Tejas - Inner Radiance: January 2025 Theme of the Month
In the cold, dark month of January, I often long for my fireplace stacked with wood burning away, warming my home, filling the atmosphere with the scent of sweet smoke and the sound of crackling fire. The warmth of a fire brings me so much comfort in this cold, winter-y season - both physically and emotionally. It reminds me that I have the resources to balance the effects our natural environment has on my body and mind - and it reminds me that there are warmer days ahead.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about inner, emotional warmth - how to cultivate my inner fire, my inner radiance. In Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga, there is a term called Tejas [tay-juhs]. Tejas is the subtle energy of Pitta Dosha (the “fiery” primary energy). Tejas is often translated as inner radiance. In Ayurveda, Tejas plays various roles: it is the fire component in the entire body; it is the source of strength, positive health, longevity, complexion, nutrition, tone of muscles, and natural immunity. Tejas is also considered the source of our inner glow, inner intelligence, and inner luster. Harnessing and supporting this inner glow is the main theme at Moonflower Studio this month.
“Tejas is the burning flame of pure intelligence. Keep that flame alive and bright. It is a flame that burns without wick or fuel. It has no smoke. That light is your true nature. That light is Tejas.”
This time of year, we often focus on making changes to our lifestyle. Sometimes those changes manifest as “fixing” - fixing the things that we don’t like about ourselves; fixing the mistakes we made in the past. Instead of our focus solely on “fixing,” what if we also focus on stoking our inner flame? Your inner flame in your pure intelligence - the parts of yourself you know to be honest and true; the parts of yourself that make you, you. This inner warmth eternally resides within you; it fuels your authentic self, your true nature, and it radiates warmth into the world.
We can use the energy of Tejas to live authentically and to help balance our external environment. As we enter Kapha season - dominated by the elements of Earth and Water - we experience the coldest part of winter. This season of the year brings qualities of heavy, cold, wet, and smooth - think slushy, heavy snow and smooth ice on the roads. Kapha season also brings the quality of dullness, sometimes manifesting as complacency or lack of interest in activities. Cultivating healthy Tejas helps us to “burn through” these Kapha qualities, and helps bring greater balance to the mind, body, and soul.
“The light that you see by
Is the light that comes from inside.
- Lorin Roche’s The Radiance Sutras
Let your inner light, your inner intelligence guide you. How can we stoke our inner light and encourage healthy Tejas? Check out Banyan Botanical’s 6 Daily Practices to Spark Your Inner Glow as a place to start. Your yoga asana (physical posture) practice can encourage healthy Tejas, too! Try a flow class that incorporates Sun Salutations. (Hint hint: CONNECT, INSPIRE, and THRIVE classes at Moonflower Studio.) As we move into Kapha
See you on the mat,
Katie