Practicing Ahimsa
Art in downtown Columbus, Ohio, June 2020
Three months ago, if someone would have told me I’d be participating in acts of civil disobedience by marching in the streets protesting police violence, attending Black Lives Matter rallies, and actively engaging in local justice organizing, I doubt I would have believed them. Three months ago I was looking to the teachings of yoga for guidance in navigating the challenges to daily life that the pandemic brought. But here I am now, donning my mask, marching in the streets for racial justice and boldly speaking out against racism and injustice. Current circumstances afforded me the time for much self-study and self-educating. Although I was already keenly aware that racism was alive and well within systems of our society, I feel as though I have more fully awakened to the degree to which white supremacy pervades these systems. I now understand that I have a responsibility to use my white privilege to take action against systemic oppression and injustice. Now, I find myself looking to the teachings of yoga for guidance in understanding what this means for me as a yoga practitioner and teacher.
The first yama* or ethical teaching of yoga is ahimsa, which translates to non-harming or non-violence. This concept is so important in yoga philosophy that it provides the foundation for all other teachings.
Avoiding Spiritual Bypassing
As I began looking at everything through a racial justice lens, I questioned some of the messages I had been conveying in my yoga classes, messages like “let it all go” and “we’re all the same at our core.” These phrases began to trigger a discomfort in me against the backdrop of the violence and injustice on to which the current movement has shined a light. I came to realize I had been participating in “spiritual bypassing,” a feel-good means of avoiding acknowledging one’s privilege because to do so would require continued awareness and bring about discomfort and pain. Spiritual bypassing violates ahimsa. When we coopt yoga into a mostly feel-good, take-care-of-yourself practice, we are repressing our full range of emotions, and are missing the real work that the practice asks of us. This act of excluding difficult emotions and trauma is particularly harmful towards communities of color, who have endured generations of racism and violence. The practice of yoga as mindfulness is not about escaping; it is about connecting with our inner knowing and acknowledging the trauma and pain. Quieting the mind so that we can examine and lean into the discomfort becomes transformational. It deepens our self-awareness and leads to spiritual growth and real change.
Finding Courage
Fear drives much of human behavior and fear often leads to violence. All you need to do is open a news app on your phone or check social media to see the endless examples of this our world . . . police shooting rubber bullets and tear gas into crowds of peaceful protestors, a 17 year old using an assault rifle to kill protesters he perceived as a threat to personal property. Because our brains are wired for survival, our minds automatically create fear of the unknown and the unfamiliar. Ahimsa challenges us to move beyond our fear and find courage. It invites us to step out of our comfort zones and seek out new ideas, new people, and new experiences. It challenges us to find our voices and courageously stand up against injustice. When we practice meeting our fears with courage, we can allow our minds and hearts to begin to slowly and safely open, reducing our impulse toward defensiveness or violence.
Loving All Parts of Ourselves
Ahimsa asks us to love ourselves. We’re all familiar with the wise old adage, “You can’t truly love others until you first love yourself.” Loving ourselves means all of ourselves. When we are not able to fully love and accept and forgive ourselves, warts and all, we are committing violence toward ourselves. According to Deborah Adele, author of The Yamas and Niyamas, Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice, “Our inability to love and accept all pieces of ourselves creates ripples—tiny acts of violence—that have lasting impacts on others.” It’s through the practice of loving all parts of ourselves that we are able to fully love others, to see and value each being. When we take time to practice compassionately holding space for ourselves—our full range of emotions, including past mistakes and traumas, we strengthen our capacity for empathy, so that we are able to show up in the world desiring the best for all.
*The yamas and niyamas are considered the foundational teachings of yoga. They are the first two limbs of the eight-limbed path towards the realization of yoga, as described in the 'Yoga Sutras of Patanjali'. The yamas relate directly to how we behave outwardly in the world and the niyamas address inward spiritual growth.