Welcome to the Keen on Yoga Podcast with Sri Dharma Mittra, a yoga master who has dedicated his life to the karma yoga or selfless service. He shares the accumulated wisdom gained through constant practice teaching over a half-century at his school in New York and around the world.

Sri Dharma Mittra has dedicated most of his life in service to humanity teaching yoga, the ancient knowledge of how to attain radiant health and develop spiritually. Since 1967, he has been teaching classical yoga and advanced postures. His focus is Yama and Niyama and how to lead a content, simple and happy life.

Sri Dharma was born in 1939 in the small, remote village in Brazil, raised Catholic in a poor family of 5 children. In his early teens, he became involved in esoteric teachings and yoga through books his younger brother was studying. From 1958 through 1964, Sri Dharma served in the Brazilian National Air Force and practiced bodybuilding, wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Discovering Yoga

Sri Dharma’s brother Sattya went to New York City to meet and commence studies with their future Guru in 1962. On September 15, 1964, Sri Dharma had a private consultation with the Guru with his brother serving as translator.

After that meeting, Sri Dharma immersed himself in intense study and practice of the classical Eight Limbs of Yoga. He dedicated ten years of his life to the full-time practice of Karma Yoga. After three-and-a-half years he was initiated as a Sannyasi. (one who renounces the world in order to realize God). During his years as a renunciate, he had the esteemed honor of being the personal assistant to the Guru.

Teaching Yoga

In 1967, he was asked to teach intermediate and advanced classes in Asana and Pranayama at the Yogi Gupta NY Center. He was also involved with preparing food, manning the juice bar and was the main handyman.

He demonstrated Yoga Asana at the lectures the Guru offered to the public in the ’60s and ’70s around NYC. With Yogi Gupta’s blessings, Sri Dharma left the ashram in 1974. He founded the Yoga Asana Center in 1975, now known now as the Dharma Yoga Center.

For many years, Sri Dharma was the only yoga teacher in New York City teaching advanced yoga postures. Teachers from other schools and ashrams have always come to him to learn, practice, and then teach elsewhere. Sri Dharma is truly a sweet, gentle master who sets the greatest example of yoga by living what he teaches and asking nothing in return. He continues to be that same selfless, shining example today.

We hope you will enjoy the Keen on Yoga Podcast with Sri Dharma Mittra.