Ahimsa – Non violence

Yes, there is also darkness inside us. Even from the moment we are born, we struggle to survive, not always competing in peace. Avoiding physical violence may be a relatively easy achievement, but the notion of a-himsa reaches even further – from the way we speak and express ourselves, even to the way we think.

Ahimsa translates into non-violence. In a world where the feeling of hatred towards all things dominates, the responsibility for peaceful coexistence with all living creatures grows bigger. And it takes great courage and it is a daily struggle to live in this world while choosing peace instead of war, compassion instead of apathy. Manos Hatzidakis once said that

If someone is not scared of the face of the beast, then it means they look like it. A possible extension of this principle is to get used to horror, to be scared by beauty.

So, let’s begin this conscious effort by first treating our own self with love, and carry on with the intention of not harming whatever and whoever surrounds us.

Something we often overlook is that the etymological origin of the word Ahimsa is actually A (non) - Himsa (hatred). This distinction is very important as it reminds us that violence can often be necessary and what makes it moral or not is whether the motivation involves hatred (rather than other qualities such as protection, defense, assertion, care). An example Swami Satyananda uses is that of a high court judge.  The judge may pass a sentence according to which an innocent person may be condemned to death, but this is not himsa. However, if the same judge goes to a person’s home and kills him that is himsa because he has done it with hatred. He has not done it in order to protect the society. Accordingly, if someone enters our home and threatens our family, then, it is not considered himsa to retaliate against him. The practice recognizes that violence is often unavoidable and necessary. And if we consider that, in the context of our spiritual evolution, the yamas are there to cultivate a "clean" and "pure" inner space, it makes sense that motivation is the dividing line that defines the "color" behind our every behavior. 

Mahatma Gandhi (My socialism):

Strictly speaking, no activity and no industry is possible without a certain amount of violence, no matter how little. Even the very process of living is impossible without a certain amount of violence. What we have to do is to minimize it to the greatest extent possible.