Ahimsa — The Soft Power of Not Harming

There’s the yoga you can see—the poses, the balance work, the sweaty glow from Hot Vinyasa, and that dreamy, floaty feeling after Yin, Nidra, and Sound.

And then there’s the yoga you feel—the kind that changes how you move through the world, how you speak to yourself, how you respond to stress, and how you treat the people around you. That’s the yoga we’re leaning into as we close out 2025 with intention and a little bit of soul work.

This is a great time to  unpack the 8 Limbs of Yoga. This framework comes from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, one of the foundational texts of the yoga tradition. These teachings were never meant to be just about the poses. They offer a way to move through life with clarity and steadiness—a path that supports the body, the breath, the mind, and how we show up in our community.

The Eight Limbs include ethical foundations, self-discipline, movement, breath, focus, withdrawal from distraction, meditation, and ultimately a deep sense of presence and connection.

Think of them as yoga’s whole-life toolkit—something to live, not just something to do on the mat.

Over the next eight weeks, we’ll start with the first two limbs: Yama and Niyama.
In simple terms?

• Yama: How I interact with the world. It has four elements

• Niyama: How I interact with myself, also, four elements

We’re not doing this in a heavy, textbook way.
We’re doing this in a real life, “what does this look like today?” kind of way.

Small reflections. Gentle shifts. Tiny invitations.
Nothing to master—just something to notice.

Ahimsa — Non-Harming

We begin with Yama, the guidance for how we move through the world.

And the very first principle is Ahimsa: non-harming.

Ahimsa isn’t about perfection or about being endlessly calm or unbothered.

It’s not only about food choices (though that’s a common association).
It’s about the way we hold ourselves and others.

It’s the tone in our self-talk. It’s whether we breathe before reacting.
It’s the softness we allow when everything in us wants to brace.

Ahimsa asks:
Where am I causing harm—quietly or loudly—and where can I offer care instead?

Often the harm is subtle:

• Pushing past your energy over and over again.

• Criticizing your body.

• Setting impossible expectations.

• Expecting others to know what you need without asking.

• Using pressure when gentleness would work better.

Ahimsa invites us to soften, pause, and choose again.

The Neuroscience 

When we practice non-harming—even in small, daily choices—our nervous system responds. The brain shifts out of fight-or-flight and begins to settle. We see:

• Lower cortisol levels

• Clearer thinking

• Better emotional regulation

• Healthier boundaries

• A sense of safety in the body

Ahimsa literally rewires the brain toward clarity and compassion.

This is why yoga changes people.
Not because of deeper backbends.
But because of deeper presence.

And if this kind of yoga speaks to you… this is exactly what we explore in Yoga Teacher Training. Not just what poses are called. Not just how to sequence. But how yoga transforms the brain, the body, the heart, and the way we live.

Our next In-Person Yoga Teacher Training Cohort is now enrolling at Sunshine School of Yoga. If you’re curious, interested, or just feeling that little internal nudge… follow it. It may be calling you toward something deep, steady, and beautifully yours.

Learn more or schedule a discovery chat: sunshineschoolofyoga.com We begin with softness.

We begin with awareness. We begin with Ahimsa.