Non-Violence in Yoga Means Finding Balance

May 4, 2020 Posted by Sandra Gergler Yoga

In my last blog post, I talked about intention and it’s link to the eight Limb path of yoga. The first limb of yoga is the Yamas, which translates in English to ethical observances. There are five yamas. The second limb of yoga is called the Niyamas and translates in English to ethical disciplines. There are also five niyamas. Today, we discuss the first yama, which is non-violence. In yoga, this is called Ahimsa. Remember that while exploring Yoga’s ethical practice, it traces back to keeping us on the path to our intention. These ethical principles serve to minimize internal and external disturbances that often distract us from our purpose. They are our life compass.

Do No Harm

When we think of violence, we typically think of it in the most gross forms. Fortunately, most of us do not struggle with doing physical harm to those around us. Hopefully, we refrain from verbal violence toward others as well. These are the most obvious things that come to mind when we think of violence. But in yoga, we visit forms of violence that are more subtle and most insidious. That is violence towards ourselves. It often goes unnoticed because it is something that we have developed slowly over lifetime. In reality, the way we treat ourselves is a mirror to the way we treat others. To live a life of purpose, we must first and foremost do no harm.

Finding Our Courage

Non-violence in yoga holds such high priority that it serves as the foundation of all yoga philosophy and practice. All violence comes from fear; fear sourced from many other negative emotions such as greed, control or insecurity. There are two types of fear. There is the fear that keeps us alive and there is fear that keeps us from living. Fear that keeps us alive is instinctual and necessary. Fear that keeps us from living comes from fear of the unknown and the unfamiliar. These fears are different for different people. They are based in our past experiences and future unknowns. To live a life free of violence, we must first practice living in the present. We find our courage by finding the willingness to let go of these kinds of fears.

Maintaining Balance

So much of modern life has fallen out of balance. Calendars packed to the brim with no downtime in between tasks leaves us feeling hurried and anxious. Going long periods of time without eating and becoming hungry can lead to being irritable and grouchy to others. Then last March many of us found ourselves with nothing but time due to the covid-19 quarantine. Those long periods of time without eating may have turned into too much eating. Constant attention to the 24-hour media results in feelings of fear, anxiety and anger. Just like the body needs time to digest a meal, the mind and the soul also need time to digest life‘s experiences. Non-violence in yoga allows time and space just to be; to digest life. Contrary to the chatter of the mind, we don’t need to always be “doing” something to be productive. Just like sleep restores the physical body, solitude restores the mind and spirit. This practice doesn’t happen by itself. The first step in maintaining balance is to make it a priority. It should be protected with importance and awareness in the way we would care for a small child.

Dealing With Powerlessness

One of the biggest challenges to maintaining balance is dealing with powerlessness. In the words of Deborah Adele, “non-violence invites us to question the feeling of powerlessness rather than accept it”. Three tools to change the way we think about powerlessness are gratitude, trusting the moment and thinking about others. Feelings of powerlessness serve as an opportunity for us to grow. It is fertile ground for our “issues“ to arise. If we have allowed space to breathe in our lives, then we can allow space for these issues, as an observer, acknowledge them and be willing let them go. Feelings are not fact and they do not need to be emotionally engaged. They are like a ship passing on the horizon. They come, they stay for a short time and they go.

Self-Love

Our ability to find our courage and balance is a direct reflection of how we feel about ourselves. Often, before we have learned better, we seek love from others because we lack self love. We have a strong desire to find love, approval and acceptance from others while still failing to accept ourselves. We look for in others, that which we lack in ourselves, forgetting again, they are only a mirror.

In Yoga, we call this Maya. Maya means illusion in Sanskrit. The human condition is such that we think that the things we desire are “out there“. We look for everything outside of us to make us happy; the next relationship, the next vacation, the next purchase. If only…. then I will be happy. This is an illusion. When we get what we want, in a short time, we are seeking yet again. At Bhakti Yoga Teacher Training, we explore this yama in depth. Only when we love ourselves, can we truly love others. Only when we find happiness within ourselves, can we find happiness in the world. Everything we seek is already inside us.

If you are reading this line you are likely Awake. The human condition is incessant and we all fall short at times. Use the compass of intention and non-violence to get back on the road to your purpose when you go astray. The principles of yoga are here to light your way. In the words of Yoga Amrit Desai, “Perfection is not necessary; there is no arriving, only going. There is no need to judge where you are in your journey. It is enough that you are traveling.”

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About Sandra Gergler

I'm Sandy ; owner of Bhakti Yoga South Jersey. I spent 10 years as a Chemistry Teacher. My background in education is being applied to maintaining the most up to date curriculum for the Bhakti Studio’s 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Program. I use the scientific basis of the benefits of yoga as the foundation of the BYSJ instruction.. I bring professional academic instruction to BYSJ teacher training as well as workshops on yoga meditation and nutrition

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