Look down any yoga class schedule and usually you won’t find many offerings for yoga philosophy. Mostly reserved for teacher training programs—and then crammed into a weekend or two—philosophy is usually dwarfed by the popularity of asana, which is just one of yoga’s eight “limbs.” I went on a search to find who is offering philosophy classes in New York this year and was pleasantly surprised. It’s not just reserved for the hard-core student practicing svadyiya—self study—anymore. Yes, it can seem mysterious, but yoga’s deeper ideas offer inspiration for teaching and practicing, and – perhaps most importantly – for life. Continue reading ‘Continuing Education: Yoga Philosophy’
Archive for the 'FOB' Category
At last, the wildly popular Canadian yoga-clothing company, Lululemon Athletica, brings its innovative and high-quality gear to New York. Continue reading ‘Fancy Pants’
Whether to improve your game or give you game, these inventive classes use yoga to enhance other pursuits. Continue reading ‘Goal Mate’
Critics’ pick
A yoga class in which only men can chant “om” seems silly today, but that restriction was once one of many imposed on female practitioners. Janice Gates, founding director of Yoga Garden Studio in San Anselmo, California, illuminates the yogic role of the fairer sex in her new book, Yogini: The Power of Women in Yoga (Mandala Press, $20). Gates begins with a compelling overview—including the story of how women’s role in the practice diminished once the Brahmin culture took hold in India in 1500 B.C.E.—before profiling 17 contemporary yogini pioneers, including Sharon Gannon, the director of megastudio Jivamukti, and Gurumayi, Siddha Yoga’s beloved leader. With handsome reproductions of yoginis in Indian art, the book uncovers a story that’s rarely told: Women were once valuable teachers and spiritual guides in yoga—and now finally are again.Time Out New York / Issue 583 : November 30, 2006 – December 6, 2006
Three city gyms have launched new workout series to entice you into their ranks.
IntenSati at Equinox –Joelle HannPatricia Moreno’s class at Equinox Gyms won’t just sculpt biceps and buttocks. It also aims to turn unhappiness into positive expectations. Moreno, a former kickboxing teacher, developed IntenSati by blending cardio, dance, yoga and aerobics with life coaching. Sati is the Buddhist concept of intention, so students repeat affirmations such as “Every day, in a very true way, I cocreate my reality,” while following Moreno through a butt-kicking workout. The class concludes with a meditation session, during which Moreno assures us that we can live the life we want and look great, too. We just need the right intention and enthusiasm—and a membership at Equinox. At four Equinox locations throughout the city. Call 212-774-6363, or visit www.intensati.com or www.equinoxfitness.com for information.Reggae Groove at New York Health & Racquet Club — Alia Akkam…Indo-Row at The Sports Club/LA —Alia Akkam…Time Out New York / Issue 580 : November 9, 2006 – November 15, 2006
What’s newAccording to Cyndi Lee, director of OM Yoga, the perfect date includes a restorative yoga class, deep tissue massage and a movie. You may not want to do that on a first date, but you certainly could at OM’s new Wellness Sanctuary—all but the movie. “People come here to feel good about themselves; bodywork is an extension of that,” Lee says of her decision to expand services. Mix and match your treatments on a ten-visit card ($850): get a Swedish massage, relax with reflexology, be stretched Thai-yoga–style and consult with a nutritionist. Or try sample of them all for free at Om’s Wellness Week, Mon 18 through Sept 22 . There’s no push to sign up for yoga classes or buy OM products—the only pressure will come from the bodyworkers’ talented hands. 826 Broadway at 12th St, sixth floor (212 254-YOGA, omyoga.com).Time Out New York / Issue 572 : September 14, 2006 – September 20, 2006
Calibrate yourself with the universe at the Path of Yoga conference.In India, millions gather at kumbha melas, or spiritual festivals, to cleanse body and spirit in sacred rivers like the Ganges. The Omega Institute, the upstate center for holistic studies, will host its own form of kumbha mela in Manhattan September 15–18 with the seventh annual Path of Yoga conference. This year’s pose-a-thon, which alternates each year between New York and Miami, welcomes 28 established instructors—some of them full-blown yogic celebrities—who’ll lead more than 85 workshops. We checked in with a few standouts, each of whom has several sessions; here’s what to expect.Sheraton New York, 811 Seventh Ave at 53rd St (800-944-1001, eomega.org). $445, individual workshop price TBD. Pre- and postconference intensives $125, non–conference attendees $175.
“We’ll be using techniques to create self-acceptance and compassion. Every time you roll out your mat you’re creating sacred space—accepting where you are first, then moving towards where you want to be.”Author of Yoga for Depression, Amy Weintraub has learned to use the yogic techniques, including pranayama, or breath control, to balance moods and emotions.
“The most important thing is to practice in a way that you enjoy so that you’ll want to do it again the next day. It’s just a matter of practice. That’s all [my guru] Pattabi Jois has ever said.”Master teacher David Swenson has practiced ashtanga since 1969. His workshops will expand students’ understanding of vinyasa and hands-on adjustments in this physically demanding practice.
“My classes are about awakening the sahaja or spontaneous flow of yoga. The way Americans interpret yoga can be quite rigid; I help people connect to the inherent freedom of their fluid body.”California yogini Shiva Rea wants her students to experience yoga not just as physical practice but also as an embodiment of the life force flowing within us.
“Yoga promises the experience of the very essence of life. It inspires you to be a full citizen and to add to the artistry and goodness of the world.”John Friend’s internationally popular style, anusara, emphasizes alignment, joy, and community in practice. Friend is a busy bee at this conference: He’s giving six workshops, including Rock with Shakti, and Align with the Divine, in addition to the keynote address.Time Out New York / Issue 572 : September 14, 2006 – September 20, 2006