Those of you who attend my classes frequently have often heard me say, “Don’t bully the body”. It turns out that this guidance correlates directly with a fundamental principle of yoga called “Ahimsa”.
From Wikipedia:
Ahimsa (Sanskrit: अहिंसा IAST: ahiṃsā, Pāli:[1] avihiṃsā) means ‘not to injure’ and ‘compassion’. The word is derived from the Sanskrit root hiṃs – to strike; hiṃsā is injury or harm, a-hiṃsā is the opposite of this, i.e. cause no injury, do no harm. Ahimsa is also referred to as nonviolence, and it applies to all living beings. Ahimsa is a multidimensional concept, inspired by the premise that all living beings have the spark of the divine spiritual energy; therefore, to hurt another being is to hurt oneself.
Most of us have come to yoga for (and through) the practice of asana (postures). And while asana practice is important (and feels awesome when we do it correctly), it’s only one of eight “limbs” of yoga.
Ahimsa is the first of five Yamas (self restraints) which, in turn, make up the first of eight “limbs” of yoga.
It’s significant that Ahimsa is the very first restraint in the very first limb of Yoga. Ahimsa is key to making progress in Yoga. It is a precursor to Asana (posture) practice, and necessary for success in asana practice.
So mastering Ahimsa is pretty important. And yet, we’re doing asana practice already. So… what’s a good way to use our asana practice to begin our mastery of Ahimsa? Well, as they say, “charity begins at home.”
“Do no harm”, “not to injure”, and “compassion” all apply to the body (and, in the broader sense, to the self).
Taking the time and mind space to really examine how we treat our own body in our asana practice is a great way to understand the broader notion of Ahimsa in our inter-personal conduct and our lives.
What does it mean to “bully the body”, and, in contrast, to practice Ahimsa on the self?
Let’s say you’re in the middle of your practice, and the suggestion is “forward fold”.
Any time you’re placing your egoic agenda (“I want to do a perfect forward fold”, or “I’m gonna get my nose to touch my knees”) above the sense of vitality and “goodness” in the body, it’s likely that you’re bullying. The notion that “might makes right” is active in your psyche, and you’re using your ego’s “might” to force the body into something that it’s not ready to offer to you.
In contrast, Ahimsa in that moment would have your ego reflecting on a question like, “What about this posture is going to make my body feel healthy and alive?”, dispensing with the agenda of achieving some idea of a perfect form.
To be clear: tending to the body’s experience is not about having a lazy practice (as those of you who come to my classes will probably acknowledge). In fact, we make the most “progress” (whatever that is…!) when we listen carefully and compassionately to the body.
We are of course investing in our future when we do asana practice. Most of us don’t invest our time and energy in the practice just to feel great in the moment. We also want to have long-term vitality and harvest the benefits of our practice over the long term. So, you might be thinking, “Isn’t it OK to ‘push’ the body, in the interests of longer-term progress?”
The answer is both yes and no. Yes, it’s OK to push the body. Healthy stress on the body does indeed get the body to respond in healthy ways. But like a good friend, lover, and partner would encourage YOU, you want to be encouraging your body. And encouragement feels good. If you notice that your body is feeling good in the practice, even when it requires effort, then you’re OK – you’re working your edge.
But, if you find that your body is feeling “not good”, that you’re experiencing pain, or that you’re getting angry with the state of your progress, then you’re on the wrong track. Chances are, you’re right in the middle of bullying your body.
So paying close attention to your sensations, and noting when your ego feels like a cooperative partner with your body (good!) and when you feel a kind of tense rivalry or annoyance with your body (not helpful!) is a simple and useful guide to exercise the principle of Ahimsa towards yourself. There’s much more to Ahimsa than what we’ve shared here — Ahimsa extends out into the world, and affects our perception of the world and ourselves within it — but applying the principle to your own body is a great starting point.
Meanwhile – and this may sound impossible or unlikely – it’s my strong belief that healthy, positive “in-the-moment” sensations are actually the best way to make the fastest long-term progress in your practice. And we engage this idea in class when we talk about resistance as a language. Let’s reflect on that idea in my next posting about resistance (coming soon).
#ahimsa #bullying #yamas #philosophy #asana
Be Vital 
Leave a comment