Cultivating Discipline and Fire: Practicing Tapas in the Yucatan with Boat Pose and Making Black Beans March 8 2026
- rockbriarfarm
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
As we continue to explore the eight limbs, we find ourselves discussing the third Niyama, Tapas. Sitting here in paradise (outside of Progresso, Yucatan), it is not lost on me that the Sanskrit verb “tap” means to burn. As I gaze at the palm trees and beach, sipping some tea, I think of the sun and heat that is ever present in this part of the world. For me, being in a sunny climate makes me happy. I no longer have the interest or tolerance to lie in the sun all day, but walking, reading in the shade of a palm tree in my favorite hammock, practicing with a beautiful view, all make my heart sing. I feel similarly about sunshine in the colder climate, I do not love a dreary winter day, but one filled with sunshine always energizes me and encourages me to get outside, regardless of the temperature! Truthfully, today I am loving 80 degrees at 9 AM. I also like being embedded in a culture that is very different from my own, one of the reasons that I like to travel so much.
While I think this may be my 20+ trip to this area (my Aunt and Uncle own a home here), the country never ceases to spark my curiosity, joy and I try to learn something new each day. The day we arrived I tried a dish that I had never had, a spicy shrimp and tomato-based soup with potatoes - and I thought I had tried every seafood dish on the menus here! I learned the word for towels, toallas, and I also learned, again, that regardless of where we are in life, some things are universal. Like the joy of sharing a good meal, the universal language of photos of one’s children, and the tenacity of people to make a living in necessary and creative ways. I am also encouraged by the joy I see in the families out for strolls, enjoying a popsicle or a simple snack in the square, multiple generations together, something I see less of at home. This is indeed my happy place. I will save the discussion on the challenges faced here and other topics for another day. Today, I want to focus on the joy that is my present.
The word Tapas comes from the root Sanskrit verb “tap” which means “to burn” and can represent a sense of fiery discipline. As with all things translated from ancient texts, there can be multiple interpretations based on whoever is the “interpreter”. As T.K.V. Desikachar describes this Niyama, Tapas is a “means by which we keep ourselves healthy and cleanse ourselves inwardly”, for tapas also means “cleanse” in Sanskrit. One translation from the Sutras says that Tapas is the transformative force that shapes our practice and ourselves. It's the inner fire that burns away impurities and obstacles, guiding us towards growth and self-discovery.
If we think about a strong “fiery” energy, used appropriately, we can channel it to to help us overcome conditioned unhealthy or negative responses (sometimes called sanskaras) to situations. This power or heat will aid in revealing new opportunities in both our practice and in life. I have heard tapas described as friction going against the grain, I think of it more as a passionate positive energy or motivation working to expose new responses helping us to transcend the old, explore and grow.
I have mentioned before that I love Desikachar’s discussion of agni, or fire, and the fire we all have within. In his discussions on pranayama (yoga breathing disciplines), he talks about our inner agni burning all the internal rubbish. To me this rubbish represents negative things in my life that I create or can control. I think of practicing tapas in a similar context.
When we are on our mats we can apply this same passionate, heated discipline to our practice. (We can also practice hot yoga! 🤣😅) Adapting the discipline of regular practice is one way to practice tapas. A regular practice does not have to be a one hour class each day, it may be coming to your mat, at home or outdoors (weather permitting) to move for 20 intentional minutes. Tapas may find us coming to our mat without time worn expectations about “how this will go” but with burning wonder and appreciation. Our heated discipline can be focused on having an inquisitive, healthy practice that explores a healthful, safe and grounded practice.
Our Practice – Navasana
I have chosen several heat inducing poses to invoke Tapas in prior blogs. While away and missing my home practice and thinking about my students made me smile when thinking about the fun and laughs we have around boat pose. Our naming boats, our groans, all in an effort to distract ourselves from this heating and challenging pose!
The effort for this pose is focused on the core where our internal agni, or fire, is located. We benefit from the core strengthening, improved focus, healthy back and improved digestion. We are indeed creating heat or Tapas!
It is important when doing any targeted pose to remember to modify, we do not want to sacrifice our back to tone our abdominal muscles. If done properly, the pose uses the total core, not just the abs, a complete core strengthener.
Navasana or boat pose is certainly a pose that creates heat:
Start seated, knees bent and feet on floor, hands next to hips.
Hold behind the knees lengthening the spine keeping neck in line with spine. Sit bones are rooting down, really feel them.
Start to rock gently back, really engaging core, lifting feet off the mat until shins are parallel to the floor.
Lift through the chest drawing shoulder blades down the back. Keep the core engaged.
Release the hands if that feels comfortable, extending arms out in front with palms facing in. Keeping hands behind the knees is also fine, keep the core turned on and the back long.
Keep balanced on your sitting bones and try to keep back long and strong not dumping into it.
Another variation to try is to straighten legs creating a v shape with your body arms overhead. Alternatively, keeping the knees bent and shins parallel to the floor is also fine.
Meditating on Tapas
"Tapas is the heat that is generated as our internal purification, like the process of purifying gold" ~ TKV Desikachar
"A worthy aim makes life illumined, pure and divine. Without such an aim, action and prayer have no value. Life without tapas is like a heart without love." ~ B.K.S. Iyengar
"Motivation starts the fire, but discipline keeps it burning." ~ Unknown
Nurturing with Food – Black Beans
When I am in Mexico, black beans are served at every meal. Most of the restaurants offer them as the requisite side dish and, upon arrival at the house, we ensure that there is a batch at the ready. While not usually overly spicy, the addition of some jalapenos during the cooking can raise the “heat”; eliminating them or using less makes them less “fiery”. Here they are usually pureed so they are creamy and without discernible bean shape.
My recipe for bean stew (served over rice) can be modified to result in a creamy side dish that can also serve as bean dip, or thinned further for soup. If that is what you are hoping to make, skip the corn and when the beans are cooked, puree them in batches in a food processor or blender with additional broth or water, this method also results in a delicious black bean soup. Recipe below!
Enjoy!
See you on the mat,
Namaste,
Julia Anne
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