Tapas – Derived from the root tap which means ‘to burn’, ‘to blaze into flames’, ‘to shine’ or ‘to be consumed by fire’. Therefore it means making an ardent effort on all levels, in any circumstances, in order to accomplish a clear goal in life. Tapas entails austerity, discipline, controlling the body by fasting or other means. Tapas is the third of the niyama. The entire science of building character can be seen as the practice of tapas. Tapas represents a conscious effort to burn away all the desires that hinder our progress on th epath toward the goal to reach ultimate fusion with the divine. However it is very important to be deeply aware of the goal to which we dedicate the tapas. Wise yogin-s say that life without tapas is like a heart without love. Without tapas, the mind and the heart cannot fuse into the divine. There are three kinds of tapas. It can refer to:

    • The body (kāyika) – Continence (brahmacarya) and non-violence (ahiṁsā) are examples of tapas for training the body.
    • The speech (vacika) – Using only harmless words, speaking only words of truth, reciting hymns of praise to God and not talking negatively about other people are forms of tapas of speech.
    • The mind (manasika) – To develop a mental attitude in which you remain calm and detached in either joy or pain, and always keeping self-control, are both examples of mental tapas.

True tapas is achieved when one acts without any selfish reason or hope of reward. Tapas always brings us great power, but when it is used for egoistic purposes, it will only bind you further to the chains of illusion. Through tapas the yogin acquires power of body, mind and character. He gains courage, wisdom, integrity, firmness and simplicity.

Tapasya means energy produced by fire. It is purification through this fire, which requires the effort of separating opposite forces and then bringing them back together again, that creates a tremendous amount of energy. In his comment on the Yoga Sūtra-s, Sage Vyāsa says, “Tapas is the product of extremes, such as hunger and satiety, cold and warmth, standing and lying down, immobility and movement, using techniques like bodily constraints such as fasting”.

In the Yoga Sūtra-s, Patan͂jali says, “Through tapas impurities are destroyed, negative karma is burned and perfection of the body and the sense organs, is achieved.” He recommends that you train the sense organs and the body to work together perfectly, in order to be able to practice true meditation lasting several hours. There should not be any uneasiness or discomfort during meditation caused by organic weaknesses.
There are 5 types of austerities. These five “fiery” austerities remove toxins in the body and strengthen it, so that it is able to meditate:

    • Exposing the body to the Sun, to make the skin resistant.
    • Exposing the body to the heat of a fire, to make the skin thin and brownish
    • Specific prāṇāyāma for creating heat in the body
    • The intensification of the fire of concentration by focusing on a single point
    • The fire of fasting

Because their deep nature is free from limiting prejudices concerning comfort and pleasure, advanced yogin-s have no trouble keeping brahmacarya and practicing tapas. In difficult situations, a yogin will not get nervous. Actually this is not a matter of self-control, but rather of the revelation of his inner nature, which is permanently calm and always shows equanimity.

Tapas implies that we are putting the body through intense heat with the purpose of purifying it. The action is similar to that of a goldsmith who puts gold through intense heat in order to make it of a purer grade. Through the practice of tapas, one can become “tough” both physically and mentally so that one can withstand hardships. Tapas purifies the jiva (spirit) as fire purifies gold. The agent of change is heat or fire. To undergo a transformation will require the application of heat. Our actions, practices and attitude build a purifying heat.

Tapas tend to channel prāṇa inward, away from mere sense indulgence, thereby leading to a concentration of force within, which results in the building of a heat and a purification on the physical and subtle levels. The body and senses will refine and the attitude will mature, as your practices direct energy away from pre-conditioned habits to a place of integrity within. In time you will notice a heat build inside, closer to the sacrum, behind the pubic bone going up to the navel. Your body transforms and becomes light, your senses follow your will, not the other way round, and your attitude becomes open and increasingly unselfish.
Tapas brings the body and senses to a state of excellence. Through a disciplined approach to work and self-sacrifice, Tapas will burn away the negativity that separates us from God. By working our hardest and happily enduring the hardships of life we are able to create a sense of peace and clarity in ourselves.