#ashtanga

[kaeterine]

[indrazabala]

[yogadaily]

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[tjtevlin]

Sharath Jois 🫶🏼

[practicewithaza]

The Journey of Practicing Kindness Toward Ourselves

In an effort to stay more connected to myself and the universe, and to keep striving toward some kind of enlightenment, I've recently been diving into the practice of yoga. And honestly, I’ve been so ignorant about what yoga really is for a while now. I used to work with some yogis and, like a lot of people, I assumed it was all about the poses (aka asanas) and cool stretches. But turns out, that’s only a small piece of the overall practice of yoga.

What I’ve come to learn is that yoga is rooted in an entire philosophy called Ashtanga Yoga, and it’s got so much depth. Ashtanga Yoga is actually made up of 8 limbs (or branches), each offering different ways to live more mindfully and harmoniously. Here’s a quick rundown of the 8 limbs:

Yamas (moral restraints)

Niyamas (personal observances)

Asanas (postures, the physical poses we often associate with yoga)

Pranayama (breath control)

Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses)

Dharana (concentration)

Dhyana (meditation)

Samadhi (a state of unity or enlightenment)

Pretty cool, right? So, it all starts with the Yamas, which are basically guidelines on how to live ethically in relation to others and the world around us. There are five yamas, and they’re like the foundation of a peaceful and intentional life.

The first yama is Ahimsa, which means non-violence or non-harming. This one really caught my attention, especially as I’m learning more about it. Ahimsa is often the starting point for deeper practices because, on the surface, it’s about avoiding physical violence. That’s the most obvious interpretation—don’t harm others physically. Simple enough, right?

But yoga asks us to dig deeper into what non-violence really means. It’s not just about not getting into fistfights (hopefully that’s a given!). Ahimsa also applies to our words and thoughts. It invites us to consider how we talk to and about others, how we react, and how we think about all living beings—including animals, insects, plants, and even the environment. Every living thing has a soul in yoga, and the goal is to cause as little harm as possible in all our interactions.

One thing I found really interesting during my study of Ahimsa was that, while we talked about all these layers of non-violence, there wasn’t much emphasis on self-violence. And that’s a big one, right? Because how many of us go through life treating others kindly but not necessarily doing the same for ourselves? The words and thoughts we direct at ourselves can be just as harmful as anything we might say to others.

The teacher mentioned that the ultimate benefit of practicing Ahimsa is that when you truly embody it, all enmity around you begins to dissolve. But here’s the thing—how can we hope to radiate that kind of peaceful energy outward if we’re not starting with ourselves?

For me, a big takeaway is that if you’re new to practicing Ahimsa (like I am), a great place to begin is with yourself. If you’re anything like me, you might already see yourself as a non-violent person. But I had to pause and ask myself: What am I saying about myself? What am I thinking about myself? And what actions am I taking that might be harmful to me?

I think sometimes we underestimate the power of our self-talk. The unconscious mind doesn’t get sarcasm or “just kidding” jokes—it takes everything literally. So all those little moments of self-deprecation or criticism? They add up. Today, I’m committing to be more intentional about practicing Ahimsa toward myself. That means being kinder in how I think about myself, speak about myself, and take care of myself.

And I encourage you to do the same! If you’ve got any ways you’re already practicing Ahimsa toward yourself, I’d love to hear them. Let’s share and keep lifting each other up.

[ekamyogashala]

“Yoga is the exercise of tolerating the consequences of being yourself with grace and warmth “.

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[kinoyoga]

Sometimes I think it’s easier to say what yoga is not more than I think it’s possible to truly explain what yoga really is. Yoga is not just a physical practice. Yoga is a mirror that guides you to the truth self. Yoga asana is not an exercise or a stretch. Fitness and stretching are the byproducts of the practice. Yoga is not entertainment, distraction or denial even though yoga can be fun and joyful. Yoga is a spiritual discipline that seeks your highest liberation. What is yoga to you? What isn’t yoga to you? In this age of everything goes, some people are afraid of setting some guidelines about what is and isn’t yoga. Giving everyone permission to do everything and call it whatever they want may not truly serve their spiritual path. Sometimes what we need is a clear light to shine on the path so we can discriminate between what is true and what is untrue. But then again, I am an Ashtanga Yoga practitioner and I can’t help it if I believe at least a few guidelines are good for the practitioners and teachers to follow. Keep practicing 🙏 Next workshops: Mysore week and Adjustment clinic in February @miamilifecenter and then Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and Cincinnati. Photo @ifilmyoga #yoga #yogapath #yogi #ashtanga #ashtangayoga #ashtangi #nyc #nycyoga #yoganyc #kinoyoga #omstars 💕 (at New York, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoYJr5FuGZ7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[adiyogaashram]

Urdhva Padmasana also known as Upward Lotus is a yoga posture done in the Ashtanga yoga finishing series followed by Sarvangasana. This posture must be attempted only when one is proficient in padmasana and Sarvangasana. This is one of the head low postures hence known to give all the benefits the same as one derives while performing Shirshasana or Sarvangasana.

Apply for the Advance 300 Hour Hatha-Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training Program in Rishikesh: https://adiyogaashram.com/300-hour-yoga-teacher-training-course-in-rishikesh.php