Being a Dharma Yogi, I could not skip one their most important events of the year: The Dharma Yoga International Conference that was held in New York at the Dharma Yoga Center on December 6-9, 2018. To be quite honest, going there, I did not have high expectations of the conference, thinking that it was going to be just another yoga event. But let me tell you, I was wrong. It was so incredible that after the event I was filled with so many ideas that I had to come up with a recap video highlighting the most interesting parts of the conference.
Be sure to watch the video. All in all, it’s better to see something once than hear about it a thousand times. But, if you are wondering about everything that happened there and my personal thoughts on the event, continue reading this article.
Who should go to a Dharma Yoga Conference?
First, I should mention that you don’t have to be a Dharma Yogi to go to the conference. Actually, the opposite is true. The conference would be a great introduction to Dharma Yoga even if you never tried a single class in this style before. To be perfectly honest, the first day of the event, I felt like I came back to the teacher training all over again. But, it was so much more joyful! No studying, well, at least to some degree. 🙂 Now imagine spending four whole days in the atmosphere of incredible Yogis surrounded by the great spirit of the Dharma Yoga, Dharma Yoga teachers from all over the world and, of course, Sri Dharma Mittra himself. It is truly magical and can be really life-changing.
Who was at the Dharma Yoga Conference?
Of course, first and foremost there were lots of Dharma Yogis. You could see the most devoted students of Sri Dharma Mittra who had been studying with him for decades. Famous Yogis from other states and countries arrived to spend time and recharge from Sri Dharma Mittra and his teachings. And I was taking classes right next to my own Dharma Yoga Life of a Yogi teacher training mentors at the conference! This made me realize that we are all students of yoga, no matter what level you are currently at.
Organization of the Dharma Yoga Conference
Eva Grubler, DYC Director and the wife of Sri Dharma Mittra, made this event come to life. Thanks to her, the whole conference and its organization was a top notch. In my opinion, the importance and the interest of any event always come from who the presenters are. And, the chosen Dharma Yogis were unbelievable! Each of them was different in their own style and character which made them so unique and so interesting.
International Dharma Yoga Teachers
So here are the people who were presenting the conference this year and what made each of them so memorable to me:
Jonathan Rosenthal, Neuro Science PhD candidate and DYRT of New York.
Although Jonathan did not actually teach a Dharma Yoga class during the conference, he played a big part in sharing his scientific knowledge with the students about how yoga influences our brain and nervous system in general.
We started the very first day with the NeuroScience test that Jonathan performed on all who wished to do it. I thought it was pretty cool and somewhat different from all other yoga events. Interestingly, it surely woke up my attention to the event.
At the end of the second day, we studied Neuro Science with Jonathan. Well, it was hard to call it a study, though. Although everyone was tired by 7 p.m., the material presented was so interesting and engaging that a lot of students kept asking him great questions and Jonathan, who is very knowledgeable, managed to answer all of them. In the end, we learned some really interesting and helpful information in the most fun way.
Emi Tull, DYRT, London
Emi has a positive and inviting energy. Her Dharma III class on the very first day of the event was very fun, although very challenging. But, she was still giving variations for less advanced students so they didn’t feel left out in between those incredible, long-time Yogis. And, as a true Dharma Yoga teacher, she had a great sense of humor. Everyone for sure felt awakened and refreshed after that first practice of the event with her.
Emi shared her story in London on the second day of the conference after we came back from the Historic Walking Tour. Listening to her helped me to realize how everything in life happens with perfect timing. And that when you struggle the most, that is when you get the most gifts from God. Thank you Emi for your story.
Daphne Chan, DYRT, Hong Kong
“After studying Dharma Yoga, you become awake to things you never thought you were actually doing wrong in life,” Daphne says. When Daphne shared her life story with us, everyone was so interested in it that we could hear the fly in the room. I even got the chills listening to her. I never knew that life in Hong Kong is even faster than in New York! And yoga is mostly concentrated on the physical aspect of it over there because even the sound of Om is considered to be somewhat religious.
Daphne taught the Dharma I class on the very last day. I truly enjoyed her energy. It felt like she was just delivering yoga right from the heart to her students without any ego in a very gentle and peaceful way and with a great sense of humor. The prayer at the beginning, the bells at the beginning and end, and the repeated sound of the singing bowl during the Yoga Nidra made her class very special.
Adriana Cabrera, DYRT, Mexico
“Dharma means this: what is the best thing you can do to keep balance in the world, to do the best for the world. And when you are not doing your Dharma, you are full of doubts. But when you are performing your Dharma, you are happy and enjoying every moment. Therefore it is important to find what you are meant to do in this world.” Adriana’s wise worlds. Owning and running her own business, she shared with us some helpful tips on how to be successful. I found her to be a real entrepreneur, very smart and knowledgeable about the business aspect of yoga.
Adriana taught Dharma II class on the second day of the conference. She was excellent in explaining some poses and gave some extra tips I’ve never heard from anyone else before. She offered some interesting variations of the poses that were new to me as well. The practice felt really challenging! But, she truly inspired me personally to go beyond my limits.
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Hannah Allerdice, DYRT, Washington, DC
“Yoga and life are the same. Yoga teaches you how to live life. Be who you are – it is just right. Don’t be someone else. It is your life, your practice. Yoga is more about how you live your life, your integrity, not about asana, or if you are able to sit still for hours and meditate.” Hannah shared her knowledge of yoga and life.
Hannah’s Charging Practice took place on the second day. For many of us, she surely stood out with her voice that some people called “celestial”. She was not only presenting Kirtan beautifully during the conference, but her whole class felt like a song she was singing. I felt blessed and very calm after her practice.
Sri Dharma Mittra
Of course, the main person of Dharma Yoga was the very main person at this conference. We got to spend a lot of time with the Master during the four-day event, and I will talk about his most interesting teachings in the description of each day of the conference below, so keep reading. 🙂 Also, for those who are interested to learn more about Sri Dharma Mittra, I have a whole article devoted to him and his life. You can learn more about the greatest Master of Yoga here […]
Best Practices of Each Day During the Dharma Yoga Conference
Day 1
First, I must say, that the weather in New York was gorgeous for December! And, the drive to NYC was a pleasure, despite the morning traffic. By the way, I was coming from New Jersey, so that was driving distance away for me.
The first day started with the Neuroscience Control Testing. As I mentioned before, this testing really woke up my attention for the whole conference, although the purpose of it was to show us later how our nervous system responds to yoga. I found it to be pretty cool!
Then after Emi’s Dharma III class, we got to spend time with Sri Dharma Mittra. We had Spiritual Discourse about the power of Ahimsa (compassion, non-harming) which is considered to be the very first step toward Self-realization. We learned about the essence of yoga, the Etheric Records, and that all decisions come from our previous actions.
Later, we had an amazing Master Class with Sri Dharma that was very challenging, but so much fun! I felt like all fellow yogis were very engaged in the practice and really trying to help each other. My personal feeling at the time was that it’s a great sneak peek into what you can expect from Dharma Yoga Teacher Training if you consider doing it.
After the Break
After a midday break, we got to meet our four teachers who came from different parts of the world and hear their opinions on Dharma Yoga, reverence, Ahimsa, and Karma Yoga. It was pretty interesting to hear their opinions and the opinions of the students on these topics, as well as the solution to the issues like: “How to get rid of ants in a non-harming way.”🤔
And after Psychic Development with Emi, we had a whole hour of a Psychic Sleep in Yoga Nidra. Ah, that felt so good!
Feelings Throughout Day 1
The day started really good. I was very excited about the conference and about the idea of spending time with my fellow Dharma Yogis. I must say that after Master Class I felt really hungry, so was really happy about the break. Funny thing, after lunch, I started craving some vegan chocolate that I could not find anywhere. So, the note for the day was to have some chocolate with me for those next couple of days. Yoga Nidra at the end of the day recharged me so much that despite the fact that I woke up at 4:30 a.m. that day, I could not fall asleep until 12 a.m. But, to my surprise, I woke up the
Day 2
Day 2, I started feeling very refreshed, excited and full of energy! That was a sure sign of a really good time spent on day one. After the morning meditation and Dharma II with Adriana, as well as Daphne’s story about Hong Kong and her Dharma Yoga journey, we went on the Historic Walking Tour with Eva Grubler to see some sights in Manhattan and check on the former yoga centers of Sri Dharma Mittra.
Lots of students from the conference, I believe it was about 50 people, went on the tour, despite the fact that it was quite cold outside. Walking along the streets of the East and West Village and back to the Flatiron was such a joy. I should mention that we visited four centers where Sri Dharma Mittra used to practice and teach yoga.
So here are the former Dharma Yoga Centers:
297 Third Ave @ 23rd Street | 20 years of Sri Dharma Mittra’s practice
98 Third Ave | 2 Years of Dharma Yoga Practice
148 West 4th Street | 3 Years of practice
100 West 14 Street | 6 Years of practice and the most incredible about this place is that Sri Dharma made the Master Yoga Chart of 908 Postures here
Sri Dharma made the Master Yoga Chart of 908 Postures here
Meanwhile, the perfect vegan falafel lunch was ready for us when we arrived at the Mamoun’s Falafel Restaurant. Perfect timing, as by then we all were hungry, and it was so delicious! Then we headed back to the current Dharma Yoga Center at 61 West 23rd Street. You can learn more about the current Dharma Yoga Center in my article here […]
Back to the Dharma Yoga Center
When we came back, after Emi’s story concerning her life in London, we had a Dharma Yoga Wheel Workshop with Dov, Sri Dharma Mittra’s son. I should mention a couple of words about the Dharma Yoga Wheel. While the DY Wheel itself was created by Sri Dharma, Eva with their son Dov moved forward in producing it for students.
The workshop was a great practice and we did a lot of partner wheel poses. Dov made sure that students of all levels were able to use the wheel, offering variations for both less and more advanced practices.
Right after the Wheel Workshop, we had a Charging Practice with Hannah and finished the day with scientific learning about the nervous system, the human brain and how Dharma Yoga affects our health. Although the class was very informative, Jonathan made sure to make it fun and showed us a video of mice teaching science about the brain. That was a pretty fun way to end the day!
Feelings Throughout Day 2
Day 2 was filled with different activities. In general, it was full of action, for sure, although by the end I felt pretty tired and getting back home, I could hardly keep my eyes open. But, after I had some food, I got my energy right back. The walking tour was amazing. And knowing that it gets cold in NYC this time of the year, I was prepared and took my gloves, extra warm pants, extra warm socks, and lip balm. These were the most useful items for that day.
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Day 3
The third day started with morning meditation with Daphne for chakra balancing. Then Hannah shared the stories of her life in Washington, DC. Right after, we had Charging Practice with Sri Dharma Mittra. I found it to be very fun and unusual. You can never really predict what Sri Dharma is about to teach. Instead of the usual Sun Salutations, we started with Shoulderstands and Upward-facing Bows 😨. But, I must say that it turned out to be pretty great!
Then, Sri Dharma taught us Psychic Development Techniques, where you learn how to purify your body to open up the psychic channels that allow you to make something that seems impossible to become possible. Well, don’t expect it to happen in one day, though. It takes some practice that you can learn to do by yourself on a daily basis. Regular practice will surely get you on the right path of discovering your true potential. Then lunch break.
After the Break
After the break, we came back to Maha Sadhana 3-Hour Intensive with Sri Dharma that started with purifying breathing techniques for the psychic channels and nerves, “and to get the stomach empty for the process”. Sri Dharma was also sharing some knowledge and mentioned that “Everything in life moves in perfect order. Everyone is passing through the same thing, the same amount of suffering.”
During the practice, I personally noticed that Sri Dharma paid extra attention to the students who were less advanced. He was showing them personally special tricks to help get into the pose. In general, it was one of the most fun practices ever! Everyone was uplifted and engaged throughout the whole 3 hours of practice!
Traditionally, Maha Sadhana that takes place each month at the Dharma Yoga Center and always finishes with an Asana Satsang Jam when everyone who wishes offers their best practices in front of the all the other Yogis. This time it started extra special with the Dharma III Asana Dance choreographed by Eva Grubler with Kim Jeblick and Carla Villaorduna dancing. It was a truly gorgeous dance! Be sure to check on my video to see it.
Feelings Throughout Day 3
I felt super-energized during the day and the end of the day with the Asana Satsang Jam and Sri Dharma dancing as if he is 20 years old was so much fun that my mind and body could not stop dancing after that for a while. I was filled with excitement and lots of great ideas.
Day 4
Just like most Yogis starting their day, day 4 started with morning meditation, and then Dharma I class with Daphne. Later, Adriana shared her story of living in Mexico. And we got to practice Master Class with Sri Dharma Mittra once again. It was Live streamed on Facebook, so you could actually do the class at home if you couldn’t attend the event. There was a lot of laughs and positive energy during the practice.
“You become what you believe” – Sri Dharma Mittra
I found for myself that the most important characteristic about Sri Dharma Mittra as a yoga teacher is that he adapts his style of teachings according to the needs of the students who are in front of him at this moment. He truly feels what people actually need at the current time, what helps them right now. Therefore, his classes are never the same and can never get boring.
Getting Close to the End
After all practices finished, Eva and Hannah were giving away nice gifts for everyone. There was a Dharma Yoga bag, a gift card for Juice Press, a Mama Kuka strap, a 10% discount coupon for Liforme yoga mats, and a new Dharma Yoga bookmark.
The concluding panel discussion was interesting and presented in terms that you could really understand what long-time Yogis are actually doing on a daily basis. You could participate in the discussion by submitting questions online or writing them on paper. Lots of interesting and useful information you could find out about what it means to be a real Dharma Yogi in life.
Then there was beautifully done Satsang with the Dharma Yoga Kirtan Band. And Final Arti at the end was for sure a great end to the conference.
Feelings Throughout Day 4
Wow! I was very much impressed with the whole conference and how nicely it was put together. I did not feel any bit tired or exhausted. Actually, opposite: very energized and uplifted. I was full of energy and wanted to share the experience with anyone who wanted to hear about it.
What I Took From the Conference
What I’ve personally learned from the conference is although the road to Self-realization can be long and takes a lot of patience, discipline, and practice. But once you reach this goal, you become less strict towards everything and free from everything. Also, that the tendencies from the past lives are taking over in this one. For instance, if you’re a vegan in your past life, you are one for sure in this one!
“If you are too strict for too long time, you become too tense”. – Sri Dharma Mittra
Also, I’ve learned that most Yogis love Chocolate! Even Dharma himself! And, all Dharma Yogis have super white teeth
Conclusion
I highly recommend attending the Dharma Yoga Conference next year whether you are Dharma Yogi or not. It is the immersion that might change the way you live, the way you think and the way you accept your surroundings. If you are a Dharma Yogi, you will get the chance to spend a great time with your fellow Yogis and Sri Dharma Mittra himself, which is most valuable! And, if you have never done Dharma Yoga before, it is a wonderful introduction to this lineage. But, don’t wait until next year. Visit the Dharma Yoga Center whenever you are in New York.
Read about Dharma Yoga to learn more […]
So, I will see you all there and Happy Dharma Yoga Time!
Namaste ॐ
For more information about Dharma Yoga Center in New York, classes and event schedule, visit the website DharmaYogaCenter.com
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I like your writing style genuinely enjoying this internet site.
Thank you so much for visiting and reading! 🙏 Stay connected. It is more to come! 😊 ❤️🕉️
Thank you for this detailed review of the conference. It sounds like an amazing event! I am going to a yoga Festival next month and reading your post makes me feel excited about new learning!
Thank you for your comment, Julie. Are you going to the Sedona Festival by accident in March?
That looks like such a life-changing experience that really puts you in touch with the meaning behind teaching the practice. I’ve gone to the DCAC which is a huge fitness conference in Virginia. It is also a great motivator as a fitness professional, but certainly not as personal as this yoga conference looks. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for stopping by!