If you want to practice ahimsa, start by making your yoga mat a place of non-violence. No matter how bad your asana or pranayama is or how much your mind wanders, don’t beat up on yourself! Shari points out that if her practice goes badly but she has compassion for herself, she is the winner, because she's becoming more compassionate. What matters most when we go out into the world, she says, is who we are, not what we do—what we do comes from who we are.