Yogamaya

Profile

Yogamaya melds a modern view of yoga-as-workout with a light emphasis on the philosophical roots of the practice. The 90-minute sessions of Vinyasa are designed to strengthen muscles and inspire the mind. Upon entering the sixth floor suite you are greeted with a wall-sized latticework screen, which was hand-carved out of redwood in Jodhpur, India. In the rooms beyond, loft-like urban elements (chicken wire glass, exposed brick, poured concrete sinks) mingle with warm, spiritual pieces like deep brown temple doors and small alcove shrines. Class in the two sky-lit studios might start with a short harmonium serenade to cleanse the chaos from the day. Sometimes there is a brief discussion of the meaning of a Sanskrit word or two. But there is always serious yoga—even beginners are pleasantly coaxed into positions more difficult than they might think they could accomplish. Knowledgeable, spunky instructors encourage deep poses with accuracy and care, but don’t linger too long to make the session feel plodding. Perhaps owing to a strong commitment to offering excellent instruction at varied levels, a critical mass of dudes seem to have found a place here—sometimes composing half the class. For a turbo charge toward divine awakening, pop into the periodic chanting sessions called kirtans. — Edna Ishayik

A convenient location and a liberal drop-in policy make getting a last-minute down-dog fix easy.

Cons
None—unless you object to the bit of spiritual enlightenment that comes at the start of each class.