How to Observe Ahimsa (Non-Violence)

Patanjali Yoga has eight limbs or parts. First is Yama (abstention). Yama includes five types of abstentions. The first is Ahimsa (non-violence). Patanjali has vividly described non-violence. Everybody knows what violence is. Starting from scolding and beating to fighting in war, the range is very wide. Human history is the history of crime, violence and war. Many great people and organizations have tried to bring down peace and happiness on earth, but nothing has happened. People are living in constant fear, pain and sorrow.

There are three types of violence:

1. Committed violence - When someone commits violence, it is called committed violence. A person scolds, beats or even kills someone in order to gain wealth or take revenge.
2. Instigated violence - When someone instigates others to start violence, it is instigated violence. Sometimes some politicians or religious leaders compel innocent people to commit violence in order to consolidate their positions. Rulers sometimes wage war against other countries. Religious leaders sometimes instigate people to fight against other religious people, telling that it is the will of God and that those who sacrifice their lives may enter into heaven.
3. Approved violence - When someone observes violence and does not attempt to check it, it is called approved violence. He may be a silent supporter of it. Sometimes police or administration see violence, but do nothing to curb it.

Again each of these three types of violence may be divided into three types based on the following:

1. Greed - Violence is sometimes committed to satisfy the greed of acquiring wealth or territory or a place in heaven.
2. Anger - Sometimes in order to take revenge on someone, a person beats or even kills him.
3. Ignorance - At times without knowing the reality or based on rumor, people fight each other. Terrorists kill others because they follow the dictates of their leaders blindly.

Further all these forms of violence may be divided into three types based on their intensity.

1. Light violence is one where one verbally hurts another.
2. Medium violence is one where one beats another.
3. Severe violence is one where one kills another.

So in all there are twenty seven types of violence.

Ahimsa (non-violence) is to remain away from violence of any form. Leaders may tell that violence for a political or religious cause is not violence, or somehow justifiable. But a Yogi (practitioner) should think against it and decide that violence is after all violence. It should be checked in any form at any place.

Patanjali describes when a Yogi gives up violence completely and observes non-violence, animosity disappears from him. So long as you go on committing violence, you suffer from the following:

• Your heart burns due to animosity and intellect becomes blunt and weak.
• You lose peace and happiness of mind.
• Your blood remains impure. Bile content in blood increases. Temperature of body remains high. You lose appetite, suffer from stress and ultimately succumb to disease.

Animosity and hatred make the body and mind poisonous, whereas love and kindness make the body healthy, fresh and energetic. When animosity disappears completely, you can enter into a blissful state. Your intellect becomes sharp, allowing you to give advice and help to others.