After spending this past weekend with Sri Dharma Mittra, I am convinced there is no reason to travel to India or some far away land to experience the best of yoga. Teaching yoga since 1967, Sri Dharma founded the first independent school of yoga in NYC in 1975 and is known internationally as the "Teachers' Teacher". Smack in the heart of Manhattan, he has been sharing the secrets of success not just in yoga but in life. As he stated on Sunday, there are just four things you need to do to … [Read more...]
Beyond OM
As Sri Dharma Mittra often states at the start of a Master class, "all yoga practices begin and end with the sound of OM." True to form, this video captures this instruction at the beginning of his full day of teaching at the Washington Convention Center April 6, 2014. Beyond the sacred sound of OM, which is said to be the oldest mantra in the world, there are many other mantras frequently chanted in asana classes at yoga studios around the world. Mantras exist for many things including … [Read more...]
Moderation is Key
At least twice a year I recommit to stop buying books on Amazon.com and instead read one of the many I already own (and this is one of those times!). Regardless of this commitment, almost daily I pick up one of my many versions of either The Yoga Sutras or The Bhagavad Gita - both are key if you wish to delve deep into the philosophical heart of yoga. So while the rain poured and poured outside this morning, I huddled reading a few slokas (aka verses) of my favorite version of The Bhagavad … [Read more...]
The Business of Yoga (part 4)
The Business of Yoga (part 4) is all about the importance of networking. As I explained to the Flow Yoga Center yoga teacher trainees yesterday in Washington, DC, word-of-mouth continues to be an essential key to locking in private and corporate yoga clients since starting abellaYoga nearly eight years ago. Face-to-face connections in today’s social media/texting world seem to often get pushed to the side. It’s far easier to hide behind a computer screen and promote yourself vs. physically … [Read more...]
Taking a Break
As a small business owner (i.e. full-time traveling yoga teacher), I'm often asked "How are you able to take vacation?" Or sometimes it sounds like "Won't your office yoga /corporate clients find another instructor?" and "Aren't you worried your private yoga clients will be upset?" Honestly, I'm always baffled by this type of question Part of a yoga teacher's job is to help people feel better. Better is a simple term for a world of sensations such as healthy, grounded, energized, … [Read more...]
A Lesson from Ants
Tapas may be one of the easiest Niyamas (ethical observances) to understand yet the hardest to follow. Tapas is Sanskrit for discipline. As the 3rd Niyama listed in Patanjali’s eight-limbs of yoga, I often think Tapas should be the first. To fully experience Saucha (cleanliness) and Santosha (contentment), which are the first two Niyamas, mindfulness and full-attention are required. True discipline (tapas) commands that we are attentive in the moment. Many times discipline takes months, … [Read more...]