The Yamas make up the first of eight limbs of yoga. Yamas are know as moral disciples or abstinences. The five Yamas are principals that advice on things you should refrain from doing as you progress towards a state of enlightenment. For an overview of the Yamas and Niyamas, take a look at our introductory post: A Journey Through the Yamas & Niyamas.

It is understood that the eight limbs of yoga are intended to be a path toward enlightenment, one that should be followed sequentially. We begin our journey with the Yamas, specifically the first of five, Ahimsa.

Ahimsa translates to absence of injury, or more commonly understood as non-violence. This is an interesting principal to begin with because at the surface it seems most of us should feel confident we have this one under control. However, there is more than meets the eye.

We can agree that non-violence includes refraining from intentionally causing harm to others, to ourselves, or to nature. Physical violence and hurtful speech fall into this category, but have you considered the power of your thought? Even thinking hurtful things, casting judgements whether spoken or not are going to cause a ripple effect. The way we speak, or think, about others often reflects how we see ourselves. It can be easy to identify criticisms in others when we are finding those same critiques within our own character. It almost allows for the justification that if we hold ourselves to the same standard then it is okay to hold that standard for the people around us. This can be a slippery slope.

There is a freedom in acceptance. To accept our limits, our human-ness, the lessons we need to learn, and embrace all of who we are with love and without harsh judgement. There is a power in that, as if a weight has been lifted and we are now free to be exactly where we are, and grow from there.

On the mat:

In our asana practice we can incorporate ahimsa by considering how well and how compassionately we are listening to our bodies. When we reach for a posture that is outside of our capabilities on a given day, this can translate into injury. We might also start to beat ourselves up over what we weren’t able to do, casting judgements and thinking negative thoughts. It is important that we listen to our bodies and respect our boundaries to maintain a sustainable practice that will take us though the years and offer the insight we need to continue to learn about ourselves, in all phases of life.