The challenge in Alan Finger's class isn't the downward dog or the cow pose. It's actually sitting still.
"It's much easier to work with your body than get your mind still," Finger said. "When you're calm and still you find inspiration comes to you."
Judging by his packed classes at /*Ishta*/ on the Upper East Side, people are looking for inspiration or healing or peace or something
"What projects from our senses onto our mind is chaos. No one has chaos built in. Chaos is only created by you and what you've taken into you," Finger said.
So we try to switch off the mind - first with some movement, and then through breathing techniques. That's followed by 18 minutes of just sitting and for beginners that is so, so hard, but it can be so worth it.
At Ishta, there are several /*meditation*/ classes every week. Classes are 30 dollars.
At /*Jaya Yoga Studios*/ in /*Brooklyn*/, the meditation is unguided. Sessions are 20 minutes and they're free. It's very much that shared experience that gets people here.
What you experience at these sessions and within will linger. It's why /*yoga*/ studios are offering more and more in the way of meditation.
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ONLINE:
Ishta www.ishtayoga.com
Jaya Yoga Studios jayayogacenter.com
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