“TAPAS” is the 3rd elements of NIYAMA in the eight limbs of Yoga.
What is TAPAS?
Tapas is can be mean cultivating a sense of self-discipline, passion and courage in order to burn away ‘impurities’ physically, mentally and emotionally but ‘discipline’ doesn’t strictly mean pushing ourselves harder in a physical sense.
In the more of an aspect of the inner wisdom that it encourages us to practise even when we don’t feel like it. For example, if we are still try our best to practise a pose which we are not confident at, or usually will avoid when find it too difficult or impossible. When you perform this, you didn’t aware that this is already a form of tapas.
“Don’t give up”
We shall not avoid that we are not confident at and shall learn to strong when facing challenging, no matter in life situations or facing new pose in yoga class. It can be trained by ourself and start from small and it will make significant difference eventually. For example, if you always late or rush for work in morning, you can set a new habit like wake up 5 minutes earlier to make it be a routine, eventually your body alarm will be wake up early. In yoga practise, we practise the pose that we weak at, we shall not give up when failed. We shall keep learn from it and work it, eventually we will find the strength and technique to do the pose. Don’t give up when we feel impossible and don’t push yourself so harder to make it accomplished in a day, we shall practice it consistency in a way of discipline.
Last but not least, we shall always be self-motivated and to set goal in our life, it can be a small goal/thing which it can move you towards it a bit by bit. It’s okay that first attempt is not a success, just keep continues trying and encourage yourself, keep in mind that “you will get there eventually”. 🙂
