Foundations Of Yoga 2

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May Class - Ahimsa

Ahimsa - (non-violence)

Insights and comments by our participants from the 5/10/09
Foundations of Yoga class held at Neighborhood Yoga in Boone, NC.

Take your stillness into the world. The people you meet feel it.
Its the calming of the ripple effect.

Be unattached to the fruits of your actions

Do not cause stress or distress to others or yourself.
By not causing stress we are being constructive.

Consider - How am I coming across?

Regarding reacting to other people behaving in an upsetting manner:

Know them as the same essence as you. An expression of God. See them accordingly.

Remember you don't always have to react. You have feet to walk away with.

Say nothing. The Monkey & the Sparrow story -
Where the sparrow upsets the monkey by offering what it felt was good advice.
Don't invite the monkey to tear your nest apart - especially if you feel
their temperment may be upset easily.

Breathing and Meditation help.
Breath in Love before interacting with people

Give benefit of doubt regardless of other people's actions

Before reacting ask: is it kind, necessary - true?

Address issues with compassion in a loving way

The first thing you do when you build a nest is sweep the area.

The biggest thing is the illusion that we are separate.
If we are all one with God we are not separated
The further one is from knowledge that we are not separated
the harder we are on ourselves.

Being non-violent or not angry with yourself is
not being so critical or judgemental of yourself

Regarding not eating meat (often a yogic practice)
If challenging, consider altering the amount initially. And the source.
An animal raised with a good life and one bad day is a choice over
purchases supporting farming in bad conditions for an animal's entire life.
Have reverence for the sacrifice.

We concluded class with the following meditation: CLICK HERE