Tapas comes from the root Sanskrit verb “tap” which translates as “heat” or “burn”. It is defined as the self-discipline needed to withstand catharsis. We are told that the heat of Tapas burns away our impurities, much like the process of exposing iron to extreme temperatures to convert it into steel. As such, tapas is any practice in which we “feel the burn”, those circumstances or situations that push us to the limits of our discomfort but transform us into a higher version of ourselves.
Many of the most significant changes in our lives are a result of painful or difficult experiences. It can be hard to see how a struggle will change us when we are in the middle of it; we can only stay with the discomfort knowing we will be transformed. Practicing Tapas builds endurance; through it we learn that meaningful transformation takes effort, patience, and commitment. Yogic philosophy refers to it as a spiritual muscle that pushes us through adversity. By learning to endure discomfort we come to understand that our intentions can be stronger than any setbacks.
Tapas is intended as a daily practice, one in which we engage in small acts of self-denial. The benefits are cumulative; with time we delay gratification we build the strength and tenacity to endure the next challenge. Yogic scholar George Feuerstein describes Tapas as a practice in “creative self-frustration”, one that leads to the delight of gaining control over our impulses. It starts with small acts of denial, skipping a piece of chocolate, getting up early to exercise when we would rather sleep, pulling our attention away from mindless videos on TikTok. It is a process of intentionally exposing ourselves to frustration and mild discomfort with the intention of building our capacity to withstand the uncertainty of change. We learn that we don’t fall apart when we feel frustrated or uncomfortable. As our tolerance grows, we can delay gratification for larger and more complex desires.
The self-discipline of Tapas does not offer a path to perfection, nor does it provide immunity from adversity. It can be compared to the physiology of strength training whereby muscles get stronger when they are repeatedly exposed to loads that are beyond their capacity. Sensing a heavy load, the brain recruits more muscle fibers so that, over time, we are able lift more weight. Sometimes muscles experience small tears in response to heavy loads which stimulates them to grow back stronger. Tapas is strength training for the soul. It is an acknowledgement that throughout life all of us will be exposed to challenges that are beyond our capacity to bear. Although painful, these experiences hold the promise for growth. Tapas is there to prepare us for the challenge.
Building self-discipline is not a linear process. It grows in fits and starts, with times during which we easily resist desire and others when we indulge. Tapas encourages us to keep trying, whether it be one more time or 100 more times, until we learn the lesson that life is trying to teach us. It reminds us that life is a landscape full of peaks and valleys, and that part of the growth process is a recognition of our capacity for relapse. The goal is not perfection but growth and resilience, a process of refining our actions through the lessons we learn along the way.
Yogic philosophy tells us that who we are is a reflection of the choices we’ve made in life. Choice is an essential element of Tapas. Painful experiences are an inevitable part of life; how we choose to react to them can be either transformative or lead to suffering. Suffering comes when we run from pain, when we grasp onto what we wish life would be rather than accepting the reality of the moment. Sometimes we grasp because we lack confidence in our capacity to withstand discomfort. Other times we long for things to remain the same, attempting to hold on to what makes us feel safe, afraid of an uncertain future. But the very nature of life is change; it holds the promise of growth and renewal that is possible only when we surrender to what is offered in the moment. Stagnation and suffering are not an outcome of painful experiences; rather, they are the product of our very resistance to those experiences. We are afraid of the uncertainty, of not knowing exactly what lies on the other side of adversity. What will be lost and what will be gained by exposing ourselves to the fire? How much will it hurt? We can never know for sure, but Tapas is there to help us build our confidence and capacity to withstand the difficult process of transformation.
Our “no pain, no gain” culture carries the allure of self-improvement, promising us that happiness and success await at the other end of discomfort. We can become so immersed in this attitude that we believe we’ve failed when there is no pot of gold awaiting on the other side of adversity. But the path to growth rarely follows such a straight line; it is hard to navigate, with many sections covered in weeds and overgrowth that frequently lead us to false starts and dead ends. It requires the tenacity that comes with self-discipline. It is a daily chore of knowing what to say “yes” to and when to say “no”, over and over again, and learning what works along the way. Tapas offers a paradigm that supports and strengthens this process. Our capacity to endure the struggle often does provide happiness, but Tapas holds the promise of a deeper sense of satisfaction, one in which we find wisdom and meaning in our lives.
As you go through the week ahead, I invite you to consider your willingness to step into the fire. Notice how often you exercise your muscle of self-discipline. What painful experiences are you willing to face and what desires you are willing to say “no” to? The overarching lesson of Tapas is that we can’t avoid pain, but we can grow our capacity to endure it. Tapas helps us develop, as Feuerstein calls it, the “creative self-frustration” that will lead to a life that helps us endure the difficulties of life with the promise of emerging transformed as the most brilliant version of our true self.
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