BY’s yoga duo, Vivekan & Jess.

What Style of Yoga is Instructed at Bodhisattva Yoga?
A challenging, singularly different form of Vinyasa (flow) yoga. The instruction presented is based on Bodhisattva Yoga’s Founder, Vivekan‘s practice and studies, which draw from his synthesis of the Classical School of Indian Yoga, the Iyengar Method, and Pattabhi Jois’ Primary Series (a.k.a., Ashtanga Yoga). In a classic East meets West, Vivekan and Jess inform their classes with gems drawn from the philosophical underpinnings of Indian Yoga and Buddhism, as well as scientific findings.

Here at Bodhisattva Yoga, classes are never exactly the same. Although they all share the same structure, they differ from day to day. The classes are comprehensive. Each class covers the broad range of postural groups — depending on the class level.

At Bodhisattva Yoga, you’ll get: sufficient sun salutations to meet fitness markers and relieve stress; challenging poses to explore and play with; personal attention to increase your practice confidence; and, as you grow in your practice, you’ll even learn how to develop seated meditation — plus, so much more.

Who Practices at Bodhisattva Yoga?
At BY you will find a wide range of practitioners. Here, you may find those in their late teens and early 20′s, on up to those in their 60′s — of all body types and experience levels — both male and female.

What Can a Newcomer to Bodhisattva Yoga Expect?
Newcomers find a level of attention and instruction that is rarely found elsewhere. We emphasize the importance of establishing a foundation in the Basics level without glossing over it, thereby offering a foundation to safely grow from.

At Bodhisattva Yoga, students often report receiving a level of instruction, acceptance, and non-competitive feel all too rarely found at other spaces. Plus, there is something for almost everyone and every body type. Touching toes, limberness and a skinny gene not required!

Why Practice at Bodhisattva Yoga?
Because Bodhisattva Yoga offers a fresh, no-fluff, no-BS, alternative to the commercial, mass-market, Hollywood Yoga that has become the norm. At this lovely brownstone, wood-floored studio the instruction presented is intended to help practitioners experience physical and mental well-being, along with providing a safe space where one can stumble, fall, make mistakes (hopefully laugh), and feel accepted.

What is a Bodhisattva?
The term bodhisattva is Sanskrit. It connotes an individual on the path to Enlightenment with the unique intention of benefiting others. Both, Vivekan and Jess are so committed to this mission that they undertook the necessary preparations, and received their Bodhisattva vows.

About Founder and Director Vivekan

Vivekan is the founder and director of Park Slope, Brooklyn’s Bodhisattva Yoga. For 3 years, he practiced (hatha) yoga solely at home, with only a book as a guide, before he ever ventured out to explore yoga in a class. Upon doing so, he tried many of the presentations of yoga available in the budding New York yoga scene of the mid-to-late 1990’s. For his certification, he chose to immerse himself in the Classical School of Indian Yoga, under a direct disciple of Swami Satchidananda. For more on Vivekan, see the Yoga Duo page.

Bodhisattva Yoga’s Global Green Love & Expertise
Vivekan and yogini partner Jess Root operate Bodhisattva Yoga as an ecologically and socially responsible business. Their ongoing commitment to ecologically responsible, low-carbon yoga retreats is a featured extension of their mutual green vision.

Vivekan is currently in a master’s of science program for Environmental Management. As an eco-journalist, Jess contributes to Discovery Communications’ Planet Green, and TreeHugger.com; she has been featured in Budget Travel, E, the Environmental Magazine and MSN. Jess has lectured at The Tibet Center and the Rubin Museum of Art.

Mirror-Free for Key Instruction
There are no mirrors at Bodhisattva Yoga. This is not by mistake. As Vivekan says: “When I taught classes with mirrors, there was a high level of competitiveness. This gets in the way of the practice and a sense of camaraderie.