Living the Yamas: Yoga Off the Mat - Ahimsa

When I was in yoga teacher training, I found myself especially drawn to learning about yoga’s ethical practices, called The Yamas. While the physical postures were important, it was these teachings that quietly reshaped my understanding of what yoga truly is.

It was during that training that I first realized something that has stayed with me ever since:

Yoga happens both on and off the mat.

It lives in the way we speak, the way we respond, the way we care for one another, and the way we move through a world that can sometimes feel tender and complicated.

The first of the yamas is ahimsa, often translated as non-harm. But ahimsa is more than avoiding violence - it is the practice of choosing compassion in our thoughts, our words, and our actions. It asks us to protect dignity, to soften where we might otherwise harden, and to respond with compassion rather than react with judgement.

One mantra that beautifully reflects this intention is:

Lokah samasta sukhino bhavantu -
May all beings everywhere be happy and free from suffering.

What Living Ahimsa Looks Like for Me

People often ask me if I’m always happy.

The short answer is no.

What I usually tell them is this: I wake up believing the day is going to be good until I’m proven otherwise. And even when life presents challenges, as it inevitably does, I try to find something to be grateful for within each day. Maybe not in every single moment, but always somewhere if I’m willing to look.

Whenever I meet someone, I try to greet them with a smile and a genuine sense of presence. Not because life is always easy, but because each morning begins with a few quiet moments in silence - grounding myself in how I want to show up in the world.

In that stillness, I reflect on what feels heavy and what feels grace-filled. I notice what is stirring in my heart, and rather than pushing it away, I breathe with it.

This small ritual grounds me. It softens my edges. It reminds me that how I show up in the world matters.

Each morning, I make a quiet vow to practice ahimsa - to move through the day with as much compassion, patience, and steadiness as I can.

I know I cannot brighten the whole world - but I refuse to add to its darkness. I can choose, instead, to be someone who carries light.

I can tend to a small, steady flame and share that light with the people I encounter, offering presence, kindness, and warmth when the world feels cold.

For me, this is what living ahimsa looks like: not constant happiness, but a daily returning to gratitude, to breath, to intention, and to the quiet choice to bring a little more light wherever I am able.

Practicing Ahimsa in Everyday Life

Ahimsa is not something we master once and for all. It is a quiet practice - one we return to often.

Begin within.
Before responding to the world around you, pause long enough to notice what is happening inside. Awareness creates the space where compassion can enter.

Let the breath steady you.
One slow inhale and exhale can interrupt reactivity and guide you back to yourself. From that place, wiser responses become possible.

Make room for complexity.
Resist the urge to rush toward judgment. Understanding does not always require agreement, but it keeps the heart open.

Offer care where you are.
When the suffering of the wider world feels overwhelming, return to what is close - a kind word, a listening ear, a moment of patience. Small acts carry quiet power.

Stand steady without hardening.
Ahimsa does not ask us to be passive. We can be clear, courageous, and rooted in our values while still choosing compassion.

We do not need perfect answers for a complicated world. What is asked of us is far simpler - to move through our days with awareness, to pause before causing harm, and to remember our shared humanity.

Some days this will feel natural. Other days it will require great intention. Both are part of the practice.

So begin where you are.
Take a breath.
Soften where you can.

You may not brighten the whole world - but you can refuse to add to its darkness. And in doing so, you become part of the quiet light our world so deeply needs.

This is the first post in a series exploring the yamas - yoga’s ethical guide for living with awareness, integrity, and compassion.