Consciousness to Effect Healthy Behavioral Change: Ahimsa to Manage Fear

Therapy is an evolution from focus on cognitive brain functions in cognitive behavioral therapy CBT > mindfulness MCBT > Dialectical Behavioral Therapy DBT (emotional mood regulation using Zen mindfulness combined with CBT).

The next step is to be able to combine body, cognitive, mindfulness, emotional regulation, energy frequency prana, and mirror neurons in therapy to experience new levels of Consciousness. 

Consciousness from within using:

Yoga Principles

Yamas and Niyamas Tattwas

Violence/non violence Ahimsa

The Yama Ahimsa

The Yama Ahimsa is a Sanskrit term meaning ‘non-violence’.

It is a core concept in many Eastern philosophies, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and is often interpreted to mean ‘do no harm’.

Ahimsa is also seen as a moral virtue, and is an important part of many spiritual practices.

Ahimsa is often seen as a way of living that seeks to avoid causing harm to any living being, whether it be through physical violence, emotional harm, or environmental destruction.

The earliest version of the golden rule is “do not do unto others that which you do not want to be done unto you“.

Why is it so hard for humans to be either violent or peaceful?

Throughout millions of years to now, we theorize that humans have evolved out of animals.

In order to survive, some animals need to eat meat and others cannot eat meat.

Are the obligate carnivores more violent? 

Whether humans are omnivores or herbivores or carnivores is still up for debate.

But if we are what we eat then if we eat meat we are eating the flesh of animals who have died in pain and left those stress and pain chemicals in that meat at the time of their death.

(Try Jakarta Vegan Guide: Home)

What is a definition of violence?

“Unlawful exercise of physical force or intimidation by the exhibition of such force.”

We have legalized violence against animals.

Obligate carnivores are animals that do hunt to survive.

They only use violence in order to get food, protect territory, for natural survival of the balanced fit in their evolution.

Humans, although not having to hunt to survive, are still afraid that they will not be able to survive or be fit without eating meat along with a variety of other foods.

So humans who eat meat react more to the stress hormones which caused fear, fight or flight.

You are what you eat

With everything going on in the world it is easy to see why a principle of nonviolence also called Ahimsa, is difficult to follow in day to day life.

And why would a person want to be either non-violent or violent?

Which brings up the question:

Is fear (the root of violence in fight or flight reaction) rational or irrational or both?

In the context of being a mental health provider, it is the subject of fear and whether it is rational or irrational that comes up very often.

What happens is a person talks about knowing that their fear is irrational and telling theirself that, hasn’t helped.

Or perhaps it has helped for a number of years and no longer is possible.

What is possible is non-violence out of discernment of whether fear is rational or irrational and the consciousness to act or not act.

The ability to be conscious of triggers, and knowing how to not blow up, is a great gift.

It can reduce violence by first creating a sense of safety.

Using the principle of Ahimsa provides a better chance to solve problems based on fact rather than on fear.

Fear of dying, the fear of starvation, the fear of being alone, the fear of not being able to pay the bills, the fear of not having an education, the fear of not having a job that pays enough to support a family, the fear of having everything and still not being happy,

All of those fears can be boiled down to an existential survival fear. 

Humans are the only species with so many fears.

If I cross the street without looking by denying that fear is real my life can end abruptly.

There are many reasons in fact to be afraid.

How to manage fear?

One way is to reduce eating meat.

We can look at Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita who was a warrior against parts of his family.

He was afraid to start fighting.

He knew it was to survive but he questioned even his need to fight for survival if many in his family were against him.

So is violence appropriate in survival cases?

So I would say, yes, in some cases violence is appropriate for survival, but it should be a measured response, not a blind reaction.

Definition of courage:

“mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” by Merriam-Webster dictionary

It does take a willingness to develop tolerance for strong triggers of internal emotions.

That can lead  to courage and resilience.

Does this lead to ahimsa?

Or can a fighter in a war be non violent?

In therapy and coaching there is a chance to reevaluate the need for animal protein in order to reduce stress hormones in humans.

When there is a resolution of inner conflict, more rational attention can be focused on outer conflict.

In therapy when a person has the experience expanding self awareness, changing their thoughts and behavior, they are able to by their own experience to make a conscious choice.

As consciousness pervades everything, we are a part of that consciousness.

We can live, knowing that we are not separate, isolated, alone, and fearful.

We are all connected on some level.

All pervasive consciousness is faster than the speed of light.

Through the use of delayed gratification, toleration of frustration has been shown to lead to greater success in life.

As above so below.

Perhaps inner peace can be found in not craving to escape a fear based reality.