Chandra has spent most of her life in service to humanity, disseminating the ancient knowledge of how to achieve radiant health and spiritual development through the science of Yoga. She is the founder and director of the North Carolina School of Yoga, and the Senior teacher and Disciple of Sri Dharma Mittra. Chandra was born in Miami, and raised in New York, where she met her Guru and Teacher, Sri Dharma Mittra. After intense study, immersion and practice of the eight limbs of Yoga, she was accepted and initiated by Sri Dharma as Chandra Om (meaning ‘Moon’, ‘Luminous’, ‘Bright and Shining’), and remains with him to this day. Chandra was initiated into the family as a religious student who devotes herself to her teacher and the practice of spiritual disciplines—one who renounces the world in order to achieve liberation.
This is the greatest of blessings, to be accepted by the Guru and be fully charged with His aura and grace, showered in love, compassion, thoughts of renunciation, Self-realization, surrender to the Lord and fortitude. Realizing this spiritual knowledge can only be imparted psychically, mentally and mostly spiritually. She has been loyally teaching the Yamas and Niyamas through daily practice of Classical Yoga, and has always made herself available for students in need of help and direction. As a testament to her experience and knowledge her classes are continuously and predominately filled with Yoga teachers from all styles of Yoga. Known for her dedication, humor, love and kindness in teaching, every student who comes to her class is considered by her as “part of the family”. She diligently teaches the Yamas, the first step of Yoga, and in every class you will hear “without Yama, there is no Yoga”. She tirelessly promotes ahimsa (the first step of Yoga) through vegetarianism, a live diet, and kindness to all living beings especially our inferior brothers and sisters (the animal kingdom).
In 2001, Chandra founded the North Carolina School of Yoga to provide serious aspirants with an opportunity to deepen their own spiritual sadhana, starting countless students on the path of teaching Yoga. She does not teach ‘styles’ of Yoga, but the traditional, classical Raja Yogic tradition that has been personally taught to her by Sri Dharma, and strives to remain truthful to the traditional teachings of the science of Yoga. Chandra has initiated thousands of students on the path of Yogic practice and teaching, and teaches solely as an offering to her Guru and to all spiritual aspirants. The North Carolina School of Yoga is the ONLY school in the world certifying students solely in Sri Dharma Mittra’s classical and traditional practice of Yoga. Through the genius of these methods, students can progress rapidly. Students from all walks of Yoga love Chandra’s teachings, regardless of their previous styles of practice. After years of being a “teacher to the Yoga teachers” and a celebrated and much respected teacher in her own Guru’s ashram, in 2008 Chandra was recognized by the modern publication “Yoga Journal” as one of the top Yoga Teachers in the world.
She is the author of 4 critically and commercially acclaimed CD’s, Dhyana, Mere Gurudev, Be Receptive, and Guided Meditations for Divine Perception. Her first book, Dharma Mittra; A Friend to All was released in 2007, followed by The Holy Science of Yoga in 2009. Her teacher trainings are attended by Yogis from all over the world and are designed from years of practices that Chandra did herself to become a Yogi. Each student is prescribed spiritual programs that drastically charge and change their life to become a calm, content and better person. The essence of these ancient teachings comes to life for each individual to use in this world of constant distractions. These Yoga teachers, through Chandra’s guidance become much more than just teachers, “they become Yogis”.
For years, Chandra had the esteemed honor of being the personal assistant to the Guru, and remains the senior most teacher of the spiritual practices and demonstrator of the Yoga Asanas for the Guru. Chandra continues to inspire, enlighten, and reveal to Yoga teachers and practitioners today, the real meaning of Yoga. “It is my greatest joy to share with students this knowledge that I have acquired through the grace of my Guru in the years of practice and study. Yoga practice will give one’s body the power and strength to have resistance to common illnesses and diseases. With proper encouragement and increased faith in the Guru, one can improve the physical body and mental attitude rapidly, thereby igniting the higher motives of making ones self useful to all. Always move in a conscious, slow and graceful manner. During your practice, regulate and slow down the breath, so you can begin to bring your attention deep within.”
Yogini Chandra embodies and imparts the virtues of Yoga; kindness, patience, humility, fortitude, humor, selfless service, ahimsa (non-killing), and unlimited love, compassion and understanding for all. Her approach incorporates all of the traditional aspects of Yoga including a sincere respect for both the physical and spiritual aspects of the practice. Chandra is a beloved teacher, still teaching in the traditional way, and emphasizes ‘complete surrender to the Lord. Without this, there will be no success in Yoga’. Chandra’s Divine classes are like no other. All teachers flock to her classes as an oasis of learning the most advanced postures as well as the classical esoteric and highest spiritual teachings. Chandra is a Master of putting people into postures they never thought they could do, and in the true classical spirit of Yoga, all students are guided to a state of complete surrender and contentment, merging complete identity with the true Self, the ultimate goal of Yoga.
