They are the best! Very good for beginners and seniors. I highly recommend this business!…read more They are the best! Very good for beginners and seniors. I highly recommend this business!

I finally found a wonderful meditative yoga practice in Buffalo...and it turned out to be only a…read morefew blocks away from my apartment! I've heard about the Himalayan Institute for a while, but finally took the plunge and signed up for a 6-week long class series of their "Level II" yoga classes last night. The Himalayan Institute is a wonderful 501(3)c non-profit that offers yoga classes, workshops, lectures, etc inside their elegant mansion on Delaware Ave. When you stop in, you feel like you're inside a cozy home. There's a place to take off your shoes and an immediate bookstore to your left. Further down, there's the main living room where classes take place. It helps to take a class that has 10-12 people and not too much more as the room can get pretty crowded with 16+ people or so I hear. Here's what stands out about the Himalayan Institute: their yoga classes generally center around a meditation-practice. As a result, I feel incredibly relaxed and focused afterward. As opposed to some classes (such as Evolation), where I sweat like I'm inside some Finnish bathhouse and leave the class with more of an exercise high. With most classes, you have to sign up for a full 6-week commitment (usually $80), although they do offer drop-in classes on Thursdays from 5:30-6:30pm for beginners ($5) and on Saturdays (9:30-11am) for a more intermediate ($10) practice. In summary, I adore their meditative approach, yoga teachers as well as the novelty of practicing yoga inside a cozy old mansion. Unfortunately, there are no accessible showers in the facility, but there is a bathroom where you can change.

Kelly is a fantastic teacher. I love her botanicals class and really look forward to learning more…read morefrom Kelly. She is an amazing artist.

After hearing so many amazing compliments about Kelly and her artistry, I decided to partake in her…read moreonline botanicals workshop. I was pleasantly surprised that, as a beginner, I was able to easily follow Kelly's relaxed direction and create several beautiful florals! She has certainly inspired me to continue exploring and creating art with Whimsey by Kelly!

I had my post pregnancy massage here and Shanthy did a amazing job…read more The oil massage was relaxing and rejuvenating. I would highly recommend this place.

The new location in East Amherst is beautiful. There is no one better at massage and ayurvedic…read moretherapy than Shanthy! Amazing, balancing, nourishing especially during the winter months! Oh and I hear there is yoga starting in a month or so once renovations are done... yay! Seriously go check it out... sooooo worth it!

Looking to work on your self-awareness and the art of reflection? This meditation practice hits…read morethat spirituality spot in your soul. No stop that runaway imagination of yours! :) It's not a place where you will get indoctrinated into a religious group or be subject to a cult like environment. The meditation group meets Thursdays at 7 pm and is currently running their practice once a week at the Jung Center. The sitting meditation is led by a trained group lead who guides the participants through 2 sessions of 30 minute sessions where the participant sits in a meditation pose and concentrates on a focal point and focus on gentle breathing. There is an intermission of 10 minutes where the group walks to improves circulation before sitting for the second sitting session. The evening is closed with a selected 4 minute passage from a book on meditation, mindfulness or Buddhist theme and followed by tea and light socialization for anyone wishing to linger and enjoy company. Every now and then there are workshops that are organized. This is a very welcoming group and I thank Jenny for her warm introduction. This group is a mixed bag of demographics: young 20's to 60's and different religious affiliations. You do not need to be Buddhist to participate in drop in sitting meditation; you just need an open-mind and a desire to improve your mindfulness and ultimately quality of life. You should plan on arriving 15 minutes early to receive an introduction to sitting poses and breathing technique if you are visiting for the first time. Second Sunday- morning, they offer a longer session of meditation (Nyinthun) to deepen our practice. Third Thursday - After the regular one hour of sitting and walking meditation, a DVD or audio dharma talk is offered by one of the Shambhala teachers.

I found my favorite yoga class! In the hustle and bustle of life, sometimes we don't take the time…read morewe need to slow down our thoughts, minds, movements...but the slow vinyasa class here accomplishes that! It's taught by Michelle on Thursdays and I believe a few other times. I went at 7:30pm. It was beautiful. Slow, but purposeful flow in a gorgeous venue on the West Side. It was exactly what I needed and just writing this review I'm thinking about how much I need to go back to something like this right now. We all need to slow down a little. Shakti Yoga helped me accomplish that. I look forward to more trips back.

Love this place. Been a regular over 2years. Visit every chance I get (2-4 times a week)…read more Beautiful building inside & out. Nice changing room. Friendly staff. But most of all fabulous class and diversity. Every class is different from the one before. Go! You won't be disappointed.

This studio has all the makings of a great place but has a few areas to work on. First, there is a…read morelot of chatter in the yoga room itself (and a few cell phones going off during class). I prefer a quieter experience when I enter my yoga space, but that's me. The class itself was hatha so I wasn't expecting an experience where i would be dripping sweat, but this was a very gentle class...yes you can deepen the postures as you need to, but that was challenging when there were so many people in the class that we had little room to accommodate. There is a really beautiful alter that adds a lot to the atmosphere, along with plenty of props for use. There was restrooms and changing areas available as well.

I've been looking into yoga for a while now and was so nervous, being a beginner. I didn't want to…read morespend tons of money to feel uncomfortable in a class with "yoga professionals." But Rising Sun is exactly what I needed. It's welcoming and catered to any experience level. Plus it is incredibly affordable and it doesn't lock you into a set number of sessions. I also like that I can do it online or in person. So happy to have found it!

"If you don't make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness" -…read moreAnonymous I'm not trying to be a wise ass, but at one point in everyone's life this quote should be an everyday mantra. How fun is that? Sounds like something we have to struggle to achieve. However, it doesn't have to be like that, because places like The Schoolhouse Wellness Center exist. It is located in a beautifully renovated building in a quiet, cozy nook of Lockport. Surrounded by a pretty, well maintained garden is an inviting and cheerful space. I felt only a good energy and positive feeling during my visit. I need to re-learn and constantly remind myself of the three "R"s; Relax Your Body, Restore Your Mind, Renew Your Spirit. Their website describes classes in Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong and Meditation, but I think the best way is to call and ask about the actual schedule. Also a variety of massage and bodywork treatments are available. It's such a wonderful place, worth giving it a try. Their mantra: "We believe the key to life is balance. A balance of work and play. Holding on and letting go. Chaos and calm. Giving and receiving. Strength and softness. Effort and ease. Inhale and exhale. Find that sweet spot."

Kohava is a honest, insightful blessing. She has given me tools to handle life's situations in a…read moremore positive way. These tools have given me the ability to handle past situations that have continually bothered me. I am excited about my future! Kristine P

Kohava is amazing! She has brought peace and clarity into my life when I needed it the most. She…read morehas a special gift where she can see right through you and knows exacting how your feeling and what you're going through. She has taught me how to love myself again. How to overcome the past and move forward. She has a healing touch that I have not experienced before. I feel truly blessed to have found her.

I have been going to this yoga studio for over 3 years. I love it!…read more Each instructor has their own style but most of it is similar enough you can feel like you know what you are doing. When you go to a class you never regret going. It is heated to 90 degrees but it makes you more flexible and less likely to get injured. I love that this studio is strength based. So many people think yoga is easy, but you build strength and make physical progress. I think the only time I was unhappy with a class is when they decided to burn incense which made my allergies go crazy. But overall I love this studio and the instructors!

The space is pretty and I love coming to the classes here. The instructors overall have been nice…read morebut sometimes the room does feel a bit small ESPECIALLY when everything heats up in the middle of summer.