Meditate: Philosophy of Non violence - Ahimsa | Mindfulness Guided Meditation | Daily Wisdom

Mindfulness Meditation Ahimsa - yoga philosophy of non-violence including thoughts, emotions, and words directed towards self and others. Exploring how to embody this yoga principle of non-harm in a deeper way.

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Episode Transcript

(00:03):
Welcome to Soothing POD's meditation. Inthis meditation, we will be exploring the
yoga principle of a hymnsack, aSanskrit word roughly translating to non harm or
non violence. We will explore howwe might embody this principle in a deeper

(00:23):
way, beginning with the words wespeak in silence. To begin this meditation,
take a few moments to settle incoming into a comfortable seated position.
Ensure that the spine is straight,the heart space is open, and your

(00:48):
arms rest naturally by your sides.Your hands can rest in your lap,
on your knees, or on yourthighs with eyes closed, Take a few
moments to ground yourself here, eitherthrough awareness of the breath or awareness of

(01:15):
the earth that holds you. Noticewhat it is like to be held here
in the simplicity of this moment.Now draw your awareness to the heart space,

(01:46):
allowing each breath to move through thiscompassionate center of your being with ease,
With each inhale, a magic inthe heart, growing wider, more
loving, more patient, And witheach exhale, imagine any barriers to love

(02:12):
or to our shared humanity, softening, continue to breathe this way on your
own for a few silent moments,expanding with love as you inhale, and

(02:35):
gently releasing resistance as you exhale.Ahimsa false within the first limb of Patanjali's

(03:01):
yoga sutras, as the first ofthe yamas or moral behaviors, meaning non
violence, non harm, or noninjury. This principle guides yogis to act
in ways that cause the least amountof harm possible. When we think of

(03:24):
non violence, we tend first tothink of the absence of physical aggression.
However, Ahimpsa is more than that. Ahimpsa extends beyond our physical actions to
include and in fact be rooted inthe way we think, speak, and

(03:45):
intend. It encompasses the mental,the emotional, and the verbal as much
as it does the physical. Ahimsais a practice, meaning it is something
we must cultivate again and again,strengthening our embodiment of it over time.

(04:13):
Since most of us were not raisedwith this sort of principle in the forefront
of our attention, it takes patiencein practice to adopt it on a deeper
and all pervading level. But whatdoes ahimsa look like in practice? Ahimpsa

(04:38):
might begin with witnessing unkind, aggressiveor hateful thoughts and then mindfully softening them.
It also includes awareness of the wordswe speak and the harm that our
words can cause to others, evenwhen we find ourselves in the midst of

(05:00):
an argument or disagreement. Nonviolence invitesus to practice patience, curiosity, and
care with our words. Because,in the words of Swami Kriyananda, ahimsa,
rightly understood, is the ultimate weapon. It turns one's enemy into a

(05:21):
friend, thereby banishing the possibility offurther conflict. In the practice of yoga,
it is important to understand that thesame life flows in the veins of
all creatures. So ahimsa, whenfully embodied, connects us to the deeper

(05:45):
truth that we are all connected,that we are all one. Through this
awareness, a more peaceful way ofthinking, speaking, moving, and relating
rises. Take a moment now todraw your attention to the heart, and

(06:17):
in this space, I invite youto draw to your awareness a person whom
you have minor to moderate difficulties with. Start small before advancing to more challenging
relationships. You might even hold yourselfin mind with this person in your awareness

(06:49):
in your heart. See if youmight silently send them words of love,
patience, curiosity, and kindness.If this is difficult for you, acknowledge

(07:18):
this fact with kindness and patience aswell. Then soften through the breath and
see if you might begin by holdingthis person in neutrality. Take a deep

(07:48):
breath into the heartspace now, andas you exhale, invite your heart to
soften even further into a deeper undersstanding of our interconnectedness. Spend just a

(08:11):
few more moments with this person inyour awareness, granting them any final words
of compassion. Slowly let their imagedissolve as you hold your attention on the

(08:37):
heart space for a few more breaths. Now, consciously relax the body from

(08:58):
head to toe by inviting any tensemuscles to soften, and then witness one
more full, deep breath in andout. Notice the earth beneath you supporting

(09:28):
you in this practice, and whenyou are ready, gently open your eyes.

(09:48):
I hope you enjoyed today's session.See you again, UM two