For a soft-spoken someone who rescues spiders (capturing them and putting them outside instead of squishing them), it was seemingly strange and somewhat confusing as to why I had chosen Ahimsa for my Yama-Niyama experiment. Once in our groups however, the intrinsic appropriateness of this choice became clear, like the color. Let me explain.

Even though I am a particularly considerate and nonviolent person in many regards, put me in a box with a windshield and wheels for any extended length of time, prior to this experiment, and I had this amazing ability to magically transform into a not so adorable monster spewing fourth inane verbal atrocities at other drivers blocking “the flow” of getting from point A to point B as fast as possible. Also, and to my own embarrassment, red lights were even sometimes the recipient of this not so pleasant verbiage. This is not a joke and this experiment came at a good time because this issue was growing out of control due to an increase of driving when not wishing to do so. As our group gathered around and someone mentioned road rage, the light bulb went off. I knew then that was exactly what needed my immediate focus.

For being known as such a calm and quiet person, such harmful words and states of being directed at others once inside an automobile seemed an anomaly. Why the incongruity? In Richard Freeman’s “The Mirror of Yoga” he mentions and brings to light why practicing yoga in all aspects of daily life is necessary. The ego has its hidden pockets and places that it likes to hide. Ahhhh. So that’s what is going on here. The car was most certainly the hiding place my ego had found to dwell. How fitting that I figure this out during an assignment with the intent to bring yoga beyond the mat into daily life.

In addition to all of this, perhaps my favorite discovery of the entire experiment came a few weeks into it. It had been going exceptionally well. I would take notice of when it was more challenging, such as the long drive home after work or if I didn’t give myself enough time to get somewhere, but overall the awareness of my conscious states would bring me back to this new found peace while driving. Long distances traveled became my friend instead of my enemy. The few moments I would catch myself getting upset I started saying “Ahimsa, Ahimsa, Ahimsa” almost as its own mantra to remind me to be aware of focusing on behaving in a way that does not harm others or myself. It was all going so well. Then, one day, out of the blue, leaving a restorative yoga class no less, someone pulled out in front of me driving incredibly slowly. Instead of patiently accepting the situation, incessant whining and grumbling begin happening. What? I thought this verbal abusing of the surround air had taken its leave, why was I unnerved with this white sedan suddenly in front of me? Luckily, before it really took root and wrecked the relaxed mood just cultivated, I had the insight to remind myself that now would be an exceptional time to practice my Ahimsa instead of succumbing to annoyance even though it was really tempting to. At first it seemed it would be a difficult task in that moment, however, as soon as I acknowledged I was not present, immediately and with great relief, I suddenly was. This was the great aha moment. There was no struggle, no fight, no trying. All I had to do was simply acknowledge I was not present and I immediately became so. Even though I had previously read that this was possible in a book year’s prior, witnessing this experience first hand, and for myself, was the most profound part of the process for me.