Om Yoga Center
VALERIE REISS
02/02/2001
We are sweating at Om. “This reminds me of my cyberdate,” says the teacher, a 40-ish woman with a booming voice, apropos of nothing. “Lift your knee, extend. He was a perfectly wonderful man.” Pause. “Put your leg down, lift the other knee. Exhale. But no chemistry. Inhale. Not a pit-pat. Exhale. Not even a pit.” Laughter from the class. “Extend. Exhale.” “You just want trouble,” says a student. “No,” says the teacher. “I just want a ‘pit.’ Inhale.” More laughter, more sweat. Class continues.
There’s no place like Om. One of the largest and most popular yoga centers in the city, Om is known for its vigorous, vibrant and slightly offbeat style. Established in 1998, founder and director Cyndi Lee has developed a “juicy blend” of flowing (vinyasa), hatha yoga rooted in Buddhist principles of compassion and awareness. Students can ease into Om with four levels — brand new beginner, basic, intermediate and open. Spread over two floors with three studios, 25 instructors teach over 65 classes a week.
Om is more than a place to breathe, sweat and get twisty-bendy. They offer a broad variety of programs and services—from mOm prenatal yoga classes to therapeutic massage to retreats in exotic locales. There are also regular music performances, visiting master teachers and classes in subjects like Ayurveda, pranayama (breathing), dance and Sanskrit. You can even spend this New Year’s Eve yoga-ing, meditating and chanting with Cyndi Lee. For those who want to explore the depths of Om yoga, an intensive teacher-training course covers everything from asana (yoga posture) practice to Buddhist meditation to anatomy.
And, if your route to enlightenment is lined with cute boutiques, your inner shopper will jump-back for joy. Om’s studio and online stores have all the necessary yogic accoutrements—books, mats, CDs and incense—including stylie Om-logo t-shirts and a cool stick-figure sun salutation poster.