In Sanskrit the word tapas designates an ardor, a burning heat and therefore, by extension, the term tapas appears in the textual sources of various yogic traditions to designate an ardent effort, an exercise that develops heat, or the practitioner’s fiery and never hesitant discipline. Even today, ascetics who submit to extreme austerity practices designate themselves as tapasvin. And, indeed, these are still common practices in the Indian sub-continent, as one would notice walking during a Maha Kumbh Mela (periodic gathering of ascetics of various Sampradaya). Among others, the famous Urdhva Bahu, the practice in which tapasvin intentionally loses the use of one or two arms by tying the limb so that it remains erect upwards, until it becomes like a dry branch.

In goes without saying that no center or school of contemporary western yoga would ever dream of proposing and not even mention such forms of austere, called tapasyā.

Leaving aside the discussion about 'why they do it' that could lead us to discover that the reasons we have more in common than we might suspect, this example marks a formal and substantial difference between those ascetics and practitioners of Iyengar yoga. Let me explain myself. No teacher of Iyengar yoga has ever asked us nor will ever ask you to do extreme practices: this is not even in question, of course. Instead, all our practice is always focused on the harmonization of the body, first to achieve a condition of 'health' and, later, for immersion in the body as a support and place of exercise of discriminatory ability and, therefore, meditation. What we have in common with tapasvin, however, is constancy, discipline, determination and the use of the body as an instrument of 'education'. Although the parallel may seem rather daring, we are united by the fact that we are aware that an 'effort' is required for an objective: physical well-being, health, anti-stress, serenity, balance, up (for those who want to try) appeasement of vrtti and fading of the subject (the sense of I-ness).

The mode of exertion is however diametrically opposed. The classical tapasvin searches and even accepts a condition of 'pain' real. We, on the other hand, believe that with pain you cannot compromise, in any case, and that its trace, in the body, would leave a mark too deep and however counterproductive.

Conversely, while maintaining consistency, we must be guided by the idea of "reasonable effort" and always evaluate the boundary conditions in which we practice. Every day our body is different, has different needs and reacts differently in the practice of asanas or pranayama. What we ate, the nervous tension that we accumulated, the degree of mental or physical fatigue, an injury, commitments or small unforeseen events: all these constraints - which Prashant Iyengar calls "addressals" with one of his neologisms - they change all the time and we have to take them into account.

Our personal practice must be able to adapt and adapt to external conditions, whether favourable or unfavourable. In a word, very much in vogue, the practice must be a training to the resilience both physical and psychological to the continuous changes that happen around us (personal, professional, etc.), and not a field of competition. The 'reasonable effort' to overcome any limits (rigidity or weaknesses) given by our constitution must never transcend (with an 'aggressive' practice) and become physical pain or psychological frustration because "we did not succeed". On the other hand, laziness or indolence are not the boundary constraint conditions I refer to. Correct to indulge in a passive and delicate practice if we are in a state of convalescence or fatigue, but don’t make it our practice out of habit.

The incredible range of body exercises introduced by Iyengar, the props and teachers of this tradition there will be fundamental to begin to manage the surrounding conditions, but also the student (first person) can begin, under their guidance, to take care of the parts of self that need to be looked after and stimulate the parts that need to be stimulated, in a continuous alternation of both with judgment and discrimination. In conclusion: reasonable effort, resilience and get rid of habits!