We are now beginning our segment on “ahimsa” translated as non-harm. Ahimsa is one of the 5 Yamas or restraints of a yoga student. Let’s take a look at the language.
In Sanskrit, “a” means “non-” in the same way that “atypical” means “not typical”. “Himsa” means harm. We can understanding “ahimsa” as non-harm, perhaps even non-violence, and on the opposite side, as acting in harmony or kindness.
The Yamas are typically viewed as restraints, duties to others, social obligations or moral conduct outwards. While the Niyamas, “ni” meaning inward, are your duties or obligations to yourself, as a yoga student.
In the Patanjali Sutras, ahimsa is understood first as non-harm to others. It is commonly also understood as non-harm to self as well. Primarily, ahimsa is related to diet, not eating animals, not engaging in harmful speech, and not engaging in harmful actions towards others.
When we examine the root causes of harmful speech or harmful actions, it comes down to ignorance or confusion. If we were fully aware to our deepest level of being, in union with the divine, we would see and feel that harm to others is a harm to ourselves, and harm to ourselves is a harm to others.
Ignorance is lack of awareness, not seeing or knowing something. Confusion is a bit more complicated. At the deepest level, the concept of ego or self is viewed as a confusion, a veil of ‘maya’ or delusion. If the supreme reality is that we are all connected, and self is the illusion, then outward harm and inward harm are the same.
One of my meditation teachers S. N. Goenka, shared a story of what do you do when you witness a man in a rage, striking and beating another man. First, recognize that both men are victims. The aggressor is the first victim of harmful thoughts, leading to harmful actions against the second man. With the understanding that both men are victims, how do you intervene? Likely, first using your voice, “Hey! Stop!” - if that doesn’t work, and it’s not harmful to yourself, possibly physically intervening.
If the man who is in a rage is so confused, continuing to strike and attack, you might even need to strike him until he stops! This is where martial arts comes in. How do you skillfully defend yourself in such a way that does not harm the other? How do you strike in the way that delivers the least damage? Maybe you know some pressure points, and are skilled enough to be able to strike in such a way that knocks the man out, without harming him. Or maybe you don’t and there’s some collateral damage in our effort to stop him from harming someone else.
It takes skill to learn how not to harm people in a martial art. In the same way, it takes great skill to learn how to not harm people with our thoughts, words and actions.
This is the practice of ahimsa.
Here is a quote so popular, that the true origins are unknown. Variations of this quote are often ascribed to Gandhi and Lao Zi, writer of the Dao De Jing.
Watch your thoughts; they become your words.
Watch your words; they become your actions.
Watch your actions; they become your habits.
Watch your habits; they become your character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
In the same way we’ve been gently following lines of sensation in our bodies, let’s take some time here to follow the lines of our action. When we decide to act, what thought comes first, what body sensation, what emotions? And how does this shape our character, the momentum and direction of our lives, our destiny?
We’re going to explore one of our recent actions, that was a little bit harmful. Not too harmful, but a little bit. One where we knew it would be harmful beforehand, and chose to do it anyway. Take a couple moments to find your moment. (pause)
Before we explore our moment, let’s first slow things down and get settled with a gentle body scan.
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