By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500
The practice
of nonviolence, including self-compassion, is one of the primary tenets of
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Within the Yoga Sutras are a set of 196 sutras or
aphorisms that detail the unfolding process of the practice of yoga and
meditation. Ahimsa or nonviolence is one of the core injunctions of Raja Yoga,
according to Patanjali. Ahimsa can take many forms. There are different gross
and subtle planes that may be affected by violence towards other beings, as
well as violence towards oneself. Violent actions detrimentally affect both the
receiver of the action and the perpetrator of the violent act. On a
non-physical level, the genesis of these acts may be catalyzed by a lack of patience
or respect for oneself or another.
The same is
true with violent acts against oneself. Most often, self-violence springs from
a sense of unworthiness, shame, low self-esteem and/or a feeling that you may
erroneously believe you should be punished for a previous transgression. In the
context of a Yoga class, a lack of patience for yourself and pushing yourself
beyond what is appropriate for your body on any particular day are also forms
of self-violence. If you enter into a practice of Yoga asanas that are unsafe
for you, because you want to keep up with the class, this is an act of
self-abandonment and a disregard for your own well-being.
If you have
an injury or illness that precludes you from practicing certain asanas or
pranayama exercise, letting your Yoga teacher know about these pre-existing
conditions before class begins is important. The Yoga instructor may be able to
offer you modifications for the poses that will suit your level of physical
fitness, health and ability more appropriately. Practicing modified Yoga asanas
offers many of the same benefits as the “full” pose with much less risk of
injury for practitioners who are beginning Yoga students, or who are recovering
from an illness or injury.
Cultivating
self-compassion during your Yoga practice can be quite tricky. It is important
to practice in such a way that you are respecting where your body is today
without backing off a challenging asana sequence prematurely. In a Yoga class,
the opportunity to practice self-compassion arises when you witness yourself
falling into an automatic loop of self-defeating thoughts about your inability
to master a particular asana or sequence of asanas.
With the
gentleness of compassionate self-inquiry, access your physical state today and
determine if you feel ready to go more deeply into an asana, or if you are
honoring yourself more appropriately by staying with the beginning stages of
the asana or the modified version of the asana. In this way, whether or not you
choose to practice the more advanced version of the asana or sequence of
asanas, you are cultivated a deep and permeating awareness of
self-compassion.
© Copyright 2012 –
Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
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