Ahimsa - Nonviolence

Hey, y'all.

I'm going to offer my next few entries on this yoga thread to the Yamas and Niyamas. Just some light (lite?) reflections, meanderings and off-the-cuff jazz. Nothing too solid here...trust.

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The ethics and moral philosophy of yoga....who knew, right?

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Ahimsa - Nonviolence

Beautifully spoken tonight when Patti (sp?) introduced us to the depth of these teachings by way of "nuance". To paraphrase, for each element of the Yamas and Niyamas (Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, etc), there are many subtle levels in which one could be practicing or exploring. Every individual enters their own moment by moment experience of these precepts with a different state of mind, a different set of memories, a different belly full of food.

One moment, we feel ourselves outpouring divine love and the next it's all we can do to keep from screaming at some asshole who cuts us off in traffic. Nuances of nonviolence. Aberrations of ahimsa.

So here's what I'm really thinking about: Daniel and Arjuna, a malnourished mahatma, and the very delicious beer I'm holding in my hand. Let me explain.

In class a few weekends ago, Daniel and Josh (et. al.!) were having a conversation regarding the Bhagavad Gita. The gem that really had them lit up at this point was the poetic irony or the holy paradox or the super SNAFU that Arjuna found himself in when Krishna explained to him that in order to do his duty to the universe, he was going to have to kill all of the people he loved (his family-enemies on the battlefield).

Enter: nuances of ahimsa. How, asks Daniel and Arjuna, can one know that [through their yoga] they're purified enough, strong and clear enough, grounded and connected enough to trust that the action in front of them - no matter how challenging or even horrific it seems on the surface - is guided toward the highest good of all beings?

I dunno.

But Arjuna decided that the line between he and his highest gift to the world (victory of the battle) went straight through some ugly shit. As a god among men or whatever he was, Arjuna expanded his awareness or experience of ahimsa far beyond the karma and suffering he saw right in front of him. And hi-5 ganesh for that because if he had played the new-age wimp and thrown up a lazy peace sign, I think the sun would have exploded or something.

Ghandi: a man whose name is nearly synonymous with the ideal of "peace" was capable of extreme acts of violence.....against himself, at least - i.e. fasting till near death on more than one occasion - a violent sacrifice which caused suffering among millions who adored him but was part of a greater vision of ahimsa...a vision to heal the infection of British imperialism, to free Mahabharata - Great India - etc.

And then there's me and my beer (which, sadly, is gone now). It's just a wee bitty 12-oz act of violence...hard to use that word, really...but how again does it serve me? How does this soft poison help express my greatest gifts to the universe? (there's a joke somewhere here about buzzed blogging!) How does this single act of "loving" beer right now fit in to ahimsa and my yogic path?

I'll have to ponder that...yes indeed.