Ahimsa, Ashtanga Yoga & The Eightfold Path
An ancient guide to modern life
If you've read our other blogs or follow us on social media you may know that over the coming year we're exploring the 12 Divine Qualities of the Heart - virtues that guide us toward a more open, balanced and fulfilling life.
Each month, we’ll focus on one quality, discovering how it can be embodied both on and off the mat and in September it's Ahiṃsā or non-harming/compassion.
In yoga, ahiṃsā or non-harming is the first step the Eight Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga - the Eightfold Path guiding body, mind and spirit that originate from Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras, an ancient guide to the philosophy (and less-importantly, practice) of yoga. The key sutra is Yoga Sūtra 2.29:
yama-niyama-āsana-prāṇāyāma-pratyāhāra-dhāraṇā-dhyāna-samādhayoṣṭāvaṅgān
which translates to:
"Restraint (yama), observance (niyama), posture (āsana), breath control (prāṇāyāma), withdrawal of the senses (pratyāhāra), concentration (dhāraṇā), meditation (dhyāna), and absorption (samādhi) are the eight limbs of yoga.”
The first step on the path, the yamas are the ethical foundations of yoga, five guiding principles for how we relate to the world around us. They are...
Ahiṃsā – Compassion, non-harming
Satya – Truthfulness, integrity in word and action
Asteya – Non-stealing, not taking more than you need
Brahmacarya – Wise use of energy; desire in moderation
Aparigraha – Non-possessiveness, non-grasping, simplicity
As the first Yama and therefore the foundation of yoga philosophy, we chose compassion as the first of the 12 Divine Qualities to explore together on our year-long journey.
Often translated as “non-harming,” ahimsa invites us to live with kindness and care, starting with ourselves.
Compassion requires courage, strength and willingness to do things differently. When we treat ourselves with kindness, we're better able to open our hearts to others. In practice, this can look like...
- Softening self-criticism and choosing positive loving thoughts about ourselves
- Moving the body as a form of self-love and nurture rather than punishment
- Prioritising proper rest, nourishment, hydration and time in with loved ones or nature
- Practising forgiveness and letting go of old hurts and resentment
As we begin our journey with ahiṃsā, we are reminded that compassion is not a passive quality but an active choice - one that shapes how we think, move, rest, and connect. It is the root from which all other yogic practices grow, and the ground on which the 12 Divine Qualities of the Heart can truly flourish.
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Join our Studio Manager and Senior Teacher Amanda Brough on Saturday 13th September at 14:00 for Ahimsa: Practice with Compassion, a full-spectrum practice blending asana (poses), pranayama (breathwork), mudra (symbolic and energetic hand gestures), mantra, meditation and yoga philosophy that invites you to meet yourself with gentleness, soften the inner critic and honour your limitations.