Love, eagerness and enthusiasm towards your practices.....

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,

This week in class we are considering the practice of Tapas.

As butter lies hidden within milk,
The Self is hidden in the hearts of all.
Churn the mind through meditation on it;
Light your fire through meditation on it:
The Self, all whole, all peace, all certitude.

- Amritabindu Upanishad

Meditation enables us to understand the teachings of the scriptures and apply them in our daily life. It is meditation that reveals the inner Self dwelling in all things.

But the practice of meditation is like a long journey: some days we make wonderful progress, and others we seem barely able to go one step. Like a veteran traveler who knows the road, when we gain a little experience of the benefits, we'll look forward to our meditation period. We'll sit down for meditation with eagerness and enthusiasm each day.

Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran

The homework is to consider the third Niyama or Tapas. Tapas is defined as austerity and discipline. Consider how you can apply Tapas to your own Yoga practices. Find out through your own experiences if you can bring a commitment born of Love to your practice of Yoga. When you have been consistent in your Love, eagerness and enthusiasm towards your practices then you are indeed practicing tapas.

Blessings,

paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994

www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com

Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003