You may have heard of the 8 Limbs of Yoga in a class, you may have studied them, or they may be entirely new to you but hopefully we can agree that Yoga is more than just the shapes you make on your mat…
The teachings of Patanjali are still so relevant to our lives today. Written around 2,000 years ago, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras remind us that the first steps on the yogic path begin with the Yamas – simple but powerful guidelines for how we live in the world.
The very first Yama is Ahimsa, which means non-violence. Ahimsa teaches us not to harm others, not just in action but with our words, our thoughts & our intentions, and just as importantly it asks us not to harm ourselves.
So my question to you is this – how can Yoga & this ancient teaching of Ahimsa help us to better understand compassion?
How can we take Yoga off the mat & out into this world to make it a kinder place?
Being a compassionate, open-hearted Human who cares, does not make you weak, it takes strength to remain kind in a chaotic world.
Who are you when No One Is Watching?
It’s easy to be kind in the studio, on a retreat or on social media…
But what about when the tube gets delayed, when someone pushes past you or when the vulnerable stranger on the street looks at you for help?
– How do you treat yourself when no one’s watching?
– How do you treat the planet?
– How are you giving back, or being of service?
– How are you showing up for your community or standing up for the rights you believe in?
Because compassion has a ripple effect. One small act of kindness can grow in something much bigger.
Ahimsa Is Strength
Swami Sivananda said:
“Ahimsa is not mere negative non-injury or non-violence. It is positive, cosmic love. It is the development of a mental attitude in which hatred is replaced by love. Ahimsa is true sacrifice. Ahimsa is forgiveness. Ahimsa is Sakti (power). Ahimsa is true strength.”
Compassion doesn’t mean pretending and it doesn’t mean being passive.
It can be fierce. It can say no. It can hold boundaries. But it always comes from a place of love.
From Mat to Community – Find Your Place at MoreYoga
Discover the power of connection move, learn, and grow with a community that inspires you, on and off the mat
Choosing Compassion, amidst the Chaos
Being sensitive and caring with everything that is happening in the world right now can feel overwhelming but trust me – empathy, compassion and humility is exactly what humanity needs most right now!
Learning to choose compassion over reaction is a powerful practice.
Yehuda Berg wrote:
“Hurt people hurt people. That’s how pain patterns get passed on, generation after generation after generation. Break the chain today. Meet anger with sympathy, contempt with compassion, cruelty with kindness. Greet grimaces with smiles. Forgive and forget about finding fault. Love is the weapon of the future.”
Living Compassion Off the Mat
Ahimsa is a practice – it lives & breathes in the little things:
- Speaking kindly – to others, to yourself.
- Offering patience – on the train, in the queue, at home.
- Giving back – to your neighbour, your community, the causes you care about.
- Caring for the planet – small choices every day matter.
- Setting boundaries – protecting your energy so you can serve from love.
- Resting without guilt – choosing not to harm yourself with constant pushing.
This is what it means to take Yoga beyond the shapes, beyond the fancy brands, beyond the image & beyond social media.
So maybe the real practice of Yoga is how you live.
How you speak.
How you give.
How you care.
Because compassion is contagious. One act of kindness, one moment of patience, one word of encouragement can ripple outward in ways you’d never expect and eventually that little ripple becomes a great wave.
What Have We Been Doing To Bring Compassion Of The Mat?
Community Events
We believe yoga is most powerful when it moves beyond the studio. Recently, we’ve helped to bring free yoga sessions to our local community with Wood Green BID, Quintain Living and the Harringay Council ‘Recovery Pride’ awards day giving our local community a chance to connect, move, and unwind together.
Chariry Donations
We’ve also stepped up support two vital charities for World Refugee Day & International Yoga Day. All profits from hundreds of classes were donated to Fierce Calm, a non-profit delivering trauma-informed yoga for refugees, and War Child, an international charity protecting children affected by conflict.
Yoga Mat Donations
In addition, MoreYoga has donated yoga mats from our studios to organizations including Furnishing Futures – Compton School, North Finchley, St Ann’s Hospital (Haringey CAMHS), and St. Andrew’s Club, helping to bring the practice to more people in need.