17
Jun
Jun
The aim of yoga is to still the busy-ness of our minds – but if your life and relationships are a mess, it’s hard to have a quiet mind. So, yoga starts, not with poses, but by cleaning up your relationship with yourself, with others and with the world around you. Moral and ethical practices are the foundation of Raja yoga (The Royal yoga).
Ahimsa
The first principle of practice is ‘Ahimsa’, or non-harming. Beyond just refraining from harming people, you might think of it as a practice of nurturing.
Intention: ‘I nurture myself and others’
Supportive Breath: Dhirga (see video for instruction)
Pose: Try a supported restorative pose, like legs up the wall or savasana. Any practice that you find nurturing is perfect.
Activity: Recognize social distancing as an act of ‘ahimsa’. If you’re working on the frontlines to keep people healthy and fed, that’s ‘ahimsa’. If you’re working from home to keep your family nourished and housed, that’s ahimsa.
Written by: Amanda Tripp