Ahimsa: A Gentle (But Honest) Mid-Year (Self-)Hug

Happy June to everyone! How time has flown by — we're already in the middle of the year!

We introduced this year as our year of skillful living. Our themes have been revolving around concepts from Yoga Philosophy, in no particular formal order, but there is a reason we laid it out like that, and maybe this month is the perfect time to share with you how they all connect to each other.

We began the year with Svadharma, with a question, "What is appropriate for me right now?" It was an invitation to meet ourselves honestly—to consider our bodies, capacities, responsibilities, and current life conditions without comparison or imitation... or the pressure that rises from having a "new year's resolutions." Svadharma asked us to pay attention to what this moment was asking of us.

From there, we moved into Abhyasa, with the idea that once we understand what is appropriate, the work becomes showing up consistently. Simply returning—again and again—to the practice, to the breath, to our values... to yoga asana... even when motivation fades.

But if we only practice returning, we can become attached to achievement, progress, and outcomes. And so March introduced Vairagya. Vairagya reminds us that practice is not about controlling results. It teaches us to engage fully while releasing our grip on how things should unfold. We learn to participate wholeheartedly without becoming attached to success, failure, praise, or comparison.

By April, we had established a foundation of consistency and release. Only then did we explore Tapas. Tapas is often misunderstood as pushing harder, but I personally believe that true Tapas is more nuanced. It is disciplined warmth rather than punishment. It asks us to cultivate the kind of effort that strengthens without depleting, challenges without harming, and supports long-term change for the better.

After several months of practice, effort, and observation, May naturally brought us to Svadhyaya:

What am I learning about myself? The patterns begin to reveal themselves on their own. Hopefully, we now notice how we respond to challenges. We notice our habits, our defenses, our tendencies to grasp or avoid. Svadhyaya invites us to observe these patterns with curiosity rather than judgment.

And now, Ahimsa. We might be familiar with it as "non-harming, compassion, kindness." All are correct. But also, how is it applicable NOW? Why Ahimsa in June?

After the journey towards self-awareness from January to May, the next question becomes: How will we use what we have learned? Ahimsa's relevance extends far beyond avoiding physical harm. Ahimsa invites us to consider the subtle ways we create suffering through self-judgment, unrealistic expectations, impatience, and comparison.

Will awareness become another reason to criticize ourselves?

Will honesty become harshness?

Will discipline become self-punishment?

Will growth become another form of striving?

Ahimsa serves as a mid-year check-in because it asks us to pause and examine THE HOW: how we are relating to ourselves while doing it.

The first half of the year has taught us how to discern, return, let go, apply effort, and observe ourselves. Ahimsa reminds us that these skills are meant to be held with kindness.

As we move through this month, may we remember that care is the very condition that makes growth possible.

I fed this whole article on Claude and it came up with a visual representation of what I am trying to say. Thanks, AI.

So yeah. This is how we are laying out the 2026 themes, and there are 6 more yoga philosophy concepts-turned-life skills to go for the year. My hope is that now you see how yoga is life, and life is yoga — and that being a yogi is not just simply about the things that people see, but how YOU understand how to live your life.

Halfway there!

With love, Rachel

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P.S. Happy International Month of Yoga!

To those who have been asking and to those who may be wondering, Treehouse no longer participates in the larger industry events and promotions that often accompany this celebration. Over the years, we've come to realize that our most meaningful way of honoring yoga is through the quiet, everyday work of making yoga accessible to our community—one class, one student, and one practice at a time.

Our practice of Ahimsa reminds us to focus our energy where it matters most: serving our community. While others celebrate yoga this month, we remain grateful to celebrate it every day. 🙏🏼