With the tragedy in Arizona monopolizing the air waves, I’ve been thinking a lot about ahimsa.  In yogic philosophy ahimsa, literally the avoidance of violence, is part of the Yamas, or restraints, that make up part of Ashtanga, or the eight-limbed path.  It is a philosophy that will seem very familiar to Christians and Western society, even if you have never heard of it before in the sense of a yogic tradition.

The New Year is symbolic of new beginnings, and as we shake off the holiday hangover, many of us are looking for a new perspective.  The practice of yoga can offer that fresh perspective to those who are searching for it.

Over the last week, I have told my students that if we set an intention to approach things in our lives from a different perspective, we can achieve subtle, though often powerful, transformation in our lives.  By looking at things from a different angle, be it upside down or sideways, we can find a fresh approach.  Sometimes the same old linear model of pushing from Point A to Point B simply does not work, and the creative solution may lie on your yoga mat.