have an effect on the way you treat others. Of course you can't just banish all negative thoughts - the point is to be aware of them and then consciously choose not to act on or believe them.

The reason why the world is in the mess it is in right now is because so many billions of people are behaving in harmful ways. It's that simple. Ahimsa is your chance to stop adding to the situation and instead do some good. If everyone was more conscious of their actions and behaved with more consideration - even by just ten percent - the living conditions of the world would improve to an amazing degree. This type of change can only happen one person at a time. On an even more personal scale, it starts for you one thought and one act at a time. Even if you don't have an ounce of altruism (or don't think you do), Ahimsa offers many rewards. It will reduce your level of stress and make your life more pleasant. If you behave nicely to others, they will most often respond in kind. Life won't seem so difficult. The world will seem to be a less hostile place - ironic, since the only part of it that has changed is you. Your outside world really is a reflection of what goes on inside of you. If you want proof, practice Ahimsa for a day or two and see what happens.

The most exciting benefit of practicing Ahimsa to any degree is that it will increase your capacity to love. In fact, to practice Ahimsa is to learn how to love. And like any valuable lesson, it is best to go at your own pace. All you need to do is begin.

About the Author:
This article and All Spirit Fitness is the brainchild of Janiss Garza, a Los Angeles-based journalist and fitness consultant. Ms. Garza's writing has appeared in dozens of publications, the most prominent being Entertainment Weekly and the L.A. Times. She has a fitness certification through ISSA and is a member of IDEA. For most of 2001, Ms. Garza was the "Yoga Guide" (producer, editor and writer) for About.com. Her About Yoga site was one of Forbes.com's "Best of the Web" for its Summer 2001 issue.
Visit her site at http://www.allspiritfitness.com .

Reprinted with Permission
Janiss Garza
http://www.allspiritfitness.com
All rights reserved