8 Limbs: Yama 1: Ahimsa

“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness”. ~Dalai Lama

Ahimsa, very simply put, is the basic act of being kind/against harm, refraining from harming (or creating suffering for) any living being, our environment and ourselves. If you live your life bathed in kindness towards yourself first, then this first action naturally seeps out into the world.

We are in a constant practice of observing and noticing our thoughts, actions and words and being self-aware, embracing and acknowledging how we feel with humanity and compassion. A quick practice that is easy to do is to take a look at what you are experiencing inside - your feelings, etc. and notice how that sensation sits within you and then move on. What lingers, what repeats, what are you cycling through? How do you react? Be gracious towards your day to day struggles, embracing the opportunity for growth. Explore ahimsa in your mind, body and spirit and see where it takes you.