This yoga class transforms your struggle into strength

When we find ourselves in the midst of a challenging time – whether we are in the middle of an intense work deadline or having a heated argument with a loved one – well-meaning friends will shake their heads in sympathy and tell us that the only way out is the way out. But what does it really mean to endure suffering and come to the other side?

It turns out that classical yoga has a concept that can guide us in transforming our situation.

In the second chapter of the The Yoga SutrasPatanjali begins his discussion on how to practice yoga with the word tapas– and he’s not talking about Spanish cuisine! Sometimes tapas is translated as ‘learning from our suffering’, but it actually means ‘burning’, just as you might burn away impurities by heating gold. That’s why I often call yoga a form of alchemy.

What is Tapas?

Patanjali explains: “action yogathe path of action, consists of tapas (self-discipline), study (reflection), and ishvara pranidhana (devotion to the divine). Tapas is again mentioned as a third aspect niyamawhich is the second part of the eight-limbed path of yoga.

With this focus on tapas, Patanjali makes a life-changing statement about the value of our suffering. We can transform our pain through the alchemy of yoga. That doesn’t mean we use spiritual circumvention to avoid suffering. It means that by experiencing the pain and understanding why we suffer, we can become wiser and ultimately experience more peace.

I think this is one of the most misunderstood aspects of yoga. It is a path through suffering, not around it. Yoga practice begins with a willingness to learn from our pain and suffering – to feel it. Practicing tapas starts with being honest with yourself. It stops your immediate reflexive response to pain and stays with it. Even if you can sit with it for one breath, you have successfully practiced yoga. It is a practice more challenging than the most complicated asana (pose). Only then can you reflect on why you are suffering, and ultimately surrender to the truth that you already have what you need.

Tapas in everyday life

Recently my husband made a comment about how when I water the plants on our porch I’m not careful and the water flows all over the place. I remember noticing how quickly my mind began to think of an answer – looking for something I could criticize him for in retaliation. Then I stopped for a moment and noticed what I was feeling. It was the pain of this slight criticism.

And this is the tricky part. Tapas is not an invitation to accept abuse. It increases self-knowledge by shining a light on our unhealed trauma.

I still snapped back at my husband about not watering the plants at all. But at least I saw my mind in action. I became more sensitive to the fact that when I’m in pain, I don’t respond in a way that aligns with my larger goals in life.

For example, I love my husband and want to build a loving and supportive relationship with him. So instead of looking back, I could have honestly said, “When you criticize me, it hurts my feelings.” The truth would have allowed him to understand me and get closer to me, instead of pushing him away by criticizing him in return.

The work of tapas for me is to expose the reasons why I don’t allow greater intimacy in my life. This means that I understand why I think I am unworthy of love. It includes many other false beliefs, based on past traumas, that keep my mind in a reactive state. Tapas is the willingness to experience the suffering that comes my way, rather than avoiding pain through blaming others or through addictive behavior.

I repeat: tapas is not an excuse to accept abuse. This point is especially important for anyone who has been abused, marginalized, or otherwise experienced trauma. Don’t let spiritual practice become an excuse to accept abuse or allow yourself to be controlled by someone else, such as a teacher or “guru.”

It’s a skillful balancing act. How do we use our yoga practice to open our hearts and learn from our suffering, without accepting abuse or avoiding pain through spiritual bypassing?

Martin Luther King Jr. explained it so clearly when he said, “As my suffering increased, I quickly realized that there were two ways I could respond to my situation: either react with bitterness or try to turn the suffering into a creative force. I decided to take the latter course.”

Ultimately, it is a way to transform our suffering and move away from victimhood. We can transmute our suffering through the embodied practice of yoga. We experience anger, pain, frustration, disappointment and sadness in our bodies. So we need a physical and energetic practice to support the healthy processing of these emotions. It all works together in a beautiful choreography.

This is a very personal experience and it is not something we can tell anyone else. It can easily be misunderstood and lead to victim blaming. But ultimately, tapas is a gateway to empowerment.

To dive deeper into how to practice tapas and all eight limbs of yoga, join Jivana Heyman for his upcoming live online course, Accessible pranayama and meditation: exploring the eight limbs of yoga. The above text is taken from Yoga Revolution: Building a Practice of Courage and Compassion.