Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 2:1

Sadhana Padaha

Here begins the second chapter of the Patanjali Yoga Sutra called the Sadhana Padaha. It outlines the different steps to the most famous Ashtanga Yoga. All the different Yogic practices that are being taught in the Yoga studies around the world have their beginnings in this chapter that gives us the eight steps to reach the state of Yogic union of the individual and cosmic consciousness.
Tapah Swadhyaya Ishwara Pranidhanani Kriya Yogaha
Kriya Yoga - the yoga of action has three steps or rather parts to it. The first is Tapas. Tapa is to burn. Just like how one burns calories which is converted and released as energy on the treadmill, con stant and conscious exposure of the mind to the light of consciousness generates a psychic heat that actually burns away the impressions or seeds in the mind that germinate as distorted thoughts. Taas has many variations - silence is Tapas, fasting is Tapas, physical, mental and breath workout is Taas.
The next is Swadhyaya. Swa - One's own, Adhyaya - study. To practice Swadhyaya is to study what is happening to us at five levels - body, breath, mind, intellect and bliss. These are five parts of our being. A constant attention to how these five parts are is Swadhyaya. Reading or learning aything that shows us the way to do this is also Swadhyaya.
Ishwara Pranidhana - Ishwara is Lord - consciousness. Pranidhana is to surrender. All practice bears fruit only with this complete surrender of our thoughts, words and action with love to this consciousness. Immersion into this consciousness gives us the strength. These three are the steps to the Yoga of Action. - Swahilya Shambhavi.