Tapas

Tapas

तपस् tapas

Also tapasya.

Literally "fire, heat"; derives from the root तप् tap – to give out heat, be hot, shine. 

Cleansing spiritual disciplines such as asceticism, repentance, and sacrifice. Tapas is connected with kindling of inner spiritual fire by which the transformation of energy occurs and which can burn karma and sanskaras related to karma.

Tapas, like fire, means purification, the process of disidentifying consciousness with material objects and directing perception to higher dimensions.

Ascetic practices

Through austerity, one eliminates tamas in the body and mind, develops awareness and self-control. It is useful to perform tapas if you have not controlled yourself, made mistakes. The best thing is if Guru points them out to you, as it is very difficult to see them yourself.

(Source: forum.dharmanathi.ru)

Asceticism is the adoption of a lifestyle that allows the mind and body to calmly perceive any changes in climatic conditions and the external environment. Yogi teaches the body to painlessly endure heat, cold, rain and other changes in the weather, to eat rough and tasteless food, to observe fasting. Thus, he curbs all selectivity in the preferences of the body, senses and mind. The whole life should be well established.

(Source: Introduction to Natha Yoga)