To the removal of things that do not serve us...To the taking out of the trash...To the wringing out of toxins and rubbish.....
Tapas to the rescue! Tapas is a Niyama, a self discipline on the list of 8 limbs of yoga. What is Tapas? It is literally to "heat" or "cleanse"...but so much more. It is a self discipline that may show in motivation, passion, deprivation or elimination. It is really known as the first rung on the ladder to self-improvement. By practicing asana and pranayama you start to burn out excess impurities and rid yourself of blockages. It is like heating gold to remove the rubbish and purify.
It also includes watching what we eat, and not over-eating at meals. Over-eating is like the opposite of tapas. Also paying attention to body posture and breathing patterns. Just starting to notice where you may need to make small changes. If you are breathing shallow, to become aware of that and start to take deeper breaths. If you find yourself slouching, you start to lift yourself up. The main way to see if tapas is working for you....is to ask yourself "Am I moving forward?" That is the key to tapas...is everything you do serving you in the most positive way possible. If you are fasting for months or withholding from yourself, do you notice changes for the positive, or are you suffering? If you are suffering, you are not making strides forward, you are staying stagnant or even staying in the same rut.
Use your inner fire, your inner flame for good, not evil. If you hear your inner voice yelling at your when you pick up that diet coke...maybe it's trying to steer you in the right, forward moving direction...listen to it! If your inner voice is telling you that you are fat and lazy...well, that negativity doesn't serve you (or maybe it is gently trying to tell you to get moving)... just keep asking yourself does that work towards my main purpose? Is that going to help me in the long run? Remember, just because it is something that may be hard to hear, doesn't mean you don't need to hear it.
I personally need to have a flame lit under my arse a couple of times a week. However, I do notice the more yoga I do, and the more breath work and meditating I do, the less I have to work to fuel the flame.
