I aim to introduce and provide opportunities to apply the Yama: Ahimsa during a Hatha Yoga class. To do this in an accessible and enticing way, I'm relying on two of the yoga sutras of Patanjali as presented and explained by Sri Swami Satchidananda [Book 2, Sutra 30 and Book 2, Sutra 16]. The commentary to Sutra 30 tells us that among other things, ahimsa refers to "not cause pain." Sutra 16 tells us: "Pain that has not yet come is avoidable." This powerful combination suggests that if we apply ahimsa to our asana practice, we can find the "sweet spot" where effort is balanced with ease; we can find the place of benefit and avoid harm [injury, pain]. It also suggests that if we apply ahimsa effectively, we are taking care of not only our present self but also our future self. Ahimsa can be a way to regain control we may feel was otherwise lost.

Our current asana practice emphasizes noticing: 1) Am I breathing? 2) How am I breathing? [Client used to hold his breath or wait for the teacher to cue the breath before inhaling or exhaling] when in a yoga posture and when transitioning. Client is now much more likely to "breathe when he thinks he should." He has found that when nauseous, slow, belly breaths reduce the sensation of nausea. The goal now is to use the lessons we've learned RE: breathing and connect that to the concept of ahimsa: "Breathing when you need to breathe IS one way to practice ahimsa." From there, we can extend the spirit of non-harming to include: 1) noticing when the current level of nausea begins to rise and slowly returning to something we know helps us feel better [i.e., belly breaths] and 2) aiming to move in ways that allow us to prevent the nausea from rising through maintaining slow, smooth belly breaths throughout the postures and during transitions. Achieving the goal might look/sound like: the client checking in to notice: Am I breathing? How am I breathing? Noticing the nausea, using belly breaths, and/or the client leaving a posture and returning to a "steady base" [like Tadasana] rather than reacting with rapid breaths, clenched jaw, frustration, disappointment, persisting beyond what is comfortable.

75 years young, retired farmer who takes running, walking, and every aspect of life with zeal. Began running at age 65 "because he loves to eat". He had a regular 5K/8K per day running regimen until sidelined with ankle injury. While the ankle healed, medically unexplained persistent symptoms of dizziness and nausea have compromised a full return to running and negatively impacted all areas of life. He is currently walking instead of running and working with a physical therapist regarding double vision [side effect of glaucoma management] and dizziness/nausea]. He has been practicing gentle yoga [with me] for 2.5 years.

As part of Centering, I begin with “Checking In” – An invitation to the client to “notice the version of them” that has shown up for yoga today. They are invited to move as much or as little as they deem useful to notice how they feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. The movements can include gentle rocking [finding our way to a tall spine with our natural curves] , stretching, or simply shifting awareness from part to part. Once the physical body is arranged for smooth breathing [sustainable posture] we shift awareness to and follow our breath. First noticing and then [when possible] shifting toward smooth exhales and inhales via the nose.
Here, I introduced the concept of ahimsa and provided the example: "Breathing when you need to breathe [rather than waiting for/following a cue] IS one way to practice ahimsa." I also connected this goal of non-harming to some symptoms the client has had difficulty and frustration managing: dizziness and nausea. His inclination is to “grit his teeth and push through” and so we talked about how that strategy does not seem to be associated with the result he is seeking [in yoga, while walking, while running, no matter the context, “pushing through” has led to more symptoms rather than less] so perhaps we could try a different approach by applying ahimsa.
For this session, we agreed to “notice where we are and honor where we are” by checking in with how nauseous he feels at the beginning, giving it a rating and then continuing to check in throughout with a goal of not feeling any worse –i.e., non-harming.
From there, we can extend the spirit of non-harming to include: 1) noticing when the current level of nausea begins to rise and slowly returning to something we know helps us feel better [i.e., belly breaths] and 2) aiming to move in ways that allow us to prevent the nausea from rising through maintaining slow, smooth belly breaths throughout the postures and during transitions.
The plan from here was to move through a series of gentle adaptive hatha shapes with frequent pauses returning to either savasana [when on the mat] or mountain [when standing or seated in the chair] to notice how nauseous we felt and to utilize belly breaths to reduce any symptoms.
After seated centering, discussion and belly breaths, we will transition to Savasana, notice any difference in symptoms, and breathe into ease, possibly coming to Constructive Rest or Steeple Knee if low back is talking. From here, we will warm up relying on a series with which the client is familiar: the Supta Badrasana series: Constructive Rest to Apanasana to Supta baddha konasana, to Apanasana, to Supta Dandasana to Apanasana and back to Constructive Rest. The series can be done slowly or briskly and will give ample opportunity to explore ahimsa given that while fine in the past, recently raising the legs at the same time is sometimes a nausea trigger for this client.
After resting check-in in Savasana, transition to Advasana, check in, notice opportunity for belly breaths with massage from the floor and then a back bending series: Cobra, Crocodile, ½ locust, Diagonal Stretch, Locust, Advasana or Crocodile [w/option for windshield wipers], transition to Savasana.
After resting check-in in Savasana, move to Constructive Rest, Padangusthasana #1, followed by Padangusthasana #2
Knees to chest, roll to side, transition to seated. From sukhansana, inhale arms up, exhale right hand to floor/block, inhale lengthen left side, exhale hinge from hips to the right, getting a stretch all along the left side body while keeping both sides of the torso long. Leaving legs as they are, repeat other side.
Gently release and come to seated baddha konasana, staying here a little longer, offer gentle neck stretches and then make our way back to our back, take a round of Bridge followed by a supine twist and then savasana  progressive muscle relaxation, body scan, rest, followed by waking up via smooth belly breaths with the option of Deergha Swasam.

I relied on the asana and pranayama of Hatha Yoga to serve as a way to make the Raja Yoga accessible. By connecting with familiar concepts: breathing, making a shape, holding a shape in stillness AND still breathing, and moving gently in and out of shapes, the concept of non-harming and cultivating kindness for self in the moment was made plain. Understanding that future violence to self can stem from small actions or inactions in the present moment becomes clearer when we recognize how holding a shape for too long or with too much vigor produces strain that shows up in our muscles and our breath. I can prevent future pain by being kind to myself now—this lesson from the Yoga Sutras helps us to better appreciate the need for multiple mini-savasanas throughout our practice and suggests that if we can take better care of ourselves if check in with ourselves frequently [i.e., Am I breathing? Am I rounding my spine? When did I last blink my eyes? Am I glued to my screen? Is it time for a break?]

Centering and the introduction of ahimsa went as planned. The client noted that his approach to life is to “ignore and push through and that he wouldn’t be where he is today if he hadn’t” I let that hang in the air as it slowly seemed to dawn on him that while perseverance and persistence can be good, they can also come at a price. He smiled and agreed to “give this ahimsa a try.”
He rated his current nausea at a “2” on a scale of 1 to 10. We agreed that he would aim to notice when it was shifting past 2, pause, breathe, and then decide how to proceed: stay in the shape, come out of the shape, rest, adapt and return to the shape or leave it for another day.
We hit our first challenge when during the warm-up he was making his way through the familiar supta badrasana series. As I thought might happen, he was breathing with ease and moving smoothly through the opening shapes: lingering in Apanasana and exploring it as a mini flow, bending elbows, drawing knees to chest on exhale and straightening arms on inhale—both legs up posed no problem. When he aimed to straighten both legs, pressing heels toward ceiling, it was too much and his initial instinct was to grimace and stay—I asked ”Are you breathing?” “How are you breathing?” And the lightbulb came on, he slowly lowered, and “went to the last place that felt ok=constructive rest” and found belly breaths until the nausea went from 4 back to 2. We used this as our example for the rest of the class. He took longer rests and more breaths than he usually does as we moved through and had no issues when transitioning [a usual challenge point for him].

We agreed that it seemed that by adding pauses to check in and ask himself whether he was being kind to himself, he was able to maintain his peace and avoid nausea [pain]. Once he tuned in to what it felt like just before the nausea rose, he was able to know to stay where he was/back off rather than accelerate/brace/hold. We decided this noticing and showing kindness might be a strategy he could apply to other situations [walking/running].

The intended plan was mostly followed. We backed off the Padangusthasana plan given that raising the straight leg wasn’t well received. The client recognized that lifting his straight leg brought on more nausea and came out, found his belly breath in Constructive Rest. Once the nausea returned to a 2, we drew knee to chest [1 at a time, wind-relieving pose].Once we were seated, instead of sukhansana, we took a Janu Sirsasana variation to serve the hamstrings.
Given that the client recognized that his peace was challenged and he took steps to reclaim it via letting the shape go and returning to his breath, I would say the goal was achieved. His entire approach to practice was more gentle and less competitive [he is practicing alone but very goal oriented and always in competition with his past “achievements.”] Since we made the goal non-harm, we channeled his competitiveness for good.

Please see above RE: adaptation. As far as lessons learned, perhaps familiar isn’t always a good place to start. I thought by using a familiar warm-up, the client could more easily incorporate and apply the new information regarding ahimsa. While I don’t think this was a bad plan, I do think it was tougher for him to enter with “Beginner’s Mind” and the instinct to “push through” was more tempting. I was reminded how much I enjoy sharing Raja Yoga and that my clients enjoy it when I do.

I’m on the fence RE: whether I would begin with the familiar or engage in a novel exploration when attempting to share this in the future. I think it will depend on the client. In this case, I think starting with the familiar allowed the client to see how “right now” this series feels different in his body because “right now” something is different. This means that even though he “used to do it this way” to honor who he is NOW, he needs to adapt, adjust, accommodate if he aims to be kind to himself and prevent future harm.
All in all, the client ended the session with no more nausea than when he began and stated that he felt he had another tool in his yoga toolbox. I am excited to report that one week later, in *other classes* the client is STILL applying ahimsa, taking his time, leaving a shape when his body says its time, and being kind to himself.