Tapas! - Raja Yoga

Not the delicious Spanish kind.....

As we near the middle of February and realize it's still winter, despite the previous weeks of amazing weather, I remind you to continue your practice. After the initial excitement of the new year, resolutions can begin to slip to the wayside as the general quiet energy of winter persists. This is a time of introspection, which is a gift. We need to take time to tune in, tap in and connect with our True Self. However, this naturally slow period of the year can lead to a challenge in maintaing new approaches to life and living. So how do we stoke the fire of our resolutions?

TAPAS

In Raja Yoga, also called Lifestyle Yoga, there are eight limbs to the practice:

  1. Yamas - Social Guidelines (5)

  2. Niyamas - Personal Guidelines (5)

  3. Asana - Postures

  4. Pranayama - Breathing Exercises

  5. Pratyahara - Turning inward of the Senses

  6. Dharana - Focus and Concentration

  7. Dhyana - Meditation

  8. Samadhi - Complete Realization

One of the Niyamas is Tapas or self-discipline. Tapas literally means "heat", and in yoga, the element of fire, agni, is cultivated in one's practice. It is said that the soul itself is our inner fire, the spiritual aspiration deep within us. Tapas is the drive or the agni necessary to embark on and maintain practice. A book I love, dedicated to the first two imbs of Raja Yoga is called The Yamas and Niyamas, Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practices, by Deborah Adele. Much like fire changing a wooden log into a pile of mineral ash,

"…tapas eventually changes our nature, turning us into a cauldron that can withstand any of life's challenges. Tapas is the day to day choice to burn non-supportive habits of the body and mind, choosing to forsake momentary pleasures for future rewards."
-Deborah Adele

May you continue on your path of awakening to your highest Self. May you be nourished by the practice, supported by community and inspired by the inner fire at your core.

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