It’s wonderfully fulfilling to see the growing popularity of yoga in today’s culture. Globally, people are catching up to what some of us have felt and experienced for some time: that practicing yoga will bring you a happier, healthier, more fulfilling life.

Most people that practice yoga get exposed to just the tip of the iceberg, though. Even someone new to a yoga practice can see the physical benefits that yoga brings such as increased strength and flexibility. But the real power of yoga is the self-mastery, compassion, love, and self-worthiness that can be cultivated through a dedicated practice. Yoga unearths and strengthens the power within you.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras provide an eight-limbed path that is really a framework for how to live our lives. The first of the eight limbs are the yamas (restraints) – and the first of five yamas is Ahimsa. Capice?

Ahimsa – like the other yamas – is a way of purifying our body and mind so we can find more freedom in our lives. It literally translates to non-violence, as in avoiding intentional or even passive harm to a creature or person in any way.

The common sense form of Ahimsa would be physical non-violence. But there are so many other aspects to be considered. It refers to abstaining from causing pain or harm in any way, either by thought, word, or deed. It’s about recognizing that everything we say, do, or think will inevitably produce a result that will have an impact on us – so we should make a conscious commitment to abstain from harming both ourselves and others. And since you can’t control other people, you should develop strength and non-attachment to insults, criticisms, and even assaults to save yourself from their harm.

Overall, putting Ahimsa in action would be to cultivate a life of compassion, kindness, thoughtfulness, understanding and patience for both ourselves and others.

Now just think about how powerful the world would be if everyone that’s practicing yoga was pondering and accepting Ahimsa as their own. Or, even better, imagine if the whole world was…

Yoga is a union between the physical, emotional, and spiritual parts of a person.

The physical portion is a collection of asanas or postures that are performed to expand and compress parts of the body in a focused manner. It’s about using the breath as a life-giving force; allowing it to reach each part of your body rather than just “breathing for air”.

The emotional component focuses on the non-duality of your body and soul during your practice. It’s about learning control of your mind and feelings.

The spiritual portion is releases you from your thoughts to instead internalize your actions to become one with your true thoughts as opposed to your stories or ingrained ways of being.

We live in a world where there’s a need for speed. When I look at it from an emotional side, I see yoga as a means of creating disciplined pleasure.

Practicing yoga is an opportunity to give up the need to move faster, stronger, better to keep up to someone or something. It’s about putting the physical, emotional, and spiritual pillars in balance so that you can make wise, informed decisions. It’s about honouring yourself and what you need. You can only do that if you’re embracing your Self.

Since finishing school and joining the marketing industry in 2001, Jennifer has used her smarts to play a pivotal role developing creative strategies, building and managing targeted campaigns and supervising the execution of a variety of communication campaigns. In addition to her strong project execution and data management skills, Jennifer is a natural at planning strategies that will achieve quantifiable, positive impacts on a client’s bottom line.

Jennifer has completed an honours certificate in the Canadian Marketing Association’s Direct Marketing Course, and also holds an honours diploma in Marketing Management (Direct Response Option) from BCIT. She is a recipient of the program’s Achievement Award for Excellence (2001). Her integrated marketing skills have been further expanded by her numerous volunteer roles with the Vancouver marketing community.