Ashtanga Yoga Sadhana

After practicing yoga in NYC and elsewhere since 1998, I can say that Ashtanga Yoga Sadhana is the best place to practice yoga in the city. I was a student of Dharma Mitra, Peter Rizzo, and many many others, including in Mysore. Lori Brungard exemplifies an ideal teacher in my view: she is humble, has a sense of humor and a gentle touch. I tried Yoga works, which has glorious accommodations, but Lori’s studio (housed in YTTP on 8^th street) has true heart, knowledge and experience. She is a level-​2 authorized mysore teacher who studied with Shri K. Pattabhi Jois. This mysore style practice is traditional (no music, no frills), meditative, and promotes autonomy (you learn the poses one by one, as you are ready). I find Lori’s style does not have the element that I have found with other (mostly male) teachers may lead to injuries. As a mom, Lori says that our first commitment is to our lives as householders, and the practice helps the sustain those commitments with honor. Also teaching here is the wonderful Vanessa, whose videos of amazing yoga feats can be seen on youtube. For her incredibly advanced practice, Vanessa is also incredibly humble and generous. Although I especially appreciate a woman run studio, as I am a feminist, I want to note that this studio has an equal balance of male and female practitioners. We are long-​term students (I’ve been here for almost a year, others for four years on). The studio does not have the fame it deserves, which means we have small classes and lots of personal attention and adjustments. This place is a hidden gem. Don’t miss it when you visit New York City!

I have been studying with Lori for around 6 months, first as a private student, and now in her Mysore classes. Right off the bat I knew I had found a teacher who knew her stuff. Lori has a deep knowledge of Astanga yoga in both the physical and philosophical aspects. She studied with Pattabhi Jois and Sharath and is an authorized Level 2 teacher. She is faithful to the teachings and lineage, which is something that was very important to me. Many Ashtanga teachers modify and add their own take on the primary series and this is something I wanted to avoid. She does not let her own ego get in the way of teaching the series as it should be taught. While Lori does take her teaching seriously, she is not at all full of herself. She has a down to earth, warm, approachable style. Lori (and Augustine Kim, the other Mysore teacher at the studio) are welcoming to both the beginning student and the seasoned practitioner. Lori is also faithful to her own practice, which is inspiring to see.
The studio itself has an peaceful, inviting atmosphere. The students are really friendly as well. Anyone interested in beginning a Mysore practice, this is a great place to start. For advanced practitioners, this is a great environment to go deeper in your practice. You will get a lot of attention and will be carefully monitored and guided. Lori has an astute sense of how far to take you before moving you on to the next set of asanas, and she is keenly attentive to where each and every student is in their practice. She and Augustine really remember everything about you and your practice! I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for affordable, friendly, and knowledgeable Astanga instruction. It’s the best deal in town.