Pain and discomfort will always be present when we desire transformation both in our practice and in life.
In yoga, tapas, literally translated to “heat”, means discipline to accept the necessary pain we face along the yoga path.
Think about smelting gold. To separate the gold from impurities, they use high heat and various chemicals to break down the ore and melt the gold.
In your practice, there is pain in getting up when your alarm goes off. There is pain when you stretch and engage your muscles in various poses. There is pain (in ego) when you can’t get to the pose yet because your body is not conditioned to get there.
I just want to iterate that while we have different levels of pain tolerance, the rule of thumb about the different pain we feel in our asanas is that pain in joints MUST be avoided. The different sensations in muscles from stretching and strengthening are generally okay. But again, listen to your body — find the verge of comfortable discomfort.
When we desire for growth in our lives, we must accept the necessary pain that comes along with it.
Imagine how your relationship with your husband can improve only if you can honestly say what you feel instead of giving a generic “I’m fine” answer.
Imagine how homemaking can be easeful when you can set the often dreadful organizing and cleaning routine.
Imagine how your business can improve if you’re able to set clear boundaries and expectations with your employees.
Practicing the asanas and embodying the teachings on and off the mat is like submitting yourself to the fire of purification. And we can only reap the benefits of yoga when we have discipline, devotion, determination and dedication to face and accept the uncomfortable reality of practice.
This is where your yoga practice can impact your mind, body and spirit. As you strengthen and stretch your muscles, you’re also building a resilient mind and spirit.
The benefits of yoga can’t be quantified by the depth of your asanas. So don’t be discouraged if you can’t contort your body like the ones you see in Instagram. They too did the work and had their own shares of pain and struggles in their own journey.
If you ever feel discouraged that your practice is not as good as you wish it to be, remember this — the poses are tools to guide you in the path of yoga. It’s true benefits come up in softer qualities like calm, peace, happiness, meaning, fulfillment and wisdom.
It’s the same in life. Our struggles in life exist to purify us to lead us towards the life that we deserve. Without these struggles and challenges, we wouldn’t know our brilliance.
The journey is where we are honed and purified. The pain and discomfort is where growth and expansion happens. Keep doing one uncomfortable thing and you’re farther in life than you were yesterday.
Yoga shines a light within our inner space that opens the path to your integration. Whether you’re a beginner or a long-time practitioner, continue showing up on your mat. A five-minute daily practice is always better than not showing up at all. Put in the work, step by step, little by little.