Discipline: Pathway to Freedom
The yoga teaching of tapas (the third step in the second limb of the system of yoga) is often translated as discipline, however, most people harden upon hearing the word. According to my Google search, the first definition that comes up is “the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour, using punishment to correct disobedience.” Given this, it is understandable that people shy away from discipline. Tapas can also be translated as perseverance, commitment, dedication, and the willingness to start over and over. I much prefer these interpretations as they allow for more softness and fluidity as we try to navigate through life.
Up until very recently, I was one who didn’t just shy away from discipline, I ran in the opposite direction. I thought discipline was harsh and aggressive. However, when I expanded my views on this teaching, I came to embrace it so much that it has become one of my guiding themes. I learned that to change any habit, discipline is needed. Not the type that punishes, but the type that perseveres. In my explorations, I found that if I stay committed enough, my discipline would eventually lead to freedom.
One of my most common complaints is that I’m too busy. As a result, I committed to saying no more often (and to not feel guilty about it), and to spend less time on social media and email. Like breaking any habit, it was (and remains to be) a challenge, but the more I stayed committed, the more free time I have to do the things that matter most to me, like writing, spending time in nature and with my loved ones, reading, and practicing yoga and meditation.
With a reward like that — a life filled with learning, intention, space, love, and calm — resulting from a practice of discipline, I’m all for it. If practice makes permanent, and what we do on a daily basis cultivates habit, it is important to bring attention to what we (consciously or unconsciously) choose to do every day. Do you want to make checking your phone before you get out of bed permanent, or do you want make living a life that is more meaningful to you permanent? The answer is obvious, the making it happen may not be. But luckily for us, we can integrate tapas and commit to our intentions over and over and over again.
