Nico's Flows // Ahimsa

& a fun flow with a funky transition from Warrior 2 to Tree Pose

Nico’s Flows is my regular newsletter designed to help yoga teachers plan meaningful, intentional classes. Each post includes readings and reflections, curated yoga music, and a short creative sequence for teachers and anyone who loves to move. And now, for those who want a little extra planning help, paid subscribers will also receive a warmup flow—something gentle, intentional, and designed to prepare the body for the peak sequence in a grounded, accessible way.

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Soulful Musings

At the heart of many Eastern philosophies lies the practice of non-violence, or ahimsa. Ahimsa is so foundational that it is the very first practice listed in Patanjali’s Eight-Limbed Path in the Yoga Sutras. (I wrote a brief overview of the Sutras in my last post if you want to dive deeper into that.)

It’s easy to skim past the yamas and assume we already “don’t harm,” “don’t lie,” or “don’t steal.” Most of us aren’t physically hurting people or taking what isn’t ours. But the depth of the yamas goes far beyond obvious actions. When you really sit with the idea of harm, it becomes much more subtle.

Harm can be the way we speak to ourselves in the mirror.
It can be the passive-aggressive comment we justify as honesty.
It can be gossip disguised as concern.
It can be overworking our bodies, overriding exhaustion, or pushing through pain because we feel we “should.”
It can be numbing out instead of tending to our emotions.
It can be withholding love as punishment.
It can be scrolling past suffering with indifference.
It can even be the violent tone of our own inner dialogue—harsh, impatient, unforgiving.

Ahimsa asks us to look at all of it.

In a world that feels increasingly violent, it’s natural to look outward and ask what’s wrong “out there.” But so often, collective violence is a reflection of internal turbulence—unprocessed grief, fear, shame, conditioning, generational trauma. None of that excuses harm. But it does point us toward where the real work begins.

The practice of ahimsa is not passive. It is courageous. It begins by clearing our own internal waters. By noticing when we are harsh with ourselves. By softening the edges of our thoughts. By choosing patience over reaction. When we cultivate kindness inwardly, it naturally ripples outward.

To theme a yoga class based on this reflection on ahimsa, focus on the subtle ways we create harm internally and how awareness softens that pattern. Invite students to notice the tone of their inner dialogue throughout practice. Are they pushing? Comparing? Forcing? Judging? Frame the class as an exploration of discipline through kindness rather than intensity through force. Emphasize that non-violence is not passive—it is an active choice to respond rather than react, to soften rather than harden. Encourage students to move in a way that honors their current capacity, practicing strength without aggression and effort without self-attack. Let the theme revolve around the idea that the way we treat ourselves on the mat becomes the way we move through the world.

Yoga Tunes

I’ve been feeling really connected to the root chakra lately, and this playlist reflects that. It’s upbeat and energizing, but still earthy and grounded. I love using it in my evening classes to lift the energy in the room while staying deeply connected to the body and breath.

Movement Inspiration

Peak Flow

I had so much fun teaching this class. I loved starting from the back of the mat and playing with the transition from Warrior II into Tree Pose.

Warmup Flow

Become a paid subscriber to see how I foreshadow all of this in the warmup! And the full written class plan to reference if you want to teach this.