The third of the fifth niyamas is called tapas, which means zeal. This niyama is about living life to the fullest. A great deal of living life to the fullest is about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This is an important self-discipline that many of us procrastinate. Why is it so hard for us to be excited about living a healthy life? Why do we always put things that nurture out body and soul last on our priority list? In fact, we are more inclined to engage in self-destructive behavior then self-discipline.
The practice of tapas comes from the heart, it’s not about vanity. Exercise and eating healthy shouldn’t be about trying to look like a super model, it should be about wanting live a life of vitality, energy, and strength. When we live this way, we are encouraging enthusiasm in all aspects of our life. This energy does not only change our own lives, but the people around us. Positive energy is contagious, when we let ourselves shine, everyone around us will shine. If we set a positive example, people will follow like a magnet.
From a spiritual perspective, taking care of ourselves by eating right and exercising consistently make the mind-body work simultaneously. In other words, when we feel good on the outside, we are guaranteed to feel good in the inside. Similar to what Apostle Paul tells us in the Holy Bible “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, who you have received through God; you are not your own” 1 Corinthians 6:19. What the Paul is telling us is that our bodies our sacred, they were given to us by God, so in God they should remain. When we practice tapas with zeal, effort, and commitment, it enables us further into spiritual enlightenment.
From A beautiful soul
