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Prakriti, as we know, is a composite of three gunas – sattva (purity), rajas (action, movement) and tamas (dullness etc.). These three gunas are in a constant state of flux all the time. The dominance of one guna over the other keeps shifting from moment to moment. Since the mind is also a part of Prakriti, it also is going through constant change all the time due to changes in the gunas. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali has given the name "vritti" to these constant fluctuations going on in the mind.
Patanjali, in sutra 1.2, gives the definition of yoga as "that state of the mind wherein these constantly changing vrittis have been restrained or subdued and the mind can stay in a state of stillness" – yogaś-citta-vr̥tti-nirodhaḥ ॥2॥ (sutra 1.2). Patanjali has given the eight limbs of yoga as the means to achieve that state of stillness of the mind. Of these eight limbs, the most important and essential is the practice of meditation. As given in chapter 3, the broad category of "meditation" is actually a continuum of three practices called dharana (initial focus/concentration), dhyana (one-pointed contemplation, also called meditation), and samadhi (final state of absorption). When these three are practiced together, it is called "samyama" (sutra 3.4). In this article, I’ll be using the term "meditation" to imply the practice of these three stages of meditation – dharana, dhyana and samadhi.
In this article, I will be talking about the various stages of transformation that the mind goes through as we continue to deepen the practice of meditation.
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 Lakulish Ashram 1
I would like to invite you to a yoga retreat in the beautiful rural setting in Mebane, NC. At this retreat you will be able to slow down and experience yourself at a deeper level, nourished and supported by the beauty of natural surroundings. You will be able to deepen your personal yoga practice and develop an understanding of the underlying concepts in yoga in an ashram setting under the guidance of Subhash Mittal. Subhash is a long-time yoga practitioner and a dedicated yoga teacher who has been teaching yoga since 1996. Subhash brings the best out of the traditional, ancient yoga teachings and weaves these teachings in the practice of asana, pranayama, meditation and relaxation leading to a fulfilling and enriching life experience.
Come to this beautiful retreat center to tune in to the rhythms of nature and make a deeper connection with your true inner Self! This is a rare opportunity to spend time away from the stresses and strains of daily life and immerse into a yogic way of life.
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 Samavritti pranayama
Normal breathing, which happens 24 hours of the day without our intervention, is a continuous flow of inhalations and exhalations. As part of pranayama practices, in addition to inhalation and exhalation, breath retention plays a very important role. We have the ability to voluntarily hold the breath at any time during the breathing cycle. We can hold the breath during or after inhalation or during or after a complete exhalation. As such, a pranayama breathing cycle can consist of these four components:
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Puraka (Inhalation)
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Rechaka (exhalation)
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Antar kumbhaka (breath retention after inhalation)
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Bahya kumbhaka (breath retention after exhalation)
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 Virabhadrasana (Warrior2)
I am pleased to announce the next 21-day Yoga Immersion program. The past programs have been very well received by all the participants. For most of them, it has been truly a life-transforming experience. I invite you to join me on this exciting and deeply rewarding 21-day yoga journey. Here are the particulars:
- What: 21-day yoga immersion
- When: Saturday, June 10 – Friday, June 30, 2017
- Time: 6:00 AM – 7:30 AM
- Where: 4000 Bear Cat Way, Suite 102, Morrisville, NC 27560
- Fee: $125 (cash, check or paypal)
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 Rotator Cuff tear
As I mentioned in my previous shoulder update, I had surgery on my right shoulder on January 5, 2017 to fix a tear in the rotator cuff. If you recall, I had the same kind of surgery on the same shoulder in 2013. However, the cuff got torn again only a few months after the surgery. At that point I had decided to live with the torn rotator cuff as my pain was minimal. Moreover, I developed enough of the adjoining muscles to be able to do more than 65-70% of my yoga moves.
It was toward the end of 2016 that I suddenly developed a sharp and fairly persistent pain in my right shoulder. That pain, for a reason that I cannot explain, gradually began to increase and became quite intolerable. That is when I decided to again search for a surgeon who can help me in the situation. Finally I talked to a surgeon at Duke who said that she would be able to use a fairly recent treatment option that could fix the shoulder. So, I decided to have another surgery, which would be the third on the same shoulder.
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 Udarakarshanasana
In the classical yoga text, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, six cleansing techniques, called Shat-karma, are described. These are:
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Neti (nasal cleansing)
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Basti (like an enema)
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Dhauti (alimentary canal cleansing)
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Trataka (for the eyes)
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Kapalabhati (breathing technique for purifying the nervous system)
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Nauli (abdominal churning)
The practice of Dhauti as given in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika is as follows (chapter 2, verse 24):
"A strip of wet cloth, four angulas wide (i.e. seven to eight centimeters) and fifteen hand spans (i.e. one and a half meters) in length is slowly swallowed and then taken out, as instructed by the guru. This is known as dhauti."
As you can see, this practice is not very easy to do as it involves swallowing a long piece of wet cloth and then taking it out. To do this technique, one needs guidance from a competent guru and a fairly long time to get comfortable with it. As such, it is not commonly practiced as the technique for internal cleansing.
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 Padmasana (Lotus Pose)
I am pleased to announce the next Meditation Intensive. In this program, I will discuss the basic concepts of meditation and practice several of the concentration (dharana) and meditation (dhyana) techniques. Most of the information that I will be sharing is based on the concepts discussed in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and related classical yoga texts.
No prior asana, pranayama or meditation experience is required.
Here are the particulars:
- What: 14-day Meditation Intensive
- When: Monday, May 1 – Sunday, May 14, 2017
- Time: 6:00 – 7:30 AM
- Location: 4000 Bearcat Way, Suite 102, Morrisville, NC 27560
- Daily Routine: Light stretching (10-15 minutes), Pranayama (15 min), Relaxation (10-15 min), Meditation – discussion and practice (45 min)
- Commitment: A firm commitment to follow this schedule and attend every day
- Fee: $90 (cash, check or paypal)
- To register: fill out the registration form, providing information in all the fields, and submit it online
Strongly recommended
- Light,’sattvic’, nutritious, VEGETARIAN food
- No alcohol, drugs, tobacco or any other item of similar nature
- A personal commitment to continue the practice after the program is over
Please visit here for more details…
Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. I look forward to your participation.
 Upavishta-konasana
Upavishta Konasana – उपविष्ट-कोणासन – (Seated wide-legged forward bend) is an intermediate level pose and helps a great deal in stretching the inner thigh and inner knee muscles and the entire spine. It also brings about a sense of calm to the mind that helps relieve stress and anxiety. The word upavishta means "seated" and kona means "angle".
Instructions
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 Standing wide-legged bend
After my shoulder surgery on January 6, I met with my doctor four weeks after the surgery for my first post-op follow-up. At that time she told me that due to the nature of the surgery which involved the use of a human graft, the recovery is going to be quite slow. It could take up to a whole year before I gain full range of motion and strength. Of course, since using human graft is a relatively new procedure, not much data is available from actual case studies to make a good, realistic assessment of the recovery time. It is not even clear what "full recovery" means. In my doctor’s estimate I may regain full range of motion; however, I may gain only about 80-85% of my previous strength in my arms and shoulders. These follow-ups will continue every four weeks for the next few months.
My current yoga practice
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 Vishnu Mudra
I am pleased to announce the next Pranayama intensive. In this program, we will be practicing some of the main pranayama techniques given in our ancient yoga texts. I will also discuss the underlying concepts in the practice of pranayama and all the wonderful benefits that the practice can bring us.
No prior pranayama or meditation experience is required.
Here are the particulars:
- What: 14-day pranayama intensive
- When: Monday, March 27 – Sunday, April 9, 2017
- Time: 6:00 – 7:30 AM
- Location: 4000 Bearcat Way, Suite 102, Morrisville, NC 27560
- Daily Routine: Light stretching (10-15 minutes), Pranayama (40 min), Relaxation (15 min), Yoga philosophy/meditation (15-20 min)
- Commitment: A firm commitment to follow this schedule and attend every day
- Fee: $90
- To register: fill out the registration form, providing information in all the fields, and submit it online
Continue reading »
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Video DVD
Yoga with Subhash (asana and pranayama)
- Basic asana sequence (~50 min) ($18)
- Pranayama/Meditation (~35 min) ($12)
- Set of above two ($25)
Video recording of special programs offered in the past
(Links to YouTube videos will be provided)
- 21-day yoga immersion - $40
- 7-day hip opening intensive - $20
- 14-day meditation intensive - $30
- 14-day pranayama intensive - $30
- 7-day hamstring/quad intensive - $20
- 14-day Level 2 yoga intensive - $35
Payment options:
- cash, check, Zelle (use subhashmittal@gmail.com) or Venmo (use 9199269717)
- PayPal (go to bottom of page) (add $5 to the fee listed above)
Please contact me if you would like to buy.
Recent Posts
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14-day Pranayama Intensive, May 5-18, 2025
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Reclining twisting asana variations
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Introduction to Sanskrit – 25-week course
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Purvottanasana (Upward Plank Pose)
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21-day Yoga Immersion, Level 2, March 24 – April 13, 2025
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FREE session on Intro to Mediation, Sunday, Feb 23, 6-7:30 PM (EST)
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Intro to Sanskrit for yogis, 3 weekly sessions, March 2,9,16
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