Dharma Mittra YTT

Just sharing the essay I had to write for my application into the Dharma Yoga Teacher Training in April:

Write a 100 word minimum answer per question below and email them to info@dharmayogacenter.com
1. How has practicing Yoga affected you and your relationship to the world around you?
When I began practicing yoga my life was hectic, stressful, and unhealthy. It was dedicated to pleasing others and being “successful”. On a physical level, Yoga has healed my body from years of athletic abuse. Taking on Yoga as a lifestyle has made me conscious of the way I move throughout my life. I use the yamas and niyamas as guidelines to promote a healthiness and happiness. By improving myself I can then extend that to those around me. My goal is to be able to help people as much as possible. I am currently a Volunteer at Kripalu doing my Karma Yoga. Realizing the divinity in all things and appreciating this unity has made me more awake to my surroundings.

2. Who has influenced you on your Yoga path, and why have you chosen this training?
My 200hr/500hr Kripalu teachers, Deva Parnell and Christopher Baxter at Discovery Yoga have been great influences. As a teacher, Kripalu Yoga resonated with me because of its stress on mindfulness and the holistic system of Yoga. Coming from an athletic background I found myself to be in touch with my body, but had a hard time connecting to students who had difficulties. Kripalu was a way that I could interact with those who needed special assistance and allowed a safer way to practice. My personal practice is Ashtanga based, influenced by Pattabhi Jois. I find Dharma Yoga a great way to connect my physical asana practice with the philosophy and mindfulness trainings. I took Dharma’s Maha Sadhana course and was inspired by his teachings. I believe this is the next step on my path and Dharma will bring a devotional and spiritual aspect to my Yoga.

3. In brief tell us your life history and your profession.
I grew up the competitive gymnastics world. After thirteen years of pounding my body I decided it was enough. I tried my first yoga class at the age of fifteen. I loved moving my body through the postures at my own pace and creating healing energy instead of pain. I then moved on to playing competitive volleyball. My whole family plays and I wanted so badly to fit in. I played Division I volleyball in Florida and was still maintaining my yoga practice. I began working at lululemon athletica (yoga clothing store) where I had met and interacted with the Jacksonville Yoga community. I went through my 200hr Yoga Teacher Training in 2008 and have been working on my 500hr ever since. I graduated college with a BFA December 11th, 2010. I wanted to complete my 500hr at the “Mother Land” (aka the Kripalu Center). So I decided to pack up and Volunteer at Kripalu starting January 4th, 2010. I only have my elective credits left for my 500hr and the Dharma Yoga Training will be the final piece to completing that puzzle.


4. What would you like to improve in your life?
I am working with the niyama, Santosha (contentment). I am pretty emotional and suffer from the ups and downs of life. I don’t think that it is a goal of mine right now to completely eliminate that, but I believe it is important to find balance and not give in to such extreme highs and lows. Just graduating college and being in such a stimulating environment at Kripalu it is easy to be looking ahead into the future or daydreaming about the past. Finding contentment with my self and with where I am at in this moment is necessary to my development and will help facilitate healthy relationships. Being able to find acceptance and harmony within my self will begin to shine light onto others. Contemplating and inviting this phrase into my life: I am exactly where I need to be, and I am already everything I need.

Om Namah Shivaya

"I embrace change."

This weekend is a chance to celebrate change. Maha Shivaratri is usually celebrated the night before and the day of the new moon. This new moon happens to fall on Valentine's Day. Maha Shivaratri is a festival dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. Shiva symbolizes destruction. He destroys ideas and concepts in our lives that do not serve us anymore (whether we are willing or not). Thus, Shiva is said to be the Father of Yoga. Yoga is about transformation. We must learn to embrace these changes in our lives. Gandhi is famously quoted "Be the change you wish to see in the world." We think, how nice...I can find something to change, then stand by that single focus and follow in Gandhi's footsteps. However, in order to "be the change" we have to realize that "the change" is forever evolving. It won't look the same tomorrow as it did today.

A great opportunity to practice placing comfort around change is in time of the new moon. In Vedic philosophy there are many cycles in nature to which we are subtly attuned. The moon ("candra" in Sanskrit) is one of these. The new moon is a time to start new projects. There is a fresh new energy that helps us to accelerate our progress as the moon grows (Lissa Coffey).

The new moon energy corresponds to the end of exhalation when the force of apana is greatest. Apana is a contracting, downward moving force that makes us feel calm and grounded, but dense and disinclined towards physical exertion.
The Farmers Almanac recommends planting seeds at the new moon when the rooting force is strongest(The Ashtanga Yoga Center).

Feeling that grounding, rooting energy, and the gentle momentum of the natural world we can feel confident in exploring change. We can set new goals and trust that it is time to manifest these new ideas.

by the light of the moon
I call onto you
holding my hands out to the world
sending forth my dreams
placing my toes in the sand
my fingers graze the water
my breath is steady and hopeful
new landscapes
new eyes
walking into the unknown
following the light from my dreams
the moon reflects
my life is but a mirror
the space between
my heart rests in the stillness
a slight flutter
with sparks off virgin lips
creating a new path
with beauty and love in every breath

Bear Attack!!

Today was the first day the cold seemed unbearable. It wasn't even like it was the coldest day, but my sense of awe was lost and replaced with the bitter chill of the morning air. Saturdays I wake up at 5:15am, roll out of bed in the same clothes from the night before, make a cup of coffee, and trek up to the "mother ship". Usually, I mentally prepare for this ordeal, but this morning was different. I was so warm in my bed. It was like someone picked me up from my fluffy mattress (this of course is in my dreams, because in reality I sleep with no blankets, a dead beat pillow, and an inch thick mattress on the top bunk) and threw me in a tub of ice water...in the dark.

Then as I'm walking I hear this rustling sound coming from the dumpsters and my imagination ran wild. In that moment I decided that I was a goner. The bear would surely attack and I would then freeze to death on the payment. I debated if I should run, but then glanced down at my coffee in my hand and decided I'd rather save the coffee. That's love.

Fun note: It's apparently hunting season here in the Berkshires, so we are encouraged to wear bright clothing so we don't get hunted....I have a black jacket.

Mother May I?
I watch the sunrise on these proverbial eyes
My tears are no match for the solemn rain
Grey skies of a simple winter morning
Let's rejoice in that I am alive she says
Let's cry because I am alive I say
Let us pray so we don't go through this again

"It is the darkest hour, the hour before the dawn". This is when something immense happens. You can't go back, and you can't go forward in the same way. I have been having these epic dreams about death, specifically my death. At first, I was sad and a little frightened. Once I could step back from these emotional ties I had placed around the idea of death, it hasn't seemed so scary. I feel more at peace with it, thinking of death as only room to breath new life. I have some baggage I am still carrying around with me, and I am starting to feel comfortable unpacking it little by little. Using the witness consciousness I can began to notice the difference between reality and stories, light heartily.

Dharma Mittra spoke a lot on the idea of death and reincarnation. His teacher told him, if you truly love someone they will be born with you again, and if you still need to learn a specific lesson from someone, they too will be with you again. I have been contemplating my relationships with people and what I have to learn from each. Certain characteristics in my dating partners have always been present. Now, I find myself completing avoiding people with those traits, because I have been hurt so bad. I have been trying to step back, and evaluate what attracts and repulses me from certain people. There is much to learn there.

"I don't have the answers to those questions anymore. only love can be both heaven and hell." Self-inquiry is not easy and is sometimes a painful process. It is only through this that we can get out of the patterns that takes us down the dreaded spiral. Maybe next time these patterns arise, I may treat them like greeting an old friend. I am trying to get to a place of simplicity and clarity, so as to transform my life to help others.



Hmmm...such a serious post!
On a lighter note: there has been much hula hooping, tons of dancing!, handstands, drumming, singing, vegan chocolate cake, laughing, Capoeira, ridiculous photo shoots, nature hikes, and just plain holding space for friends to be themselves.

Thinking of all of my friends and family... sending much love XXXOOO
Here is my mailing address: feel free to send birthday cookies ;0)
Nikki Prock
Kripalu Center c/o Path
PO box 309
57 Interlaken Rd.
Stockbridge, MA 01262

Special shout-out to Mema for the singing birthday card, Joyce for the inspirational card/note, Jay and Christina for being pirates and making me giggle like a little school girl, and mom/pops for the classy hula hoop! Yal rock :0)