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Want a fitness routine that can increase
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flexibility, tone your muscles—even
calm your mind?
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Step onto a yoga mat and say “om.”
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by Deborah Wilburn • photographs by Mark Vergari
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www.intownconnect.com INTOWN 2006
35
’ve never been much of a yoga fan.
It seemed too slow paced for my
hyperactive mind and body. When it
comes to exercise, I typically prefer
step, spinning, or body conditioning at
the gym. What could be more boring than
sitting around and breathing, anyway?
Still, I pride myself on having an open
mind. So when asked to survey the yogic
landscape in Northern Westchester, I was
both intrigued by the opportunity and
worried that I might need an alarm clock
to wake me when class was over.
Now, however, after having sampled
more than a dozen classes in studios
everywhere from Armonk to Yorktown,
I understand what all the fuss is about.
The workouts were not only challenging
(quite!), but I received psychic benefits
that went way beyond anything I’ve ever
experienced at the gym. Not only has my
stiff-as-a-board body begun to loosen
up, but most classes have been at least as
destressing as any session with a massage
therapist. I guess you could say that I’ve
become a certifiable yoga-maniac.
The type of yoga practiced in the West is
known as hatha yoga (a combination of poses, breathing, relaxation, and meditation).
Within that tradition, however, different
styles have emerged, as developed by various gurus (although all start with the same
basic poses). Bikram yoga, for example, works
in a studio heated to between 104 and 108
degrees, while kundalini yoga emphasizes
the importance of proper breathing.
What was amazing to me was the number of styles to be found in this one little
36 INTOWN 2006 northern westchester
corner of the county. While novices may
feel perplexed by the choices, the best
advice is to try a variety of classes, as I
did, and choose the one that best fits your
personality and temperament.
The following six local studios are great
places to start. At each, you’ll find excellent
instruction, a comfortable practice space,
and a welcoming atmosphere. If you’ve ever
thought about dipping your toe in the yogic
waters, now might be the perfect time!
KATONAH YOGA CENTER
BEDFORD HILLS
Nevine Michaan, founder and director
of the Katonah Yoga Center, is considered the mother of all yoga in Northern
Westchester. Here, she leads classes in
“Katonah Yoga,” her own style developed
over 30 years of teaching. What makes
her style unique is, quite simply, Michaan
herself, given her mastery of yoga, her
understanding of the human body,
and the dynamic manner in which
she shares her knowledge. On a recent
Sunday morning, I visited an intermediate-level class. As students began
warming up, I could see that I was
way out of my league and, while I felt
welcome to join in (there were a couple
of other beginners in the mix), I opted
to observe instead. Once class started,
she talked students through the asanas,
or poses, all the while gliding through
the room, teaching, physically correcting alignment, praising, and challenging
students to go deeper into each pose.
“You have to do it well to get the magic,” says Michaan. As I watched, directly
in my field of vision were three women with unbelievably lithe and supple
bodies who made even the hardest
poses look easy. At one point they did a
downward dog, which even a beginner
like myself can do a close approximation
of (for the uninitiated, you kneel on the
floor, spread your hands wide in front of
you, then lift your hips up into the air so that
your body forms an inverted V). But typical
of this class, the students start with a basic
pose and then take it to the nth degree. Sure
enough, at Michaan’s instruction, the women kicked it up a notch by rotating their
arms so that their fingers were facing them.
I thought to myself, Hmm, that looks easy
enough. So I got myself into a downward
dog, then tried to turn my hands around.
EEOOWWW! I think I’ll stick with the
basics.... Meanwhile, every student I spoke
with couldn’t praise their teacher highly
enough. “Nevine is unique,” says Stephanie
Arnold, a mother of three from Pleasantville. “I used to go the gym, and working
out was a burden to me. But I could do yoga
every day. It’s changed my life.”
GOLDEN TEMPLE
KATONAH
At Golden Temple, kundalini yoga, a
highly meditative style developed by Yogi
Bhajan, focuses not only on the poses, but
on mastering various breathing techniques.
Arriving for class one morning, I wasn’t
quite sure what to expect, given the small
platform at the front of the room where
there were pillows, a sheepskin rug, and
a large gong, among other things. This is
where the director and sole teacher, Rai
Kaur sits, to better observe her students.
She doesn’t come around to “fix” you;
instead she offers gentle correction and
encouragement from the platform. The
class began with chanting, definitely
lending an otherworldly feel to the
class. Once the poses were underway,
however, I was brought back to reality,
doing what I could to hold my body
in the various asanas while trying to
breathe correctly through my nostrils.
In one basic pose, called head to knee,
we sat on the floor with one leg straight
and the other bent back. I have a sore left
knee, so when I bent that one back, hot
pain settled into the muscles around it.
I could have straightened it, but decided
to try to work through it (a mindset I
adopted for all of my classes). I was
stunned to find that a couple of days later,
I had no pain in my knee!
Kundalini is considered one of the
more spiritual forms of yoga that some
say you need to be called to. One student
who feels the calling is Tania Edwards, a
42-year-old mother of two from Bedford
who attends class once a week. “As a busy
working mother, I felt I was doing everything and nothing,” she says. “Kundalini
has helped me learn to slow down, focus,
and strengthen my body, mind, and soul.
I’m a lot calmer and happier now.”
So am I—I have a pain-free knee!
BIKRAM YOGA YORKTOWN HEIGHTS
YORKTOWN HEIGHTS
I’ve never been much for sweating. But
truth be told, after a number of Bikram
classes—known as “hot” yoga because the
room is heated to between 104 and 108
degrees with 40 percent humidity—I’m
OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: RAI KAUR LEADS A CLASS
AT GOLDEN TEMPLE IN KATONAH. BOTTOM:
NEVINE MICHAAN, DIRECTOR OF KATONAH
YOGA CENTER IN BEDFORD HILLS. THIS PAGE,
RIGHT: THE ALTAR AT GOLDEN TEMPLE. BELOW:
NEVINE MICHAAN HELPS A STUDENT DO
THERAPEUTIC REFINEMENT TECHNIQUES.
beginning to see the wisdom of ending a
workout looking like I just took a shower.
This style, the brainchild of Yogi Bikram
Choudhury, requires students to follow
a pattern of 26 poses that are followed in
sequence, with each pose done twice. The
idea behind the heat is that it keeps muscles
pliant, making it a safer way to work out.
Bikram Yoga Yorktown Heights opened
last May, and it’s virtually the only one
of its kind in Northern Westchester. I
decided to try a class one Friday evening,
thinking it would be a great way to release
tension after a long week at work.
The first nice surprise was the studio
itself: The décor is spa-like, with soothing earth tones and muted lighting, and
clean—unlike Bikram studios elsewhere
that can verge on old-socks-smelly. Certified teacher and owner Jane Kartsch
provides yoga mats and towels, which are
essential, since it’s hard to hang on to
your knee or leg in certain poses once
you’ve worked up a sweat.
When I walked into the practice room,
my first thought was something along
the lines of, “You must be kidding!” It
felt like the thermometer was set at the
upper end of the A-OK range. By the time
our teacher, Maritza Johnson, walked
in, I’d already worked up a sweat, but—
duh—that’s the idea. Johnson proved to
be a knowledgeable, precise, and encouraging instructor. For example, in one
www.intownconnect.com INTOWN 2006
37
resources
pose, called bow, you lie on your stomach, then lift chest and legs off the floor,
bending at the back in order to grab on
to your feet. Oh, and then hold it there
for awhile. I had that “I think my back is
breaking” feeling, but Johnson’s positive
admonitions to hold on kept me from
collapsing. In the end, I felt I’d given
myself a great workout (and had the
soaked clothes to prove it!). I guess that’s
just one of the reasons I love Bikram.
SAGE SEASONAL YOGA &
MEDITATION CENTER
ARMONK
This delightful and inviting studio focuses
primarily on anusara yoga, a fairly new
style created in 1997 by John Friend, an
American yoga master. The emphasis here
is correct alignment and a spiritual component that centers on a “sweet celebration
of the heart” and “an invitation to know
yourself more deeply,” says Susan Rubin,
a registered yoga teacher who opened
her studio five years ago.
Seated on a wool blanket in one of her
recent level-II classes, we began by sounding “om” and chanting before moving
into a series of challenging poses, like the
crow, in which you place your hands on
the floor and then place your knees on the
back of your upper arms. Right. Although
this wasn’t a hot yoga class, I definitely
worked up a sweat doing my undoubtedly
laughable versions of each posture.
Rubin, who once studied with Katonah
Yoga Center’s Michaan (and now studies
with Friend), reflects her former teacher’s
style of talking students through poses
as she circulates throughout the room,
encouraging and gently correcting alignment
as needed. Her uplifting teaching method
made me feel glad to be there, in spite of the
pain inflicted by my too-tight hamstrings.
Paul Beeken, a 50-year-old physics
teacher at Bryam Hills High School who
has been taking classes at Sage for the
last couple of years, says there are many
benefits to studying yoga. “I feel trimmer
and more relaxed,” he says. “And, like the
martial arts [that I used to study], I find
the strenuous postures clear the chatter
and settle my thinking.” I had to agree that
certain poses cleared my chatter as well—
only in my case, it was replaced with a
silent scream. Of course, Sage also offers
Katonah Yoga Center
Cost: $15–$25/class, depending
on the teacher. Good to know:
Schedule updated daily on website. Details: 39 Main St.; Bedford Hills; 241-3413; katonah
yogacenter.com.
Golden Temple
Cost: $20/class; must be purchased in a 6-, 7-, or 8-week series.
Good to know: Pre-registration
is required; call before attending
your first class. Details: 223 Katonah
Ave.; Katonah; 232-3473;
goldentempleyoga.com.
Bikram Yoga Yorktown Heights
Cost: $20/class; discount series
available. Good to know: Bring
water. Showers are available.
Details: 37 Triangle Center;
Yorktown Heights; 245-5405;
bikramyorktown.com.
Sage Seasonal Yoga
Cost: $20/class; discount series
available. Good to know: There is a
changing room with shower; massage is offered. Details: 6 Maple
Ave.; Armonk; 730-7243;
armonkyoga.com.
AER Yoga & Living
Cost: $20/class; discount series
available. Good to know: Also
offers massage, and meditation
and breathing workshops.
Details: 792 Rte. 35;
Cross River; 763-6320;
aeryoga.com.
38 INTOWN 2006 northern westchester
AER PHOTOGRAPH BY GINA KEIR
Bedford Yoga
Cost: $18/class; discount series
available. Good to know: There is
a changing room, but no shower.
Details: 55 Oliver Rd.; Bedford;
234-6224; bedfordyoga.com.
OPPOSITE PAGE: AER YOGA IN YELLOW MONKEY
VILLAGE OFFERS CLASSES FOR KIDS. THIS PAGE,
BELOW: SUSAN RUBIN OF SAGE SEASONAL YOGA
& MEDITATION CENTER IN ARMONK HELPS STRETCH
classes for beginners—which is where I
plan to head next time.
BEDFORD YOGA
BEDFORD
Adding yet another flavor to the
variety of styles practiced in Northern Westchester is Bedford Yoga, where
Cynthia Worby and her staff adhere to
Iyengar yoga, which teaches asanas according to the instruction of B.K.S. Iyengar.
This style is distinguished by the frequent
use of props to facilitate learning—and
they are in wide evidence in Worby’s
studio, which is attached to her contemporary-style home, nestled in the Bedford
woods. The studio, which is about 675
square feet, looks even larger since a mirror covers one wall. Props are everywhere,
with rope pulleys hanging in one corner
and blocks and belts stored in cubbies.
At first I thought the whole prop idea
sounded a little nutty—until, that is, I
tried it. There I sat during a recent class
with my block next to me, ready to get
into bridge pose, as directed by Cathy
Eising, our teacher. For this one, you lie
on your back with knees bent, then lift
your hips as high as possible. Sounds
easy, right? Well, if your back has the flexibility of a stapler, as mine does, it’s not.
Enter my brick-sized block, which Eising
directed me to insert under my sacrum.
Sure...if...I could only...lift high enough...
to get...the damned thing...under there.
I made the effort, and succeeded. At first
it was a little uncomfortable, but I told
myself to relax, focus on my breathing,
and what do you know, I was able to
remain in that position for a few minutes. You may be thinking, Big deal,
right? I didn’t do the work, the block
did. Wrong. I still received the benefits
of holding my body in that position (e.g.,
increasing flexibility of the spine and
strengthening the back). When it came
time for me to remove the block, I was
actually able to lift even higher, holding
that position for a few seconds. I felt like
a kid riding her bike for the first time!
As Worby explains the Iyengar philosophy, “The purpose is to achieve the best
alignment and the best pose possible
so that you don’t injure yourself and
receive the maximum benefit.”
This style is believed to work especially
well for people who are injured or recovering from an illness. It’s even helped some
students heal. Chris Kuehne, 59, a feeonly financial advisor who lives in Pound
Ridge, says that for 10 years he suffered
from shoulder pain. His doctor suggested
physical therapy, but Kuehne decided to
try classes at Bedford Yoga instead. “I knew
yoga was gentle and I thought there would
be less chance of increasing the injury,” he
says. “After three months of classes, the
pain I’d had for 10 years was gone.”
AER YOGA & LIVING
CROSS RIVER
This studio is the newest kid on the
yoga block, created by registered yoga
teachers Basil Jones and Laura Cashel,
as part of AER Living in Yellow Monkey
Village. The studio itself oozes cozy country charm, with wide wood floor planks
and a wrought-iron chandelier hanging overhead. The focus here is ashtanga
and vinyasa yoga. How are they different?
At the studios mentioned thus far, what
you typically do is strike a pose and hold
it. With these styles, students execute a
steady flow of poses, for example, moving quickly from downward dog into
upward facing dog and then on to the next
one. It’s a more aerobic form of yoga and
is best reserved for students who have a
solid understanding of and ability to carry
out the basic asanas with some ease.
Jones is a popular teacher, so I was
eager to try one of his classes. I signed
up for a noontime “Basics” class, knowing instinctively that if I tried vinyasa I’d
SAGE’S CO-DIRECTOR, WENDY BOLLER.
probably come out in a stretcher. We started
by sounding an inhibition-releasing “om”
before moving into the poses. Jones is also an
eclectic teacher, drawing on a variety of yoga
styles to bring as much depth as possible
to his teaching. So even though this wasn’t
an Iyengar class, he did have us use props
to help us increase flexibility. Lying on the
floor, we looped a long belt around one foot,
extended that leg in the air and then pulled
on the ends of the belt to help us straighten
it; all the while Jones peppered his instruction with thoughts meant to encourage us to
work beyond the physical and increase selfawareness. “The practice helps you get to the
heart of who you really are,” he said as we
switched legs.“It’s getting to the essence of our
being, not our roles and responsibilities
and stresses.” My leg was still a bit bent,
but my spirit definitely felt nourished.
At the end of class we lay on our mats
as Jones guided us in a meditation. One
unexpected surprise came when he laid
a lavender-scented cloth over my eyes,
readjusted my head and pressed my
shoulders down. Bliss!
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