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.