Dharma Mittra 500hr Yoga Training – Part II

“Fix your thoughts on me alone. Rest your mind on me alone. And in me alone you will rest hereafter. Of this there is no doubt.” ~Bhagavad Gita

In a word: Incredible. As I write this I am listening to one of my favorite songs (Aum Shree Ram) which reminds me of Dharma and makes me feel like I am back in New York, sitting on my mat at Dharma West, eyes closed, clapping hands and beaming smile across my face as I bask in the bliss of God, Yoga, Friends and Dharma’s alluring presence.  It’s only been a week since I’ve been back in LA, but I already feel so far away from that space, it’s insane. Coming back from the experience I had and going straight into the Thanksgiving holiday was quite a challenge. Everything from the food that was available to the family and friends visiting made my week fun, but admittedly far removed from daily meditation and yoga practice. My body feels this absence and I am yearning to get back on my spiritual path!

Dharma always says that if your mind is distracted with tasks and to-do’s that it will never be able to rest and meditate. So today was a day of cleaning house, doing laundry, grocery store runs and even a Goodwill drop off. I also managed to make my Dharma breakfast smoothie and squeeze in an afternoon yoga class…and now that I am free from distraction, I am ready to get back to my yoga practice and down to business with “Angry Determination!” (another Dharma-ism)

This second module of Dharma training was technically the same as the first, same schedule, same classes, times and teachers, but it wasn’t the same. Not even a little bit. After two months of preparation, cleansing my body, and my mind…this time around I felt more receptive. Not only did I hear a bit more of what Dharma was trying to teach us, but I actually understood what I was hearing. I will be the first to admit that the during the past two months of being on our purification diet and of our daily yoga schedule of breath work, meditation and practice, it sort of felt like I was just checking these things off my list as complete. As if I was just trying to be a good student. Breath work, check. Meditation, check. Practice, check…check (and sometimes check)!

Arriving in New York was really a much needed breath of fresh air for me. For the past two months I had been feeling so alone in my practice and uninspired to continue. Having just moved to LA and immediately jumped into Dharma’s training, it was hard for me to meet new friends in the city as most people want to go out to dinner or grab a drink and I couldn’t do either of those things! I almost had too much alone time. So when I got into NYC a couple of days before our training began, and my friend Rafael arrived from Tulum, I felt relieved! Finally I was around my yogi friends who understood what I had been going through and whose eyes didn’t glaze over as I was explaining how the past two months had been for me.

The 10 days of training felt long at first, but eventually everything began to fly by. Each day Dharma taught us a new lesson, or repeated an old lesson that I just wasn’t receptive enough to hear the first time around so that it seemed like a new lesson. I’m carrying each of these with me, like little treasures that I can look at whenever I start to wonder off my spiritual path. There were days when I felt like my body physically could not do anymore yoga, but with the encouragement and support of all the other trainees, I made it through and had an absolutely incredible experience doing it.

This time around, when our mentors told us that we have another two months (at least) of the purification diet plus a more intense sort of yoga fast, I wasn’t worried. In fact,  something in me finally clicked and all of this “homework” started making sense. The whole plan is not just something they ask us to do to make the training difficult, or for us to learn how to be obedient and compassionate. This is a serious task we are charged with. We are being guided to purify our bodies so that they are no longer plagued with sickness, injury or uncontrolled energy ultimately allowing us to find stillness. We are being guided to purify our minds so that they are free from distraction, to cultivate discipline and in turn, focus inwards on the one true thing in this life that matters. How lucky and I to be receiving this information, this guidance and love? How could I possibly squander such and amazing gift?

Thank you Dharma. Thank you amazing Sadhakas that shared your brilliant love and energy. Thank you to our mentors for guiding us along this dazzling path. I so look forward to seeing you all again at our graduation!

Be receptive to the grace of God.