THE YAMAS & NIYAMAS SERIES - AHIMSA

The physical asana practice is so good for improving not just our bodies, but also for helping us grow as humans. But asana practice was the third of the 8 limbs of yoga.

The first 2 limbs of yoga, the Yamas & Niyamas (or moral disciplines & observances), are a map to help us explore this life in a way that is truly connected with all other beings. But it can be hard to be mindful of the Yama’s and Niyama’s in daily life if we are new to practice. Luckily our mat can offer the perfect space to explore the Yamas & Niyamas in relation to ourselves during our asana practice.

In this short series we are going to introduce ourselves to the Yamas and Niyamas, and explore how they may serve us to live happier, healthier, more connected lives.

The First Yama - Ahimsa

Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word meaning “non-harming” or “non-violence.” This is a vast, complex, and nuanced subject, but we don’t need to have all the answers immediately, and neither are we expected to suddenly solve all global conflicts.

In this exploration I invite you to start with simplicity in mind, and to start the practice of Ahimsa with yourself. Let’s try a little exercise together… grab a pen and piece of paper and think back over the past 24 hours. I want you to write down all the times you’ve been violent toward yourself… Now, I know you’re thinking “but I’m not violent towards myself!” But is that true? How many times in the past 24 hours have you made a small error & told yourself “I’m sooo stupid!”, or perhaps you stood on the scales or looked in the mirror and were displeased with what you saw as imperfections in your body and berated yourself.

Consider times when you find yourself denying yourself much needed alone time for the sake of pleasing others, or overeating instead of allowing yourself sleep when you are tired… is this an act of violence or harm towards yourself? Or perhaps you have tried to force yourself into a posture that wasn’t accessible to your body because the person next to you looked like a human pretzel and you thought, “I should do that too”? That’s not Ahimsa.

Ahimsa is listening to your body, respecting its limits, and not pushing it to injury or illness. It’s about acknowledging that some days you might be a warrior, and some days just getting on the mat is victory enough.

Ahimsa is choosing words that heal, not hurt. It’s being patient with yourself when you mess up your lefts and rights in a yoga sequence. It’s understanding that we’re all on different paths, that we have all gone through different battles to get to where we are today, and that these differences are perfectly okay.

So, think about how can you bring Ahimsa into your practice? Start with a smile. Seriously, next time you wobble or fall out of a pose, smile… even allow yourself a gracious giggle. In savasana, allow yourself to be immersed in intentional rest.

Celebrate the effort, not just the outcome. Be as kind to yourself as you would be to a friend trying yoga for the first time.

Remember, yoga is not about touching your toes; it’s about what you learn on the way down. Let Ahimsa guide you, and you’ll find that the journey inward is filled with kindness, laughter, and maybe a few fun wobbles.

Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti 🙏