Jivamukti!

I hadn't been to Jivamukti in years. They used to have a great $5 class on Monday nights, but I don't think that is the case anymore, you might want to look into it further if you are interest though.

Anyways, I was hesitant to take a my first class at Jivamukti (5 years ago) when I was all about cardio and didn't want to sacrifice caloric burn for a quiet mind. However, I was shocked by how physically challenging it was. I was sore in places I didn't even know the body had muscles!

I was not a convert however and haven't taken a yoga class in quite some time.

Yesterday was my first time in the new(er) studio on Broadway and 14th street. It was much larger and more spacious than the Lafayette Street studio. It had a nice little shop and a cute cafe (Jivamuktea).

Many reviews call Jivamukti dogmatic and pretentious, and I have to say I can see were they are coming from. The reception staff was really snobby and almost rude. (Note: The staff couldn't be nicer at staff at Physique or Exhale.)

I got to the class and it was absolutely packed, 3:00 on MLK day, so I am not sure if this is normal. So I was a bit squished.

The instructor started with a very long speech on making offerings to the inner teacher and how giving a penny to the homeless can have the meaning of giving 1 million dollars depending on the meaning behind your true offering. It was a good 15-20 minute opener, so while at times I really wanted to be there with him and make selfless offering, so that his promise of "powerful things" and "gurus appearing in my life" would come true. But part of me was a little glazed over and ready for class to start. The guy on one side of me kept rolling his eyes and laughing. As an aside , the guy on my other side was a very cute well-known actor.

Finally the class commenced. It was a good (not great) class, we held each pose for a full 10 seconds. We never really got into a good heart pumping flow, but we were challenged to stay in a ten minute head stand. One great thing was that although it was an open class the instructor was very clear when describing each move, so I wasn't trying to learn Sanskrit on the fly. However, I really didn't feel like I got much of a workout, but I was very well-streched.

In the end, I felt relaxed, but not totally rejuvenated. Quieted somehow. I took some of the offering and inner guru stuff with me. If you are taking yoga for a spiritual and mental workout, this is the place for you. However, if you really just want some sweat inducing sun salutation cycles without having to put up with to much chanting and philosophy, you might look elsewhere.