Swanand Yoga

Saw this on Unilocal and decided to drop in while visiting NYC to their «Yoga for Foodies» class. Once a month, there is a hatha yoga class followed by complimentary take out food from nearby restaurants. The class was well taught by Sonal, the gentle and experienced owner of the studio, a mellow balance of meditative and vigorous exercise, in a wonderful calming setting with candles, light incense and low music. Then after class, the students gathered in a circle and shared the food, getting to know each other and having a perfect ending to the calm connectedness that comes at the end of every yoga class. Even as a newcomer traveling from the other coast, I felt totally welcome in this family environment. Will absolutely look to do this next time i am in NY!
BTW if you stay at the Eventi Kimpton around the corner, there is a free (new) yoga mat and bag provided in every room, as well as a weekday 7 am free yoga class.

I’ve been to quite a few yoga studios throughout the city and this one was just mediocre for me. But I will write an objective review and you can decide for yourself if this is a place for your practice.
Classtivity once again brought me to a studio that I would’ve probably overlooked and I am grateful that I got to see another studio, have another experience.
The studio is located very close to Penn Station, so it is convenient in that sense. The studio itself is nice and peaceful. All the instructors extremely nice and pleasant. There is an area for changing with nice mirrors. Two bathrooms, so no lines to use the bathroom. There are two rooms for practice. I was in the smaller room which can hold 5 people max. You can rent a yoga mat here for $ 1 and can rent towels and buy water also. There is also a place to hang your coat and put your shoes away.
I took an open level hatha class and it was one of the few times I have taken a hatha class. I find that the class was a bit too slow paced for me, but I know the instructor was throwing in some more challenging poses so that I could push myself a bit further. There was a lot of time dedicated to meditating, which was a refreshing change, but for me, I need something that is more rigorous and gets me to sweat a bit more. There was more focus on the mind than the body, in my opinion.
I am glad that this yoga studio exists and well, as with anything in life, different strokes for different folks. So, if you like a slower pace yoga class which focuses more on meditating and breathing, then this is a class for you.
As for me, what keeps me sane is a vigorous practice of hot vinyasa or Bikram or an intermediate class that really gets my heart pumping. But I would come back on a day when I need something that is more reflective than reactive.

I love Swanand Yoga. Warm environment. If you like hatha yoga, this place is awesome. I love Yoga for Foodies nights. :-))))))))))))))))))) You’ll love Sonal.

Not a terrible studio. The location isn’t great, it’s in the fashion district which is accessible, but tucked in between some fabric shops and those stores that sell sweatshop stuff wholesale. You know, that area where Jamaicans sell knock off purses and homeless people sleep with poop all over them. So one Sunday morning I came for the 11 am class, I was definitely in the right spot, but no one would open the door and no one would pick up the phone so I was stuck outside with all people yelling and smelling like turds.
I did come back after that because I had a class left on my classtivity passport and I figured the inside must be special since they have good Unilocal reviews despite the location. I was wrong, just a regular yoga studio with a falling apart sink in the bathroom.
That aside, I highly recommend the beginners class for people who are physically very limited. If you aren’t sick, elderly, obese, or have fibromyalgia it will probably be too gentle, even if you’re a beginner.

There are not enough stars here to rate Swanand, I would give them 10 stars if I could. I’ve been taking an assortment of classes here for slightly over a year now, and each instructor is a delight. This is NOT the place to try-​out some new trendy «excer-​yoga» style, or to compete with your classmates. Theres hundreds of places in Manhattan where you can find that, if you’re looking for that type of class. Swanand is a studio where you can take a class true to yoga itself, without any pretentious attitude.
Over the years I’ve tried various styles of yoga, but had never even heard of Hatha until finding Swanand. I was always a fan of yoga’s core beliefs, but didn’t really involve myself in the whole mind/​body/​relaxation connection you can experience when guided by an experienced instructor. I love that all the classes include meditation along with the physical postures. All the instructors here a great, and the atmosphere is very relaxing.
Kudos to Sonal… you’re truly a kind hearted person I will continue to support!

What’s nice about this place is its windows and light… gave me an yoga in the open feeling. Also it’s not too crowded.

Swanand is a great yoga studio. I’ve been to the majority of studios in town (including the big guns like Laughing Lotus) and what I love most about Swanand, is that your mat is not (literally) touching someone else’s… ahem, LL…) I feel like I have such a personal experience there and can truly center. I’m not an advanced student, so I usually don’t take beyond Level 1 classes, but the candlelight yoga (w/​Jenny Saraswati or Sonal) is fantastic. Restorative class w/​Patrizia Netri is AWESOME — she’s very in-​tune with her students and responsive, and I always leave feeling like I had the best massage ever. (Actually, I don’t really like massages because I usually leave sore, in a bad way, leaving Restorative is like getting a massage and opening up all your passageways within your body, for light and energy to flow. I know it sounds hokey, but trust me on this.) Definitely take advantage of the specials they offer, sometimes you can find them on Groupon — my mom bought me one for Christmas and it was the best gift ever. Namaste!

This is a very good yoga studio. I’ve enjoyed the sessions I’ve been to so far. I like that the yoga isn’t as intense as vinyasa/​power. It’s great if you just want to focus on breath and posture. Very relaxing.
I’ve only been to the 5:15pm classes, but they’ve all been small class sizes (4 – 5 students). This is great because the teacher can give you more one-​on-​one attention. I highly recommend this place if you are new to yoga or just want to do some light yoga.

Really lovely studio space. The practices however, are not that grueling. They also incorporate meditation and breathing techniques throughout the class which is really great. You only go through the flow a couple of times and I find it not that challenging. The svasanas are a little lengthy for my taste as well (15 – 20 minutes). Great place for a beginner, or an intermediate looking to deepen their practice. I found the teachers really great, could be more attentive (hands-​on) considering how small the classes are.

I’ve only taken one class at Swanand Yoga so I don’t have a full scope of the types of classes they offer but the one class I did take was outstanding. I’ve been searching for a yoga studio in NYC that is not all about power yoga. Though I’ve studied yoga for years, I lack flexibility and therefore prefer slower paced classes that focus on the deeper practice of yoga rather than challenging me to do things my body refuses to do. This is the place I’ve been looking for. The instructor I had provided wonderful instruction throughout the class, gradually built up to more challenging asanas and provided personal feedback, when necessary. The studio was beautiful (though the building is a bit funky) and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. What a great find! I hope it stays a secret.

I love Swanand Yoga! I have tried yoga off and on for 20 years and never return after the second class. Coming here has changed my life. Everything Sonal and her instructors teach in their practice has come to fruition in my life. I could be the poster child for Swanand. My mind, body, and spirit has changed. The studio is very clean and peaceful, and every instructor I have had is gentle and kind, yet very knowledgable and passionate. They are also welcoming to many ages, shapes, and levels. They are always having specials to make it affordable as well.
I highly recommend you take a step, show up at Swanand, and change your life!

Yoga and I have a very… well, flexible relationship.
We stay together for months, then break up in the winter, and then rediscover each other when the weather is a bit more bearable.
So, one mild evening, I redeemed my Amazon Local deal, and booked a Hatha class.
Now, I prior had no knowledge of a Hatha class and what it exactly would entail, but I figured, it’s all good right? Well, I was right, but I should have known that Hatha is really like an awakening of the senses. You breathe and work every aspect of your body — eyes included! This is a great class for those that are kinda not sure what yoga really is all about, and how to tell how stable you are in balance and focus.
Our instructor was very friendly, and moved class into the larger room of the two in the studio. Wooden floors and the huge windows made you feel like you were doing yoga on a rooftop; pretty wild.
The instructor was very soft spoken, and had a passion for what she does every day. The class wasn’t so much as a sweatfest, but, it helped me to be more relaxed, focused, and one with my body that I work harder than I should.
Schedule classes on their website for your convenience, and come be a part of a small, friendly yoga community!

I discovered Swanand through Amazon Local and purchased their 10-​class deal. I can say with complete honesty that I have enjoyed each and every one of those 10 classes.
The environment definitely contributes to your experience. It is a brand new studio and it is apparent that they work hard to maintain it. You will also notice that the classrooms do not have mirrors on the walls. As the teachers will instruct you upon class, yoga is not about ego.
The Hatha Candle light + Level 1 classes are perfect for beginners or to those who have been out of practice.
This is my first time practicing Hatha Yoga, and have learned that there is a strong focus on breathing and relaxation. These practices are perfect for the disgruntled workaholics living in stressful NYC. I hope that they will open more evening classes for a little more variety. Can’t wait to come back!

Must say, this is a very nice place! Even though it might look small, it’s definitely worth taking classes here. They have
2 rooms, one which is very small, which is good because the teacher can focus on you better. One time I had a one on one class! I’m sure those one on one classes would be more expensive anywhere else, but I bought a deal for a month unlimited. Unfortunately I didn’t get to go as often as I would have liked, but I would definitely recommend it if you like small classes. Teachers are all very nice and encourage you to try more in your practice.
Overall, I say check them out, its worth it! I don’t know why they don’t have many students, but I surely don’t mind that. More focus on me!

I came across this studio from a deal on Lifebooker, and am happy to say that I’m a fan. The studio is beautifully decorated — so clean and new. The online class reservation system is really easy to use, and the class schedules are very accommodating for after-​work visits (evening classes). I’ve visited a few times now, and each instructor I had was very knowledgeable and helpful with pose adjustments. All the staff members I’ve encountered were super friendly and inviting.
It looks like a relatively new place– I’d definitely recommend trying it out while the class sizes are still small!

I entered my first class a little anxious having come from a stressful work day but by the end of it I felt like a new person, completely at ease. The class was very recuperative. Relaxing but still challenging enough to keep you engaged. The instructor kept a nice flow to the movement while also being attentive to the skill level of the students. I will definitely go again.

Great studio, very friendly owners/​staff and a really balanced style of yoga practice. I come from an Iyengar Style with emphasis on pose alignment and accuracy and had never done a Hatha Yoga class in this style before.
I have been here 3 – 4 times (for the Yoga for Foodies Friday evenings — there is yoga for 75 mins and then delicious food from local places and a great community atmosphere (here is a blog about it
) and both the teachers who led the class were very good.
I like the integrative approach of the style — there are some poses, some sun salutations (which really get you going) and then some pranayama and meditation. The pranayama really does knock me out (in a good way)
Recommended! try it out and maybe will see you at a friday foodies event.

The level of professionalism is outstanding! Swanand Yoga depicts a high level of talent, not only with the instructors, but the clean and artistic environment which makes it a pleasure to go to class.
I give the highest rating for this studio which will benefit a dearth of clients from diverse backgrounds and age ranges. The cure is in the discipline of meditation and the postures relieving the body of toxins and stress.
This is the application of Eastern philosophy applied to today’s daily living in an urban environment.

This tiny studio in Chelsea is a great escape and a nice change from some of the other larger studios I attend.
I really enjoyed the Hatha class here. The instructor did a great job to set the tone, and was helpful and encouraging. One of the most relaxing classes I’ve attended in the past 6 months.
The space is very clean, elegant, and inviting. The small class size makes the environment more social than larger studios — I met a few fellow yogis after the class. Definitely more welcoming than you might experience in a larger studio, and a great way to break the ice if you are new to yoga.
Staff and owner are friendly, wonderfully courteous and even joined in for the class.