Tapas: The Sacred Fire
The term tapas is mentioned repeatedly in the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali, particularly in the second chapter detailing the path of practice. It is an integral part of Kriya yoga, the yoga of purification (alongside svādhyāya, self-study, and iśvara pranidhāna, surrender to the Divine). Tapas is translated as heat, devoted discipline and a burning desire to practice. Through our practice we generate internal heat and burn the impurities in the body and the six enemies within the spiritual heart, which are:
- kama (insatiable desire),
- moha (attachment and delusion),
- lobha (greed),
- krodha (anger),
- madhya (arrogance),
- matysara (jealousy)
Trataka is one of the practices mentioned in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. It involves staring into a flame without blinking to cleanse the eyes (as well as gaze) and as a meditation.
This symbol of heat features prominently in many of the texts and across spiritual traditions.
In the great Indian epic, the Ramayana, after Sita (Rama’s wife) is rescued from Lanka, she walks into the sacrificial fire to demonstrate her purity. Shiva’s first wife, Sati, felt that her father humilated her husband, Shiva, in his house. When her father arranged a yajna (fire ceremony), as an act of protest and of devotion, she stepped into the fire to immolate herself and uphold Shiva’s honour. In fact, the feminine, Shakti, is often associated with fire, prāna and energy. Goddess Kali is ferocious about our liberation and is depicted carrying her sword of discrimination which cuts through the fire of delusion. Fire is an integral part of the puja (prayer) ceremonies we partake of.
The Dakinis (the irreverent and mischevious goddesses in the Tibetan Vajrayana practice) are understood as the female embodiment of enlightenment which can manifest in many forms.Simhavaktra dakini is seen with her hair ablaze with the Fire of Wisdom, which is thought to burn away obstacles to recognizing the illusion that objects are physically solid and different from the mind. Her hair floats upward as if in waves of fire. Tibetan Buddhists understand flame to be siumltaneously destructive and purifying. In some meditative systems, the fire of wisdom is the product of meditation that concentrates and directs heat within the meditators own body. It is an advanced practice involving precise breath control and visualization closely associated with dakini practice. Other dakinis appear within entire haloes of fire.
Even in the Abrahamic religions, imagery of fire persists, especially amongst the Mystics. Moses confronts a burning bush. There is mention of the “sparks” of the Divine. St Francis of Assisi talked about the fire of holy friendship, which brings us closer to the Divine. Rumi said “Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames”.
I agree! Set your life on fire with your sadhana: surround yourself with people who encourage and support you in your practice. To get to samadhi, we need to truly want it and have a burning desire for it. We have to be prepared to practice no matter what and maintain discipline and enthusiasm towards our practice, despite the upheavals and conditions that this life might throw at us. By hard work, by the sweat of your brow and the fire in your heart, you will progress! Practice only works if you do it….with tapas, with svādhyāya and with iśvara pranidhāna. SEE YOU ON THE MAT