"Make a change.
Feel the heat of resistance
Melt away old habits
And burn through ruinous conditioning.
Offer negative behaviour
Into the fire of tapas
And chart your course toward freedom."
- Nicolai Bachman
The Covid-19 pandemic has been challenging for everyone, and devastating for many in far too many ways. It has been a burning reminder that life is precious, and that privilege is not spread equitably among us. For me, the pandemic has been a time to reflect on the habits I want to maintain in my post-pandemic life, and the practices I wish to let go of. I am using the fiery heat of Tapas to help me chart my course to freedom, and make changes for the future I want to create.
Tapas (the 3rd Niyama/moral code from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras) is our inner drive that spurs us on to implement positive change in our lives. It is that fiery discipline that burns obstacles, clearing the path for us to achieve our goals and life's purpose. Tapas requires discipline and effort; it involves consciously challenging long-standing reactions and behaviours. There is inevitably pain as we succumb to the fire, releasing our deeply rooted habits and making way for new ones. But that is good. It is the lessons we learn from facing our challenges and fears that have the biggest impact on us. Stoking that Tapas, that inner fire, is what brings about transformation. It gives us the strength, courage, confidence and discipline required to step out of our comfort zone and into the life we want.
During most of my early life, I was terrified of public speaking. I avoided speaking publicly at all costs and stumbled through when I had no choice. After some uncomfortable attempts at overcoming the fear on my own, I took a public speaking course and enrolled in Toastmasters. I forced myself to push past my fears and get way out of my comfort zone. I was not familiar with the yogic concept of Tapas at the time, but looking back, I see that it was Tapas that drove me to make this change. My burning motivation to fix this fear gave me the courage, drive and discipline to pursue and practise this skill.
On or off the yoga mat, Tapas requires that we act from a place of compassion and Ahimsa (non-harming) rather than fear. Tapas' heat does not mean that we push ourselves past the point of exhaustion. We instead take a kind, thoughtful approach to our exertion, recognizing when we need to slow down in order to avoid injury or over-exhaustion. Sometimes finding enough Tapas to get to the mat for a 10-minute meditation or a gentle practice is right for that moment. It is by balancing Tapas with Ahimsa that we can work towards our goals in a healthy, balanced manner.
The yoga mat is an excellent place to safely practise Tapas before taking it off the mat and into our everyday lives. When we breathe through a challenging balancing pose, or when we find the strength to practise a pose we thought was 'impossible', we learn valuable lessons that help us gain strength and confidence when facing challenging life situations. The Tapas we cultivate on the mat weaves seamlessly into our lives off the mat.
It was Tapas that drove me to deeply study yoga and ultimately become a yoga teacher. I'd been a stay-at-home mom for over 20 years and I felt an urgent call to find my next work as my kids left home. As I dove into yoga, I was driven to learn more. I loved the physical practice, but it was the teachings, the philosophy that lured me deeper. I have been practising yoga for over 20 years now, and teaching and studying it for 6, yet I feel like I've just begun. Yes, there are days when I am exhausted. But after I remind myself of Ahimsa and rest a little, I can't wait to dive back in.
Use the fiery discipline of Tapas to burn away the obstacles that are hindering your goals, your life's purpose. And let the heat of Tapas, with the self-care of Ahimsa help you bring about the changes that will smooth your course toward freedom.
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