Choosing You
Tapas - Self Discipline/ Passion
Ah, tapas. Not just delicious Spanish food, who knew!
Tapas comes from the Sanskrit verb ''tap'' which means ''to burn''. Tapas can be translated as a fiery passion, self-discipline, transformation.
We're on our way towards salvation friends. We've made peace with our attachments and our truth. We speak in love and act with moderation.
Then something happens.
Someone says something that throws us. We react in a way that isn't kind. We fall back into old habits.
Tapas comes into play here.
We can choose the life we know, the one that keeps us comfortable. We can fall into the familiar emotionally reactive patterns. We can turn towards habits that we know don't feel good for us long term. We can make choices that harm us in the long run.
Or.
We can choose Tapas.
Tapas is the strength we need when our courage waivers.
Making conscious choices can be tiring work. And so when the opportunity arises to choose what you know and are comfortable with versus what is new and unfamiliar it's not an easy decision to make.
Here's the thing though, self-discipline doesn't just show up when we're trying to make positive habit changes in our lives. It also shows up when we decide to protect our contentment from the societal traps that try to pull us into directions that we may not wanna go.
Lately, it seems everyone is trying to sell a manifestation course or a shred for summer body transformation. But what if your discipline was aimed at protecting the life you have? What if the fire in your belly was fuelled by the acknowledgement that you are already great, that your body and your beliefs serve you really well as they are?
With such an abundance of marketing everywhere we turn it's easy to become fixated on becoming bigger, stronger, better. But, I believe it takes discipline to say no and to stand your ground, firm in the knowledge that who you are is already enough.
Sometimes the most transformative thing we can do is believe in ourselves in a world that's trying to convince us otherwise.
Discipline in a yoga practice looks different to everyone. Some people need daily practice, others find solace in a short mindfulness practice every few days. One of the most powerful things you can do for yourself is to find out what a yoga practice is for YOU and dedicate time to it.
Maybe it's a quick stretch. Maybe it's weekly, maybe daily. Maybe it’s hours long.
What you do with frequency trumps what you do every so often.
Tapas also comes to the forefront when we think about the words we speak to ourselves. When we start to go down the negativity vortex where we find all of the things ''wrong'' with us, wrap them in fairy lights and parade them around for everyone to see (I know you're vibin’ me here🙂 ). Tapas, fiery discipline, says no. Not today! Because that carry on does nothing to help us feel good in ourselves, it instead makes us feel rubbish. Give it a moment's space so you can discover where those thoughts came from, then change the story.
In Vipassana, tapas showed its nose to me daily. At every 4 am rise when the last thing I wanted to be doing was staring down the barrel of 10hrs seated, tapas got me through. When my legs ached and my back froze, I knew it was worth it. Like the meditation itself; tapas taught me the benefit of playing the long game. I could have given up, but then I'd never have known what it felt like to walk out of the centre with my goal accomplished. I'd never have found the chaos of day 8, or felt the sweetness of day 9. I trusted myself and my strength, I knew it would be worth it. And it was. If I quit, I'd have given up on myself.
In previous posts (like this) I've spoken about self-care. Self-care, in my eyes, should be an ongoing pre-emptive measure to make sure you are giving yourself the best chance for contentment.' 'What would life look like if we properly looked after ourselves before allowing it to get to crisis stage in the first place? If we took time to understand ourselves intimately and nourished our being with what we needed while removing what we don’t? What if every day was a self-care day?''
Tapas shines strongest when we burn through what is taking from us; negative mindsets, inactivity in our bodies, denial of our real desires. When we say no to what's not us, and yes to what sets our soul on fire - imagine what we can do?!
I A M E X C I T E D!
Love,
Leonie Xx