Fierce Devotion: Hanumanasana

by Sara Schwartz

“Inhabit the consciousness of the pose,” Sri Dharma Mittra instructs. With fun names like Eagle Pose, and Lizard pose you feel like you’re five years old again.

So what’s the deal with the splits? Hanumanasa, front to back splits, is a posture to remind you that you are not five years old anymore! This pose is possible though - you just have to inhabite the consciousness of its patron: Hanuman, the most loyal of the Gods. 

Hanuman is the son of a monkey and the wind --part earthly, part divine and the king of the monkeys in Hindu mythology. Hanuman loved Rama from the moment he saw him, and pledged his loyalty to him. When Rama's wife Sita was kidnapped by an evil demon, Hanuman came to the rescue. He took a great giant leap from India's south-east coast to Sri Lanka to save her.  Hanuman’s fierce devotion helped him to do the impossible. 

The lesson of Hanuman: Skill arises from devotion.

How to practice Hanumanasana:

Before attempting the splits, do a few rounds of Dharma Yoga style Sun Salutations to warm up.

Then:

·        from forward fold, step your right foot back;

·        Bring your right knee to the floor and walk your hands by your hips;

·        Flex your left toes towards your face, heel is on the mat;

·        Make sure your right knee is underneath your right ankle, right toes tucked under;

·        Begin to lean forward over your left leg. You don’t want the back of your left leg to feel like a guitar string about to break;

·        Here is where the fidelity comes in. No matter what your pose looks like - hold the pose and send your breath or intention to the tight and tender places;

If you start to feel more relaxed, and the stretch goes away, begin to slide your heel forward. If your pelvis touches the floor, or you feel stable, begin to sweep your arms overhead into a prayer position and gaze up at your hands. Your hands send the message from your heart to the heavens.

·        To exit the pose, push yourself up off the floor with your hands.

·        If you can come into the low lunge, equestrian pose.

·        Step back into plank pose, lower knees, chest, and chin to the mat.

·        Come up for cobra, press back downward facing dog.

·        Jump your feet to your hands, and then step back with your left foot to repeat Hanumanasa. 

The amount of sensation in your legs is a reminder of how the faithful Hanuman felt in the name of the King that he honored and served.
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Sara Schwartz lives in Queens, New York with her husband Yancy. She currently teaches at Yoga to the People, where she received her 200-hour certification in 2010. She recently graduated from the Dharma Yoga Center Life of a Yogi 500-Hour Teacher Training. "Offer up the fruits of your practice" is her favorite advice from Sri Dharma Mittra. She is very grateful for the guidance of Sri Dharma and all of his teachers.

Six Ways to Get the Most Out of Your LOAY Teacher Training

By Jennifer Helgren

©Jeffrey Vock

First and foremost: GO

“Always do what you are afraid to do”   --Ralph Waldo Emerson

When the thought of attending the 500-Hour Life of a Yogi Teacher Training first entered my mind, I almost automatically dismissed the idea.  I had so many reasons NOT to attend (mother of two young children, travelling husband, a plane ride away from NYC, no housing in the city, etc.)

What I learned was that when I committed to my dream, the obstacles fell away. It may take some time, and definitely some effort, but the result – well, is simply too great to put into mere words. Dive in, take a chance, and find a way to GO.

Second:  Open your mind and heart

“Be Receptive” --Sri Dharma Mittra

There will be moments in the training that will challenge you - physically, mentally, spiritually - and you must always remember that is why you are here. Open the whole of your mind, even the places that you are least aware of: the places that hold onto resistance.  Allow the words, people, experiences, and lessons to pour into those hidden places. Listen with an open heart and mind, and the information will be absorbed.  Weeks, months after you leave, you will hear these words and learn these lessons…they will reside in the mind and heart, and the space you created within. 

©Jeffrey Vock

Third: Put forth effort and use imagination

“Imagination is powerful. You go as far as you can imagine”-- Sri Dharma Mittra

You are going to be tired at some point. You will physically and mentally hit the proverbial wall.  You will move past it. I promise you, a second wind comes along and you will be renewed.

I second-guessed myself initially, but that fell away after time. My mind let go of the attachments to thoughts and emotions that often distract us and inhibit us from fully committing to something.  We live in the real world, and the world does not like to be left behind. It will pull at you, distract you, and sometimes overwhelm you.  Give yourself time to allow these things to come up. They are natural and they will pass.

Apply disciplined effort to your practice. Let the physical practice act as a brush to scrub away at whatever negative tendencies you may have.  Let it invigorate you, regenerate you. Your physical practice will grow by leaps and bounds through dedication and practice, practice, practice.

Finally, use your imagination – Sri Dharma talks about this often and it truly resonated with me. Imagine yourself to be a better person, mother, father, daughter, son, friend, partner – a better yogi. Use your imagination as fuel to show yourself that what you pursue is attainable through effort, dedication, study, and time. 

Fourth: Be a Student

“In learning you will teach and in teaching, you will learn” Phil Collins

Lose all preconceptions. Take off the teacher hat and allow yourself to commit to being a student. Listen and learn: from Sri Dharma, the mentors, your fellow trainees. Watch your own mind and learn how to apply all that you receive to yourself, your life, your teaching.  Apply the lessons to every aspect of your life. You will be amazed at how the things you are exposed to relate to your roles in life – as a person, yogi, teacher, parent, child, friend, partner, spouse. This is truly the LIFE of a yogi training!

Listen as much as possible. You will want to take notes, but if you can, take time to just be still and listen. Let go and simply absorb the information and the words.  Listen to other people’s questions and answers and try not to be too eager to answer them for yourself, even in your own mind. Let other people share, and let their knowledge and experiences become part of your own.

©Jeffrey Vock

Fifth: Smile, live, learn, laugh…and do your homework!

“Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it” Lao Tzu

Enjoy the training! Every day, it becomes more of a part of you and integrates itself into your very being. 

Sri Dharma is always quick with a smile and a kind-hearted joke. He understands the power of laughter and the importance of joy.  The training will go faster than you think, so soak up every minute! When you leave between sessions or after the final interval, do your homework!  Remember that you are going to be able to do it and what’s more, you will enjoy it. After my internship ended, I found that much of the homework has become a part of my daily life.  After talking with many other trainees, this is the case with most of us.  Carry it forward. Apply it. LIVE it. 

Sixth and finally: Go back

“Well, sometimes home is a person” --B.Revis

I understand how hard to is to travel to New York City. Still, I would encourage you to go back as much as you can. Go home, and by home I mean return to Sri Dharma and be in his presence. 

However, if you are very far and it is not possible for you to physically go, keep in touch with people through the internet, the phone, however you can to maintain the connection. I have found myself using Facebook to keep in contact with other trainees and to touch base with the Center – daily! You can see pictures of Sri Dharma, the mentors, your friends. You can read quotes from Sri Dharma (and yes, you hear his voice!) You see familiar faces and smiles and all at once, you are home. 

In closing, ultimately this experience is a very personal one. I wish that everyone who is undecided about going could understand one thing – you will never regret going, but you may regret having never been. 
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Jennifer has a undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Master’s Degree with a specialty in Counseling.  She had a career as a counselor working with clients of all ages and backgrounds, in varying environments, with a wide range of needs and concerns.  After her time as a counselor, Jennifer began her life as a mother, the most rewarding and challenging career of all. She believes that her education, practice, and history as a counselor, and mother, play an important role in her yoga practice and her teaching. She believes strongly that a truly dedicated spiritual and physical yoga practice can transform, enhance, and expand the life of the practitioner. Jennifer had the honor to study with Sri Dharma Mittra for both the LOAY 200- and 500-Hour Teacher Trainings, and recently graduated from the 500-hour Life of a Yogi Teacher Training. Jennifer studied with numerous other teachers, but continues to find her strength, inspiration, knowledge, direction, and guidance from Sri Dharma. She lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia with her husband and two children.  Jennifer teaches regular weekly classes in Virginia Beach and continues to travel to NYC at every available opportunity to study under Sri Dharma and the Senior Teachers at the NYC Center. 

Contentment – Discovered in a Bad Yoga Class

by Melody Abella

“By contentment, supreme joy is gained.”  sutra 2.42

Santosha is the Sanskrit word for contentment.  It’s first mentioned in The Yoga Sutras among the list of five niyamas. 

·        Side note:  My take on the niyamas is they guide our internal compass.  They’re ethical principles (or observances) that strengthen our character and guide us to live life in the best, most purest way possible.  As a result, they help us shine in a way that inspires others to live richer lives.  Richer meaning all the wealth we truly need is deep within, and not found held in a bank account.

©Jeffrey Vock

Back to santosha/contentment:

In my yoga studies, I’ve seen many deep definitions on contentment.  From a simple idea like contentment is being able to appreciate and live in the present moment to a more thought-provoking description of “Contentment is perfected in the absence of cravings.  It is the experience that nothing is lacking, that everything happens is an integral part of a Divine Plan.” (Inside the Yoga Sutras by Jaganath Carrera)

It’s often said that we already have everything we need.  Or as Sri Dharma Mittra says “all is within.” 

Our culture wants us to believe we need “things” or other people to make us happy.  The “things” list is long but a few examples:  new toys (cars, bikes, clothes, accessories), fancy restaurants, botox, a different boyfriend/husband/family.  You get the drift. 

The path of yoga leads us in the opposite direction…let go of external desires and internal contentment will be discovered.  The process of discovering contentment requires a huge mound of trust, courage and attention though. 

©Jeffrey Vock

It takes a lot of trust to follow a notion, such as the niyama contentment, when no one is there to hold your hand and lead you through the dark moments of life.  It also takes a lot of courage to fully step in and feel life as it is happening – feeling the awesome, okay, bad, scary and all the sensations in between that show up.  It takes a lot of paying attention to the present experience – being in it, as it is and not mentally jumping ahead to what’s happening 5 hours later the day.

Total confession here…I took a not so great yoga class recently in DC and it was there that I experienced santosha in a new way. 

So I signed up for what was listed as a vinyasa yoga /intermediate level class.  Let’s just say after starting in a restorative pose for ten plus minutes and not getting into my first Downward Facing Dog until twenty minutes into class, I was not content…

Thanks to my Grandmother’s constant words of wisdom, I reminded myself that there is always something new to learn in every situation in life.  Though I continued to find myself way too often checking the clock, realizing I had no idea the end time for the class and feeling I was stuck there.  Then I thought “I’m stuck here for a reason”.  That’s when I settled in and tried to make the best of it.

I can’t say I learned anything “new” from the teacher but I had a total realization that my life could be way worse.  Here I was on a Sunday morning surrounded by 40 or so others in a yoga class, bending and stretching in ways that many people aren’t able to do.  I have a healthy body and a great life.  The sun was coming out and I had a full day off ahead.  Life could be so much worse.  It was there and then I reminded myself of santosha.

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Passionate about sharing the power of yoga & its transformational benefits, Melody Abella founded a mobile yoga business in 2006. abellaYoga travels to corporate and private clients in Washington, D.C., Alexandria and Arlington, VA to teach yoga in homes, offices, hotels, and conference centers. Grateful for experiences gained in the telecom/tech corporate world, this ex-marketing yoga-chick is happy to share all she knows about yoga. Believing through discipline and devotion we have the power within to make positive changes in our bodies, lives and this world, Melody teaches her students “anything is possible”. Or as Sri Dharma Mittra says you must have “angry determination.” Melody received her 500-hour Dharma Yoga Teacher certification in May 2012. She continues to hop the train from DC to NYC monthly to practice with Sri Dharma Mittra at the Dharma Yoga New York Center.

Dharma Yoga Abroad

Q & A with Dharma Yoga Teachers around the World…

 This week: Gail Super in Cape Town, South Africa

By Nicole Sopko

Gail Super is a Dharma Yoga teacher and student who lives in beautiful South Africa. She says, “I am constantly amazed by how deep this practice of yoga is. I lead a really busy life and have many family responsibilities but my daily yoga practice allows me to cope with all of this. I am deeply grateful to Sri Dharma Mittra for his teachings and to the universe for leading me to his classes.”

Where do you live and teach?

I live in Cape Town with my 14 year old daughter, one dog, two kitties, and lots of baby geckos.

I am teaching Dharma I from my home in Vredehoek, Cape Town. I created a beautiful studio in a downstairs room and I teach on a Tuesday evening from 6-7 pm. I plan on adding more classes and also to teach some workshops.

The name of the studio is Dharma Yoga Cape Town. My cats love to join me in my practice in the studio!

Which Dharma Yoga Life of a Yogi trainings have you completed? How did you come to do those trainings?

I completed the LOAY 200-hour training. I used to live in NYC and fell in love with Sri Dharma after taking my first class with him on my 40th birthday. I started to attend his noon class every day. Unfortunately, a year later I had to return to South Africa. Doing the teacher training was a way for me to spend more time with Sri Dharma; steeping myself more deeply in the teachings and hopefully spreading his light.

Have the people you met during your training inspired you?

I met the most amazing people in the LOAY training. They have become lifelong friends and they have inspired me to read more of the scriptures and to spread the teachings.

What is one practice that you do every day?

Asana, pyschic development, pranayama and just sitting...every day.

How has your experience in the LOAY program affected your life outside of training?

I started to read more of the scriptures, started to develop a daily practice of psychic development and pranayama and I transitioned to a raw/live food way of life.

Do you have another job?

Yes. I am currently working on my postdoctoral research on punishment in South Africa at the University of Cape Town. My book “Governing through Crime in South Africa, the politics of race and class in neoliberalizing regimes” is about to be published!

What are you currently reading/studying?

I am reading the Yoga Vasisthasa as a well as Martin Amis' latest book (a novel).

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Nicole Sopko(Gopi Om) is a Dharma Yoga teacher living in Chicago, IL where she teaches Dharma Yoga and operates a nationwide vegan natural food company alongside her (life) partner. She takes great care to be always aware of the ways in which these two responsibilities intersect and spends her time promoting compassion in all forms. She is a dedicated and loving student of Sri Dharma’s and visits New York as frequently as possible to absorb the benefits of his holy teachings in person.

Ten Tips for New Teachers…

by Jason Zagaro

As you grow as a yoga teacher, you realize there is a lot more happening during a “typical” class than you may have first realized.  

When I first began teaching, my main concerns were: (1) avoiding injuries and (2) timing - how in the world was I going to fill 75 minutes? 

Time is usually something that consumes the mind of a novice teacher  - we think too much and too fast, speak too fast, move too fast...  

Patience is a virtue as a teacher and it gets developed over time. You cannot please everyone in class. Stay true to yourself; be creative but don’t stray too far from your wheelhouse. Eventually your composure, personality, structure and experience will take over as a teacher.  

The following are ten teaching tips that I have discovered over the years of being a yoga instructor:

1. Keep it simple. 
Don’t try and be the best yoga teacher on the planet and remember everything they taught you in your training. If Sanskrit words come naturally and you feel comfortable using them, then do so. Otherwise, work on filling your time and watching the room so people don’t get injured. 

2. Decide what level of preparation is your preferred method. 
Some teachers have no idea what pose is coming next. Some teachers have the class scripted to the T. Some even sequence the entire class set to the music they play. Many teachers just teach on a whim, spontaneously reacting to who is in the room. A good teacher teaches to the level of the room.

 3. Bad music is more of a factor than good music.
If the music is “bad” or inappropriate for a yoga class, it can really dampen or ruin the class. Everybody remembers a teacher who plays awful music and it can even deter the students from going back to that class. My first teacher in college had one CD and for three years he played the same CD in every class. The CD was Krishna Das' Pilgrim Heart, which was my first introduction to kirtan. I remember my first year training with him and I thought, “This music is awful!” After constantly hearing the same songs over and over, my frame of mind finally adjusted and I began to like the CD. If I hear Pilgrim Heart being played in a yoga studio now, I get flashbacks to that time in my life. Some lineages of yoga don’t have music at all; they want you to work on calming the mind, which means no distractions from your asana class.  

4. Be grateful to your students for coming to class.
I am always grateful to everyone who comes to take my class, even if some don’t follow the code of asana class perfectly. The fact that people would pay their hard earned money, drive to the studio, part from their families or home life for a period of time to listen to what I have to say and be guided by me as a teacher really makes me feel grateful.  

5. Set the guidelines for conduct in your classes.
As teachers, we are trained, and most of us practice, patience and understanding. We understand no one is perfect-- including ourselves as yoga teachers! Nonetheless, it is our responsibility to set the code of conduct for the class. Some teachers will tell me about students not acting appropriately and I always ask them if they discussed the problem with the student. Sometimes students are not being disrespectful, it is that they just don’t know the parameters of the class.  It is our job as teachers to educate them.  

6. Encourage Your Students to Practice Away from Class.

As teachers, we have instincts that grow over time. We can usually tell who has a solid home practice.  

 7. Help you students overcome their fears.
If your students have a lot of fears, practicing asana is a great way to work on those fears. As teachers we love to help those who are fearful about poses to overcome that fear. It is a process where we build the courage to take the first step, and then proceed from there.

8. Celebrate when a student achieves a pose.
If someone has been working on a pose and he or she finally gets it in the class, the teacher is just as excited as the student. To work so hard at something and then finally achieve that goal is such a rewarding concept.

 9. Pay some, but not too much, attention to your numbers.
As yoga teachers we care about bringing people to our classes and pleasing the owner of the studio where we are teaching. Numbers are not important in the concept of yoga, but revenue is part of the reality of teaching yoga today.

10. Don’t forget to take a moment to appreciate it all.
In the end, you’ve created a peaceful environment for the students and introduced the beauty of yoga and watched it transform lives. When the class is moving as one, as one heartbeat, and the students are moving in sync, take a moment to stand back and experience the gratitude of being a part of the peaceful unity that is occurring during the class. 

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Jason Zagaro graduated from the 500-Hour Dharma Yoga Life of a Yogi Teacher Training in March 2013. He's been studying Yoga tradition and philosophy for over eighteen years. Yoga has been the most wonderful experience that he has ever come across in his life. He started his training in 1995 with Ashtanga Yoga at the college that he attended, and later began to study and practice various forms of Hatha Yoga, Kripalu Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Integral Yoga and decided to become a certified Sivananda Yoga Teacher. 

Yogic Wisdom from Sri Dharma Mittra

Students in Sri Dharma Mittra’s classes (whether regular attendees or first-time participants) can all relate to that feeling of: “What was the brilliant little gem of yogic philosophy he said – that I SWORE I would remember and write down after class?”

Believe us when we say, we understand this sentiment. We try to record every tidbit we can; so, for your enjoyment, here are ten of our favorites:

1. “God (Divine) is the inmost Self of all creatures, sitting in the heart as our real selves.  Formless, incomprehensible for the mind, beyond all conditions, immutable, eternal, and action-less.”

2.

3. “The goal is to separate you from the mind.” 

4.

 

 

5. “The highest state of meditation is Samadhi where there is not ego anymore, no doubts, no me, no you, no notion of time, no eating, no talking, no walking, no working and not doing anything at all, realizing that the Self is action-less.” 

6. On Asana:

 

7. “I am only here to share my knowledge with others and to help them make rapid progress on the path of yoga.” 

8.

 9. “Rest your mind on the infinite…  Deep inside you are free.”  

10.