Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center

Tonight I went back to my yoga spot in-person for the first time since the pandemic! It felt so so great to be in this spiritual space once again. I remember when I first moved to NYC almost 15 years ago, I was living on 30th and 9th. It was still pretty ghetto and definitely up and coming, but they called it “Upper Chelsea.” One day, I headed down south to the “real” Chelsea and was wandering around trying to find a local yoga place. Walking on 24th street, I noticed this blade sign with its logo literally being shone on with bright sunlight and that was how I found Sivananda. I still wonder…Did I find it, or did IT find me? Fast forward, I have since moved to different parts of the city but always ended up back at this place to practice yoga. Whenever I am here, I feel at peace. I am so grateful that this temple exists and hope it will continue to stay for all of us 🙏🙏🙏 (Photo taken in 2019 with the well-loved, live-in, one-eyed Rami who unfortunately passed away last year)

One of the original yoga centers in NYC, with an emphasis on the spiritual side of the practice. 90 minute open sessions are insanely affordable, but reservations are required. Bring your own towel, they have mats. Every session includes the same routine of chanting, breathing, and postures, and they will help beginners get sorted out. A really special place.

Loved the place loved the staff loved the class. If you’re looking for classical Hatha yoga and an ashram-like atmosphere this is the place for you. Clean and punctual, I had a very nice experience. You might not like it if you are really advanced but than it’s also yoga to go back to basics from time to time. 😌🙏

I have been going to the Sivananda Yoga Center for some time now. This is really a wonderful studio with great teachers. Its ran purely by volunteers which was very inspiring to me when I found out how dedicated everyone was. It's in the middle of Chelsea but once you walk in you totally forget you're in NYC! Quiet and serene energy. I came here at a time where I really needed to heal and bring spirituality into my life and this was a perfect fit. They offer many courses on Yoga, meditation and philosophy so I really recommend this for people looking to dive deep into their yoga practice. There's also a Satsanga twice per week!

After a week's visit at the NY ashram I began taking the virtual classes with the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center. Each class has been well lead and exactly what I need to maintain the practices I picked up at the ashram. This is not the system of asanas usually practiced in studios around the city, rather a classical Hatha Yoga practice that includes pranayama, time in resting poses so our body can integrate the challenging asanas and opening and closing prayers. I cannot recommend this enough for anyone looking to deepen their practice.