Newsletter June 2024
In this issue:
Karma Yoga – Actionless Action
The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most revered texts in the Hindu philosophical thought. It contains a dialog between Lord Krishna, who is presented as God incarnate, and the warrior prince Arjuna. The text captures the philosophy, psychology, and practical guidelines on how we can engineer our day-to-day life. The goal of life, as presented in most Hindu scriptures, is to attain Self-realization which is to recognize our true nature as being beyond identification with the mind-body complex.
The Gita contains a variety of concepts and ideas that can help us lead a very purposeful and fulfilling life. These concepts are usually folded into four paths or approaches in life that can help us in our spiritual growth and evolution:
- Karma yoga (path of action)
- Jnana yoga (path of knowledge)
- Bhakti yoga (path of devotion)
- Dhyana yoga (path of meditation)
In the present article, I will try to delve into the salient features of Karma Yoga, referencing key verses from the Gita, that illuminate this path of spiritual growth. The topic of Karma Yoga is discussed in multiple chapters of the Gita. However, in chapter 3 which is entitled “Karma Yoga”, we can get a deep insight into various aspects of Karma Yoga.
Read more ...
Weekly ongoing classes
As many of you are aware, I teach weekly ongoing yoga classes as per the schedule given below. These classes are offered both online via Zoom as well as in-person at my home studio.
Home studio address (for in-person participation on Mon, Tue and Sat): 206 Redwood Park Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560. Please note: in-person participation for the Wednesday class is at the Hindu Temple (HSNC) cultural hall.
Schedule:
- Monday: 6:30 - 8 PM (level 1)
- Tuesday: 6:30 - 8 PM (level 1)
- Wednesday: 6:30 - 8 PM (level 1)
- Saturday; 10:15 AM - 12:00 noon (level 1/2)
Instructor: Subhash Mittal
Registration: Fill out the registration form, providing information in all the fields, and submit it online.
Zoom Access: Login info for Zoom access will be provided upon receipt of registration.
Schedule and Fee: Please visit my website here for the current schedule and available payment plans. If you are a new student, the fee for the first month is $40.
How to pay: check, Zelle (use subhashmittal@gmail.com), Venmo (use 9199269717) or paypal (go to bottom of page)
My book on Pranayama
Pranayama
I recently published my book, “Pranayama for energy, vigor and vitality”. This book contains detailed instructions on all the Pranayama practices that I cover in the various yoga courses that I offer. You are welcome to get a printed version of the book from me ($10). You can also buy the book on Amazon – both kindle version and printed version are available.
As you are aware, buyers depend on product reviews on Amazon to make their buying decision. Once you obtain a copy of the book, I'd truly appreciate your writing a review on Amazon. That will help promote the book further so more people can get the book and derive benefits from their pranayama practices.
Upcoming Programs
21-day Yoga Immersion
Tip-toe balance
No prior asana, pranayama or meditation experience is required.
You can participate in the program online via zoom or in-person at my home studio.
Flyer: You can download the 21-day Yoga Immersion flyer here. Feel free to share it with your own distribution lists.
- What: 21-day yoga immersion
- When: Monday, June 10 - Sunday, June 30, 2024
- Time: 6:00 AM - 7:30 AM (US East Coast time, EST)
- In-person participation: at my home studio located at 206 Redwood Park Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560
- Zoom Access: Login info will be provided upon receipt of registration and payment
- Instructor: Subhash Mittal
- Fee:
- To register: Fill out the registration form, providing information in all the fields, and submit it online
- A brief outline of what is planned for the course is given in this document (pdf) on my dropbox folder. I would welcome any comments or feedback on this propposed outline.
- Commitment:
- A firm commitment to complete the program without missing a day
- At the end of the program, continue the same practice at home for another 21 days to make it a life-long habit
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Yoga for kids/teens, 8-week session
Yoga for Kids, Teens - new 8-week session
Please note: this session is being offered ONLINE ONLY via zoom.
- What: Yoga for Kids and Teens (age 7+ years), 8-week Session
- When: Every Saturday, 9:00 - 10:00 AM (US East coast time, EST)
- Starting: Saturday, June 8, 2024
- Zoom Access: login info will be provided upon receipt of registration and payment
- Instructor: Disha Gala (dishagada2010@gmail.com; (408) 685-5154
- Fee:
- $80 - Zelle (4086855153)
- $85 - paypal (dishagada2010@gmail.com)
- Drop-in fee: $12;
- To register: fill out the registration form, providing information in all the fields, and submit it online
Samkhya Karika study group, 2nd and 4th Saturday
podcast channel
As you may be aware, I have been offering monthly workshops wherein I discuss various aspects of yoga philosophy. The main focus in these workshops is to discuss the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali in some depth. In addition, from time to time, I also discuss concepts from the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and other related ancient scriptures. In order to preserve these talks for future reference, I have been making an audio recording of these discussions and sharing them with the participants. These audio recordings are now available on the podcast channel on my blog. You are welcome to download these audio recordings for your use. In addition, you can listen to these podcasts as well as subscribe to them on itunes as well.
youtube channel
As you would have noticed from many of the recent posts on my blog, I have been adding short videos of many of the commonly practiced asana and pranayama sequences. I strongly urge you to subscribe to my youtube channel and visit the channel frequently to get instructions for your own asana and pranayama practices. Please share the link to the channel with your friends who might benefit from these detailed video instructions.
I would love to hear your feedback and, of course, would welcome suggestions for future videos that you would like to see on the channel.
Yoga in the News
Altered states of consciousness through yoga, mindfulness more common than thought and mostly beneficial, study finds
Altered states of consciousness associated with practices such as yoga, mindfulness, meditation, and breath work are far more common than expected, according to new research by a team including investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital.
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Best yoga practices: Add pranayama, meditation to your daily routine to beat stress, stay healthy
Meditation, a practice rooted in traditional Indian knowledge, has a positive impact on mental, emotional, and physical health. Benefits include better self-awareness, stress management, and overall well-being. Research from Harvard Medical School shows that meditation can thicken the prefrontal cortex, a brain area important for focus and self-awareness.
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Yoga and its effect on sperm genomic integrity, gene expression, telomere length and perceived quality of life in early pregnancy loss
Achieving successful pregnancy outcomes is a delicate interplay between the maternal and the fetal counterparts. Paternal factors play a critical role in health and disease of offspring. Early pregnancy loss (EPL) is a psychologically devastating condition affecting the quality of life (QOL). Thus, it needs to be managed by a mind body integrated approach like yoga.
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Ancient Mind-Body Practice May Impact Blood Sugar Levels
Now, a group of researchers, including Public Health Assoc. Prof. Herpreet Thind of the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, is investigating whether yoga can be used to help manage Type 2 diabetes.
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Yoga Nidra For Well-being: A New Study
Modern people are well-aware that yoga can be highly beneficial for their health, but what about yoga that doesn't require movements at all? A new study shows that Yoga Nidra can be quite beneficial for your well-being.
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Heart failure patients who do yoga have stronger hearts and can be more active
Yoga focused on breathing, meditation, and relaxation is linked with symptom improvement in patients with heart failure, according to research presented today at Heart Failure 2024, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
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Have a question/suggestion?
If you have a yoga-related question, please write to me and I would do my best to provide an answer in a timely manner. I would love to hear your suggestions for future newsletter articles.
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