Tapas, or discipline, is the third niyama of Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga.
The direct meaning of tapas is 'to burn'. Through nurturing discipline into our daily lives, we can burn away 'impurities' and negative thoughts, leading to a positive desire for self-growth.
It's not about pushing ourselves so hard that we make ourselves suffer. It's about making time for something positive in our lives. That might be practising yoga, finding stillness, or making a conscious effort to put in our full determination in everything we do. And when we miss a day, discipline is about returning to this path and not beating ourselves up because we came off it.
Tapas can be cultivated in both mind and body. The asanas (poses) are a form of discipline for the body. Whereas meditation and stillness purify and focus the mind.
How can you incorporate tapas into your daily life?
You can commit to the path of yoga with small but rewarding actions such as daily intentions and gratitudes. Remove any resistances to doing this by having a set place where you write your intentions and gratitudes, and try to be consistent by doing this at the same time each day to help build it into a habit. Don't see missing a day as a 'day off' as, instead, you've lost out on the benefits for that day.
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Know why you're doing something. Ask yourself why, why, why. It may be as simple as because you want to feel good and be happy. The initial burst of motivation you feel when working towards something new soon fades. And so, by reminding yourself of the fundamental reason why you want to achieve this, you will more easily maintain your determination and self-discipline to see the task through.
What about tapas and yoga?
Discipline in your yoga practice can be understanding how far your body can go and not pushing it beyond its limits but gradually working up to the more challenging asanas. Mindfully approach your limits so you can enjoy the movement and not obsess about the end point of the pose.
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