Finding Joy in discipline

February 2023.

As February settles in, the light begins to change.The days stretch just a little longer, the mornings soften, a quiet reminder that winter, slowly and steadily, is making space for spring.

I find myself noticing this in my own energy. Some days I feel reawakened by the returning light; other days I am still moving through winter’s heaviness, oscillating between sluggishness and sudden bursts of motivation. Perhaps you feel it too.

This in-between season has had me reflecting on discipline, not as something rigid or harsh, but as something warm, alive, and quietly sustaining.

The Meaning of Tapas

Recently, one of my students said to me:“The rewards of self-discipline are immense.” The sentence stayed with me.

In yoga philosophy, this quality of discipline is called Tapas. One of the five Niyamas, the inner observances of the eight-limbed path of yoga.

Tapas is often translated as discipline or austerity, but its deeper meaning is more subtle. It refers to an inner heat, a burning enthusiasm — the gentle fire that keeps us showing up, even when comfort would be easier.

Not force.Not punishment.But devotion.

Discipline in Everyday Life

For me, Tapas often reveals itself at the swimming pool.

Twice a week, I swim with my son. His class ensures that I go, but once I’m there, the real work begins: convincing myself to step into the water. Every time, there’s resistance. And every time, once I do it, I leave feeling renewed.

The one week I skipped, I missed it deeply.

That is Tapas.The quiet fire that whispers: the effort is worth it.

Showing Up for Yourself

What about you?

How does discipline show up in your life?How easy, or difficult? Is it for you to come to your weekly yoga class?Are you beginning for the first time, or perhaps sensing it’s time to return after a pause?

Yoga has always been my steady place. In a country where grey skies and cold weather often discourage movement outdoors, my mat has never failed me. There is always something to explore, something to learn.

Lately, I’ve been playing with inversion drills, laying the foundations for handstands and shoulder balances. I haven’t mastered them, not at all. But the joy of trying, of learning, of showing up keeps the practice alive.

That, to me, is the heart of Tapas: not perfection, but commitment to the process.

Joy in the Journey

Sometimes the joy of yoga arrives instantly, the moment your back touches the mat, your body exhales, and something inside whispers: I’m home.

Other times, the benefits unfold slowly, days later, like a quiet echo. And then there are periods when practice feels stagnant, until, suddenly, something shifts. A pose softens. The breath deepens. Ease appears. That effortless effort.

As long as there is joy in the journey, you are on the right path.

Yoga is not a destination.It is a living, breathing practice. One that evolves as you do.

With warmth,

Hélène