Ahimsa (Kindness) Meditation

Ahimsa is traditionally translated as “non-violence” in Sanskrit.

Another way to interpret this is “kindness” or “compassion”.

Ahimsa is the very first Yama in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

You’re like, “What did any of that sentence even mean?”

Let’s break it down:

Patanjali is a sage (or maybe multiple sages, we’re not exactly sure…) who existed (probably) 2000 years ago. He systemized the yoga philosophies and lifestyles by writing them into sutras, or “threads” of wisdom. There are almost 200 Yoga Sutras by Patanjali.

Patanjali was a revolutionary for doing this. Up until this point, yoga was primarily an oral tradition, passed down from guru to student, and was reserved for male renunciate monks.

Not only did Patanjali recognize that the practice of yoga could be done by anyone who was willing, but the “goal” of yoga - Self-Realization - could be attained by anyone.

This was huge!

Even Patanjali was on board with making yoga accessible and inclusive :D

So then, what’s a “Yama”?

Patanjali created an 8-limbed path to achieve Samadhi (Bliss). The first 2 limbs of the 8-limbed path are the Yamas and the Niyamas. These comprise a set of ethical, social, and moral guidelines that are aimed to help us navigate our experience with others and with ourselves while maintaining a state of calmness.

The Yamas are guidelines on how to move through the external world, and the Niyamas are guidelines on how to move through our own inner landscape.

Of course, there’s no black and white in yoga, so they also both exist for both :D

The very first Yama is Ahimsa. Which means “non-violence” or “kindness”.

See?! Now you’re all caught up.

But then, what does “non-violence” even mean?

Ahimsa is asking us to take a look at where we can offer more kindness and compassion in our lives. Is it in the way speak to others? Is it in the way we source, prepare, and eat our food? Is it in our actions toward others? What about our thoughts toward others?

What about the way we treat and think about ourselves? I’m sure I’m not alone in having experienced the awful meanness I can impose upon myself - both in deed and thought. Our own self-talk can often times use a big dose of kindness.

Ahimsa is the very first rule out of a total ten. Compassion is the foundation of our yoga practice! Which means kindness must come before all else. If it is not rooted in kindness, you might need to rethink your approach. Which might be new or challenging sometimes - and that’s okay.

That’s why it’s a practice :)

So I’ll invite you walk through your day with a kindness lens on - just notice where you might be able to add a little more in. And acknowledge where you’re already crushing it! Remember, this goes for how you treat others and how you treat yourself.

And no one’s perfect - it’s why we’re still practicing. So remember to stay kind when you notice your room for growth.

If you want to get a little practice in, listen to this short Kindness Meditation I created.

It may seem so simple, but just imagine our world if we were all a little more kind to each other. So let’s start by practicing on ourselves, and let that compassion radiate out to each other.

A little bit goes a long way.