Tappas is also the content of Ma Niya (diligence), the eight branches of yoga in patanjali's Yoga Sutra, which many people translate as "asceticism". But the earliest meaning of Tapas actually refers to the "heat" after strict self-discipline practice. The so-called "asceticism" represents abstinence, fasting and taboo in the early days, and also represents keeping the body and mind clean and self-disciplined in behavior.
But the purpose of the so-called "asceticism" is not to suppress desires, but to burn past karma through the light and heat brought about by the conflict between self-discipline and one's inner desires. Self-discipline is not the suppression of energy, but the collection and redirection of internal scattered energy.
For example, abstinence is the redirection and reuse of sexual energy. Sexual energy is a powerful creativity, which can be used to create children in the second chakra, do other creative things in the upper chakra, or meditate. Fasting is the same as forbidding.
Of course, back to our ordinary life, tapas is actually a kind of friction heat generated by self-discipline and inner desire conflict, through which bad habits are burned. Reflective self-discipline is actually a kind of energy gathering and redirection, even if it is simply reflected in the self-discipline of eating and living. Or simply put, it is to help us become more focused and pay more attention to our lives. In the process of self-discipline, find the inner connection with yourself in the process of concentration. For example, every morning 15 minutes of morning exercise and every night 15 minutes of writing are actually done without much purpose, just for internal energy combing. In our present world surrounded by various social media such as WeChat group, friends circle and Taobao, we are too easy to lose ourselves, and our time and attention are unconsciously dispersed and utilized. Therefore, it is very important to use a little self-discipline to sort out energy every day, gather scattered energy and return to internal stability. I think this is the meaning of practicing yoga.