The Virtue of Non-violence
Non-violence means not hurting or harming another living being in any manner, and not violating the peace of others. It means becoming non-resistant. In daily life, if you consider this not as a philosophical view, but as a pragmatic definition, it will be of great benefit to you.
Violence generally results from a strong sense of separation between the world and us. Practicing non-violence slowly removes the sense of separation by loosening the grip of the ego. As we loosen up this grip, we become more inclined towards developing loving-kindness and compassion. Ultimately, these two divine qualities no longer remain a mystery. Due to the practice of non-violence, they start making sense as we experience their power in our life.
The virtue of non-violence can be developed through the following practices.
· Not killing another living being
· Not hurting or harming anyone in any way, either by speech or by physical actions
· Not intentionally disturbing others’ peace of mind
· Not encroaching upon others’ space, but rather giving space to all to live and evolve
· Not forcing or pushing anyone for anything, even with good intentions
· Accepting circumstances and situations as they are without resistance and without losing your ground. Be like a bamboo tree, which neither resists strong winds, nor gives up its ground. A bamboo tree simply bends when the wind is strong and stands upright when the wind abates. It “wins” without fighting

In addition, the virtue of non-violence can be developed through the practice of soul meditation as follows.
· Remaining mindful of all physical and verbal actions
· Not reacting to the fearful, hateful, or unwholesome thoughts that generate violent tendencies
· Giving wise attention to the impermanent and impersonal nature of such tendencies, and allowing them to subside in mind on their own before they gain enough strength and turn into violent physical or verbal actions
· Concentrating on developing the divine qualities of loving-kindness and compassion

Developing the virtue of non-violence is especially useful for those who are aggressive, possessive, passionate, or hateful in temperament.