8 Limbs Yoga & Oils: Tapas
Do you love a good camp fire? I know I do. My girls, too. They're warm, mesmerizing, and make great s'mores.
Did you know sometimes foresters purposefully start fires? They're called prescribed burns. A controlled or prescribed burn is an intentionally set wildfire. Usually it's for forest management, prairie restoration, or the like. It might seem odd to do this, but fire is actually a tool for a forest, prairie or grassland. It can help with germination, get rid of too much ground cover, and help renew a forest. Controlled fires are vital for growth. Wild fires? Well we know those can get out of control, burning up anything in their path.
Did you know sometimes foresters purposefully start fires? They're called prescribed burns. A controlled or prescribed burn is an intentionally set wildfire. Usually it's for forest management, prairie restoration, or the like. It might seem odd to do this, but fire is actually a tool for a forest, prairie or grassland. It can help with germination, get rid of too much ground cover, and help renew a forest. Controlled fires are vital for growth. Wild fires? Well we know those can get out of control, burning up anything in their path.
image courtesy of www.forestry.ok.gov
Tapas is the Niyama often translate as ‘austerity’ or ‘discipline’ or 'right action'. It's root, tap, means to burn and this relates to our internal fire or passion. It can also be be related to the burn or friction we feel by going against the grain of habit. Tapas is the fervor of striving to be the best you can, which may mean shifting what you do and how you do it. If you tend toward complacency, of doing what’s easiest, of getting away with things, you might need to stoke your inner fire. In this sense the burn can be felt by creating action through willpower as you consciously create new habits.
And let's be honest.
Willpower and discipline are necessary to create a new habit. You have to think about it a LOT before it becomes habit and you no longer have to think about it! If you tend toward a fiery personality and you let that fire burn out of control, tapas for you might involve putting the breaks on compulsive, aggressive, ambitious behavior in all realms of your life. Either way you slice it, tapas is about pairing your passion with self-discipline so your fire burns strong and bright, controlled and steady. It takes intention to learn to apply the right amount of effort or discipline to all aspect of our lives. The thing is:
And let's be honest.
Willpower and discipline are necessary to create a new habit. You have to think about it a LOT before it becomes habit and you no longer have to think about it! If you tend toward a fiery personality and you let that fire burn out of control, tapas for you might involve putting the breaks on compulsive, aggressive, ambitious behavior in all realms of your life. Either way you slice it, tapas is about pairing your passion with self-discipline so your fire burns strong and bright, controlled and steady. It takes intention to learn to apply the right amount of effort or discipline to all aspect of our lives. The thing is:
Passion Paired with Self-Discipline Creates Space for You to Shine
To experience Tapas on the mat we can:
Off the mat we can:
- know where to place our discipline. That could making time to practice each day, getting to your class 10 minutes early so you have time settle in and quiet your mind, trying those poses like crow or handstand that we might tend to avoid.
- try Kapalbhati breathing (Breath of Fire). This breathing technique builds heat in the body. You can find a good tutorial HERE
- create a new yoga habit. Maybe that's adding 10 minutes of meditation to our practice or taking time to fully clean our mat after each use. Perhaps learn about an essential oil's benefits and add it to your practice. Whatever it is, mindfully discipline yourself to follow through on it for at least 7 days
- bring discipline to your thoughts. In order to make space for what we do want, we need to clean out what we don't want. Observe your thinking during class. Reframe negative self-talk into positive. Fuel your mind with goodness.
- focus on your core, the site of our inner fire. You know those gut feelings we have? The ones we feel really passionate about? They come from our core, not just our abdomen, but the core of our being. Listen to them! And add some core work to your practice. This energy center governs our sense of self confidence, inner strength, willpower and self discipline. Stoke that baby up!
Off the mat we can:
- take time to observe our thoughts. To create or change anything, we must being with thought. Some of our thoughts are habitual and could a bit of cleansing; judgments, fears, self-doubts and self-limiting beliefs to name a few. Begin by noticing when these come up. Then slowly aim to replace them with the positive opposite.
- be a good editor. Not only our thoughts, but also our words could sometimes use a good controlled burning! It is one thing to speak our mind and another to so thoughtfully and compassionately, in a tone that communicates what we truly desire.
- look for imbalance. This could be lethargy or overly-active behavior, spending too much time on social media or at work, hanging out with people who suck our energy dry and bring us down. Noticing where our imbalances lie enables us to make changes that will bring what we need into our lives.
- choose a habit to change or create. Habits are tough, yo. They are hard to break because the repeated action literally creates a "groove" or pathway in the brain that's difficult to get out of. They are hard to create because it takes effort before it doesn't. Commit to changing a negative habit or creating a new life-affirming habit. Call upon your willpower and discipline until it becomes a habit.
Today's yoga and oils challenge invites you to feel empowered with:
Oil: Ginger
Mudra: Surya Mudra
Pose: Navasana (Boat)
Sequence: Boat, toe taps, Russian Twists, in and outs
Intention: My passions are fueled and tempered by my discipline
Oil: Ginger
Mudra: Surya Mudra
Pose: Navasana (Boat)
Sequence: Boat, toe taps, Russian Twists, in and outs
Intention: My passions are fueled and tempered by my discipline
Ginger is the oil of Empowerment. It powerfully encourages us to be fully present, wholly committed, and participate in life. Ginger empowers us to take responsibility for our life circumstances based on integrity and individual choice. We are able to see ourselves as the creators of our own lives. Instead of waiting for outside circumstances to change, ginger allows us to accept them as they are and take positive steps toward the change we wish to see.
This oil is a hot one! You will need to dilute it if you are using it topically. It's is great in the diffuser or spray bottle during a class, and blends really well with any citrus oil. It's fabulous for digestion-related concerns, and can be used in the kitchen as a flavoring agent for any recipe you might normally use grated ginger.
This oil is a hot one! You will need to dilute it if you are using it topically. It's is great in the diffuser or spray bottle during a class, and blends really well with any citrus oil. It's fabulous for digestion-related concerns, and can be used in the kitchen as a flavoring agent for any recipe you might normally use grated ginger.
Surya mudra helps to increases the fire element in your body, which acts as a catalyst. It can enhance or it can regularize your inner body vigor. Surya mudra can boost their activity and pace. It also increases heat in the body, improves metabolism, promoting weight loss, and strengthens the eyes and improves vision.
- bend the ring finger to touch the thumb
- extend remaining fingers outward
Navasana or boat pose is great core workout. When we think of our internal fire, we often think of our gut. This pose strengthens the core muscles while aiding digestion, challenging balance, strengthening your lower back and building your patience. Your core is so important, not only to yoga, but also to support your spine and help with balance. Those core muscles are connected to your legs, which means they affect the way you stand, squat, sit, and move through life. While straight legs are a goal, bent knees will help you keep the action in your core, keep your spine long and your chest lifted.
- start in a seated position with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor
- inhale lengthening through the spine, exhale lifting your feet off the floor and keeping your knees bent at first.
- inhale lift through the spine lifting the chest as though you had a marionette string attached there, rolling your shoulders back and straightening your arms roughly parallel to the floor
- pull your core in, breathing for 5-10 breaths
- exhale lowering the hands and the feet back to the floor
Tapas Sequence is inspired by Morgan Taylor and her e-book The Ab Asanas. You can fit this in to a yoga practice in the middle to end, or use it on it's own as core work.
Did you try Ginger today? How about boat pose or the ab sequence? Comment below and let us know! If you're sharing on Instagram, be sure to use the hashtag #EightLimbschallenge and #niyamachallenge, and do tag me @alifethatglows so I can check it out and cheer you on!
- find boat pose, sitting tall and sucking your belly button inwards toward the spine, relax the shoulders down, pause and breathe 3-5 breaths
- release the right toes to the floor, tapping them on an inhale, then drawing them up on an exhale. Repeat with on each side, following the breath 8-10x
- find boat pose and bring hands to anjali mudra (palms at heart center). Inhale twist to the right, exhale back to center. Inhale twist left, exhale back to center. Repeat 8-10x
- find boat pose and place the hands behind the hips. Inhale extending the legs out in front of without letting them touch the floor. Exhale drawing the knees in. Repeat 8-10x
- relax the body down the floor. Roll to lay on the belly. Place hands under the shoulders and push through the toes to come to upward dog, stretching through the front body. Release into child's pose.
Did you try Ginger today? How about boat pose or the ab sequence? Comment below and let us know! If you're sharing on Instagram, be sure to use the hashtag #EightLimbschallenge and #niyamachallenge, and do tag me @alifethatglows so I can check it out and cheer you on!