Besides Sage Patanjali, the concept of ahimsa was spoken of in India by Lord Mahavira—propounder of Jain dharma (599-527 B.C.E. She has been a student of yoga in all its aspects with fifteen years of asana and meditation practice. Instead of letting the limits of your body create stress, make the decision to intentionally respect and even love the limitations your own body has. Jains consider nonviolence to be the most essential duty for everyone (ahinsā paramo dharmaḥ). For instance, Gandhi had to explain his concept in the context of war and to explain his own participation in the First World War. Mahatma Gandhi coined and developed the term satyagraha (truth) derived from his principles of Ahimsa, and came to popularize and modernize the concept of Ahimsa in ethical and political terms (Parekh 198). One could even say that the global ecological crisis that is threatening the entire human race is the consequence of an echoing back of our own negative thoughts, words and actions. Yoga gives you the chance to practice non-violence in your mind at the same time. It needs to be experienced rather than understood. However, this is impossible to do if you choose to ignore or escape from certain traits held in yourself. As you do, so shall you be done by. Concept of Ahimsa. She is grateful to many teachers who have inspired her through their spirit or physical form - including Rumi, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Nisargadatta, Maharshi, Papaji, Osho, Byron Katie, Eckhart Tolle, Doug Keller, Julie Gudmestad, Judith Lasater, Tias Little, Roger Cole, Richard Hittleman and Matt Gluck. Ahimsa means non-injury. Mahatma Gandhi was of the view: Bal Gangadhar Tilak has credited Jainism with the cessation of slaughter of animals in the brahamanical religion. You can, of course, still challenge yourself so that you can grow; in fact, you must. By observing but not acting on our natural feelings of pain, hatred, pain and violence will move out of our lives, and doors will open to new understanding. This often happens against ourselves. But humans live out of sync with the mechanism when we go against our qualities of love, kindness and friendship for all living beings. Dopamine is that chemical that makes you feel good and relax. It is an indispensable condition for liberation from the cycle of reincarnation, the ultimate goal of Jainism. Ahimsa is one of the five yamas, which are the ethical, moral and societal guidelines for yogis. Prana naturally creates sound. Start to practice simply observing your thoughts instead of reacting to them. Jealousy, anger and judgement toward others make us feel bad as well. However, holding onto thoughts and letting them repeat again and again in your mind is what in the end turns into actions or words of violence. Yes, exercising and eating well are hugely important for your health, but even if you do these things “right,” your thoughts can harm you. Why Does Your Mala Necklace Have 108 Beads? If at first there was nothing, the very first thing was a sound vibration, and from there, everything sprang into existence, and the material world was born. Humans, as part of that mechanism, must conduct ourselves in harmony and rhythm with it. Ahimsa is an ancient Indian principle of nonviolence with respect to all living beings. Each being is a vital thread in another’s life tapestry and our lives are woven together for a reason – to survive and be happy. In Jainism, ahimsa is the standard by which all actions are judged. More than any other religion, Jainism believes implicitly in the law of karma. Lord Mahavir says: “One who neglects or disregards the existence Of earth, water, fire, air, vegetation and all other lives Disregards his own existence Which is entwined with them.”. Essentially, yoga is about taking things into practice, not simply learning theory. The Concept of Ahimsa in Vedic Period The principle of non-violence or ahimsa was little known or respected during the Vedic period. Ahimsa implies an active and positive sense of love, rather than the passive concept of non-violence. When you turn your yoga practice into a complete lifestyle, ahimsa can guide your daily interactions with yourself and others. You don’t need to push these thoughts away ” just recognize them. Another way to bring ahimsa into your life is through compassion. By practicing yoga daily, you can confront your own inner darkness impartially and with compassion. Consider how violence can function in the subtlest of ways. "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence" (Martin Luther King) 6. 4. According to Jainism every act by which a person directly or indirectly supports killing or injury is violence (himsa), which creates harmful karma. How could so much – the diversity of our planet, the vastness of our solar system, the unknown reaches of space – come from nothing? We inflict violence on others daily in subtle ways, but this is simply an outward expression of the war that goes on inside of everyone. Likewise, you shouldn’t hold on to resentment or jealousy against yourself or someone else. And from a yogic perspective, there is a profound connection between speech (the expression of our thoughts) and prana (the life energy carried on the breath). Violence is fuelled by anger and hate. Download as PDF, Pigeon-feeding inside the Jain temple by Gaía Passarelli | Flickr | CC BY-NC 2.0. This Key Concept of yoga is brought to you by our very own Elvis enjoy. When Dorna Djenab was five, she was so hyper and excited that as her father puts it ‘she’d go beyond the circuit of gravity’ and was therefore very prone to accidents. Embracing ahimsa instead will improve your own well-being as well as those around you. The worst karmic defilement of the soul takes place when one causes hurt to any other creature. In a broader sense, ahimsa means "universal love and compassion." THE CONCEPT OF `HIMSA’ Among the-twelve vratas or vows prescribed for continuous observance in daily life by Jaina religion, the first five vratas or vows are regarded as the main vratas or vows and even among these main vratas or vows the first and the prominent position has … This discipline and thoughtfulness about food should extend to all areas of one’s life. Ahimsa – The Understanding  All living things have the ‘spark’ of the creator (divine spiritual energy). Ahimsa is the concept of compassion to all living things. When our thoughts contain negative responses like disappointment, resentment, or guilt, when we feel shame, we are subtly creating violence. MAHB-UTS Blogs are a joint venture between the University of Technology Sydney and the Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere. Abstinence from killing other animals must be observed by thought, word and deed – Mana, Vachana and Kaya. Enter your email address and we'll send you a link to reset your password. The doctrine of ahimsa believes that all living creatures are sacred and as human beings, we should avoid harm and violence against any living creature. Violence is usually associated with causing harm to others. Finding inner peace through ahimsa will in turn allow us to come to peace in interactions with others. Throughout his career, Gandhiji championed the cause of Ahimsa or non-violence. Questions should be directed to joan@mahbonline.org. Ahimsa is derived from the Sanskrit verb root san, which means to kill. Anything said or done in this world is echoed back with the same intensity. Literally translated, Ahimsa means to be without harm; to be utterly harmless, not only to oneself and others, but to all forms of life, from the largest mammals to the smallest bacteria. Ahimsa is one of the greatest gifts from India to the rest of the world taught by the Buddha, Mahavira of the Jains, Guru Nanak of the Sikhs and the ancient sages of the Hindu tradition. What is ahimsa? Yoga creates a peaceful reconciliation with your true nature. And again, it’s not just those pesky bad thoughts we have about ourselves that do this. Is it worth the consequences? Releasing negative energy through positive intentions transcends the negative aspects of yourself, creating peace in the world around you. Ahimsa is a state in which there is no violence at all. Theological Justification of Nonviolence in Various Religious Traditions We can understand ahimsa as the being mindful of thoughts. When we think lovingly, these thoughts trigger dopamine’s release into the body. Keeping ahimsa in mind as we practice yoga lets us move out of negative thoughts about the body. Instead of bringing in those negative emotions and working against us, our bodies start working with us. 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