Ahimsa.Not just for herbivores
The modern Yogi's dilemma: How to practice non-violence, ahimsa, if you choose to reject vegetarianism? As a woman who grew up with an Italian "eat, eat" mother and a rigorous three to four hour a day competitive swimming training schedule, the idea of eliminating ANYTHING from my diet seemed like an impossibility. Food was what I used to sustain and satiate, and not something I thought of as representing any real moral ground. In my early teens, as my older sister began to gain idol status, I took careful note of her choice to not eat meat and also watched my mothers eye's roll at many a 'special dinner,' prepared for her. I did try and copy her vegetarian choice secretly, only to have a terrible rash of strep throats and whatever other infection was going around at the time. I liked burgers, I enjoyed turkey dinners and after I recovered from my vegetarian bout with waifdom, I decided to return to mom's cooking and an occasional trip to McDonalds.

Nearly 10 years later, after retiring from competitive swimming and embarking upon Ashtanga Yoga as my form of physical and spiritual exercise, as well as my career, I admit to keeping my diet exactly the same as it was; I eat meat. I EAT MEAT I EAT MEAT. For all those shaking your head in disgust that I could write any type of meaningful article on ahimsa and could never claim to practice all the limbs of Yoga as delineated in the Sutras, there could be nothing farther from the truth. I consider myself incredibly aware of the violence perpetrated in this universe on a daily basis, and spend a great deal of my meditations on this very subject. For those who come to class you have seen me curse at the many Evian bottles left in the studio after classes. Plastic is a material that when not recycled inflicts irreparable damage to the environment and it's creatures. I don't have enough recycling bins available to me at Prana, and would consider myself irresponsible if I did not lug all the bottles to my apartment, where I have many lovely recycling bins. I have most recently noticed that in a few of my friends' offices, they were using Styrofoam cups for their coffee. Styrofoam! Yikes!! You may have started to guess that I became pretty friendly with their office managers and those offices are only using cups that are made from recycled paper. Ahimsa? I think so. Non-violence has to start at keeping this universe suitable for anything to live in.

I should stop and give acknowledgment to the Ashtanga practice for teaching me to feel connected enough to the universe, and it's well being. By learning to appreciate the breath and the miraculous effort that ujjaji breathing requires, I no longer underestimate the small actions I choose to do or not to do. Perhaps I am representing the 'backlash' of the whole Yoga popular culture, with it's vegetarians wearing leather jackets and snake-skin boats. Killing animals for vanity? For the perfect color lipstick? If one does not actually ingest meat, but lives blind to the fact that their beautiful ivory necklace resulted in the death of a matriarch elephant, the subsequent death of her baby and consequent splitting of the entire elephant family are they practicing non-violence? It may disgust vegetarians to see a piece of chicken, but I am actually brought to tears in the thought of an elephant dying a slow painful death so a necklace can be made. I write this newsletter not to defend those enlightened ones who choose to be omnivorous, but rather to make individuals think of the many other ways to practice ahimsa in their lives. For too many, they have this idea that their karma bank account is clean because they dine on Tofu and Tempeh.

As for those still convinced that clean vegan living is the only way to really actualize non-violence, I will only say this- Please write a REALLY GOOD COOKBOOK that even a traditional Italian mom would love. Peace. Namaste. E-mail me back comments... Or questions!!Danicia@thepranastudio.com