*Tapas, Svahdhyaya, Isvarapranidhana

"Through my efforts, I gain the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”~ Anonymous

*Tapas, Svahdhyaya, Isvarapranidhana

effort, self-study, surrender

Kriya yoga is every “cleansing action” that we can actually practice and comprises these elements:

·      Tapas: tap means to “blaze, burn, and shine”; conscious ardour to achieve goal; it is austerity and self-discipline; practices such as asana and pranayama that can help us to remove blocks and tensions, in vocal, physical and mental aspects; it keeps the body fit through heat and cleansing; must not cause suffering; Iyengar says, “Life without tapas is like a heart without love.”

·      Svadhyaya:  sva means “self” and adhyaya means “inquiry” or “examination”; searching, asking questions, looking into ourselves; other translations include the study of texts and repeating mantras; “The person practicing svadhyaya reads his own book of life, at the same time that he writes and revises it.” (Iyengar)

·       Isvarapranidhana: action not motivated by outcome; we know we have done our best

“The goal of yoga is to encourage us to be a little better than we were before...by making an effort and by practicing patience. When we do this we will not see ourselves as beset by so many problems.  Our efforts may change in intensity, but over a period of time we will gradually experience progress.  We must actively seize every opportunity that helps us progress.” ~T.K.V. Desikachar

The Heart of Yoga

Santosha – contentment

Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have. ~ Unknown

Santosha (Santosa, Samtosa) pertains to our mental activity (e.g. study, knowledge),

physical effort, pain, and well-being; and how we earn our living and what supports us.

·        Contentment connotes self-sufficiency

·        Not coveting more than you have; renunciation of the need to acquire

·        Not suffering because you think you are lacking something

·        Having a mindful and openhearted approach to yoga asana practice for both easy and challenging poses

·        Understanding the power of your emotional state and not passing it on to others

·        Contentment can mean falling in love with your life, and appreciating the richness it has to offer

            The “real meaning” of santosha is “to accept what happens.” This does not simply mean that we need to pretend we’ve had a lobotomy and take on a passive, apathetic or emotionless role in our lives.  Rather, when things do not go the way we plan or when something bad happens, instead of bemoaning our personal grievances, we can practice santosha by trying to learn from the situation.

Santosha is about ourselves; about what we have and what he have been given.

There is no end of craving. Hence contentment alone is the best way to happiness. Therefore, acquire contentment. ~ Swami Sivananda

Riches are not from an abundance of wordly goods, but from a contented mind.~ Muhammad

My crown is in my heart, not on my head, Nor decked with diamonds and Indian stones, Nor to be seen: My crown is called content: A crown it is, that seldom kings enjoy. ~William Shakespeare

References:

Desikachar, T.K.V. The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice. Vermont: Inner Traditions, 1999.

Iyengar, B.K.S. Light on Yoga. New York: Schocken, 1966.                 

Mishra, Ramamurti S. M.D. The Textbook of Yoga Psychology. New York: Baba Bhagavandas Publication Trust, 1997.