“Can you show courage and stay in the fire until you find the blessings?” - C.L

 

“Lack of true knowledge is the source of all pains and sorrows.” Yoga Sutras

 

“As we apply the principles of yoga, a profound understanding begins to resonate in our lives.  We being to understand that the anxiety we feel, the suffering we experience, comes from not practicing yoga in the true sense of the word.” Rolf Gates

 

And so we continue our studies of the 2nd limb of yoga, the Niyamas, with Tapas this month.  

 

Tapas has many interpretations, and its simplest one is - heat, fire.  

Tapas is also:

• a burning zeal in practice

• an enthusiasm for health 

• Our determined effort to become someone of character and strength.

• The day to day choice to “burn” non - supportive habits of the body and mind, choosing to forsake momentary pleasures for future rewards.

• Self discipline

• Spiritual effort

• Change

• Tolerance

• Transformation

• “Cooking” ourselves in the fire of discipline to transform ourselves into something else.

• Our determined effort to become someone of character and strength.

• The practice of staying still no matter what thoughts or fears are running through our minds.

• Tapas is the willingness to work hard in practice, the desire to know oneself, the will to be honest.  Years of consistent practice are not built on self discipline, they are built on the desire to know more.

• Tapas in terms of almost hopeless desperation when we find ourselves in the pain of unexpected loss or debilitating sickness, or in the throes of a life that seems like it has been turned upside down.  it is these times of hopeless desperation that shape and mold us into someone of depth. Our debris gets burned away and we are left more humbled and strengthened by the mystery of what is beyond our grasp of control or of understanding.  It is these darkest times of pain, loss, and confusion that weave something profound in us.

 

 

OK so that is a heck of a lot to take in!!! Please reread all of these interpretations of Tapas a few times and then write out the ones that are most relevant for your life in the moment.  How can you use this Niyama this month?  

 

Piling on the self study…our intention will be - “I am aware of my uniqueness.”

 

Can we use the firey transformative quality of Tapas and our previous months of Sauca (purity) and Santosha (contentment) to become aware and then truly accept and celebrate our uniqueness?  This is a lot to take in but we will work through it together in our writings, yoga classes and meditations.  This is also a perfect time to consider the pre holiday cleanse this month! The study will focus on the 1st limb of yoga, the Yamas, and the intention will be “I am aware of my uniqueness.”  This will set us up for pure, content and awe in our joy filled holidays!