Dharma Mittra

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Global Mala NYC--It's Happening

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Apologies to readers outside of the city, but I was complaining about New York's meagre showing for Global Mala earlier this week, so I feel the need to amend. Last night I got notice that we're not as lame as it seems.Jivamukti and Integral Yoga Institute have taken on the challenge, and will present NYC Metro Area Global Mala Yoga for Peace Event (a mouthful--and a concert/kirtan) at Baruch College's Mason Hall, Sunday, September 20th, 6 - 10pm.Your $15 donation goes to Animal Mukti, a spay and neuter program established by Sharon Gannon at the New York Humane Society.  (This event is looking for volunteers, hint hint.)

Earlier in the day, Yoga for Peace will host an outdoor mala from noon til 3pm---that's right, 108 sun salutations at Battery Park. You need to pre-register and send in your $20 (see the website).

The evening event is a concert and kirtan featuring some key Jiva figures such as Shyamdas (who appeared in the yoga movie, Enlighten Up!) and Sharon Gannon. Swami Ramananda, president of the Integral Yoga Institute, will speak and so will  Sri Dharma Mittra.All big vegans and vegetarians.So, there you go folks! Global Mala NYC is on.

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Celebrity Yoga Teachers--Problem?

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Late in August, YogaCityNYC, a New York yoga blog, sent me to Omega for their Being Yoga conference. There, I interviewed a lot of high-profile yoga teachers---Shiva Rea, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Dharma Mittra, Sharon Gannon and David Life, Tias Little---about what they thought of their status in the yoga world. (Rodney Yee was there, too, but he wasn't giving interviews.) Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidmain, photographed by Michael O'Neill for Vanity Fair, June 2007 I also interviewed Glen Black who has taught and practiced for 38 years but in contrast to everyone else, has actually avoided the spotlight.The result of my weekend in Rhinebeck, NY? An article on celebrity yoga teachers. What do we do with them? What do we think about them? Is a media-friendly yoga teacher a natural outcome of yoga's presence in America's consumer culture? Turns out the peaceful yoga crowd at Omega had a lot to say, as well...Read the article and send in your thoughts.... had any experiences with"celebrity" yogis?

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Vanity Fair does Yoga Justice

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Early May 2007 Vanity Fair posted this exceptional photo-essay of contemporary yogis and yoginis. It is the first time in recent memory that a mainstream publication has commented intelligently on our obsession with yoga as well as explored where it came from. Of course it's also glitzy and glamour-oriented, with a cast of usual characters - Christy Turlington, Sharon Gannon, David Life, etc - but it's also pretty great, with some lesser-known teachers like Kundalini's Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, teacher's teacher Dharma Mittra, plus Indian luminaries, BKS Iyengar, Sri Pattahbi Jois, and TKV Desikachar.Check out the entire slide show here and buy the issue of Vanity Fair to see the other remarkable images.