For some of us, especially those who are relatively new to the yogic path, may have heard of the term 'tapas'. But what, exactly, do people mean when they talk about practising tapas?... The term tapas originates from the Sanskrit root 'tap', which means to give off heat, to shine (like the sun), or to practice austerities. Tapas is often used to mean self control or cultivation of willpower. From a formal point of view,…