Fireside: Week Three
Tapas, self-displine
At our workshop this week we focused on Tapas, one of the Yamas and Niyamas.*
Continue reading for:
Tapas as a way to stay inspired and motivated to move and eat in ways that are nourishing
Tapas as a way to recognize when life is asking you to stand in the fire with courage
A lovely reading from our Sunday workshop
“Tapas literally means heat, and can be translated as catharsis, austerities, self-discipline, spiritual effort, change, tolerance, or transformation. Tapas has the sense of “cooking” ourselves in the fire of discipline to transform ourselves into something else. It is our determined effort to become someone of character and strength.”
Tapas- small, daily efforts can lead to transformation
Something I often say in class is, “we practice doing hard things on our mat so that we can do hard things in life.” When we do something like complete a difficult hike, run a bit longer than we are comfortable with, or complete a yoga or exercise class that pushes us to the edge of our comfort zone, we experience a feeling of triumph! We are teaching our brain that we can do hard things! We are reminding ourselves that we are resilient and we have endurance.
Can you think of the last time you had that feeling of both exhaustion and contentment at the end of the day?
During the opening of our workshop I talked about tapas as self-discipline- the practice of forsaking momentary indulgences to achieve long-term transformation. It is through our efforts, our commitment to small, every day actions, that leads to transformation. Whether this is inviting more vegetables into your diet, incorporating a morning routine, spending more time volunteering, or building heat in the literal sense through exercise, these small actions are additive over time. We are literally burning away habits and behaviors that no longer serve us in order to transform into the next version of ourselves. We are training ourselves to crave movement and nourishing foods.
Tapas invites us to stand in the heat. I asked my yogis to try staying 30 seconds more in any unpleasantness during the class. So we stayed in chair pose for a full minute, we did some jumping jacks, and some other activities to build heat and find that edge.
And while I think the choice to stand in the fire of Tapas is critical to feeling strong, healthy, and grounded, there is another side to Tapas.
Tapas- Standing in the heat and facing the fire with courage
“The guideline not only speaks to our personal effort, but also to those cathartic times 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 that shape and mold us into someone of depth.”
Recall moments in your life when life asked you to face the fire with courage. Take a moment or two to reflect (or journal). Can you bring awareness to times you numbed the pain? What did those behaviors look like? Can you recall the times you stood in the fire fearlessly?
When we make choices on a daily basis that help us cultivate inner-strength and integrity, we are building up the resiliency we need to face life’s challenges with a clear head and grit.
Bryana often reminds her students that if you are breathing, you are doing yoga. Tapas invites us to get to know the lion that resides within- she is fierce, she is strong, she loves to be let loose through exercise, dance, and play. She is there when we need her strength. She is there to help us make choices of right action even in the face of adversity. She is there to help us stay present amidst the heartbreak of life.
Tapas- How can we reframe the dialogue?
Over the past five years I’ve led several workshops on the Yamas & Niyamas. I’ve noticed a trend.
People tend to use Tapas as a way to put themselves down and think unkind thoughts. Remember, all things must come from a place of Ahimsa (non-harm).
“I need to lose X amount of pounds.”
"I need to stop eating Doritos.”
“I need to run 30 miles a month.”
“I tend to be lazy, I need to workout more.”
Um, no! That’s not what Tapas is asking of us!
Instead, can you find ways to reframe the dialogue?
“I move in ways that nourish, energize, and strengthen my body.”
“I invite foods into my diet that will nourish my body.”
“It is a privilege to eat a wide variety of plants from the earth, all grown and tended with care so that I might enjoy them.”
“I walk daily to enjoy the bounty around me and to stretch my legs.”
Tapas does not encourage us to move into pain. Tapas does not encourage us to think of life in restrictions, but rather to make choices that will allow us to be open to the bounty of life.
Closing Reading
“The discipline of Tapas will mold us into someone of great depth and profoundness if we let it. Can we stand the heat of being dismantled and changed forever by the fire? Can we prepare ourselves daily through our practice, our staying power, and our choices? Can we stay in the burning with integrity? Can we hold on for the blessing?”
*What are the Yamas and Niyamas?
The yamas (restraints) and niyamas (observances) are the first two limbs of Patanjali’s eight-fold path. The eight-fold path comes from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The remaining six limbs include asana (physical postures), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), dharana (focused concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (contemplation, bliss).
In the Western world, we are very familiar with asana, the physical postures of yoga. You’ll notice that the yamas and niyamas are the first two limbs on the eight-fold path, falling before the physical postures of asana. Whether you’ve been to one yoga class or ten-thousand, the yamas and niyamas are gifts of wisdom to provide guidance on the path to a contented and peaceful life.
Both the yamas and niyamas are broken down into five components, for a total of ten guiding principles. The yamas generally provide a context for interacting with the external world, or external ethics. The niyamas provide a context for the body, and inner/spiritual life. Together, these principles are often described as ‘moral codes’ or a path to ‘right living’.
If you are following along, we highly recommend Deborah Adele’s treasure of a book, The Yamas and Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Guide.
YAMAS (EXTERNAL ETHICS)
Ahimsa (non-violence)
Satya (truthfulness)
Asteya (non-stealing)
Brahmacharya (non-excess)
Aparigraha (non-possessiveness)
NIYAMAS (INTERNAL ETHICS)
Saucha (purity)
Santosha (contentment)
Tapas (self-discipline)
Svadhyaya (self-study)
Isvara Pranidhana (surrender)
