Some Thoughts on Teaching Tapah to Teachers or Adults

~ Undergoing some personal inconvenience, in the course of rendering service.

~To accept physical hardships for others’ welfare.

In Tapaḥ Practice the aspirant accepts a vow of selflessness. After all, the SelfFish is the biggest fish in the sea. Through the practice of remembering others, we reaffirm our connection to all living beings and ultimately the Supreme Creator by actively seeking opportunities to alleviate the suffering of others without expectation of anything in return.

One of the factors that block our journey to selflessness is “I-need-to-be-in-controllism”. What are some others?

2. Four categories of service are:

1)Serving with your physical body, 2)Security service, 3)Economic service,

4)Imparting intellectual and uplifting knowledge.

What are some examples of these?

3. Which would you consider the most lasting and of a permanent nature?

In fact one’s greatness lies in the degree one is able to accept hardships for the sake of others. ~Anandamurti

4. The objective of performing service is ego detachment and coming closer to the goal of maximizing our Divine Potential? What can we do when the ego becomes inflated through doing service thus undermining the ultimate purpose?

The object of service is the Divine. You have appeared before me as a living being to offer this precious opportunity of rendering service to You. ~Anandamurti

5. To whom is service rendered?

Of course helping others is not confined merely to human members but offering comfort to plants, animals, minerals, elements, and all of those with whom we share kinship in the world community.

6. Is it possible to be overly service-minded?

One enters into the helping act not only because there is a need to be met. Service gradually becomes an offering, first to those we are with, but eventually to that greater truth or source of being in which we are all joined in love. Helping becomes an act of reverence, worship, gratitude. It is grace merely to have the chance to serve.

7. What is the highest expression/motivation for service?

Mother Teresa, for example, bending to hold a dying leper, sees there only “Christ in a distressing disguise.” She’s not “helping a dying leper,” she’s loving God, affirming in whomever she’s with, universal qualities of perfection and beauty.” -Ram Dass and Paul Gorman

8. What changes do I need to remember in the practice of Tapaḥ to be a better teacher?

How can I facilitate Tapaḥ in an āsana class?

Affirmations for Tapaḥ

Today I open my heart to myself and others.
I am willing to extend myself without a second thought.
I trust my higher power to guide me.

Some Remarks by Anandamurti: Tapah, Supporting Others

Wherever you are …you must render service to all created beings with the ideation of the Supreme on all individual entities…

Think in your mind that taking a particular shape, the Supreme has taken given you this chance to serve Him. ~Bhagavad Dharma

In meditation there must always be the feeling that you want to serve Him. If this is the feeling, immediately the mind gets concentrated…When internal service is not done properly, the external one is not done properly…- Bhagavad Dharma

When you perform actions by transplanting the idea of God on the person served, there will be no possibility of any arrogance or any idea of earning fame growing in your mind. ~ Subhasita Samgraha I.

Whenever considering doing good works, do not hesitate — do them immediately. ~ Supreme Expression

Utilize yourself in such a manner so as to have satisfaction to your mind also, that you never wasted your time uselessly on this earth. ~ Ananda Vanii, May 1970)