I met Sri Dharma Mittra for the first time in 2015 when I was taking the LOAY 500 hour training. I saw his eyes were emitting a life energy and I could feel that he is not merely human, but that inside he has divine character that brought light to people around him. The deep impression left in my mind when all the participants were sitting on the rug in front of him and he was asking the reason why each participant came, we all gave various answers, but then he said that what brought us there was actually the result of karma from our previous lives. 

Even though Dharma Mittra mainly refers to Hatha Raja Yoga as his lineage, over the years of teaching yoga, it seems as if he were conducting research and development of yoga teaching techniques, resulting in those techniques being accepted by all age groups, therefore, none of the students feel a generational gap in the practice.

Over the years, I met some people in Indonesia who stated that they are Dharma Yoga teachers just because they had visited Dharma Yoga Center in New York during their holiday. But they never certified as yoga teachers from Dharma Yoga Center, and the methods they were teaching were questionable. Because of this situation, 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.

During the LOAY teacher training, we had to follow the raw vegan diet. A lot of questions came up from the participants, many of whom were omnivores. A question I have for Sri Dharma and for other Dharma Yoga teachers who may be reading this blog is: should there be a participant that cannot follow the raw vegan diet due to doctor’s advice, what is the solution?

Practicing Dharma Yoga has changed me to be more disciplined and focused. I have become more patient and more sincerely receptive for whatever comes into my life. I am also able to simplify and arrange the priorities of my life in a proper sequence. I have shared my yoga journey with my yoga students – it was a lesson to them that people had to go through their utmost effort to reach their life goal and willingly to give many sacrifices.

This post was written by Ratna Djuwita Gwie
Dharma Yoga LOAY 500, 800, 1000 hrs certified | New York, NY