Ahimsa - The First Yama of the Eight Limbs of Yoga
To recap: The first of the Eight Limbs of Yoga (or Ashtanga Yoga) is the yamas, and there are five yamas. I’m covering the first of those five yamas: ahimsa.
Ahimsa (Sutra 2.35 of Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras), means non-injury or non-harming (commonly translated as non-violence, but this is not entirely correct). In the most practical terms, it means don’t be mean.
There are three kinds of ahimsa meant to be practiced — in thought, word, and deed — and so the full practice of ahimsa involves our thinking, communication and actions. It is not merely having no harm in our actions or speech, but to not even think harmful thoughts: We don’t think harmful thoughts, let alone speak them, or act upon them. This is the truest level of ahimsa.
Many times ahimsa is translated as non-violence, which is not wrong, but it’s not entirely correct either. If we are to live our entire lives on this planet, it would be extremely difficult to not take the life of something else — this is violence. We smack a mosquito, step on an ant, or eat a chicken, these are technically acts of violence. This is the reason most Yoga practitioners (myself included) become vegetarians, in observance of ahimsa and to reduce acts of violence in our lives.
There is going to be some violence in life. It is unavoidable, especially when living in society with ordinary people vs. monks in the mountains.
A common example is disciplining our children. This is necessary and unavoidable, otherwise they can become terrors themselves. However, when we discipline them, we don’t need to shame, guilt, or add a layer of humiliation. This common addition of extra harm or injury is not necessary.
In theory, ahimsa sounds easy and obvious, but to practice it is much more difficult. Sure, we can be aware enough to not act upon anger or violence, maybe we can even catch ourselves and not speak violent words, but to train ourselves to not even think violent thoughts? This is quite difficult as a human on Earth, living and functioning in society.
Patañjali understood this, and so when he created this text (the Yoga Sutras), he did so for anybody and everybody (not just those monks in the mountains). For some of us, it is our dharma (destiny or role in life) to be soldiers, special agents, or law enforcement officers wherein violent actions are necessary for the protection of others. While it is their righteous duty or calling in life to protect and uphold peace as soldiers or officers, they can still be yogis and practice ahimsa. The same applies if we must use some sort of violence to protect our homes or loved ones from a threat: Ahimsa does not mean do nothing violent when it come to defending our bodies, lives, loved ones, or possessions. Even Gandhi, who was deeply established in non-violence, said, “I do believe that, where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence … Though violence is not lawful, when it is offered in self-defense or for the defense of the defenseless, it is an act of bravery…”
Now, for us householders living in society, raising families, running businesses, and more, the context of Patañjali’s Sutra on ahimsa translates more accurately into not being harmful or injurious; essentially, as I said earlier, don’t be mean! We will have to do violent things in life, but we don’t have to add insult to injury.
Is it possible for someone to be established in the fullest form of ahimsa as completely non-violent? Yes. A lovely example of this is Saint Francis of Assisi. As the story goes, Saint Francis loved birds and animals so much that he was anointed patron saint of animals. However, it was not so much that he deeply and truly loved birds and animals; it was that birds and animals deeply and truly loved him. His heart was so pure and clean, so established in non-violence, that the animals were drawn to and loved him.
Saint Francis’s story shows us that when we in the presence of someone established in ahimsa, it will cause us to feel at peace and we will be attracted to that sense of calm. Patañjali further explains that if we are completely established in ahimsa, then even when we are in the presence of an enemy, we will not feel hostility or fear — only peace.
Don’t add insult to injury, and don’t add shame to punishment. This is ahimsa.
A note for context: My perspective is based in the Viniyoga/Desikachar lineage. Viniyoga is a traditional Indian lineage of Yoga taught by TKV Desikachar, who was the son of Krishnamacharya. My teacher, Chase Bossart, was a 20+ year private student of Mr. Desikachar. I have studied this text with Chase, word for Sanskrit word, for over three years.
Stay tuned to learn more about each of the five yamas, as well as the rest of the Eight Limbs of Yoga, in my upcoming blog articles.
Namaste,
Kelly