Ahimsa and Remembering Our Shared Humanity

The yogic principle of ahimsa — non-violence, non-harming — is one of the Yamas, part of the eightfold path of yoga. It reminds us that one of the deepest lessons of this tradition is the practice of non-violence. But ahimsa isn’t only about avoiding physical harm. It’s also about how we treat ourselves — in our thoughts, words, and actions. It’s in the way we communicate, how we respond, and how we hold space for disagreement.

Ahimsa asks us to pause and reflect:

• How are we treating people we don’t agree with?

• What about our inner narratives of anger, fear, or suspicion?

• How do we treat our bodies — do we honor their messages, or ignore and push too hard?

• Are we contributing to healing, or deepening division?

Lately, I’ve been struck by how quickly disagreements can escalate. We see voices rising, labels being thrown, and even calls for harm against those who hold different views. It feels extreme, and it’s painful to witness. This forgetting of our shared humanity is exactly what ahimsa asks us to reconsider.

Aldous Huxley once wrote that the purpose of propaganda is to “make one set of people forget that other sets of people are human.” When we lose sight of each other’s humanity, empathy disappears. Division grows. It becomes easier to justify harm.

Practicing ahimsa, then, becomes an act of resistance. It asks us to soften the edges of our own anger, fear, or suspicion. To listen more deeply. To question narratives that pit us against one another. To remember that even in disagreement, the person across from us is still a person — deserving of dignity, compassion, and care.

This doesn’t mean we avoid hard conversations or pretend differences don’t exist. It means we approach them with empathy rather than enmity, remembering that the energy we bring to our words and actions either contributes to healing or deepens division.

As Maya Angelou reminds us, “When we know better, we do better.” Ahimsa is a way of knowing better — of choosing connection over separation, and humanity over harm. Sitting with the practice of ahimsa is one way to do that, to reflect, and to consider how our thoughts, words, and actions affect others.