Dynamic harmlessness is a concept advocated by the American Vegan Society and based on the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence known as Ahimsa. This is a key virtue in the Dharmic religions and a cardinal principle in Jainism. It can be simplified by saying that something that harms another being causes harm to the person.

It’s a principle that has led many people to become vegans and is the foundation of Dynamic Harmlessness Day. This holiday is observed annually on the 2nd of November and encourages all people to avoid causing harm to other beings — either through their actions or through their inaction.

The History of Dynamic Harmlessness Day

H. Jay Dinshah was an American veganism advocate and activist who founded and became the President of the American Vegan Society. He was born on November 2, 1933, in Malaga, NJ, and died on June 8, 2000.

He was well-known for advocating the principle of dynamic harmlessness, a principle that we explained above. Shortly after he died in 2000, Dynamic Harmlessness Day was created to not only remember Dinshah but also to continue to advance the principle of dynamic harmlessness around the world.

The Principle of Dynamic Harmlessness

The principle behind this belief is simple. It simply means doing the least amount of harm in the world. That means trying to do as little hurting and killing, obviously, but it also means assisting other people. Although avoiding harm is a big part of this philosophy, some people don’t realize that another part of this philosophy is assisting other people.

Observing Dynamic Harmlessness Day

People can observe this holiday by making sure that they prevent harm, not only on this very day but throughout their lives.

This can be done by treating people with more respect, considering other people’s opinions, and adopting a vegan diet. People can also spread the word about this day using the hashtag #DynamicHarmlessnessDay on social media.