Yoga Without the Rigidity
Yoga is often associated with discipline, that can evolve into rigidity and sometimes turn-off yoga curious newcomers. When I meet new people who find out I’m a yoga teacher, they automatically hesitate when talking about eating meat, partying or being anti religion…which gives me a chuckle because I eat meat, drink alcohol & I would not consider myself religious. I always wondered why yoga gets tied to this sort of rule following rigidity, because I personally never felt that way when beginning my yoga journey. I think the answer is two-fold. For one, we are in a hyper connected world, where everyone has access to information, misinformation & opinions 24/7. This leaves a pathway for people to shape the perception of their personal stance on yoga and yogic philosophy. Secondly, the third Niyama(moral code) of Pitanjali’s 8 Limbs of Yoga, ‘Tapas’ which means discipline. Trust me, I didn’t know about the Niyama’s when I began yoga, but when I learned about Tapas I was even turned off…for a split second… until I understood what it really meant!
To dive into the third of Patanjali’s Niyamas, I wanted to understand what sort of discipline ‘Tapas’ means. The root of Tapas, ‘tap’ means ‘to burn’, so already we understand this is a passionate discipline. In this sense, Tapas can mean having a burning desire for self discipline, in order to pave the way for who you truly are. Self discipline which leads to a more centered and aligned version of you. Here’s a real life example…me right now… I haven’t gotten on my mat today because work has been so busy, but I know I will feel better if I do, even if it’s for 15 minutes…this is the sort of self-discipline meant by Tapas. Personally, I do not struggle with taking discipline to the extreme (I like to enjoy myself too much), but I think often times yogi’s take discipline to the extreme and that’s where the danger comes in. Yoga is not meant to deprive you of anything, but actually enrich your life through healthy mind, body connection.
Tapas has relevance and benefits both on and off the mat. Like my example above, it creates an inner wisdom to practice when we are tired, eat healthier to feel good, encouraging ourself to get into a posture that feels scary & having one less glass of wine, so we feel clear minded in the morning. How will you use Tapas in your life today?
