I've tried several yoga studios, but like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, none of them felt just…read moreright. As Yelper Hannah G perfectly put it, "With how saturated the yoga market is, it was hard for me to find a place that I connected with". For me, that place has turned out to be Sukha Yoga. Sure, Mark (co-founder) has no idea who I am--I've only taken his class once--but that single experience left a lasting impression. I attended his Saturday Bhakti Service: Flow, Meditation, and Sound, an 80 min class that collaborates an intentional vinyasa flow practice with mindfulness. For "busy" folks who struggle to slow down or are close-minded, this class (and maybe even this style of practice) might not be for you. As Mark's fists say, he certainly is a "GURU." He guides his class with intention and power, while also subtly weaving in his musical talents, playing several instruments and even singing, in a way that feels genuine and somehow not cringe. The class is structured, yet somehow freeing. Mark allows you to set your own pace during sun salutations, which feels like pure magic. The experience made me feel grounded and safe. I could have cried with how deeply content my soul felt. BONUS: If you love dogs, you'll probably find Mark's extremely well behaved mini doodle, Mai, practicing her down dog. If you don't, there's a door... NOTE: For first timers, it's located next door to Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co--easy to miss if you're not looking for it.

Another day, another new yoga studio. This time I found myself just off South Lamar at Sukha Yoga…read morefor a 6am practice. I arrived at the studio and it was still dark out. Finding the studio and parking was a bit difficult, but once I was inside it felt warm and inviting. There was a small waiting area with some seating which led right to the studio itself. Not huge, but cozy. The class started on time and the instructor took us through a well sequenced flow. It was powerful but far from overwhelming. The studio was supposed to be heated, but it's possible I was not near enough to an infrared light which kept me from getting a sweat in. After the class was over, the instructor invited me to join a small group for a Barton Springs plunge. Really appreciated the community building outside of class! Thanks again and I'll look forward to returning and trying out some other class styles!

Incredible Sangha. I have been practicing Buddhism since I was teaching in China and Viet nam…read more Upon returning to the US, I tried a class at the Kadampa center in Seattle and was amazed, and everything was in English! The Ka dam pa path is for everyday life. I continued my studies at the KMC on Bissel Lane and continued to apply the wisdom of the Path and Geshe-la the spiritual guide to work, family, and self. During the pandemic and a job change, I have been able to continue my coursework online, taking profound FP (foundational program classes). I hope everyone has the opportunity to take a GP (general program) class.

I went to the meditation for beginners class, I didn't realize that center was in a house. Which…read morewouldn't have been a big deal if I hadn't sat down next to a window. I'm not really sure why they have seats next to a noisy street. So the whole time I was trying to meditate a dog was barking and cars were passing by so it was very difficult. Maybe for a more experienced person it's not a big deal, but I would not recommend it for a beginner. The instructor was very nice and informative. She just did not seem very confident in some of the things that she was saying. I'm not sure if her notes were not well written, or if she was just having trouble with her iPad but if somebody is teaching me something I would like them to be a little bit more confident in the things that they're saying.

Came here for Sandy the Singing Bowl lady who was doing a sound bath. This was amazing. The…read morelocation is tucked away but ample parking. Once inside easy layout and they provide lockers with keys for your belongings. The session was in the Himalayan salt room and there were chairs set up for participants. The chairs did lie back so you could feel weightless during the session. There were six of us for the session and Sandy was great. She gave a great overview of what would happen and got started. The only downside was the person next to me was breathing heavy, got up and left the room and kept drinking water which interrupted the full experience of the meditative state. Right when I'd be fully relaxed, they would make some noice se and pull me out. So he aware you may not have a fully immersed experience due to other peeps. I would love to do an individual session however she closed her studio. So I'll keep hunting. Once the session was done, you can see the salt on your clothes - I was wearing black and had a light dusting on - easily wipe away and go about your day.

I absolutely adore salt therapy and was so happy to find out that this location moved to South…read moreAustin. Apparently about a year ago, but I totally missed it. For those with sinus/allergy issues it is extremely effective. I've been to several of these across the country. Let me start by saying this is a beautiful and extremely relaxing salt room. The "shooting stars" and calming music really add to the 45 minute experience. I was expecting a little more comfort based on the ones I've been to before and the price. A zero gravity lawn chair and having to pay extra for a blanket was a bit unexpected. It won't deter me from returning, but do wish it was a bit more spa like.

2 hours ago It's been at least a year since I had been here…read more I came today very much looking forward to starting up my meditation practice again. The meditation was happening in the smaller Ayala room this day. As I approached I noticed there was a walking meditation taking place. Not sure if I should go inside or wait until the group was seated again I asked a woman who has just exited if it was ok for me to enter. She tried her best to avoid eye contact with me and stated "I don't know you!" With a straight face. I felt so offended by her lack of compassion and basic kindness I immediately left. What a negative energy this woman brought into the place. I didn't feel comfortable there. I won't be back.

It's been nine years that I've been attending the Austin Shambhala Center, and have felt no…read morepressure to do anything. It's all a personal path, and the sangha (community) is your support along the way. Everyone is so supportive if you voice your need to learn more. Chogyam Trungpa was a messenger. The teachings he gave have been passed down for thousands of years. Regardless of his imperfect nature, the teachings still stand firmly rooted in basic truth. Please come by and see how wonderful this group is.

This little place of zen is Austin's best kept secret. Classes, cacao, community gathering space…read more You will feel lighter, more centered amd calm. Go now

I've only been here once, and am returning as a guest, astonished how lush and beautiful the…read moresurroundings are - conducive to meditation, journaling, higher thoughts moving towards hope. A friend was kind enough to show me around, and I'm looking forward to experiencing more on a return. I love consideration of "third eye chakra," located in the center of the forehead and traditionally associated with intuition, imagination, and inner wisdom - also anatomically aligned with our prefrontal cortex, the part of our brains responsible for decision-making and emotional regulation. This space feels peaceful, bringing thoughtful consideration of all of the connections within and between us. On the lighter side, "cacao" makes me think of an old Portlandia episode that cracks me up, aside from my delight in any form of chocolate. The Mayan Cacao is sweetened to specification and perfectly spicy but rich and balanced - a treat enjoyed morning or afternoon, without the guilt of dessert.

I started my practice at Austin Zen Center about 4 years ago. I moved away from Austin and one of…read morethe things I miss the most is AZC. I loved the no-pressure to be or do beyond what I felt comfortable with. My introduction to the practice was held by Pat as part of their weekly Beginners Instruction class. I enjoyed the gentle and to the point guidance so much that I took the class several more times since they use different teachers each weekend and I wanted to gain insight from different perspectives. An underlying theme there was the point of trying and doing without judgement. AZC is a place of refuge where you can build community and people will meet you where you are without the pressure to become or do more than what you want to seek and explore. Love it.

I went to their Beginner class this morning because I've been reading and enjoying a fair amount of…read moreZen literature over the past year and one of the authors said joining a zendo was critical to growth in the discipline. This one seemed reasonable on the face of it because I wasn't sure I wanted to get involved in heavy Buddhism right away. I have a background in a different world religion that wasn't the best experience, so a place focusing more on the philosophy than the religion sounded like it might be the right speed. I read up on the FAQ and Etiquette on their site ahead of time and saw they have a particular dress code asking that people wear loose clothing with no brands or designs in calming colors that covers from shoulders down to below the knee. I had to do some digging in the closet to put something like that together, as athleisure is too tight and all my non-branded tops are tank tops. Ended up going with a loose long skirt and a T shirt turned inside out to avoid having a design on it. A little weird, but not too much effort to put in to be respectful. I showed up a little early to avoid being late and much like the other 1 star review of this place, I was a little shocked at the way the monk or teacher etc I was in proximity to on the porch deliberately cut his eye contact away and made an effort to turn his shoulders away from me. My normal experience with Buddhist monks is that they are at times reserved but generally friendly, so to get the "popular girl refused to see you in the hall" treatment from one raised my eyebrows a bit. But I rallied and sat outside waiting for the class to begin, as after that greeting I certainly wasn't going to barge into the building without a specific invite. The teacher for the class, Pat, I think, was warmer and friendly and pleasant about showing us the ropes. But the ropes! Weird ropes. Part of the class was showing us the temple mandated way of holding your hands during meditation. Yes, they have a single specific way, and by God you'd better get it right. It involves jamming your thumbs together tip to tip, which I couldn't do because it wasn't in the FAQ that I'd need to cut my nails down to the quick before class and I tend to have 1/3 to 1/2 cm long natural nails because I just do. They grow quickly and don't break off. I'd have to cut my nails every day to keep them short enough to be able to stick my thumbs together flat finger-trap style. The other girl in the class also got a snip that her form wasn't good, and I suspect it was due to a similar issue. I really hadn't expected extremely precise physical forms to be part of the day one instruction and I've never seen a meditation class where everyone in the class was required to hold the exact same hand position. I particularly didn't follow the logic when we're all doing the meditating facing the wall, so it's not as though my thumbs creating an imperfect circle could be distracting anyone near me. I completely understand trying to avoid meditation postures like a ghost girl crawling out of a TV for the sake of others in the room, but to pick like that over something so minor and to have a specific temple rule that everyone regardless of arm length, hand shape, and nail length, would adopt identical arm and hand posture did not feel very Zen. I had anticipated instruction more on how to avoid distraction, demos of breathing and sitting techniques (Pat did nicely here), and connect better with myself and the energy in the room but found myself instead incredibly self-conscious that the Thumb Police might be back after me. There was also unnecessary fussing about knee placement and the assurance that body parts falling asleep at times painfully would be a normal part of the process. Disagree, but okay. Here's where they finished losing me. At the end of the class, the regular member meditation group began to assemble in the outer lobby. Imagine the journey my eyebrows took when I saw a guy walk in wearing skinny jeans cut off well above the knee, followed by a woman wearing strappy tank athleisure with a bright neon bra underneath, and another guy wearing an AZC-branded big logo tee. After everything my thumbs and other peoples' knees had been through, now this??? And a good 2/3 of them had Active Btch Face same as the guy from the porch. I'm no stranger to performative piety because I was raised Southern Baptist, but I hadn't expected to run into such a strong blast of it here. I definitely won't be back because I'm not sure what's going on with this place to make people act this way but it's decidedly both dualistic and hypocritical and not a vibe that lends itself well to the pursuit of a clear mind. I'm sure some people there are nice and normal but that was a hell of an intro class that could be actively harmful to peoples' perception of Zen and Buddhism if they're less experienced with religious sects choosing to act funky when the behavior is not required in the texts.

Best investment I ever made. There's a one time fee to learn the technique, free lifetime support…read more Additional techniques and courses are available after you establish regular practice. My twice a day practice for 20 minutes eases my transition into the day and helps calm and center me. Helps a lot with PTSD and occasional sleep deprivation. Meghan Williams at N ATX loction is an awesome teacher. I'm sure you will like her.

I learned TM in 1976 and have been doing it regularly ever since. For me, it's hard to imagine life…read morewithout it. It's portable, I can do it if I'm being driven in a car, sitting on a plane, on a bus, or anywhere there's a chair. Contrary to what some seem to think, TM is not effortful. It's incredibly easy, and it always leaves me refreshed, as though my batteries have literally been recharged. "Recharging our batteries" is an overused phrase, but it's very, very accurate for TM. In the middle of a long work day, the 20 minutes of TM that I usually do at the end of my lunch break keep me focused, productive, even cheerful at work for the rest of my day. It really does wonders for me as a stress relieving tool. So it's always been easy for me to keep it up---never feels like effort, or something I have to squeeze in. Because it feels so good, I make it a priority, like drinking water or eating.

The little temple/church in Austin has a fantastic vibration. It's not open during the pandemic…read moreunfortunately. When things stabilize I can't recommend it enough if one wants a serene, high vibration non intrusive place to meditate or just be quiet and centered. It's open for Sunday services. The weekly service is conducted by lay people (monks visits once in a while from other parts of the world) and there is a spiritual lesson read aloud each service that covers a myriad of topics. You'll see people meditating before and during the service and you're welcome to do the same. SRF is a practice. It's a philosophy. I don't want to use the word religion because that implies dogma which is definitely not a part of SRF. When I first walked in oh so many years ago in Los Angeles, no one asked me for my address, phone number, money or invited me to a "seminar" "which only costs $ [insert large amount here]. It is still the same today. They never push you - that's totally antithetical to what they stand for. SRF teaches that each person has their own personal relationship with their higher power - SRF calls it God, Divine Mother, Friend and says there are a myriad of names for this Omnipresent Consciousness that is the Oneness of all things. Therefore no one will intrude into your space. They have volunteers with blue badges and you're welcome to ask them questions. SRF wa]s founded in 1920 by the late Indian guru Paramahansa Yogananda, one of the very first Indian spiritual teachers to come to North America. There are no "rules" or requirements to attend other than common sense decorum necessary when entering any place where there is a silent meditation or a service going on. You don't have to be a "member." There are meditation groups and centers all over the world. Most of the larger temples are in California where he resided. Yogananda never said SRF is the only way to God or to higher consciousness. In fact he says there are many paths and one needs to find the one that works for them. That non-exclusive point of view was and still is very attractive to me. As soon as a teaching or orgaziztion claims to be the only way or the right way I know I'm in the wrong building. The meditation techniques are very simple and straightforward. One can have their printed meditation lessons mailed to your home. I think it's 2x or 1x a month. It was $50 for 12-18 months for about the past 40/50 years - didn't even cover the cost of the stamps. And they just raised it to $99. The lessons are for either 12 or 18 months. And you do not have to get them. Many people attend SRF and don't read the lessons. It's all up to you. In the beginning of my attendance, I went to services using a different silent meditation technique that I had learned and the depth and peace I attained was wonderful. Eventually I decided to take the lessons and I've discovered that SRF is my go-to spiritual path. There are SRF staff and monks available by telephone in California during the day if you have questions. SRF Mother Center in LA. 323-225-2471. The webites are helpful Main website: https://www.yogananda-srf.org Live meditations throughout the world's time zones can be found here during the pandemic https://srfonlinemeditation.org Youtube Channel has lots of good videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqr3sDl5CzjQwOHiVLal4gQ SRF Lake Shrine in LA (Pacific Palisades) the only place in the world where Mahatma Gandhi's ashes are interred outside of India www.Lakeshrine.org Stay safe and healthy! OM SHANTI

Tranquil and relaxing, this center had a pleasant meditation space and a gentle welcome from the…read moreAustin regulars at this group (we were just in for the weekend, visiting from Ft. Worth). We left feeling peaceful and energized and ready for an enjoyable day seeing the sights of Austin. If you are new to meditation or interested in learning, there is info and brochures in the lobby as well as helpful info from their regular attendees. Will definitely return on our next visit to the city, great group.