Embody kindness + compassion, a practice of ahims

Today we begin an exploration of the yamas, the ethical principles that guide us to cultivate kindness, honesty, abundance, respect, and generosity.  This week we will practice:
 

AHIMSĀ = NOT HARMING

It’s the 1st yama of the 1st limb of the 8 Limbs of Yoga---so it must be important, right? Yes!  It’s the foundation of our practice and is key to living a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life.

Ahimsā asks us to have the INTENT to cause the least amount of harm to ourselves, others and our planet.  On a literal level ahimsā asks us to not physically hurt others.  But it also asks us to be mindful of the more subtle ways we cause harm. Since everything is interconnected, we are encouraged to be considerate of our thoughts, words, and actions because what we do or say affects others and our planet.

Ahimsā also inspires us to embody COMPASSION + KINDNESS towards ourselves, so we are more able treat others that way too.

For this week’s practice:

1 - Explore how you may cause harm to yourself, others and the planet.  Set your timer for 10 minutes and write everything that comes to mind.  Even if you feel you’ve exhausted your list before the 10-minute timer is up, keep asking yourself how you cause harm---you may be surprised what floats to the surface.  Approach this exercise with curiosity and no judgement (that’s a form of harm).  Remember we all cause harm.  Let’s just see how we can get a little better.

2 - Consider the reasons WHY you cause harm.  Common themes are fear, lack, or anxiety.  Once we understand the why behind our actions, we can begin to make constructive changes.

3 – Decide how will you practice ahimsā towards yourself, others, and the planet this week?  Journal about your experiences throughout the week.

I encourage you to share how you plan to practice ahimsā.  Because it’s when we engage in a collective conversation that we can learn from each other.

To kick it off, I will share with you my practice for this week.  I am going to be mindful of what I consume.  Lately, I have been overindulging in food and wine, eating too many sweets and having an extra glass of wine.  When I do this, I feel awful physically and mentally which is causing harm to myself.  And when I don’t feel well, I’m not as kind and compassionate to others, which in turn may lead to being harmful to others.  So, this week I will focus on moderation and eating healthy.

Now, your turn!  Click here to go to my Instagram page and share how you will be practicing ahimsā this week and see how others are planning to practice too.

Let's grow together!

P.S. - You can also use the journal section in my OM Matters app to write down your thoughts and experiences. It’s a completely free resource for you to use if you wish.  Plus, it contains additional prompts for you to reflect upon.   

Click here to download the free OM Matters App.