The principle of non-violence is found in many world religions, under different guises. In Sanskrit, it is known as Ahimsa and widely popular in all Yoga communities as a rule for living, wherein no being is harmed by our actions. I personally know many Yoga practitioners who apply the guideline of “non-violence” to substantiate their passionate plant-based diets. We have all perhaps met people like that, inside and out of Yoga communities. What has become apparent to me over the last years is that being a “Vegan-warrior” does not fulfil all prescriptions of non-violence. I’m staying away from a discussion of food preferences. It’s my view this often derails any type of sane discussion. And before you close the page and rant about my closed-mindedness somewhere on the interwebs, let me relay what my insight has been.
We often don’t realize how many acts of violence we commit in a day. Perhaps the word “violence” here is not best suited; something along the lines of non-harmfulness might be better suited. But I don’t want to get bogged down in semantics. Look at it this way – How many times a day do you scold yourself for a choice or action? How many times a day do you look in the mirror and blame your body for not being “good enough”? How many times today did you discuss a colleague, acquaintance or friend in less than caring terms?
It’s shocking (Right!) just how much can occur in a day to derail us from the pursuit of non-violence. Let me share with you, if you think that being critical of yourself isn’t a form of aggression – it is! It has been for me, my whole life. And no excuse of perfectionism or objectivity can erase all the times I have violently put myself down and taken away my own light. That is violence. Every time we question our instincts and put other’s wellbeing ahead of ourselves. This form of self-violence is a pandemic, which roams quietly unnoticed, because everyone always thinks they need to live up to some expectations. You don’t! Believe it! There is no societal norm important enough, that you put yourself down every day over it. It takes time, working with yourself lovingly. I can’t even express how rewarding it is. But you need to be aware of the small and big actions of violence you undertake against yourself.
And then there is the constant gossiping, discussing others – finding some form of sick satisfaction in the fact someone else has it worse than you. I have done it in the past, massively so. You need to be honest with yourself about these things, there is no other way forward. Not long ago I was sitting with my 82-year old nan and chatting about life, cosy around a mid-winter fire. When the topic moved onto a family member with less than rational life-choices, she simply said to me - “Tongues can brake bones”. She was so right, of course, talking about people behind their backs is the most basic, yet overlooked, form of inter-personal violence. What’s worse, we sometimes do it to those closest to us. To uproot the habit, you need to be aware and vigilant. In my experience, stepping away from the rumour-mill can and does lose your friends. It’s never easy to change our life-style for the better. But it needs to be a conscious choice, rooted in awareness. It pays, to be on the path of making yourself a better human being. I can’t do it for you, no one else can.
Do you thing you can invite this perspective of non-violence in your life? Can you, in all honesty, follow the prescriptions of this Ahimsa? Get involved, and leave a comment if you want to start an honest conversation about the many ways in which we can harm ourselves and others.