Two and on her mat

Category : Asanas (Postures), General advice, Philosophy 22nd June 2012

Inside Yoga 56 (21/6/12)

One morning recently our daughter, who is just over two years old, was in our bed and we were all dozing – well, the adults were trying their best to get some real sleep, but a small toddler had other ideas.

Suddenly, she sat up and announced with a determined edge to her voice: “Must do yoga”!!! She crawled to edge of our bed, slipped down to the floor and picked up the yoga mat we have in the bedroom. She then unrolled it – she got me to do this bit – and then got on the mat to start her practice!

I was so impressed. It is not the first time she has decided of her on accord to do some yoga on one of our mats, as she sees both her dad and mum practising and often wants to do something. What so impressed me this time was that she said these three words with such conviction – “must do yoga”!

It showed the kind of passion and determination that is encouraged in the yogi – yoga practitioner – and especially as we are encouraged to do some practice first thing in the morning as soon as we get up, before breakfast and the rest of the day gets going.

One of the guidelines in Patanjali’s yoga sutras is called tapas. It literally means heat or to burn, but in this context the heat refers to spiritual heat and purification, the passion to practice and wish realise the truth (of our existence). It is the kind of heat we need to drive us and give us the energy and motivation we need. With a small “s” in spiritual it is the heat that helps us work hard at getting rid of what we don’t need in our lives through yoga practice.

In the context of hatha yoga, tapas means – according to TKV Desikachar – the practice of asanas and pranayama (physical and breathing exercises) which help get rid of blocks and impurities in our system, and other benefits. “It is the same principle as heating gold in order to purify it,” he says.

Tapas according to BKS Iyengar means: “a burning effort under all circumstances to achieve a definite goal in life. It involves purification, self-discipline and austerity.”

In life nothing comes for free, to most of us, and effort is usually required – yoga is no different. But before you think this sounds a bit harsh or tough, Iyengar adds: “By tapas the yogi develops strength in body, mind and character. He (or she) gains courage and wisdom, integrity, straightforwardness and simplicity.”

Therefore, the benefits of yoga can be found through developing tapas as part of our practice.

And going back to morning our daughter got on the yoga mat with such passionate tapas, being just over two her attention span is not that of an adult and it wasn’t long before she had finished her yoga and was asking for breakfast!



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