Ahimsa is the concept of doing less harm, on the mat and off. You can never be perfect, but you can always do better, be kinder and more loving. Ahimsa is the first of the precepts set down by Patanjali, a great yogic sage. The second is Satya, or truthfulness. These two ideas are the heart of Yoga. Be kind. Be honest. Everything else will fall into place.

 


 

Get rid of your goals. Forget your five-year-plan. Greed and ambition hold you back. What is important is this process, this journey, and the truth it reveals, both internally and externally. You need a direction, but a goal is just an arbitrary point on a line. If you stay truly present, you will learn more and reach farther than you imagined.  Yoga is more than just poses and breathing, it is an opportunity to tune in. It is a practice of being present. Conscious. Aware. It has an effect on how you feel, how you move through the world, and how you treat those around you. It is about releasing the most authentic version of you possible.