what does tapasya mean?
Tapasya is often interpreted as penance. In the context that I shall be talking about here, these penances are spiritual practices, or, the techniques of mental, emotional, physical growth that we use to develop, release and grow our own Highest aspects.
what is the purpose of tapasya?
The purpose of this penance is to raise, or
increase, the inner energy. This energy is somewhat like a fire, it is hot, and it burns away impurities within us.
These impurities can be to do with the physical
body: in this case, burning away some of the tendencies to be prone to certain
ailments. These ailments and illnesses are to do with:
- the current genetic DNA
- past life genetic DNA
- past life severe illnesses such as the Black Death; epidemics, famines
- past life wars, tortures
- past life repetitive illnesses & traumas that affect a particular part, or aspect, of the body
how does tapasya manifest
Importantly, tapasya often manifests as
physical “illness” as in fevers, sweating, dizziness. As though one actually does have a serious illness. Like 'burning' off our impurities.
tapasya has nothing to do with psychology
tapasya has nothing to do with psychology
The impurities are also to do with mental and/or emotional tendencies, both of which are also stored in the body memory.
The basis of these tendencies can be present life, however, much of it will be
to do with past life trauma. Trauma blocks energy, whether we are aware of
having experienced that trauma, or not.
So, tapasya affects us with purification of our
body, the contents of our mind, and our emotions. Tapasya cannot be psycho
analysed, nor analysed into “getting better”. And, because we are dealing with deep seated, subconconscious and unconscious aspects here, affirmations and visualisations
are too trite to work on tapasya.
we need to ride this inner fire
Tapasya affects us on a far deeper level than we can imagine, and when we are experiencing it, we just need to “ride the tempest”. Because it does pass.
we need to ride this inner fire
Tapasya affects us on a far deeper level than we can imagine, and when we are experiencing it, we just need to “ride the tempest”. Because it does pass.
With each bout of the tapasya heat “illness”:
- one’s mind becomes cleaner and clearer
- the emotions become steadier and impact on us less
- the body becomes healthier and stronger on a mental/emotional resilience level
- and all of these are then less affected by present day trauma
Of course, as very human beings, we are, by our
very nature, by our very incarnations, prone to react to trauma. This is an
important part of the human experience and need not be denied. For, these
very painful experiences are trauma aspects of life that we are predestined to
experience. They bring us:
Qualities which are part of our Higher Being.
our human need to experience
- wisdom
- understanding
- caring
Qualities which are part of our Higher Being.
our human need to experience
It would be naive to assume that “being”
spiritual; “being” nice, caring; “doing” yoga or whatever path that you are
following, that any of these will magically transport one into a majestic
Higher Being. No, spirituality, and life itself, do not work that way. We learn and develop through experience.
the inner fire of purification
And, it would also be a mistake to think that
yoga is the only way to achieve tapasya cleansing. There have always been
ancient hidden paths, such as the deeper hidden knowledge still practiced by
monks in China, and by the Maori Tohunga in Aotearoa (New Zealand).
In any spiritual system, our deeper aspects,
they are stirred up, and with this stirring, a lot of karma, physical, mental and emotional, it just leaves us. It is beyond intellectual or psycho
analysis.
Over 40 years ago, I met and (briefly) learnt
off Dr Swami Gitananda. He said that it was healthy to burn our impurities
through “illness” (tapasya), and that yoga aspirants should not think badly
of this happening.
I know that in many yoga circles that it is considered “bad” to experience tapasya, and that to do so, means that you are not physically healthy. In other yoga circles it is considered that one has “problems” (mentally and emotionally), if someone gets sick with tapasya heat. Both of these attitudes and beliefs are spiritually ignorant.
tapasya takes us into Higher Realms
I know that in many yoga circles that it is considered “bad” to experience tapasya, and that to do so, means that you are not physically healthy. In other yoga circles it is considered that one has “problems” (mentally and emotionally), if someone gets sick with tapasya heat. Both of these attitudes and beliefs are spiritually ignorant.
tapasya takes us into Higher Realms
Part of the tapasya experience is not only the
burning of deep impressions within our whole psyche, but also the moving of a
more intense energy than what we are used to. This energy, it can swirl, the
chakras can spin powerfully, both at a more intense level; the heat and sweating continues until the energy has stabilised.
This stabilising is an important part of the
process. It leads to the energy being “established”, becoming permanent, until,
of course, it increases again with the next experience of tapasya.
And, tapasya often keeps going at a smaller
level, in meditation, when the inner heat arises. I always get students “to be
aware of the effects of the practices” at an experienced level, at the end of
meditation, before opening the eyes, as it helps the energy from that
experience to be stabilised. And after Yoga Nidra, I do the same, to establish
the expansion of consciousness which occurs in deep relaxation.
This will help with the ongoing, and necessary, process of tapasya, in a subtle and very easy way. And, although we will still have times when the tapasya fires rage, we can manage these dramatic happenings by having a small sadhana (spiritual practice) which keeps our inner fires burning at consistently growing levels, so that we gradually adjust to the smaller rises of energy and the corresponding expansion of consciousness, from our practices.
Because this expansion of energy is also an
important part of tapasya. The levels of energy and levels of consciousness,
they grow, side by side. Part of the experience of the heat, the
dizziness, is also us adjusting to the more expanded, far grander, level of
consciousness that accompanies it.
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