My yoga practice used to be very serious. It felt like medicine. It was helping me but it didn’t necessarily taste good.
Life-long yogi
When we did a forearm stand during our first sun salutation, I knew I wasn’t in Michigan anymore.
Dharma, are you there?!
At one of our camp retreats, as we were sitting for lunch, Sri Dharma said "Why is everyone sitting around me? You can go to the tables and out in the grass to eat." No one moved. With a twinkle in his eye, he then said: "I know, you're sucking up my energy." We all laughed.
My name is Cinderella
I think I'll tell him my name is Cinderella. That's what I tell a lot of people who forget my name. And my mind continued to wander. All of a sudden Dharma said, "Did you see the movie Cinderella?" He looked right at me.
Happy Birthday, Sri Dharma!
Students from around the world send their congratulations for Sri Dharma's 80th birthday in video messages.
With love from Ibiza
Dharma is yoga
Dharma Mittra was doing yoga when very few people were interested, out of the deepest sincerity, honoring his guru and the teaching. He was never in it for the money or the ego. He is unchanged in that way and has stood the test of time.
Oneness
I've learned to love myself, which means a constant awareness of how I nourish my body with food, what words I choose to think, how I choose my friends, and how I let people treat me. As I practice a compassion toward myself, I extend it outward and learn to see myself in others.
Spiritual Yoga
I will never forget the first time I heard Sri Dharma talk about the spiritual heart, to focus on the right hand side of the heart- our true selves.
Cultivating Compassion
Dharma Yoga is is a heart-centered lineage that aims to fully exercise the eight limbs of yoga through every aspect of the practice, and to cultivate a deep reverence towards God, and boundless love and respect for all beings.
Twameva
The next day Sri Dharma chanted the Dedication song in his master class. It was the first time I had seen him teach the Dedication song in his asana class. Brittanie told me with surprise that she had never seen him teaching the mantra in a class either. I have been practicing with him for years since then but that was the only time I saw him teach Twameva in his class.
A young Dharma opened the door
Dharma's simplicity, and authenticity. His being himself. His generosity. He is a yantra for all of these for me. When I think of him, I am reminded of all these important qualities. I am really not interested in any other yoga teachers. I found Dharma in my early 20s and no one else has made much of an impression since. Even yogis in India don't compare.
Ten years of Dharma yoga in Croatia
In 2007 I saw a poster of the 908 asanas in the first American-Croatian Yoga School in Zagreb, Croatia. I was so impressed with the many asanas and was left wondering who was that master yogi. Reading about him on the internet, I was surprised by his humility and simplicity, and connected to his words [...]
Dharma Yoga in DC
One of the first obstacles for me was a lack of believing in and trusting in my own goodness. I have been in his physical presence during some of the hardest times of my life thus far - and each time I was falling apart inside, I got this feeling that he was seeing all of me - seeing all of the nonsense that was in my personality, all of the ways I wasn’t compassionate, all of the ways I was failing to be a Yogi – and loving me fully.
Bonfires
Sri Dharma made the little “hmm” noise he does sometimes and then said, “I don’t like bonfires too much.” He paused and I didn’t say anything. “They disturb the insects.”
From London with love
Video: Dharma Yoga teacher Emi Tull and her students from various London studios send their love to Sri Dharma.
Distinctive Yoga Lineage
My dream is to open a Dharma Yoga School in Indonesia, one that follows the curriculum authentically according to the Dharma Yoga method and educates people about what the Dharma lineage is really all about.
Baby Dharma
Since Dharma Mittra assuaged my fear of falling from a headstand during a particularly crowded class, by demonstrating the three possible ways to tumble, headstands have become a regular part of my practice. Now I’m 9 months pregnant and still inverting regularly, and to top it off, my midwife says the baby will come on [...]
Be receptive
At other studios, if you want to learn ethical lessons, you might get them in teacher trainings, as part of an exclusive yoga community, but in a Dharma yoga class, you can feel something connecting you to a higher force every single time.
Learning from the master
Unlike some of the other studios where I teach, the Dharma Yoga Center holds tremendous spiritual vibrations. DYC has the traditional yoga setting and I feel Yogi Gupta's presence when I come there. It's incredible how asanas just come more automatically with Dharma-ji than anywhere else.
Shining light for all
Sri Dharma Mittra has given his students a keen perception to see clearly what is needed through a wide range of practices to alleviate suffering so others may remove their ignorance. It's this approach that I am so grateful for.
Now the plow pose…
I thought to myself, “how I so wish I could just remain here in the shoulder stand.” Just as that thought was passing. through my mind I heard Dharma cue, “now the plow pose, or if you would like just stay in the shoulder stand.” This about brought me to tears.
Chocolate Hazelnut Tart
In honor of Sri Dharma's 80th birthday, long-time Sri Dharma disciple, DY teacher (LOAY 800 hrs), and vegan dessert chef, Pam Jones, shares a few of her vegan dessert recipes.
From injury to transformation
Yoga came into my life at a low point, and my curiosity to deepen my knowledge beyond the physical aspect was driven by my interest to learn from Sri Dharma himself.
Dharma replied, “I know.”
The Dharma lineage is deeply rooted in the traditions of yoga and I believe this association has immeasurable value and helps facilitate a feeling of sustained connection within the Dharma worldwide community, of which I am grateful to be a part.
Lemon and Blueberry Tarts
In honor of Sri Dharma's 80th birthday, long-time Sri Dharma disciple, DY teacher (LOAY 800 hrs), and vegan dessert chef, Pam Jones, shares a few of her vegan dessert recipes.
Bursting the “Yoga Bubble”
I am happy to say that Dharma Yoga has been received in the best possible way in Greece. Our students love the practice and many of them travel regularly to different places to practice with Sri Dharma and other senior teachers.
A musical offering from the Dharma Yoga Kirtan Band II
This beautiful song was sent to Dharma-ji from Ottawa, Canada. Justine (L) is a LOAY 800 hour certified Dharma yoga teacher. Andrew (R) is working to complete his LOAY 200 teacher training at Dharma Yoga Syracuse.
Dharma Yoga in Baltimore
I remember traveling to New York to the Dharma Yoga center in January 2015 for the New Years immersion. We had a whole crew from Baltimore and Dharma-ji kept helping each of us in the poses. I remember laughing at all of his jokes and writing down everything he said. However, the most important lessons [...]
A blog by the Dharma Yoga Center 