The Bhakti Center

The Bhakti Center is the center of my life! They offer healthy and delicious cuisine, cooking classes, yoga, meditation, and most of all, real loving friendships with down to earth, positive people who actually care about each person they meet. I live close by so I’m there at least a few times a week. Here, there is something for everyone. If you haven’t visited yet, are a spiritual seeker, and love music, try attending the Thursday Night Kirtan starting at 7pm. You will have a unique and wonderful experience. Get there early to grab a good seat in the front :)

Best spiritual and physical yoga practice by far. I’ve tried studios all over the city, but never one that is this nourishing or inviting. I found my home and would love to convince all New Yorkers and visitors to try a class here. This is the true experience!

A lot of people can memorize yoga poses and instruct them to the class. However, it takes a lot more than that to be a good yoga instructor. All the instructors at Bhakti Center are knowledgeable, dedicated, and helpful. They create a community and have a different vision in life –they are actual yogis dedicated to balance their lives and discover spirituality. The vibe as soon as one enters the studio is much different than other studios in New York. I’m really happy to have found this place.

Bought a deal off of Pulsd and I’m so glad I did. It was my first time doing yoga in a class setting and I had such a great experience at Bhakti. Dhyana is an amazing instructor! She took the time to help me with the positions and made the class feel really inviting. I was so relaxed that I fell asleep during the cool down ahaha can’t wait to use up all of my classes!

One of the best yoga studios in the East Village. Especially for the price! Clean, friendly, wonderful.

Bought a groupon deal and really enjoyed my time here.
First off they have a café with food and other goodies. The first time I arrived, the café was closed and I thought that was the only way to enter in the studio. There is actually a door to the left where you go up the stairs to get into the yoga studio.
Place is small and clean and the yoga mats are free– which is a huge plus!
The teachers are wonderful– classes are challenging and engaging and the teachers will help with alignment and posture (which I think is very important).
In additions the prices are very cheap compare to most yoga studios.
If the yoga studio times fit better with my schedule, I would have been a regular here!

I don’t live in NYC but I try to visit the Bhakti Center for kirtans and other programs. The Center is run by truly wonderful people that just want to serve the community. The kirtans are beautiful and simple enough for everyone to join in. The Center is run by Hare Krishna devotees who are very kind and welcoming. I think the programs are very non-​denominational – not a pitch to join the Hare Krishnas, but talks about how to live a more simple, happy and fulfilling life. The Center (really the people) are a little spiritual jewel in Manhattan.

What a great oasis in NYC to do Kirtan, meditate, connect with community learn about spiritual life. I was just thinking about TBC and how in the middle of the lower east side madness there is this wonderful spiritual center!

The conservative energy of their service is so weird, food feels controlled, I dislike the discussion of what food you want in their buffet style service, just make a menu! They act like their food is sacred but at least learn how to cook! The flavors are bland and there are too many carbohydrate selections and absolutely no creativity in their food. Another dull, vegan food place. Please learn to cook guys, try working in a real southern Indian restaurant and learn to make a decent masala. Even getting a tea feels weird, they take themselves too seriously, at least make good food to take on such an attitude. This food is like safe Indian food made for westerners who never leave their house. If you are one of those this place is for you.

Just took a Sunday night yoga rooftop class and it was amazing! The teacher was funny and welcoming and the view you just can’t beat as the city lights up as it gets darker out. Really fun to chant and have a fun class! Super impressed.

The best place in Manhattan hands down. It would be nice to be able to go everyday.
The café is amazing, yoga upstairs is first class and you’ll never fail to be inspired by the people around you.
This place is a «must see» in Manhattan.

The people here are very nice (ignore the fact that they’re basically in a cult).
The food and atmosphere in the café is great.
The food is healthful and light and fairly priced, and tastes great.
I’m glad this place is in the neighborhood.

Such an amazing, special, peaceful place. I have met so many interesting, nice, genuine people at this center. The yoga studio led by the amazing sisters dhyana and syma is truly special. The café led by the one and only sweet Nila has food that is better than any restaurant in NYC. I could go on and on and on about how great this place is but better yet I suggest you see for yourself ;) sincerly, Lynne r.

I have been coming to the Bhakti Center for yoga classes for a few months now and absolutely love it! i have been to a few different yoga studios in NYC and the yoga classes at the Bhakti Center are by far my favorite. All of the yoga instructors are wonderful and truly inspire their students. I will continue to take yoga classes here and will hopefully get the chance to explore what else the Bhakti Center has to offer one day.

My doctor told me to start taking yoga classes because I had a high stress life. This place is amazing! It helped teach me how to breath and live for the present moment. I’ve taken yoga classes before but this is on a different level. You’ll go in for a class and each time you will take home a little life lesson they teach while you’re meditating. I love this place and got the 20 classes for $ 20 deal and have been here so far 4x.

I was not only greeted with a glowing hello… The yoga class, Kirtan, tea, food, and family all radiated such love and light. They had delicious and super affordable vegetarian food, definitely my new favorite spot. The yoga class was so focused on breath and sensation, that I couldn’t help but be present. And the Kirtan was incredible… The singers and the audience were so engaging. At the conclusion, they encouraged us to introduce ourselves to the people sitting around us, great way to build community, especially when this city can feel sometimes quite lonely. If you’re in the area, definitely pop over, your inner light will thank you!

Once again, the yoga thug is on the prowl.
I took a suggestion from a fellow Unilocaler to get the Pulsd deal for this studio ($ 20 for 20 classes) and boy I am so happy to have found this place!
I came here for a Sunday 7pm Open class. The Bhakti Center was closed, but if you take the door right to the left, you will be let into the building and the yoga studio is on the second floor. They have 1 big yoga practising room and another smaller one.
Many yogis that came tonight (about 9 of us) had some kind of a coupon deal.
The class I took was taught my a husband and wife combo and I really enjoyed how they instructed in the class.
We started off the class with some music by the husband. I love when studios bring out the harmonium, play and sing. The music immediately calmed me and I was ready for some good stretching. I also really enjoyed the fact that the husband was telling us a story throughout the whole class. We started with some warm-​ups, which included some jumping jacks and then we moved thru some pretty intense poses, Vinyasa-​style. I definitely got a good sweat on and my hips opened up quite a bit.
After about 30 minutes of this high-​intensity Vinyasa, the wife took over and got us into more deep stretches, with longer hold times. I really appreciated the hip openers and always enjoy a good pigeon pose stretch. I am so tight in the hips, but with each day, I am getting looser and after 10 years of practising, I am seeing progress and fluidity. It pays to stick to your yoga practise. We ended class with a bit of a high beats kirtan. Groovy!
I walked out of the class refreshed, smiling and oh so happy I found this oasis in the «wild city» we live in. And the instructors bought yummy treats (laddoos) to share with us.
I am definitely coming back for the rest of my 19 classes. Hopefully, I’ll be able to come on a day the café is also open. Oh, and just to note, yoga mats are complimentary and they do offer water and tea, but bring your own container.
I love this place, thanks Bhakti Center for a wonderful Sunday night and many more nights of good stretching.

Beautiful yoga studio, amazing teachers, vegetarian café downstairs, cooking classes… I love this place!

How I wish I could wrap the Bhakti Centre up and take it back with me to Edinburgh. A wee haven of delicious vegan food, yoga classes and very friendly folk. I didn’t get to try a yoga class, but I did stop by here around 10pm in search of late-​night eats (although I think by NYC standards, this is not late night), and found a bounty of vegan and veggie delights. You get a tray, you get to choose between a variety of curries, and all for around $ 5. Sweet.
For anyone looking for good yoga classes in East Village, and a centre of all things spiritual and Eastern philosophy /​holistic, this would be a good place to start.

What a lovely place! It’s a little ‘zen’ inside the city. The classes are really affordable and the teachers are all very knowledgable and extremely helpful. The open level class also gives you lots of different options base on your ability. Chanting and inner peace is also a big part of the practice. If you are looking for a yoga studio, you should definitely try out this place!