01/07/2025
Ahimsa and how we as individuals have the power to change the state of the world.
Ahimsa! A simple sanskrit word, yet one with extreme power to positively change the world around you. How, you may ask? Well, let’s review its basic meaning, which is Non-Harming. Now let’s expand on that and explore some of its most potent synonyms, which are… kind, compassionate, generous, good, affectionate, amiable, charitable, compassionate, considerate, cordial, courteous, friendly, gentle, gracious, humane, kindhearted, loving, mindful, sympathetic, thoughtful and tolerant.
What is extreme anyway? The word is often defined as “being of a high or of the highest degree or intensity” The foundational concepts brought up through the study and practice of ahimsa are sometimes labeled as extreme, not because of the positive change they may bring about but because they are so far away from normal. For some it may seem extreme to get the word Ahimsa tattoo’d on your forearm (as I did) or to adopt a vegan diet. And to the same people it may not be extreme at all when confronted with the massive waste of resources and animal suffering that goes into raising animals for food. It seems that the question of what is extreme depends on where you are sitting. Yogis have traditionally been the champions of testing the limits of what seemed extreme to positively change themselves and the world around them.
July 2025 FOTM
What is Extreme? By Jay Mac
Read more: https://jivamuktiyoga.com/teachers-global/jay-mac/
