More Than Moves: The Deeper Side of Yoga

Exploring the principle of ahimsa in real life

It might surprise you, but practicing yoga doesn’t have to revolve around just doing asanas. In fact, you can totally do yoga without any asanas, but honestly, where’s the fun in that, right?

So here’s the thing: yoga goes beyond the physical postures. It has this cool set of principles called yamas and niyamas, which are all about how we interact with ourselves and the world around us. If you dig into them, you’ll find some striking similarities with the Ten Commandments in Christianity or even the teachings of other religions. Even though yoga isn’t a religion itself, it does have its own moral compass.

Today, at the end of the yoga practice, I felt compelled to remind myself and my students about one of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga — it’s the idea of non-violence, or as we call it in Sanskrit, “ahimsa.”

So, what does ahimsa mean in real life? Well, when we embrace ahimsa, we make a conscious effort not to cause harm or suffering to others, be it humans, animals, or even ourselves. It’s like, if we care about the people around us but still indulge in unhealthy habits, like overeating or smoking, and then beat ourselves up about it, we’re not really practicing ahimsa towards ourselves.

When we embrace ahimsa, we make a conscious effort not to cause harm or suffering to others, be it humans, animals, or even ourselves.

Or, let’s say our body is exhausted and desperately needs rest, but we push through and take on extra work during our precious weekends — that’s definitely not ahimsa in action.

Now, let’s talk about vegetarianism. It’s actually one way to embrace ahimsa by avoiding foods that involve inflicting pain on animals. Now, here’s the thing: I’m totally against forcing anyone into vegetarianism or veganism (because hey, non-violence again, haha).

But personally, I’ve made the choice not to consume food that comes from animals suffering. It just doesn’t feel right to me. Plus, I find it a bit hypocritical to claim my love for dogs and cats (okay, maybe slightly less love for cats, but they’re still awesome) while turning a blind eye to the suffering of other animals.

But hey, let me make one thing clear: you don’t have to become a vegetarian or change your eating habits to practice yoga. And if you’re perfectly content with focusing on the physical aspect of yoga, like the asanas, that’s totally cool too! The best thing about yoga is that it’s all about personal choice and what makes you happy and fulfilled.

So, let’s embrace the beauty of yoga and respect each other’s paths.