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Ahimsa: non-violence

Non-Violence (AHIMSA)

Ahimsa, or non-violence, is the root of life and the foundation of Yoga. It is the very first principle and practice of Yoga. Yoga means the union of our limited consciousness (soul) with Unlimited Consciousness (Supreme Consciousness). This union is experienced as Divine Bliss.

Life is for the purpose of attaining Divine Bliss or Ultimate Happiness. If life is uprooted or destroyed by an act of violence, happiness is not possible. It is impossible to be violent and happy at the same time. Only insane people can be cruel or violent, and at the same time imagine that they are happy.

We lose our sanity when we betray our real nature. Our real nature is to be compassionate and loving. Our real nature is to be merciful. It is natural to share in the joy and sorrow of our fellow beings—not just human beings, but all beings. If we see someone in a joyous state of mind, we too feel happy. If we see someone suffering, we are not happy about their suffering and would like to remove it.

Life teaches us that the cause of all suffering is Ignorance. If we are ignorant of our real nature we might ignore what is right and do what is wrong or injurious. When we cause injury to ourselves or others we are going against our real nature. The removal of ignorance is an act of non-violence. On the other hand, if we are arrogant and refuse to learn and change for the better, we are violating our real nature, and this is an act of VIOLENCE.

Our real nature as noble human beings is to continue to raise our consciousness to a nobler level. To practice non-violence we need to be aware and conscientious, and understand how our thoughts and actions affect ourselves and others. Our thoughts and actions should create positive effects in ourselves and in our environment. These ‘positive effects’ are called ‘good vibrations,’ and the opposite of this is bad vibrations.

In a slaughterhouse, you will not feel any good vibrations. In a pub house, people might act friendly under the influence of alcohol, but their vibrations are not good. In a home torn apart by domestic violence, there is madness and sadness and only bad vibrations. When we make our stomach a graveyard for dead animals, or our mind a den of drunkenness, shallowness and anger, or our home a battleground of ego and selfish emotions, then our lives are torn apart by violence.

To break the cycle of violence, we have to practice non-violence by giving up our bad habits such as:

• Eating meat
• Drinking alcoholic beverages
• Use of ‘recreational’ drugs
• Associating with people with no character
• Speaking harshly to our loved ones
• Harboring ill-will
• Making excuses for not improving

We must stop all of these and other acts of violence to be truly happy. Non-violence is the foundation of life and the essence of DHARMA. Those who are true to their Dharma (Real Nature) will embrace the principle and practice of Ahimsa (non-violence) in all their actions and interactions in this world. By the practice of non-violence, we are making the world a better world because we are making ourselves better people.

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