Ahimsa in Practice: Adaptive Yoga, Neurological Change, and the Eight Limbs for Every Body
This month, my work is rooted in ahimsa—the yogic principle of non-harming. While often translated simply as “non-violence,” ahimsa is far more nuanced. It asks us to relate to ourselves, our bodies, our nervous systems, and one another with care, patience, and deep respect.
For me, ahimsa is not theoretical. It has been shaped through nearly two decades of teaching adaptive yoga to people living with neurological conditions, and through my own lived experience navigating pain, injury, and profound physical change. This is where yoga becomes real. This is where it becomes adaptable, accessible, and truly transformative.
Adaptive Yoga and Neurological Change
Neurological conditions—such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke, MS, dementia, and traumatic brain injury—affect far more than movement. They impact balance, coordination, cognition, emotional regulation, confidence, and one’s sense of identity.
Adaptive yoga meets people where they are, not where a pose or practice says they “should” be. It honors the reality of neurological change by:
- Prioritizing safety and nervous system regulation
- Using choice-based, non-linear movement
- Emphasizing felt experience over external form
- Supporting dignity, autonomy, and self-trust
This is ahimsa in action. We are not forcing the body to comply—we are listening.
The Eight Limbs of Yoga: A Framework for All Abilities
Yoga is not just physical postures. The Eight Limbs of Yoga, outlined in the Yoga Sutras, offer a comprehensive framework for living well—one that is inherently adaptable to all abilities and all stages of life.
Here is how I weave the Eight Limbs into adaptive yoga and neurological care:
1. Yamas – Ethical Foundations
Ahimsa lives here. In adaptive yoga, this means letting go of comparison, performance, and “pushing through.” We practice kindness toward bodies that may feel unpredictable or unfamiliar.
2. Niyamas – Self-Relationship
Practices such as self-compassion (saucha) and contentment (santosha) help students build a healthier relationship with change, loss, and limitation—without bypassing grief or frustration.
3. Asana – Adaptive Movement
Postures are modified, seated, supported, or imagined. The goal is not shape, but connection, safety, and agency. Sometimes the most powerful asana is simply resting.
4. Pranayama – Breath Awareness
Gentle breath practices support emotional regulation, vagal tone, and a sense of calm—especially important for those experiencing anxiety, tremors, or cognitive overwhelm.
5. Pratyahara – Turning Inward
In environments with constant stimulation—medical settings, assisted living, or busy minds—learning to gently withdraw attention can be profoundly grounding.
6. Dharana – Focus
Short, accessible moments of concentration help rebuild confidence and presence, even when attention feels fragmented.
7. Dhyana – Meditation
Meditation in adaptive yoga may look like guided imagery, sensory awareness, or simply noticing one breath at a time.
8. Samadhi – Integration
For many, this limb shows up as moments of ease, belonging, or acceptance—not perfection, but wholeness within change.
Ahimsa as a Monthly (and Lifelong) Practice
Focusing on ahimsa this month is an invitation to slow down and ask:
- Where am I pushing instead of listening?
- How can I reduce harm—to my body, my thoughts, my expectations?
- What would it feel like to meet myself with curiosity instead of judgment?
In adaptive yoga, ahimsa reminds us that doing less can be doing the work.
Why This Matters
As someone who has taught adaptive yoga in assisted living and neurological settings for many years—and who now lives with my own physical limitations—I believe deeply that yoga must evolve.
Yoga should be:
- Inclusive, not exclusive
- Trauma-informed, not prescriptive
- Rooted in compassion, not achievement
When we return to the heart of yoga—especially the Eight Limbs—we remember that yoga was never meant to be one-size-fits-all.
Ahimsa teaches us that every body, every nervous system, and every season of life belongs.
If you are interested in adaptive yoga, mindful resilience, or applying yogic philosophy to real-life challenges, I share ongoing practices, reflections, and resources here on the blog.
