Ahimsa (Non-Violence) Beyond the Surface
What does non-violence look like in everyday life? In this contemplative episode, we explore the subtle ways harm arises—in silence, neglect, and broken promises—and how compassion and clarity can transform our responses. 🌿
Join us under the branches of The Tree of Serendipity, featuring The Practice of the Yoga Sutra by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute, to Sutra 2:31. This sutra invites us to explore ahimsa—non-violence—not simply as the absence of harm, but as a universal principle that reaches into the subtle dimensions of daily life.
I share a full-circle moment from my time at Naropa University, where I studied Gandhi and first wrestled with the meaning of non-violence. Together we reflect on how harm shows up not only in physical acts, but also in withholding love/kindness, unreturned messages, or words that don’t align with actions. These subtler forms of harm can wound the heart just as deeply.
We also touch on the paradox of compassionate action—the story of the monk and the pirate—and how ahimsa sometimes calls us to clarity and firmness, not passivity. From here, we explore how our reactions matter: when we meet harm with anger or resentment, we double the pain - this is also a form of violence; but when we pause, empathize, and respond with compassion, protecting our hears in the process, we transform the moment.
This episode offers a simple “compass” to carry in your own life:
Pause & Feel,
Discern Intention,
Choose Compassion + Clarity, and
Release Outcome.
We close with a guided reflection and blessing, inviting you to protect your own heart while also understanding the suffering of others.
✨ May we meet harm with awareness. May we protect our hearts with compassion. And may our words and actions align with love.
✨ Om Shanti Shanti Shanti ✨
