Tapas - The Practice of Inner Fire

In this episode we are exploring the third of the Niyamas, Tapas. 

Tapas is often translated as discipline, dedication or inner fire. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Welcome to Canny Star's Yoga. Hi, I'm Lisa, a lifelong student of yoga and Ayada, and a lover of travel and discovering the sacred. Welcome through everyday life. Thank you for joining me as we support yoga philosophy, the eight lengths of yoga, the wisdom of Ayurveda, and the many styles of yoga practice that have got us back into ourselves. Whether you're here to yoga, I have been working this past for many years. A gentle note before we begin, this podcast is offered for educational and inspirational purposes only. It is not medical or psychological advice. Please always listen to your body and seek professional care with me. So take some time for yourself. Take a slow, steady breath in, and exhale arriving here with me. Hi everybody, and welcome back to the podcast this week. And in this episode, we're exploring the third of the niyamas, tapas. And tapas is often translated as discipline, dedication, or inner fire. And while the word discipline can sometimes feel harsh or restrictive, the yogic understanding of tapas is something much softer and more empowering. Tapas is the steady flame within us. The willingness to keep showing up, the commitment to growth, the quiet courage to take small steps, even when motivation comes and goes. Because if we're honest, most meaningful things in life require consistency, not perfection or huge bursts of effort, but just a gentle willingness to return again and again. And we see this in nature. A seed doesn't become a tree overnight. A river shapes a stone through persistence, not force. And growth unfolds gradually through small daily actions, and so do we. In modern life, it's easy to look for quick results. We want immediate change, immediate healing, immediate success, and transformation. But Tapas reminds us that real growth takes time and it asks us to trust the process, to keep tending to what matters even when the results aren't immediately visible. And this inner fire can show up in many different ways. It might be committing to a regular yoga practice. It might be just taking a daily walk or creating time for meditation and making nourishing choices for your body. Or maybe even having a difficult conversation that you've been avoiding. Or choosing rest when every part of you wants to keep pushing. And sometimes tapas isn't about doing more. Sometimes it's about doing what is needed. And that requires just as much courage. And one of the misconceptions about discipline is that it has to be harsh, that we must force ourselves, push harder, never miss a day. But true tapas is not about punishment. It's about devotion. And it's about remembering what makes what what matters most and and gently returning to it. Again and again, without judgment, without perfectionism, just with commitment. And perhaps this is where many of us struggle because life gets busy and we're tired, our routines are interrupted, and then we miss a practice, we skip a meditation, we lose momentum. And then often the inner critic appears, telling ourselves we've failed, we've fallen behind, we should be doing better. But tapas is not measured by whether we stumble. It's measured by our willingness to begin again. Every time we return, we strengthen that inner flame. Every time we choose growth over avoidance, we strengthen that inner flame. And every time we take one small step forward, what matters, we strengthen that inner flame. In Ayurveda, we often speak about agne, our digestive fire, the fire that transforms food into nourishment. And tapas is similar. It is the fire that transforms experience into wisdom, challenges into growth, intention into action. And like any flame, it requires tending. Too little fire and we become stagnant. Too much fire and we burn ourselves out. And tapas and vites balance, steady warmth, sustainable effort, a rhythm we can maintain over time. And this teaching also reminds us that transformation often happens quietly, not in the dramatic moments, but when the small choices we make every day, the choice to show up and the choice to practice, the choice to keep going, even when no one else sees it, even when progress feels slow, these moments matter and they shape us. And they become the foundation upon which deeper growth can unfold. And like all the niamas, tapas is a practice. And there's days when your inner fire will burn brightly, and days when it feels like more of a tiny spark. And both are part of the journey. And the practice is simply to keep tending the flame with patience, with kindness, with trust. So as you move through your day, you might reflect on this. What is one small thing that matters deeply to me? And what would it look like to show up for it more consistently? Perhaps tappus is not about becoming someone new. It's about tending the fire that has always existed within you. And trusting that with care and attention, it will continue to light the path ahead. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead. Lots of love. As we close today's podcast, thank you so much for spending your time with me. If you'd like to stay connected, you can find more yoga, meditation, and Ayurvedic wisdom at countingstars.com.au. And you can also practice with me in studio or online. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook at Counting Stars Yoga and subscribe to the Counting Stars Yoga YouTube channel as we explore sacred places. Until next time, take a breath. Move gently through your day, sending you lots of love.