Ahimsa, or nonviolence, is one of yoga’s ethical principles. Ahimsa is part of the first of the eight limbs known as yama, or practices of self-control designed to free us from being victims of our own human urges.
This theme feels timely based on what we are witnessing in regards to the war in Ukraine. I was perusing the news last night and I came across the following article (maybe you’ve seen it?):
Buy bullets or practice yoga? With Russian troops on the border, Ukraine’s executives balance business and war.
The article continued on, talking about the different paths Amelin and Gorokhov (said Ukranian Execs) were taking in response to Russia.
Amelin said he is fully prepared to switch his turtleneck sweater and plaid jacket for combat gear, and race to the front line to fight the Russians.
Gorokhov said “the choice of how to react comes down to this: practice yoga, or buy bullets.” He believes that keeping calm amid the prospect of armed conflict is essential in order to avoid economic downturn. “People panic, and that’s the worst enemy,” … “I am practicing yoga and philosophy. You think I would pick up a weapon?” … “Each of us has to do whatever is proper.”
We have the privilege of turning off the news and the suffering that goes on around us. I encourage you to open your eyes to the reality of our world and take action in whatever way feels best to you.
How can we support the people of Ukraine? We can practice. We can get on our mats and tune into their suffering. Yoga means to “join” or to “yoke”, to “unite”. The people of Ukraine are in crisis mode - I cannot even begin to imagine leaving my home country (and my HOME!) with my kids in my arms scared shitless of what’s to come. We, thankfully, are not living that nightmare in our community, but we can practice in solidarity.
As we move in our practice next week I will ask you to think about the following: how do you show up (on and off your mat) when met with adversity? Do you face things head on - in a calm or maybe a violent way? Do you hide under the covers and wait for things to blow over? Do you pause, breathe, and respond from a place of love?
Acting from a place of non-violence is a challenging practice. And the definition of “practice” means to carry out or perform (a particular activity, method, or custom) habitually or regularly. What does this look like in our day-to-day life?
Witnessing (yourself doing) harm: lying to someone, gossiping about friends and/or judging others, road rage
Beyond physical harm: The words we choose, the tone of our voice, destructive behavior, and our critical self-talk
Ahimsa in action: Pausing and empathizing with others, tuning into breath before responding, acting from a place of love and compassion in everything we do
Teacher Tip: Move with Love
As you practice, remember to move from a place of love, not force. While working through challenging poses, lead with breath and a positive state of mind. And then - the most challenging of all - take your practice off the mat. Practice love for yourself and others, positive self-talk, and know that ALL actions can come from a place of love. Easier said than done, am I right? 🤷♀️
Do you want to start practicing self-love right now? Try this Yin Yoga class on Patreon.