Did you set any intentions for this year, got started, and then got lost on the way? That happens a lot of the time when trying to change our patterns. Therefor I want to inspire you to get back on track through the concept of Tapas, discipline. But what is this and how do we apply it in a good way? Learn more here and get started!
Make you your top priority
Many of us started the year with great intentions (maybe), to do more yoga, meditate, eat more greens, watch less television, go out in the nature more, cut sugar, go vegan, no alcohol... you name it.
But then, as we usually dive into it too fast and too strong, comes February, comes summer, comes atumn, and we realize that we have collapsed and dropped everything along the way. Does this resonate? Well it truly resonates to me and I want to hold space for you to carry on with your intentions and make YOU your top priority. Always.
Tapas – discipline
You can think of Tapas as that little flame or that little voice inside of you that motivates, gives you a little kick in the butt and keeps you on track with anything that you hold dear and important in your life. Without Tapas, we would procrastinate forever and ignore the sometimes difficult and hard things in life. Without Tapas you would not go so far in owning your life and becoming who you truly are meant to become. What you leave behind, you are sure to find in front of you at some point, in the same form or another.
The word Tapas is derived from the root Sanskrit verb "tap" which means "to burn", and evokes a sense of discipline or passion. It’s that inner motivation that gets us, for example, on the yoga mat day after day (when healthy). Discipline doesn’t mean pushing ourselves harder and harder in our physical practice though. Just actually making the time to get on the mat, meditate or practice for even 15 minutes every day is enough, but can also be difficult to maintain- for that we need Tapas. It is the discipline and determination that fires us up about our goals and our dreams. As one of yoga’s core philosophical principles, Tapas is one of the 5 Niyamas, or "contracts with oneself"- practices that greatly magnify our progress on the path of, not only yoga, but life.
In the Tantric approach (as I have introduced to you as our core philosophical approach at my yogastudio Pranama), we summon and invoke goddesses to support us in our tasks and further more, in our lives.
Meet Durga - the goddess of power and strength
Durga is perhaps the most important goddess of the Hindus. She is a multi-dimensional goddess with many names and many personas, just like us. We are all unique with our gifts and powers, still doing this/being in this together.
Durga is the embodiment of purity, knowledge, truth and self-realization. Everything that supports our Tapas. Durga is often also associated with the energy of protection and is known not only for her strength, but also for her firm mothering energy.
Invite Durga to your practice
Chant out/ recite in your head 9 times:
Aum dum durgaye namaha [Ohm doom Door-gai-yey nuh-mu-hu]
“Om and Salutations to that feminine energy which protects from all manner of negative influences.”
I promise you it will be powerful and just that little bit of extra to get you in the mood for your practice – Your offering for the healing of the World.
Reading recommendations
- Cut yourself some slack, by Satu Tuomela
- Stay a while, by Ulrica Norberg
- Evening Routine – How to end your day feeling relaxed, by Yogobe
Online classes for inspiration and guidance
Meditere with
Explore the world of goddesses – invoke your inner potential.
Meditere with
Grab a pen and paper and get ready to commit to this affirmation.
Yoga with
Embodied Yin: Work with the meridian pair for spleen and stomach.
Yoga with
By repeating a sequence of familiar asanas you'll experience what it is to embody your knowledge in a free flow for the whole body.
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