Wednesday, March 16... We'll be working on living a joyful life through the practice of ahimsa

The practice of ahimsa adds a little to the effort of world peace but that's not the only reason it's a good thing. When we practice ahimsa, we will feel more at peace when we come to the mat.

What is meant by ahimsa? Very simply it means you don’t harm or kill another human. Some feel you shouldn’t harm or kill animals. Some would say that not stopping someone from doing harm to another is also ahimsa, so there is an intelligence to it.

With the practice of ahimsa, being kind to everyone you meet makes you feel better, not just the people you meet and so it is a practice for our own well-being as well as others.

But do we need to worry about this when we come to the mat? It should be kept in mind because we don't want to be violent to our own selves and this is often the hardest lesson of all.

I decided to begin a running program recently. It was very difficult but it was something my husband and I could do together and with our dogs. We started but the weather turned cold and so we waited for the next week.

Next attempt was the day before Richard and I got sick - very sick. Two weeks later we started again and after just 2 short sessions my shins hurt so I couldn’t do my 3rd run of the week. I started again the next week and my shins began to hurt again, plus it felt with every step someone was hitting my knees with a hammer.

Hello... How loud of a message do I need?

I'm back to brisk walking my pups and they are just as happy, and I am happier and yoga is better. Running clearly is not for me. And pushing myself to do things that were hurting my body is a form of violence. And violence of any kind is not what I'm here for.

Peace!