Tapas: Austerity, Fiery Discipline

The third Niyama, Tapas, is the willingness to do what is necessary to reach a goal with discipline.

Tapas (Austerity) refers to strength of character and to resolute pursuit of Yoga’s goal of union of Self (Atman) and Brahman.  The word tapas means purification by burning, which is often mistaken as self-mortification.  This observance sometimes leads to fasting, a meager diet, and other forms  of asceticism.  A moderate austerity trains the will and develops body and mind for the highest Yogic masters warn against excessive asceticism and self-mortification. Tapas are one of the most powerful concepts in the Yoga Sutra.

The word “Tapas” comes from the Sanskrit verb “tap” which means “to burn.” The traditional interpretation of Tapas is “fiery discipline,” the fiercely focused, constant, intense commitment necessary to burn off the impediments that keep us from being in the true state of yoga (union with the universe).

Practice: determination to pursue daily practices, making sacrifices as necessary, enthusiasm for the spiritual path. Joyfulness with outer discipline will lead to inner discipline.

Tapas/turn up the heat

Tapas is about austerity, sacrifice, discipline. Tapas means “heat” or “fire.” Go through the heat and accept it – invite it in. The fire brings transformation. If you are not in stillness, you are craving or having aversion. Transformation happens through the fire – burn off some layers and emerge as something new – a Phoenix.

Give yourself fully to your dharma (your life’s mission).

Develop courage, strength and simplicity. Staying in a challenging yoga practice and sitting in a long meditation are both examples of  disciplined practices – physical heat is generated, which “burns” the ego away to reveal the true inner spirit.

Tapas (Discipline vs Difficulty)

Unfortunately, many people mistakenly equate discipline in yoga practice with difficulty. They see another student striving to perfect the most difficult poses and assume she must be more disciplined and therefore more spiritually advanced. Difficulty does make a practice transformational. It is true that good things are sometimes difficult, but not all difficult things are automatically good. In fact, difficulty can create its own impediments. The ego is drawn to battle with difficulty: Tapas/non-attached mastering a challenging yoga pose, for example, can bring pride and an egoistic attachment to being an “advanced” yoga student.consistency

A better way to understand tapas is to think of it as a non-attached consistency in striving toward your goals: getting on the yoga mat every day, sitting on the meditation cushion every day—or forgiving your mate or your child for the 10,000th time.

Tapas subtle energy/quality of life

If you think of Tapas in this vein, it becomes a more subtle but more constant practice, a practice concerned with the quality of life and relationships rather than focused on whether you can grit your teeth through another few seconds in a difficult asana.