Incorporating Tapas (Passionate Commitment) in Your Yoga Practice

The theme for this week’s lessons (w.c. 8th November) is Tapas, or passionate commitment.  Tapas means “heat” or “fire”.  When someone is working very hard they are often described as having “fire in their belly”.  The Sages say that the fire created during yoga practice destroys pollution in one’s consciousness which leads to control of the body and the senses.  When we apply tapas in our yoga practice we don’t mechanically do the poses, we practice mindfully with determined effort to create change.  To create change at any level requires a constant commitment to tapas, whether it is the lose weight, change jobs or achieve the perfect Ustrasana (Camel).

They say “where there is a will there is a way”.   So find time this week to practice tapas, make a passionate commitment to make one small change in your life every day for a week.  For example, you may try to drink an extra glass of water,  find time to practice yoga or simply wash the dishes before leaving for work.  Find what you want to change and commit to achieving it using the fire of tapas.