Ahimsa - the first Yama

The self-awareness gained by practising the 5 Yamas of yoga philosophy can help transform negative energy into a higher level of consciousness. The 5 Yamas or yogic disciplines encompass; Ahimsa (non-violence or non-injury), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (self-control) and Aparigraha (freedom from avarice).

In this post we will explore Ahimsa, the discipline of non-violence. In Sanskrit the prefix a means not, while himsa means harming, injuring, killing or doing violence. Ahimsa is the first and the highest ranking of the yamas. At a deeper level, Ahimsa is less a conscious process than a natural outcome of yoga practice. This can lead to awareness of the essence that is our true nature and the impulse to prevent harm to anyone or anything. Mahatma Gandhi took the spiritual principle of Ahimsa and turned it into a non-violent instrument for mass action. He applied it to resist India's colonial rule, racial discrimination and the perpetuation of the caste system.

The discipline of Ahimsa relates not only to exterior factors but also to one's self. With respect to yoga practice, it is important to listen to your body - honouring your body, its limitations and not using force to push yourself into a pose. As we move through our yoga practice, we measure our success not by how far we go in each pose but by how present we are in each moment and our level of awareness.