Niyama Flow - Reading #3 - TAPAS

pronounced: Tah-pahs
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WHAT IS TAPAS?
Discipline
Austerity
Passion
Fire 
Courage

First of all, ‘discipline’ doesn’t strictly mean pushing ourselves harder in a physical sense. Sometimes just actually making the time to get on the mat and meditate, or practice for 10 minutes every day is difficult enough! For some, Tapas will mean making time to be still and observing the mind, and for others it’ll mean working on strength ...-Ekhartyoga 

Use of Intention -
What is the first thing you think about when you wake up?
Do you ever take time to stop in the day and notice where your mind has been wandering?
Take some time today or tomorrow to notice your intentions. 
Your mind is meant to create, grow, learn. 
Lead it in the right direction.


PHYSICAL FOCUS

Pranayama - Kapalabhati - Breath of Fire
Core
Balance

PHYSICAL POSTURES

Chaturanga Dandasana - Four Limbed Staff Pose
Natarajasana - Dancer Pose
Vasisthasana -  Side Plank
Navasana - Boat Pose
Ardha Chandrasana - Half Moon Pose
Bakasana - Crow Pose
Ananada Balasana - Happy Baby

PERSONAL THOUGHTS

At times finding our fire is easy. We feel motivated, focused, ready to go. Other times, even getting up in the morning with any sort of fervor can be challenging. I'm not here to tell you that these practices will cure everything and make things easy (I know that would be nice). But they may make things easIER. By changing our mentality and aligning our mind in what direction we want to go, the rest of us (our body, our spirit, even the parts of our mind in the way back that don't want to do ANYTHING difficult) will begin to follow. We are creatures of pattern and habit. We cling to information. If you do not create your own intentions, the mind will cling to something else in it's vicinity. Hence, the fear of peer pressure, the fear of toxic relationships, the fear of watching too much violence on television. The more we surround our minds with patterns of strength, perseverance, and confidence, the more focus we have of the direction of our path. 

Class Exercise: Imagine or remember a time where you felt fired up, excited, motivated to wake up and live life. Cultivate this idea. Breathe it in. Bring it to class.
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~ Wren

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