Tapas: Inner Fire + Strength
What does tapas mean in yoga? In this blog, we’re delving into the third of the niyamas – tapas.
Fiery Energy
The translation of tapas is derived from the Sanskrit verb ‘tap,’ meaning ‘to burn.’ When we think of tapas, we can envision embodying a fiery energy of passion + discipline.
Tapas represents the embodiment of discipline, determination, commitment, and perseverance as we navigate through challenges and obstacles.
Tapas is what drives us to take action. It’s about persisting even when we feel the urge to stop, persevering when we’re tempted to give up, and continuing when we long to quit.
It’s the commitment to honoring the promises we make to ourselves and showing up consistently long after the initial motivation has faded away.
Daily Inner Fire
Tapas can be practiced in various areas of our life – just like all the yamas + niyamas. We can practice tapas anywhere + everywhere. We can practice on the yoga mat, in our meditation practice or off the mat in daily life.
I like to think of life presenting us with opportunities to practice the SKILLS of tapas; helping us to get GOOD at persisting, showing up, staying disciplined + holding ourselves accountable. They are transferable skills that help us achieve so much in life. Because let’s be realistic – daily life is full of big/small/tiny/huge challenges + obstacles.
There’s a lot out of control BUT we can ALWAYS choose how we journey. By either showing up + giving our best, or giving up.
Showing Up
There are many things we never start or follow through with because we face the obstacle of fear.
Fear of what others think. Fear of challenges. Fear of finding it hard. Fear of encountering struggles on the path. Fear of making mistakes. Fear of failure. Fear of judgment.
In reality, all these fears are part of the journey toward achieving a habit, goal, intention, or dream.
Henry Ford wrote, “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right,” + it’s absolutely true. If we give in to fear + listen to its voice, it will always prevent us from even taking the first step on the journey.
We have a choice: to live our lives saying, “I wish I did” OR “I’m glad I did.”
There are many things we never start or follow through with because we face the obstacle of fear.
Fear of what others think. Fear of challenges. Fear of finding it hard. Fear of encountering struggles on the path. Fear of making mistakes. Fear of failure. Fear of judgment.
In reality, all these fears are part of the journey toward achieving a habit, goal, intention, or dream.
Henry Ford wrote, “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right” + it’s absolutely true. If we give in to fear + listen to its voice, it will always prevent us from even taking the first step on the journey.
We have a choice: to live our lives saying, “I wish I did” + “I’m glad I did.”
Simple, not easy
Meditation – it sounds really simple, right? You close your eyes + direct your energy to a focal point to guide you into the present moment.
However, just because something is simple doesn’t mean it’s easy.
Meditation can provide us with the tapas training we need. It’s natural for the mind to wander during meditation, but every time the mind does wander, we are presented with an opportunity: to bring the focus back.
This happens time + time again in our meditation practice. There are numerous opportunities to strengthen our commitment to our focus, to maintain discipline in the face of challenges, and to persist when the mind wanders repeatedly. Alternatively, we can choose to give up. It’s time to take responsibility + see that you do have a choice.
Meditation can teach us to find strength in stillness. It’s not easy to slow down. It requires great strength to appreciate + respect the stillness, slowness, + all the healing it has to offer.
Tapas on the Mat
Our asana practice gives us so many opportunities to practice yoga. We can FEEL the physical fiery energy of tapas when we’re in a physically challenging asana. Our muscles work hard in lots of postures, and it’s often our minds that will give up before our bodies do.
It’s important to not mistake the working of muscles for pain. We don’t come to the mat to inflict pain. We drop the ego-inspired narratives of ‘push through the burn’, ‘no pain no gain’, + instead see if we can challenge ourselves physically safely, compassionately, + with encouragement.
Another way to practice on the mat is in balancing posture. Every time you wobble out of a posture, you’re presented with an opportunity: either give up or show up. Bringing yourself back into a posture strengthens your tapas skills.
We can also find strength in honoring our bodies. Recognising when we need to back out of a posture, take a pause, or give ourselves space.
And a very important part of practicing tapas is patience. Giving things time to grow, expand, + recover.
It took me until after my teaching training to get my heels on the floor in down dog; to step my leg through from three leg dog to lunge; it took me 2 years to do the splits + 5 years later, I’m STILL working on my handstands.
Habits
We can practice tapas every day. Practicing tapas helps us achieve our goals + dreams by creating habits.
Habits are created through repetition. ‘We cannot meet the goal with mere words alone. Without practice, nothing can be achieved.’ We have to keep showing up again + again + again. We have to hold ourselves accountable + follow through with our promises.
Learning about how habits are created is really useful, informative, + transformative. The creation of a habit is a transferable skill + the embodiment of tapas. I highly recommend reading ‘The Source’ by Dr. Tara Swart + ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear.
I’ll leave you with these words:
You will never have an idea you don’t have the ability to bring to life.
It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen instantly + easily. The obstacles are the training you need.
I hope you choose the journey of expansion, growth, + living a life full of ‘I’m glad I did’.
Learn more
Learn more about tapas + how to live a yoga-inspired life over on the Inspired Club.