I never particularly liked yoga growing up. I tried to like it because it seemed like a great way to relax, stretch, and exercise, but I just couldn’t get into it. Thoughts would race through my head while I was trying to be “zen” and I would become increasingly bored and anxious as the class slowly passed one ujjayi breath at a time.
One day while perusing the racks of overpriced clothes at Lululemon (clothes which I pined over), I saw a poster up about their monthly free yoga classes. This month was being hosted at Laughing Lotus. Regardless of the fact that the class was at 6:30am, I decided to go. It was summer and I worked nights so I had all day to rest. This place completely changed my view of yoga. The walls are covered in pink graffiti and murals of Ganesha and lotus flowers, the floors are covered in glitter (but not the kind that gets all over you), and they play loud bumping music while you sweat it out on the mat. This probably goes against the whole purpose of the practice of yoga, but this was my foray into loving it.
After this experience I was able to start understanding and appreciating the slower, quieter, more introspective practices of yoga. Here are a few of my other favorite studios around the city.
Upper West Side
New York Loves Yoga– 140 W. 83rd Street http://www.nylovesyoga.com/
UWS Yoga and Wellness– 75B W. 85th Street http://www.uwsyoga.com/
Lower Manhattan
Yoga Vida NYC-99 University Place/ 666 Broadway http://yogavida.com/
Y7 Studio– 430 Broome Street http://www.y7-studio.com/
Ishta Yoga– 56 E. 11th Street http://www.ishtayoga.com/
Sky Ting Yoga– 55 Chrystie Street http://www.skytingyoga.com/
Brooklyn
Area Yoga– 144 Montague Street http://www.areayogabrooklyn.com/
Where are your favorite places to zen out in NYC? Let me know!
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