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Sri Dharma Mittraoten states that withoutYama and Niyama, there is no Yoga. PatanjaliMaharishi lists Yama and Niyama, restraint and

observance, as the rst and second branches othe eight-limbed system known as AshtangaYoga or Hatha-Raja Yoga. In the West, the questor the Supreme Sel oten begins with thepostures. Serious study o any one o the eightlimbs leads inexorably to study and knowledge othe other seven. One must be spiritually inclined,receptive and dedicated to their practice both onand o the mat.

Dharma-ji oten likens the Yamas to the ethicalrules which are at the core o every worldreligion. O the Yamas, Brahmacharya otenposes the greatest challenge to the serious

student o Yoga.

One characteristic which separates man rombeast is that animal behavior is ruled mostlyby instinct. While human beings also possessinstinct, most chose not to have their behaviorgoverned by it. The Yogi has classically beentermed a man o control. According to SwamiSivananda, Sri Dharmas Gurus Guru, therecan be no success in Yoga without control,particularly regarding the Yama o Brahmacharya.

Brahmacharya is abstinence rom physical sexualrelations and any associated mental activity. I

one is a house-holder, one is required to abstainrom sexual deed or thought to the degree thattheir relationships can bear and according totheir capacity. Capacity, like any other aspect opractice, is to be developed over time. The otherpath is that o the Sannyasin or renunciate. In

India, this is the preerred course when one isyoung, beore marriage and sometimes supplantsmarriage or worldly endeavor altogether. Perectobservance o Brahmacharya is required o theSannyasin.

Many in the West come to Yoga as house-holders with jobs, binding relationships and theresponsibilities both require. Dharma-ji hasstated that this situation is ideal in that one hasthe support and help o others that care abouthim or her. There will o course be challengesor the house-holder which the renunciate maynever encounter. It is easier to practice when one

is isolated in a cave in the Himalayas.

Sri Dharma spent many years culminatingin Sel-Realization as a Sannyasin and strictobservance o Brahmacharya was but one aceto the extreme discipline which brought himto the nal goal. Dharma-ji oten says aboutvarious austerities that this is not too pleasantand then goes on to describe the duration otime he practiced the austerity daily and or howmany years. The lesson here is that i one hopesto obtain the result Sri Dharma and all thosebeore him did, sacrice, discomort and evenpain are part o the equation. It is important

to remember that just as repetition o negativeaction or thought re-enorces the likelihood thatwe will repeat the action or thought process, sorepeating a positive act or thought over timecreates the opportunity to automatically choosethe right thought or action.

Cultivating a practice o Brahmacharya is dicultor most individuals. One should embrace theYama gradually and over a period o time. Themind and body are like small children: theywant what they want and they want it now!The problem is that each time one gives intoKama or desire, one re-enorces the negative

The Yama oBrahmacharya Adam Frei

Sadhaka Issue Two May 2009 Dharma Mittra Yoga Center, 297 Third Avenue @ 23rd St NYC 10010 212.889.8160 www.dharmayogacenter.co

SPEND YOuR ENERGY FOR SELF-REALIzATION! WE ARE A PORTIOOF GOD, ExuDING bLISS AbSOLuOuR REAL SELvES DONT NEED APLEASuRE FROM OuTSIDEDHARMA MITTRA

2009 200 HOuR LOAYTEACHER TRAININGS

Jun 19-28, 2009, New York CenterAug 8-19, 2009, Cali, Colombia

Aug 23-Sept 3, 2009, Omega Institute

Oct 22-31, 2009, New York Center

2009 500 HOuR LOAY TEACHERTRAINING, NEW YORK CENTERNovember 12-15, 2009 (Weekend 1)

December 10-13, 2009 (Weekend 2)

January 7-10, 2010 (Weekend 3)

February 11-14, 2010 (Weekend 4)

2009 WORKSHOPS AND RETREAMay 15-17, Yoga Journal Conerence, N

July 2-5, Kripalu - Jouney o Yoga Abso

Lenox, MA

August 22, Being Yoga Conerence, Rhineb

September 4-7, Body Mind Soul Live

Rejuvenation Retreat, Catskills, NY

September 20-27, Yoga Journal Cone

Estes Park, CO

December 1-6, DMY Vacation Retreat,

del Carmen, Mexico

SadhakaThe Dharma Mittra Yoga Teachers Association Newsletter

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Oer the corse ohis many years teachingYoga, Sri Dharma Mittra has deservedlygarnered the title as the Teachers Teacher.Hes inspired thousands o people all over theworld to not only become better at asanas,

but also to become better human beings bycreating a shit in the way they live their lives.Ive personally seen students who couldntlive without fesh in their meals, who are nowstrictly ollowing a vegetarian diet. As well asothers who were bounded in misery by theirdestructive habits, yet were able to see pasttheir ignorance simply by the words o wisdomthat Sri Dharma conveys.

Being reerred to as the Teachers Teacher isundoubtedly a dicult thing to accomplish.Simply being a Yoga Teacher is a challengeunto itsel, so it can only boggle the mind to

perceive how one can truly become recognizedas a Teacher or yogis. On a ew occasions, Iveheard Sri Dharma say, Yoga is the settling othe mind. This simple, yet powerul statementleads one to believe that the key to becominga Teachers Teacher doesnt require too muchthinking at all. Theres no reason to boggle themind in the rst place, when the answer liespurely in simplicity. Here are the three mainreasons why.

Sri Dharma Mittra has steadastly walked thepath o Yoga and has never diverted o o it.Can we say the same or ourselves? How many

times have we gotten ully immersed in thebliss and joy o Yoga only to get sidetracked bythe next big thing? Or perhaps even gettingdiscouraged by undesired results? How manyo us have stuck to the principles and pathlaid out by our own Guru? Have there beentimes where we knowingly went o course tosimply enjoy what the material world had tooer us? These are all challenges that Im sureSri Dharma has aced on his own path. Hemay have even been tempted to take anotherroute simply or what temporary pleasures itmay have oered. Yet despite these blatant

challenges, Sri Dharma has peaceully andhappily treaded the path that his own teachYogi Gupta had laid out or him, and kept thdiscipline and aith towards his Guru to movorward at all times.

Secondly, Sri Dharma Mittra never made

the practice about himsel. One has to onlybrowse through Sri Dharmas poster to seehow talented and amazing he is. How manyo us would have taken the route o ame anstardom ater putting together such a posteWould we be able to keep our own egos incheck ater such an accomplishment? Imwilling to bet that there are probably only ahandul o individuals on this planet that caeven achieve all o the 908 postures which aon the poster (maybe even counted on onehand). Yet, Sri Dharma never made it a pointo faunt himsel to the media or to the rest

o the world about his physical mastery. Hesimply did it as an oering to his Guru as was an oering to the rest o humanity, so pecould realize that with enough determinatioand drive, anything is possible, including the908 postures.

Lastly, but not the least is that Sri DharmaMittra practices what he preaches. As mano us are teachers ourselves, how many o can honestly say that what we teach or talabout in class is something that we strictlyollow ourselves? The primary example isthe Yamas and Niyamas. Sri Dharma talks

The Responsibilitieso a Yoga Teacher

Mitesh Kapadia, DMY 500 hour TT, New York 2008

Photos rom the Grand Geneva Conerence, Columbia retreat and beloved Sri Dharma MIttra

2 Sadhaka Issue Two May 2009 Dharma Mittra Yoga Center, 297 Third Avenue @ 23rd St NYC 10010 212.889.8160 www.dharmayogacenter.com

Vasanas or psychic grooves that induce one intorepeating the wrong thought or deed. Thereis a basic theory o economics called The Lawo Diminishing Return. By way o example,this theory is oten presented in the context ochocolate cake. With each bite, one enjoysthe chocolate cake hal as much as the previousbite. When one has utterly consumed the entireslice, one desires more chocolate cake, hoping toreplicate the experience o the rst bite. Humansexual relations are perhaps even more complexbecause in the context o greater emotionalconnection as interpersonal relationships deepen,the cake can actually eternally improve. It is at

this point that one must assess ones goals. I onedesires knowledge o the True Sel in this lietime,one must make dicult choices. One can eschewthe path entirely and simply enjoy the materialworld, recognizing that these feeting pleasureswill never lead to Sel-Realization. Or, one maybegin to cultivate a practice o Brahmacharya. Ione is a house-holder, this means being true tothe promises and responsibilities already enteredinto and doing ones Sadhana or spiritual practicein a way that harms no other person. I oneseeks to emulate Dharma-ji and has the capacityor great austerities, this should only be done

with the guidance o a true preceptor or teachersteeped in knowledge. Absolute observancewithout laying a careul oundation is surely arecipe or disaster. So, with Brahmacharya, there isa progression by which one cultivates awarenessrst and then makes small, gentle, but constantsteps toward re-purposing thought and deed untilone eventually reaches a place where the thoughtarises, is acknowledged and passes away.

Without Yama and Niyama, there is noYoga. Without Yama and Niyama, Asana,Pranayama and Meditation are merely physical,breathing and mental exercises with no hope

o bringing the true light o knowledge to thebenighted state most trudge through lie in.It is only through human birth that one hasthe opportunity to achieve enlightenment.Thereore, it is considered the greatest act ione is able to pro-create and give another soula chance at human birth. I a Yogi can pro-create without attachment and rom a positiono perect Brahmacharya in thought and deedbeore and ater, one has attained to the highest.

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Ater retrning rom the teacher training inAugust, I have begun giving mysel a home classalmost every day alternating between level 1 andlevel 2. I remember what my calculus teachersaid in high school. I should be able to wake youup at 3 AM and you should be able to derive theormula or the derivative. I have taken the sameapproach to my home practice. You may nd thatit is not easy or a new teacher to teach a class. Alot o studios want you to do their training beorethey will even let you substitute.

I started attending the Maya Whole Health YogaStudio in Seattle using the 2 month newbiemembership special. Ater just a month, thesub did not show up or a Tuesday 10 AM classthat I regularly go to which is a level 1 2Vinyassa. I asked the students i I could givethem a Dharma class and the person who wasworking the ront desk. Everybody said ne soI did it. I quickly went to the bathroom anda had a pounding heart or a minute. Once Iopened with Dharmas classic Bhahavad Gitareading: Fix your mind on me alone., all wascalm. I was transported back to my training. Iremembered the only suggestion that JeremyFrendel had given me was to make sure I keptwithin the time limit. I showed the studentsthe square twist pose and the hal shoulderstand. I then did the class straight the way itwas taught to us. I did the pranayama holding

or just our seconds and a ull meditation awith Shivasana. I told the students to imagthe So Hum on the in and out breath. Thio being on an island with a beautiul beachwith white sand. See the waves breaking onSo inhale and retreating on the Hum exOne o the students thanked me later or image. It is a real lie image o me going to beach on Vlieland, an isalnd in the North SeNetherlands, where visitors can only bring rent a bike. No cars are allowed on the erryoutsiders. Ater the class a ew students tomy card and the ollowing week a teacher wwas in the class, told me how much she likeShe said I could sub or her.

I am writing this to tell my ellow trainees, tit is really easy now to teach a class. Dharmathe mentors have given you everything you Take a ew So-hum breaths and go out and d

You will nd a unique mix that comes rom

your heart.

My First Ocial ClassDec. 5, 2008 by Victor Odlivak

Im Sorry or every creature i have ever killed,knowingly or through my own negligence andignorance o the Truth.

Im sorry or every person that I have hurtor made to suer-physically , emotionallyor spiritually by not setting the example orollowing the right path..

Im sorry or every time that I have been selfsh,impatient, wasteul or conceited and flled withpride. And or all the times that I have beenharsh or judgemental.

Im sorry or having strayed rom the path, or

all o the times that I orgot to ollow my heart,and or all the times that I orgot to perorm myduty, my dharma, lovingly and with courage.

Im sorry or orgetting to cultivate love andcompassion or all beings, or not seeing myselin others, or closing my eyes to their pain andsuering. And or not giving more o mysel to help.

And or not showing gratitude every second orall o the glorious and beautiul aspects o thislie. And the incredible miracles. And the Guideswho have helped me fnd the right direction onthis journey.

And or not showing gratitude or all o myown suering that has been the catalyst orcontinued spiritual growth.

Lord orgive me or having orgotten you. Grme the will power to press on with all o thespiritual practices and purifcation that will bme closer snd closer to you until I can see thwe are one.

Until I can eel that we are one.Until I defnitely know or sure that we are oUntil we are one.WE are one.


extensively about these cornerstones o Yogain his classes, and without a doubt one cansee that he genuinely ollows the principleshimsel. The title o Teachers Teacher wouldnever have been bestowed to Sri Dharma hadhe gone to McDonalds ater every class anddevoured a Big Mac or treated people rudelyonce he walked outside the Kailashanandatemple. I once came across a powerul quoteby the saint Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya whosaid that, I the elders practiced what theypreached to their children, this world wouldtruly become a heaven. Sri Dharma hascertainly done his part on making this world a

better place to live in. Lets try our best to doour part as well.

Ultimately, Sri Dharma has inspired manyby his teachings to become yoga teachers intheir own right, deservedly gaining the title oTeachers Teacher. As indicated by the threepoints above, the reason behind it is quitesimple. Our intuitive voice probably alreadyknew that these are the ways to become agreat teacher.

However, in order to Copy the Teacher, wemust try to place ourselves in the shoes o our

teacher. To wholeheartedly experience andeel how Sri Dharma got to where he is rightnow. Perhaps even asking yoursel beore anychallenge you ace, What would Sri Dharmado? Being a Yoga Teacher may not be themost glamorous or well-paying proession, butdespite that, we all have a responsibility touphold the true tradition and genuine natureo this liestyle. Overall, being a Yoga Teachermeans to ollow our duties or Dharma.

A PRAYER OF REPENTANCE bY KIM JEbLICK

Playa del Carmen Retreat

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It seems unny to look back on my lie 6 yearsago without Yoga and even 6 months ago withoutDharma to think o everything I have learnedand how my outlook has changed in just the pastew months and weeks since I became a LOAY

TT Sadhaka. Yoga has now become a part o mydaily lie not only through asana practice butthrough the yamas and the niyamas, through mymeditation and pranayama and o course throughthe wonderul teachings o Sri Dharma Mittra,along with his network o yogis that I have beenblessed to have learned rom and eel so proud bea part o.

As many do, I began practicing yoga initiallyor exercise, literally to keep t but also, as aproessional dancer and actress to sustain mystrength and fexibility in between my demandingwork contracts and to keep my mind in check

or my vigorous auditions. It didnt take me longhowever to realise that Yoga was to be much,much more than this. As I ound mysel attendinglots o dierent classes I became eager to learnmore. I elt my heart opening to the practices andelt compelled to delve deeper, I wanted to beable to pass on what I was learning, my passion,and that addictive bliss!

So, I set out on my mission to nd a teachertraining course this was no easy task! I trailedthe Internet becoming great riends with googleyoga teacher training London GO GOOGLESEARCH. There were many courses I looked into

but nothing clicked, none were quite what I waslooking oruntil In May 2008 I was chattingwith a ellow classmate in London, Mark Kanabout the journey he was taking at that time,the LOAY TT Dharma Mittra course at theKailashananda Temple in NYC.

Marks passion or Dharma was inectious. I wentstraight home to do some o my own research.I was instantly captivated; watching Sri DharmaMittras fuid, strong practice on the website wasincredible and when I read about the 200 hourcourse I was engrossed; It elt like a light had beenswitched on inside and I knew instantly that this

was exactly what I had been looking or hoorah!

I applied or the course, booked my fights andeagerly waited, the rst day nally arrived. I eltlike a kid on Christmas morning, so excited, soready to learn and so ready to meet Dharma. I

checked out o real lie, didnt answer phonecalls, emails and had no contact with my lieback in London - I was on a total retreat. Thebusy sounds rom outside on 3rd avenue seemedto become less and less as our minds and bodybecame quiet. Words now ail me; to expressor to do justice to the overall experience o thetraining with Dharma and the other wonderulteachers. Dharmas teachings were proound heis so humble and an inspiration, a antastic rolemodel and living example o the union betweenthe mind, body and soul how we should ollowthe 8-limbs. Everything is perect!

On returning home I was riding a bliss wave; Ielt open, present and grounded, and my dailypranayama and meditation practice is trulyhelping to sustain this. I now have greater strengthboth physically and mentally and am muchcalmer; all o this I have never experienced beoreto such an extent. Now when I nd mysel rushingaround I step back and watch, I only connectand try not to attach. I elt so prepared to teachand began teaching a level one basics course toa group o actors at the end o November. Theywere all total beginners and it has been great towatch them progress with the postures over the

past couple o months. Im excited or more more learning and more teaching. This is a newpath. My lie has been changed. Thank you toeveryone, Thank you to Sri Dharma, Thank you orreading! Om peace x

I am you; you are me.Everything is perect

Claire Conolly DMY 200 HR TT New York

Photos rom the April Maha Sadhana and graduations at Dharmas New York center

Marinda Hollar

A letter o gDharma Mit


Coming to the Lie o a Yogi teacher Training June 2007 was the most lie changing experiI have ever had. My lie was chaotic and I waeeling disillusioned about yoga. I was aboutto make a big mistake and sell my yoga cent

and give up being a yoga teacher, but thankuI met Dharma. Prior to the training In NYC, watched Dharmas DVDs several times and especially listened careully to his discoursesI have never heard anyone speak with suchconviction. His comparison o a rerigeratorull o meat to a morgue and how eating meis like flling our bodies with the carcasses oslaughtered animals was enough to encouragme decide to give up eating meat. I called Lymy riend who was also going to the trainingto see i she had looked at the DVDs yet? Shhad and beore I could say it she announcedthe same resolution to stop eating meat. It is

challenging to become a vegetarian especiallliving in a state like Texas.

I had tried a ew times to become a vegetaribut in the past I did not have any support oranyone reminding me o how harmul it realis to eat meat. Lynn and I have been pleasansurprised at the support we have both receivrom amily, riends and our yoga students. Wsee what a dierence it makes to have a teacwho cares enough to tell the truth even i it not such a popular teaching.

At frst my amily, riends and students

were araid that I had gone o on sometangent and were worried that I was goingto pressure them to stop eating meat, but my surprise most o my amily and riendssaw the positive dierences in me and as aresult starting to change their minds and aeating less meat. In our home we have sevvegetarian meals a week. In all the years thhave been studying yoga none o my teachencouraged me to become vegetarian nor they stress the yamas and that eating megoes against the yama. I a question came at workshops or classes about eating meatsome teachers said you did not kill the me

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Each day began with a bumpy twenty minute bubetween Playa Del Carmen, Mexico and its spirituoasis, Otam. The rst morning the students were with anticipation. Each looking orward to spenditime with a living yoga master, Sri Dharma Mittrarst arrival it was clear that the time with Dharm

would be transorming or all o the Sadhakas.Otam is a peaceul place set back in the jungle. Itwas built by its owners, Maru and Torsten with atremendous amount o love that was elt immedater arriving. Dhamraji taught class in the large Pbuilt with local material and covered by a thatcheOtam is a sattvic place and its natural spiritual chwas only enhanced by Dhamra Mittras presence.

Dharma began the morning with the usual Om,pranayama, spiritual discourses, meditation, asanakirtan. There were about 40 students participatingthe week-long retreat. Ater the morning session students had the option to return to Playa Del Caor to stay at Otam. I they chose to stay at Otamstudents continued on with their practice or splasaround in the natural sinkholes that were lled w

groundwater enriched with minerals.Dharmaji lled the evening session with a little mpranayama, meditation, asana and kirtan. The stuwere provided with vital inormation required to sel-realization. During each meeting, Dharmaji wreveal a little more Knowledge, divulging inormathat one would only learn rom being in the preseo a true yoga master. The value o the time spenOtam with Dharma was priceless and lie changinon so many dierent levels. The students were ato learn the attributes o a yogi by quiet observato the guru. At times when the students were chaand chatty, Dharma remained calm, quiet. There w

no dgeting or signs o discomort because o a cthe air. He was generous and loving to every studregardless o name and orm. It did not matter wguna prevailed in the students minds. He embraceveryone unconditionally. There should never be adoubt that all o Dharmas students are in good h

It is oten hard to realize all the inormation passebetween a Guru and a student. In act, it may taksadhaka years to really comprehend something thave heard rom Dharmaji a thousand times. This

just one reason why it is recommended to take aopportunity to be in the physical presence o the especially i he is at Otam.

Sri Dharma Mittrat Otam Erin Quell

tude to my teacher


so some how that justifed it and others elt itwas a personal decision.

Most o the training I received ocused on theasana, pranayama and a little meditation. Nowonder I was suering and not getting the

benefts I had desired rom yoga, as well ascreating present and uture bad karma. WhenDharma said no yamas no yoga I heard that!We are regularly using Dharmas teachings onthe yamas in our classes and try to encourageour students to at least hear us out and thinkabout it. Fortunately, Dharmas sequencesare so well designed and the students are soaligned that they are more willing to listen, oras Dharma would say be receptive. All o thestudents, even the older ones are doing posesthey have never been able to do. Everyone isnear or doing ullback bends. It is amazing to

see how much everyones spine is changing.Never in the history o our center have I seensuch improvements. The way we were trained atthe Lie o a Yogi training is allowing us to reallyreach and help students.

I teach or the University o Texas in a wellnessprogram and the frst class o the semester wasflled with many new students and a ew o myregulars. I always start the class with OM 3times as instructed but hardly anyone chimedin. At the end o the class I began chantingOm Shanti and everyone chanted loud enoughor the whole university to hear! Every where I

teach Dharma Mittra classes students thank meor such a meaningul class.

I am so grateul to Dharma or his emphasis onthe yamas now in the modern world o yogathese most important teachings are ignoredor talked about quickly or without conviction.Another discourse o Dharmas I ound so helpulwas on receptivity. I had so many synchronisticevents during the training that made me eel sotuned in but the one I will share here has to dowith Dharmas poster. One day on a lunch breakas I was heading out the door to fnd somewhereto eat a ellow trainee asked i she could join me.

We had just stepped into an eatery and whilestanding in line we heard a voice say Marinda?I looked around and there was a ormer studentone I hadnt seen in many years. She got herstart as a yoga teacher at my frst studio. She

and another riend who is also a yoga teacherwere the ones who hung Dharma Mittras yogaposter at Arlington Yoga Center.

I would have never believed that I would seeanyone I knew in NYC considering the millionso people and many choices o restaurants. Whatwere the odds that we would both go to thesame place at the same time? She sat down andjoined us or lunch and as were visiting my ellowtrainee started asking her questions like Do youlive around here?, is this a ca you requent?as she responded we realized that both o us hadrandomly picked that ca. She had never eaten

there beore and at the time was living in LongIsland and just happened to be in Manhattan thatday. I told her I was there studying with Dharmaand I reminded her about the poster and toldher she should go take a class with Dharma. Ithought about the meaning o this because oDharmas talk prior to lunch on being receptive. Iremembered when she and my frst yoga teacherasked me i they could hang a poster in the roomwhere they practiced yoga.

It was Dharmas amous poster! Every one whovisited the studio admired the poster. Studentswanted to know who was doing those amazing

poses. At that time I did not know who he wasbut I had a wish to know him. Little did I knowthat someday I would become his student.Since meeting Dharma I have a whole new wayo living and teaching yoga. I am positive andcalm. Problems rom all areas o my lie havebeen resolved. My back injury has healed, I havemany new teaching opportunities, ArlingtonYoga Center is growing and we successullysupported Dharmas frst workshop in Dallaslast year and will be hosting him again this year.Having Dharma as my teacher has helped me inso many ways and I hope to help others the wayhe has helped me by practicing the true yoga.

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STAYING THE COuRSE: LIFE AFTER GRADuATION

Kripalu February 2009

Ater teacher training, returning to tamasticChicago was not easy. Without Sri Dharma,and the other great teachers and sadhakas,it elt a bit like being banished to spiritualSiberia. The rst ew weeks were not aproblem. But then the material worldbeckoned, and the mind became distracted.

Here are a ew o the things that have ound

helpul:

Re-reading the training manuals andcontinuing with the practices we learned inthe teacher training, rom starting the daywith hot lemon water and sitting to doingpsychic development at least once a week.As Andrei Ram said during the 200-hourtraining, Take reuge in your practice. Ialso take reuge in teaching, and always askDharma to teach through me.

Reading through my teacher training notes,to be reminded o every revelation andbreakthrough that happened during that time.

Going to the website and the DVDs or mymind to remember what is important.

Daily reading o spiritual books, especiallythe Bhagavad-Gita and the Yoga Sutras,is immensely helpul. The books Ive readabout Ramakrishna have expanded andshed light on many o the concepts wecovered in teacher training. as well as thoserom Swami Satchidananda.

Staying in touch with other Sadhakas iskey; you may even nd out that they arestruggling with some o the same issues.

Ramakrishna says to keep company withholy men. Since Im ar rom New York, Iwent on the awesome Mexico week withDharma and I occasionally attend satsangat a Sivananda center. I was able to visitAmma earlier this year. And during a trip toIndia I visited many ashrams and temples.

All o these things have helped the mind ocuson what is important. But something stillseemed to be missing. So ater graduation Iasked Dharma what to do when I have doubtsor am eeling lost, because I live so ar away.He claried the question, and then told me astory about when Yogi Gupta went to India orsome time, Dharma started talking to him asi he were there, and answering as i he werethe guru. Dharma asked him when he wascoming back, and Yogi Gupta said a certaindate and time. The guru actually came back atthat very date and time! Dharma said I should

remember that he is always there in my heart;We are all in there, he said. I am you, youare me.

He then asked i I had a picture o him, andI said o course. He said to talk to him, andpretend to be him and answer. Then he pattedme on the head. This nal gesture clearedaway so much debris; it elt like all the junk Idaccumulated in the ve months since trainingended had been brushed away. The gratitudeI elt was overwhelming. So now, I talk toDharma each and every day - and Chicago nolonger eels like Siberia.

When I arrived at Kripalu, I was amazed at the shnumber o people present, and managed to get early enough to get a seat in the second row. SrDharma speaks sotly and very deliberately, breaconsciously. The average person takes teen brper minute, while Yogis, he says, breathe only vebreaths per minute. He requently pauses to letconcepts sink in, and oten says: You understan

Dharma was surrounded by a handul o assistan

o whom had peaceul, contented, and happy aWe chanted in a group o over 100 people; a verpowerul combined energy. Dharma presented o inormation about the philosophy and spirituYoga. He spoke to us about the distinction betwthe body, the mind, and the true Sel. In all o explained, is a spark, a light that is a piece o Gobecause o this, all that we need to be happy in lwithin us. The pursuit o material things will notus happy, nor can other people. The expectationmaterial things or other people are able to satisdesire to be happy is one that is destined to ail. this an incredibly powerul concept. I was able toDharma say that everything I need is within me

message continues to resonate today.

Dharma also said that as we practice Yoga, God, you preer, higher power, or purity o energy, canthrough us more. He said to practice kindness acompassion toward all living things. This includepractice o vegetarianism. Animals are like childhe said. They are innocent, pure, and driven onlyinstinct. And the way animals are raised today, way they are slaughtered is ull o violence and p

By the end o the weekend, I elt that while I hadheard a tremendous amount o wisdom that I cpossibly have absorbed in totality, I was calm, opand surrounded by love and warmth. The weekewent by so quickly, and seems like a blur o wisdpeaceulness, and physical exhaustion. I am thawas there!


JEFFREY MEYERRefections rom Kripa

bY CARA JEPSEN

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Ask Dharma and IsmrIttee DevI Om


Dharma and Andrei started the practice

with some pranayama exercises instead o

doing it ater shavasana. Is this something

I should also think about doing?

Firstly Dharmaji, has been teaching or somany years, and he is experienced beyondus so o course he may always change hissessions as he wishes, without any o usnding any question about it. He also worksin phases thru the months ,and over the

year o what he ocuses on teaching. This isespecially true to his regular daily studentsin the NYC Temple. Sometimes Dharma willput the breathing in the beginning dependingon what he has planned or the end. Alsonote that he is switching between teaching 2hour master classes and 1.5 in the evenings.Oten he will rotate his ocal point on extrateachings on the scriptures, or on DMYpartering , or on Meditation or Pranayama. Hegraceully brings students and teachers exactlywhat they need over time.

The program that he has given all the new

teachers is the one or us all to ollow just asprescribed and taught in the teacher trainingprogram.

This is designed to bring the best results oryou when teaching, in your relation with thestudents, and or the students themselves.We ask that all stay consistent with it whenteaching. Aundre who is with Dharmaji at thecenter daily, likes to copy his teacher/Guruas he is teaching weekly most o the samestudents, so it remains consistent.

Another question is about vegetarianism.

I nd that people like to hammer me with

questions regarding the whys and come up

with their reasons to suggest that human

beings were made to eat meat, like why we

have teeth designed to cut meat up? and how

Jesus went to the water and killed thousands

o sh to eed the hungry people?? I dont

care or these questions because I have no

desire to eat meat, be a part o the suering

and killing o animals, and have experienced

the beauty and health o not eating animals,

but in order to have an intelligent response so

that they can maybe start to make sense o

how this is truly Ahimsa and the right path,

you know o anything I can say to them whe

they ask me these things?

Again Since Sri Dharma had been teaching years, he has a bit more clout when speakinon these matters. People o course will stillchallenge him regularly. For years Dharmajispoke little on becoming a vegetarian, butdid get the idea across thru his Ahimsa inAction. People eel his compassion thru hiseveryday actions or both people and anima

And without any mention or lectures manystudents over the years have told me they jinstantaneously became vegetarian rom bearound Dharma and in his classes.

This o course would be something great tostrive or in our uture o teaching, but ornow I would suggest not getting too involvein convincing. It is best to suggest to eat leanimal products just or ones own health, ain order or them to eel better. As you havregular DMY students over a year o so, andthey are ready, you may suggest urther on importance. As you know classically speakin

it is a given in Yoga, but in this country, mospeople what to believe in their own mindrstly, and have the reedom to think andact as they wish and believe. So yes this isa challenge, but take it slow, do not get tooinvolved with argument over it, and just letthem know that is what you do, and it workvery well or you and in the practice. We cashow and inspire most o all by example! Ithank you so much or your questions and agrateul to help. Om Shanti Om!

I love him madly, or he is DharmaKrishna Das

Krishna Das Hanuman Chalisa New Years Day Jan 1st 2009 All Day Chanting 108 Rounds

RefectionJudy Mcclainumi wrote a comorting poem about wearing aap in both worlds, and I oten think o it whenm struggling to maintain the balance betweenhis inner lie which is like a river o golden light andy outer lie which calls urgently or my attentionnd includes some o my avorite people: children,mily, riends). Much o our DMY training taughts practices to move ourselves rom the context oame and orm the external world to the context the internal Sel, and Im grateul or these concretend eective means or staying with Sel.

ur daily practice or one month was to ocus onpicture o a saint, and I continue to keep Saintharma in most o the rooms o my house. Just inase. Meditating on Dharmas ace emblazoned hismage rst in my brain, it seemed, and then graduallymblazoned his image in my heart. Id always elte was near. But it was like an act o memory. Theeditation practice deepened that relationship. You

now how Dharma says that chanting and japa areke money in a savings account? This practice hasad the same eect. I dont need to rememberharma in the ordinary way any longer; just his nameill set o a vibration in the heart.

kewise, daily japa has created a lasting and subtlebration. Physical mantra produces all kinds oonderul eelings, and at rst the silent mantrapetition elt empty, not quite as joyul as using the

oice. But now I long or the silent dialogue as I sitith riends or must communicate with others. I eelysel tunneling urther into Sel, and japa is oten a

uick route to take. The moment I ocus during japand bring my intention back to the mantra itsel, Iel the scintillation, the spark o its ignition. In thatstant my vibration changes.

nally, the candle fame meditation has becometualistic too. It took me a long time to surrender

he idea o the fame, to the idea o recreating it iny brain. It oten elt like a game: hold the image asng as possible or Game Over. But now the famelike Dharmas image and the spark o the japa isways there to be ound in its symbolic rather thaneral image.

nd heres the conrmation, the miracle, the joy: theerpetual and steady fame emblazoned on my mind,hich the practice has allowed me to nd and hold,the very same light I used to study as a child lyingbed with eyes closed. Over the years, I had simplyrgotten to look at it. With love and gratitude or

ur Guru.

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WE DEDICATE THISNEWSLETTER TO THEGRADuATES OF THE 200AND 500 HOuR TT LOAY

ROGRAM!

AI SADHAKAS!

NY 2008

500 HOuR GRADuATESransisca Alexanderobey Giordoe Ward

uNE 2008 NY200 HOuR GRADuATEennier Iserloh

AuGuST 2008200 HOuR SANRANCISCO GRADuATES

asmineourtney Dillonouise With-Seidelinristina Magrin

Martin Scottean Mazzeirine Resbaekleatsae Scibuolaodney Medeiros

OCTObER 2008 NY200 HOuR GRADuATESaul Grossbard

ustin Blazejewskiate Muehlemannarah Kravitzwight Stevensonlare Connollyoshio Hama

Mariangela RomeroWhitney MacLeodNatasha VogeleBaron Meyerseith Metzgeraulo Torre

PECIAL RECOGNITION TODMY KARMA YOGIS 2008ennier Wiklinskiuzie Dianorin Quellorie Bebberernadette Duthuoann Steklerlizabeth Kurzweilim Jeblick

Olga Sharanndrei Ram Om


NAMASTE&

warm wishes on

this wonderful day...

w w w . o f f t h e m a t . e t s y . c o m

grace . strength . beautyTM

Thank you Dharma,

You are our Inspiration.

Queens, Englewood NJ, and The Bronx

718.263.0788 bamboomovesyoga.com

Maha CelebrationHonoring 70 years of Life & 45 years of loving service

May Sixteen, 2009 New York CityJai Guru 108!

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