- Sends out positive energy that helps people become more resilient and accepting.
- Causes one to become more mentally robust; makes one more confident and courageous
- Effective in reducing negative emotions such as rage, anxiety, and low self-esteem
- Boosts confidence, assertiveness, patience, and communication
- Lessens anxiety and facilitates calmness
In a nutshell, ahimsa (nonviolence) is a powerful tool for making our lives and the lives of those around us more joyful, peaceful, and harmonious.
Yoga (asana, pranayama, and meditation) practised regularly can aid in the cultivation of a non-harming outlook. Practicing yoga helps one relax mentally, learn more about themselves, and ultimately see themselves as the highest possible expression of their true selves. The serenity gained through meditation is the foundation of a nonviolent lifestyle. Nonviolence is a two-way street, with equal contributions from both parties. When you practise Ahimsa, you’ll find mental harmony and calm, and when you’re at peace with yourself, you won’t have any desire to hurt or harm others.
Actually putting ahimsa into practise is an art
In the Bhagavad Gita, one of the central texts of yoga philosophy, it is stated that “yogah karmasu kaushalam,” or that yoga is the practise of skillful action.
Ahimsa (non-harming) is one of the yamas and niyamas, but when practised alongside the others, it can present a challenge, if not a complete state of confusion. We can achieve this harmony by thinking of ahimsa as the most important of the five yamas, with the other four yamas (and niyamas) serving as a kind of backbone for it.
A true art of yoga is learning how to be truthful without being hurtful to others. Consider all the times your “honesty” could hurt someone else, even if it was just a simple comment about the food served at a friend’s house or a question about how they looked or what they were wearing for a special occasion.
If you aren’t present and calm enough to deftly sidestep the situation, would you rather be painfully honest or mindfully honest so as to spare the other person’s feelings? Even though we hope one day to be able to strike a perfect balance between non-harming (harmlessness) and non-lying, until that day comes, we must always keep in mind the paramount importance of never intentionally harming another person. Each of the Yamas and Niyamas can be practised in the same way. We can learn to master each component separately, and then we will have mastered all of them in both letter and spirit.
