In honor of Martin Luther King, the American civil rights leader who was inspired by the social activism of great yogi Mohandas K. Gandhi, I thought on this, the American holiday Martin Luther King Day, we should rerun this post from Ram about ahimsa. Non-violence was the guiding principle for both of these important leaders. —Nina
by Ram
Peaceful Valley by Brad Gibson |
Violence of any kind has profound effects on the health of an individual. Studies have shown the following:
- The stress of being in an abusive relationship has the obvious physical and psychological impact: it often increases one’s vulnerability to illness and may cause the victim to be more susceptible to disease.
- Battered victims experience depression, feelings of low self-esteem and helplessness coupled with somatic complaints.
- Chronic abuse causes serious psychological harm. Victims experience panic disorders, phobias, anxieties and depression that may last for several years. Their ability to trust and form emotional attachments are severely impacted.
- Victims often complain of enduring the effects of violence over many years and some even develop extreme symptoms years later in response to major life stressors.
ahimsa pratishthayam tat vaira-tyagah
As a Yogi becomes firmly grounded in non-injury (ahimsa), other people who come near will naturally lose any feelings of hostility — trans. by Swami Jnaneshvara.
Going by the above translation, ahimsa would mean physical, mental, and emotional non-violence towards self and others. For those who are always in contact with individuals who experience natural inner peace and a non-harming attitude, there is a tendency for them to give up their hostilities, ill will or aggression in return. It is a natural process that everyone experiences in the presence of a truly non-violent person.
How does one cultivate ahimsa? Empathy and compassion are two excellent tools to foster ahimsa as they allow us to accept events as they are and act with an open and loving heart. Empathy and compassion replace violent tendencies with kindness, acceptance and love. Practicing it on oneself helps to cultivate the same feelings towards others. So how about cultivating some ahimsa in our lives starting now!
Kindly and non-violently,
Ram
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