/ uh-him-sah /
(n.) Nonviolence toward all living beings
Ahimsa, in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jainist tradition, is defined as having respect for all living things and avoidance of violence toward others.
Watch the video to learn more about how Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary embraces Ahimsa in everything we do.
Our Founders Shaleen and Shilpi Shah rescued their first animal resident in 2015, Jale, an Arabian Mare. Jale taught the Shahs that she was more than simply a horse to be rode for human pleasure. She taught them that she was an individual, that she had thoughts, feelings, likes and dislikes. She shared herself with the Shahs and they listened, but more than that they felt the very essence of her being. She equally wanted to live a life free from abuse and even use. She wanted to breathe in freedom, freedom from all forms of abuse. It was through her eyes that they came to feel the pain of others like her. Jale showed them that others needed their help.
Shaleen and Shilpi were a young married couple, with two young boys just starting their family together. What possibly could they have been thinking, starting a farmed animal sanctuary for abused and neglected animals? They weren’t! They were feeling principles that were ingrained in their hearts from birth.
Shaleen and Shilpi Shah are both Jain. Jainism has a core principle of Ahimsa, non-violence to all beings. When you give attention to your breath when you say Ahimsa. “Ah”…you breathe in…”him”…you breathe out…and “sa” a sigh of contentment. The word “Ahimsa” is the breath that we breathe…it’s the feeling in our heart when we are doing all that we can physically, cognitively, emotionally, and spiritually do to fulfill our promise of compassion to all living beings.
Ahimsa is practiced in every thought, action, and feeling at Luvin Arms. Ahimsa is our core principle by which we operate, it always has been. Luvin Arms is a community of volunteers, supporters, and staff that brings ahimsa into practice. Ahimsa is front and center with our animal residents first, all of whom come from degrading and violent situations. Today, they live healthy and happy lives on the sanctuary.
We invite you to help us create a world of Ahimsa – nonviolence to all beings through compassion. There are millions of animals that cannot be rescued and for those beings, we use our animal residents’ stories and additional resources to compassionately encourage and educate our visitors, volunteers, event participants, and education participants to adopt a cruelty-free lifestyle – further inspiring others to practice ahimsa.
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