We all seek happiness in life. How we define happiness and what means we use to attain that happiness is an individual choice. Most of us seem to identify happiness with material gains achieved through fulfilment of material desires. Material desires can span the whole spectrum of attainments – getting married to the right individual, getting a child, having a certain amount of wealth, possessions like house, clothes, bank balance, real estate etc. and the list is literally unending. The problem with this approach, as we know from our experience is, that the desires are never-ending. When one is fulfilled, another one, maybe a little more of the same or in a modified form, raises its head. Now we are busy fulfilling the “upgraded” desire. Since it is impossible to fulfil all our desires, we end up having mental issues like stress, anxiety, depression, guilt feelings etc.
Problems with knees and low back pain are perhaps two of the most important reasons why people come to yoga for help. In this article, I am providing instructions for a 30-minute video sequence with a few simple poses that can help strengthen the knees and make them more flexible.
If you already have any kind of knee pain, please try to practice under the guidance of a yoga teacher. Be careful not to engage in any movement that causes more pain or discomfort as that can further aggravate your situation.
I am pleased to announce the next 14-day Meditation Intensive. In this program, I will be presenting the basic concepts of meditation and practice several meditation 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.
Flyer: You can view/download the program flyer here. Feel free to share it on social media and with your own distribution lists.
Program Information
What: 14-day Meditation Intensive
When: Saturday, April 15 – Friday, April 28, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 AM (US East Coast time, EST)
Participation: Hybrid mode
In-person at my home yoga studio located at 206 Redwood Park Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560
Remotely via zoom – zoom login info will be provided upon receipt of registration and payment
I would like to invite you to a yoga retreat in the Southern Outer Banks area, by the ocean. 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 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.
From the point of view of practicing on the yoga mat, yoga, as we know, is the composite of three main practices – asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathing) and meditation. In fact, when we look at the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, he prescribes eight limbs of yoga – yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. Yamas and niyamas present moral, ethical and social guidelines that help us cleanse the mind and prepare us for other limbs of yoga. Pratyahara is the ability to turn the senses inward. Dharana, dhyana, and samadhi are a continuum of deepening meditation practice.
The definition and goal of yoga is to subdue the constant chatter that goes on in the mind (sutra 1.2)1. The key practice to attain that goal, as prescribed by Patanjali, is meditation. All the other limbs of yoga help and prepare us for attaining deeper states of meditation and ultimately attaining the final goal. The sequence mentioned by Patanjali and the one most people tend to follow is to practice asana, then pranayama and finally meditation. However, given the importance of meditation, you should give the highest priority to meditation.
In the words of Swami Satchidananda, the practice of yoga can help you achieve:
a body of optimum health and strength
senses under control
a mind well disciplined, clear and calm
an intellect as sharp as a razor
a strong will
a heart full of unconditional love and compassion
an ego as pure as a crystal
and a life filled with supreme peace and joy
To register, please fill out the registration form and submit it online.
After enjoying the FREE class, I invite you to continue your yoga practice by attending the ongoing classes as given in the schedule on my website here.
Do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions.
I look forward to your enthusiastic participation.
In our day-to-day life, we are always presented with various alternatives to choose from. For example, in terms of food, we are often confronted with having to choose between food that tastes great but is known to be unhealthy (let’s say French Fries and coke) and a healthy, home-cooked veggie dish which we may not find tasty enough. Similarly, in order to maintain a healthy body and mind, we may commit ourselves to a regular, daily yoga routine early in the morning. When the alarm goes off in the morning, we are confronted with having to choose between staying in the warm, comfortable bed a little longer or making the unpleasant choice of jumping out of bed to practice yoga.
As we know, we are always faced with similar situations in every aspect of our life, be it work, family, shopping, planning a vacation etc. More often than not, we end up making a choice that is pleasing but not necessarily desirable versus another alternative that may be highly desirable but not pleasing. For the most part we prefer something that is pleasing to one of the five senses – hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell. Choosing pleasant over the desirable may provide instant gratification but can cause incurable harm in the long run. We all know how, by choosing to consume food that is pleasant but otherwise unhealthy, we can end up getting all kinds of serious ailments like high BP, diabetes, cancer etc.
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.
You can download the 21-day Yoga Immersion flyer here. Feel free to share it with your own distribution lists.
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.
What: 21-day yoga immersion
When: Monday, February 13 – Sunday, March 5, 2023
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
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.
You can join the program either online via zoom or in person at my home studio.
You can view/download the program flyer here. Feel free to share it with your own distribution lists.
A brief outline of what I plan to cover in the course is given in this document (pdf format) in my dropbox folder.
No prior yoga (asana, pranayama or meditation) experience is required.
Progaram details:
What: 14-day pranayama intensive
When: Monday, January 9 – Sunday, January 22, 2023
Time: 6:00 – 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: The link to access via zoom will be provided upon receipt of registration and payment.
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