Tapas

Tapas, तपस्

Yup, pronounced like the yummy Spanish variety.

I wrote a short article for Junction 9 recently as students of that studio embarked upon a 40 day challenge of practice. My topic was tapas and defined simply, it is about discipline and heat and derived from the Sanskrit root tap (to burn).

Translated to a concept, this is the fire we encounter in class. On the simplest level, it refers to the physical fire you are stoking in class that is pushing and igniting your body to sweat. When your body wants to tap out and your mind has to overcome matter. When you are doing something new and it is kind of scary and intimidating. When you are lead and asked to do your least favourite pose for what seems like an eternity. Or even when your foot is dead asleep while you are sitting in meditation and your back hurts to boot.

On a deeper level, tapas is also about showing up for yourself in the moments where you really do not want to or moments where it is easier to turn a blind eye. It happens when your alarm goes off in the morning and there is an internal debate of whether you should meditate or go to practice. When a limiting belief system about yourself bubbles up to surface and you are asked to challenge that notion of what you can and cannot do. When the dust settles enough that you can see your true self in the distance but it also means letting go of things that feel familiar and comfortable in order to cross the chasm.

The definition of tapas is fluid, and it can be a combination of both of these definitions at varying levels that change day to day. But either way, this fire you stoke is to burn away old stories we keep replaying, burn away habits that are not serving you anymore, burn away old ideas and concepts you have about yourself and your life and ultimately to change your path.

So as we move through life and the moments pop up where tapas presents itself, take a deep breath in and out, and know that you are being forged by fire to evolve into who you were always meant to be.

-km