In personal on
25 July 2010 with 1 comment
One of my other goals for my urban retreat was to practice with friends. My intention was to get some quality time on the mat alongside my NYC loved ones. Summer schedules are sometimes challenging to sync with New Yorkers fleeing the hot concrete in droves, but I was able to take class Wednesday morning with a dear friend from college.
She introduced me to a brand spankin’ (just three months young) new studio in the East Village called Finding Sukha. A little before 9a on a bright sunshiny day we climbed the stairs to be greeted by amazing patches of colored light and the studio’s welcoming co-founder Sarah Coleman. Sarah led us through a joyous, playful, well balanced 60 min class that challenged while also giving my body a bit of a breather.
I left class happy, loose and ready for breakfast at MUD. Such a perfect way to start a summer day in NYC.
Nothing beats practicing yoga in community, so if you are in the area, I encourage stopping by and supporting the new studio as well as it’s home the Sixth Street Community Center. For over two decades the center has supported low income people in the neighborhood while promoting sustainable food practices, healthy living and environmental stewardship. They provide the neighborhood with local food through their CSA shares and on Tuesday night host an Organic Soul Café which serves up affordable-good-for-you food.
Yum!
Extra Bonus: Timelapse of Finding Sukha’s mural
In personal on
25 July 2010 with no comments
Before venturing to New York I asked around for advice on studios and teachers to try. I received a few suggestions for Laughing Lotus which started in New York and now has a second location back near my home in San Francisco.
The studio was on my short list, but then a friend of my brother’s (and fine teacher of yoga herself) emailed to say that one of the co-owners of Laughing Lotus was in town teaching for the month. I checked out the schedule and saw that Dana was teaching the following day at noon. Sold.
I am so grateful for Francesca’s suggestion because my experience at Laughing Lotus reminded me of the power of a personal recommendation. As soon as I opened the door to the studio I felt how different the vibe was compared to the previous studios. Everything at Laughing Lotus is vibrant - from the purple, orange and pink decor to the pulsating energy emanating from everyone there. And the class was packed. Dana’s class had to be something special because walking into the room reminded me of a Sunday morning class with Rusty. Social, crowded and energetic… and class hadn’t even started yet.
I squeezed our mats up into the front of the room and almost immediately Dana introduced herself. It felt amazing to be visible again amongst this city of yogis. This was the first time anyone at any studio in New York had introduced themselves. So different from the twice-a-class greet your neighbor practice I’m used to.
And the class did not disappoint. It kicked my arse and was far from boring. So far from predictable that at times I found myself a bit lost. As did Leah who got some extra love–Dana reminded the class not to take ourselves too seriously and then gave Leah’s earlobe a little tug. Leah’s presence also made this class extra special. It was the first time we had practiced together since returning from her two-week study in Oaxaca. And how lucky we were to have such a loving class to reunite with.
Dana’s class was demanding, playful and devotional. It was a pleasure to again be in a full room chanting together. I look forward to practicing with her again on day, on either coast.
In personal on
22 July 2010 with no comments
On day three of this urban yoga retreat I decided to try something totally different, a tiny little studio a few blocks from my brother’s apartment in Astoria, Queens. Brendan and I were headed off on a road trip to visit our grandmother in Delaware around noon so it was important to stay close… plus I was curious about a studio that offers $5 classes and derives inspiration from Bryan Kest’s donation model.
In short, the experience at Yoga Agora was a mixed bag.
Let’s start with the positives, or more accurately, the one giant positive: the space is absolutely gorgeous. The studio consists of one giant room, with floor to ceiling windows on two walls (kind of like a mini Urban Flow). But what really made the room incredible was that the windows slid wide open, while big flowing curtains provided some privacy and atmosphere. I took a spot right alongside one of the windows, you can see my mat empty in the photo, and imagined I was practicing off a beach somewhere.
So while I was imagining the room was transported to an island, unfortunately I was also imagining a different teacher guiding us. The class was a pretty standard vinyasa class, minus the sanskrit and any assistance. I definitely didn’t love calling Utkatasana “thunderbolt” but it is forgivable. What really made my heart hurt though was how little scaffolding the teacher gave for students at different levels. As you might imagine, that $5 open level class was not full of students ready to flip up into a handstand in the middle of the room. So when the teacher instructed everyone to bind and I glanced back to see one student struggling just to do the base of the posture while attempting to bind her arms… it was too much for me to handle.
Granted this was just one teacher at Yoga Agora and is by no means a reflection on the whole studio. I am grateful that they are providing affordable yoga for their neighborhood. I just hope that at some point the students there experience a teacher who makes it ok to take your vinyasa through child’s pose.
In personal on
21 July 2010 with 1 comment
Just down the street from Jivamukti lives another NYC yoga institution: Om. Cyndi Lee opened the studio back in 1998. She too has grown a bit of a yoga empire complete with books, DVDs, retreats, etc., etc., but the vibe couldn’t be more different than the one at Jivamukti. While Jivamukti is full of dark colors and lots of mood lighting, Om is bright, colorful and warm.
I had been to Om once before, with my brother years ago. I think it was probably my first urban yoga class experience. It was at Om that my brother furthered his practice and where he completed their 30-day October challenge (that would inspire me years later to do my own…)
We took at 10a Saturday intermediate/advanced class with Frank that challenged and inspired, but again didn’t blow me away. His teaching skills were evident and I appreciated the technical instructions on particular asanas, but I can’t say that I loved the vinyasa sequencing. I think I am just used to a faster and more varied practice. That said, I would definitely go back for more.
Next up: yoga for the people of Astoria
In personal on
16 July 2010 with 2 comments
Last month I challenged myself to practice 30 consecutive days of yoga. It was an incredible experience of tuning into my body and pushing myself deeper than ever before. On day 29 I had one of those cathartic experiences you have a hard time believing unless you experience it. Tears streaming down my face, as I let go of pain I’d held in my body for years, I realized I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
The majority of my mat time in San Francisco is spent in the incredibly beautiful Urban Flow studio with occasional cameos appearances at Yoga Tree and the Pad. I am so grateful to my teachers and the communities they cultivate. So what happens when I go on the road… leaving my happy place of the teachers I know and love? While my 30 day adventure also pushed me to cultivate my own personal practice I still prefer the class experience.
A few weekends ago I took two classes in Santa Monica. First a large vinyasa class at one of Bryan Kest’s well known donation-based studios. And then two days later, the incredibly early, 5:30a class at Bhakti Yoga Shala. Neither blew me away, but I left both stretchy and happy. And at BYS I was treated to a chant accompanied by a Harmonium, which was a first for me.
And now I’m in New York City! Home to what seems like a hundred or more yoga studios. While I am here I am challenging myself to attend classes for 7 consecutive days, each day at a different studio.
And where better to begin my New Yoga Ctiy urban retreat than the legendary Jivamukti.
I first heard about Jivamukti through an acquaintance who was raising money to attend their teacher training. I got the vague sense that they were pretty serious about their yoga and that studying with them took a tremendous amount of dedication.As I have deepened my practice and inquiry into all things yoga I bump into Jivamukti more and more. Their founders are ubiquitous in the ygoa world. DVDs, books, celebrity followers, quotes in magazine articles, photos of themselves for sale at the boutique… they are everywhere.
I ascended the stairs this morning with a big open mind, hoping for a challenging vinyasa class with a little bit of love and devotion. First off, the space is almost unbelievable. Multiple studios, aforementioned boutique, crazy amazing veggie cafe, not to mention showers which apparently are common in the city but shocking to a San Francsican.
As for the class itself, beyond the pacing and sequencing, I appreciated the chanting and broader spiritual considerations. I will admit to being a bit taken aback by the teacher reading some poetry, but maybe that’s just his thing. Because I don’t wear my hearing aids in class I often struggle with understanding teachers so following verse is near impossible. (I heart poetry in general!)
Overall the experience at Jivamukti couldn’t be more different from Urban Flow, but my time on the mat felt more similar than not.
Tomorrow: Cyndi Lee’s Om, another popular studio with a renowned reputation.
