Ahimsa and Kindness in NYC

Dharma says, "New York City is the best place to practice yoga. Everywhere you go there's temptation". The temptation, it seems, is the opportunity to be a fucking asshole to complete strangers. I am not sure if it's people just giving no fucks or if the people are just that oblivious to other people. I assume it is some kind of combination of the two. The subway is an interesting place. A melting pot of commuters, tourists and homeless all trying to get to where they need to be while trying to ignore whatever mysterious smell is lingering in the air that day. Yes, NYC is a dirty and aggressive city with even more aggressive people trying to literally and figuratively get ahead. Ahimsa, meaning non-violence takes on many forms. Non-violence is usually only thought of in the physical world but truly it goes much further then that in yoga. Ahimsa is non-violence in not only actions but words and thoughts as well. It's hard not to think ill of the Wall St. jerk who just screamed at me for putting my umbrella down too close to his face, therefore he felt the urge to yell and call me choice names. It's not easy to wish people well when they are clearly not wishing you well in return.

For some reason I always end up back in the world of karma when I start to think about ahimsa. Karma is burning off the bad deeds you did from either this life or a previous. Karma is the whole reason why bad things happen to people in general. When something bad happens to you, big or small, you are releasing your Self (with the big "S") from its negative karma. I find that comforting and this thought always helps me with my ahimsa. It helps me to practice kindness even when the people around me are not. That is the key, to be kind toeveryone and to not expect kindness in return. That is ahimsa. In fact, one could argue that is the whole backbone of yoga in general. Kindness.