Ahimsa

Non-violence. First yama (ethical restraint) in Patañjali’s yoga.

It applies to three levels of human action:

• Thought — Not harboring harmful intentions
• Speech — Not hurting with language
• Action — Not causing physical harm

Ahimsa is not passivity. It is the conscious choice not to contribute to suffering, including one’s own. Gandhi turned it into a political tool; in yoga, it is the foundation upon which all other practices are built.