Hi there,
Welcome to our meditation practice on Yoga's Niyamas.
Today we're going to be working with the Niyama of Tapas.
This is often thought of as self-discipline or self-guided growth.
It is the process of transformation that can often be difficult.
We're going to start to work with this concept by drawing our attention in.
Going into our inner space and letting yourself settle there.
Seeing if you can find a feeling that is similar to coming home and letting yourself rest in a comfortable chair.
From this place of being comfortable within ourselves,
We can start to look at our relationship to this concept of Tapas.
Thinking for a moment about our connection to a source of inner knowing.
You could call it the wisdom layer,
You could call it your inner voice,
Whatever helps you to connect with that deep,
Soft experience of knowing.
It is when we get guidance and information from that inner place of knowing that steers us toward our growth.
It points us toward what we need to learn and experience to evolve into that future version of ourself.
Very similar to the way that we approached cleansing,
When we thought about dropping away everything that is not truly us,
Letting go of all those things that cling to us.
Tapas connects us to our inner fire.
We use the heat and the brightness to shine awareness into some of our darker corners,
Some of our spaces of challenge,
Bringing awareness there.
With Tapas,
We have this connection to effort,
To the courage of stepping into a new and uncomfortable experience that ultimately guides us toward growth.
We can watch our tendency,
Sometimes when there is challenge in front of us,
Or uncertainty in front of us,
We might feel ourselves wanting to step back and pull away,
But if that inner space of knowing is guiding you to step forward,
To move toward that challenge,
That your inner space of knowing is saying,
This,
This experience is going to help you grow,
I know it's uncomfortable,
I know it's scary,
But you can do this.
We listen to that,
And we start to move forward toward this challenge.
This is the discomfort of change,
This is the discomfort of learning and growing.
Very often in that process,
We have to let go of the old version,
The old layers,
And some of the unneeded things that might still be clinging to us.
This is where the fire element helps us to burn away what we no longer need.
It is that process of conducting a controlled burn within our life.
Whatever we no longer need,
Whatever is holding us back,
Or weighing us down,
We use the heat and the fire to burn through that and transform it into what is going to fuel us to move into that next step.
You may start to notice that like the other Niyamas,
This process of self-guidance and transformation requires a connection to courage.
And we can lean into that support of courage that we get directly from our inner fire.
That warm,
Bright,
Inner connection to courage,
To knowing that we can do hard things.
And we'll sit with that for a moment as you say to yourself,
I can do hard things.
I have the inner strength and inner support to do hard things.
We'll sit with that and let it soak in.
I can do hard things.
I have the inner support and the inner guidance to do hard things.
When we stay connected to that inner experience of the fire element,
Our ability to burn through things that we no longer need,
That can support us in the process of moving forward,
Of making change that supports our growth.
And that comes from that healthy,
Bright,
Inner fire.
As you take your next couple of breaths,
Feeling that direct connection.
Every breath is bringing that fresh air to fuel your fire,
Keeping it strong and bright.
Feeding you that strength to do hard things.
Feeding you that strength to do hard things.
Giving you that ability to burn through what you no longer need.
This is our connection to strength.
This is our connection to an inner knowing that guides our growth.
This is how the Niyama of Tapas helps us to create a stronger connection to ourselves.
Thank you for joining me in this practice.
I hope that it has created a stronger connection to your true self,
And a connection to your own inner guidance.
