Yoga for Life: Inner Fire, Inner Wisdom

Last week I talked about pratyahara and aparigraha, or tuning out external distractions and letting go of what you do not need so that you can be more present and calm. But there’s more to it. Just a couple days after I wrote that post, I attended a yoga class where the teacher told a story about tapas (not the small dishes in Spanish cuisine), which is also included in Patanjali’s teachings as one of the niyamas, or inner observances or self-directed duties. Tapas has many meanings including self-discipline and austerity, and in the physical yoga practice, it is often referred to as inner fire. I’m most familiar with it in the context of a spicy yoga sequence that makes you sweat and your muscles burn.

That day, however, my teacher was referring to passion, or inner discipline and determination, and how cultivating your tapas helps you to be impervious to the external. This felt like a message from the universe that I was excited to explore further as it relates to pratyahara and aparigraha - when we tune out external distractions and let go of what doesn’t serve us, we’re able to focus inward and access our inner fire. And, not gonna lie, I was also relieved that the objective of that yoga class wasn’t just to work really hard, because I was sore and tired.

The story was about Hanuman, a Hindu god known in yogic tradition as monkey king. Hanumanasana, or yoga front splits, are named after Hanuman and inspired by a story where he leapt from India to Lanka. Hanuman is captured by bad guys who try to set his tail on fire. At that point, Hanuman accesses his inner fire, and as the demons around him burst into flames, he frees himself. Hearing this, my first reaction was, “Why didn’t he just use his inner fire in the first place?” But perhaps it was like a pilot light, waiting for a spark to ignite its flame.

What if we all have an inner flame that gets reduced to an ember or pilot light burning within us? When our minds are full of clutter from negative thoughts or distractions, it can be harder to notice or access this flame but as we clear away the clutter, we are able to see the flame and begin to stoke the flame and intensify our determination and passion. All it takes is being an observer of ourselves. 

Self-observation also allows us to access our inner wisdom. When we feel stuck in a situation and don’t know what to do, we often turn to external sources for guidance. But if you think about it, who is the real expert on you? Who else has been with you for your entire life and knows all of your experiences and feelings that have made you who you are? 

Unfortunately, it can be hard to hear our inner wisdom when there are louder voices in our head like fear, anger, wisdom, blame, and doubt. Any of those sound familiar? When we are able to let those negative emotions and thoughts go, the voice of inner wisdom suddenly gets louder and more clear.

If you’re like me, you may be skeptical. Sure, maybe other people have inner fire and wisdom, but are you sure that’s everyone? Even me? But I can tell you with confidence that it’s true. As a coach, I’ve witnessed this in dozens of clients firsthand. Once you are able to quiet or set aside whatever is holding you back for a moment, the wisdom starts to flow. As a human, I’ve also experienced this.  Despite my own doubts, when I keep an open mind and give it a try, i’m surprised by the answers that come from within.

Let’s say you have a goal that you’ve set for yourself, but you are held back by fear of failure because you’re not sure if you are capable. The first thing to do is let that go, which admittedly is not an easy thing to do. Start by setting aside those feelings for just a moment, as if you could wave a magic wand and make them disappear, or that you are Hanuman, using your tapas to set them on fire. Then ask yourself what you would do if the fear did not exist. Or if that’s hard to imagine, what would a person who didn’t have that fear do? 

I highly recommend doing your thinking outside of your brain, either by writing down your thoughts, or saying them outloud (it can help to have someone else who is not directly involved, like a coach or objective friend or family member). Don’t think too hard about it; just write or say whatever comes to mind. You might be surprised by what comes out. Then because these are your ideas, use the inspiration as a spark to your inner flame and start taking action!