New York Open Center

Love this place. Have not attended any events here but met and chatted with some of the wonderful staff, and bought a bunch of gifts and crystals, all at a reasonable price. Awesome bookstore, Great vibe and big premises for NYC.

Thank you Lola for posting an event on Unilocal which I found out about P.C. Turczyn (
) Out of the Ethers’s Exhibition Opening. This is my second gallery opening that I have attended within almost a year apart. I spent some time looking at her work and it was very impressive. My passion is for food and art is something that I am slowly getting into so bear with me if I can’t elaborate how I felt about her work. It was nice Lola introduced me to Pamela but the picture that I asked her to take didn’t show up in my phone: sad face: maybe in the future I will meet Pamela Turczyn again.

I’ve taken many classes over the years at NY Open Center. It has been a catalyst of change and progression for me. I earned my ARP in Reiki and began a life long love in the Art of Natural Perfumery. The Open Center has allowed me to explore many of my curiosities around healing, art and the esoteric. The only draw back for me has been their move from Spring Street to the new location. This for me has made it less accessible. Otherwise this center has been a tremendous partner in personal discovery and practical skills for healing.

By just walking into the Open Center you’ve already stepped into a spiritual oasis. This place changed my life, and not just because of their great book selection and classes, but because the people working and frequenting there are amazing folks who introduced me to new ways of thinking. I’m so glad this place is standing, and I love that my classes at the NYCHP are held there. Thumbs up!

An excellent place to renew oneself find alternative classes with holistic approach for healing and growth either spiritually or generally. I’ve taken many classes here and have met many wonderful likeminded folks made some great friends and continued studying with great teachers met at Open Center. If you are a seeker at any stage you are welcome to explore so many disciplines at the Open Center. I am grateful for this place and its staff. I adore Thomas Amellio and took a wonderful course taught by him at Kripalu last December. I wish you all many bright blessings and stay positive. Keep an open mind at the Open Center.

So today I dropped by The New York Open Center. Been there before. Had noticed that the store staff isn’t exactly equipped with customer service skills, but let it slide. Was on my half hour break from my temp assignment. Brought a small kale/​spinach pie to the food counter. I know this place had warmed it up before, so I asked if this guy with dreadlocks if he could heat it up.
As it turns out, he burns my pie. He sees me wait patiently, as I sat down at the table right in front of him. He sees me look at him, as if to say «where’s my food?» I had to get up and ask what happened to my pie. He just shrugged and said. «Oh, I burned it.» Then he laughed. What a dope. So thanks dreadlocks, you ruined my break. And no, just offering a pie replacement will not make things better. You should have offered my money back. Lucky I was hungry. As I snatched the replacement pie from the counter, he was wondering why I gave him attitude.
Another thing. Everytime dreadlocked guy ran me up, he keeps on insisting that it’s a ten dollar minimum. Even though it’s a debit card, not credit. However, another store employee let me purchase something without pulling that ten dollar minimum crap — and she was a helluva lot nicer.
I was slightly considering taking a course at this Open Center, but after today, nope. Thanks to Mr. Dreadlocks, you lost my business. I’ll stick with Namaste bookstore. Not only does Namaste have a better book selection, but the store help is ten times more efficient. No wonder new agers have a reputation for flakiness. New York Open Center is bringing upon all this «bad karma» onto themselves.

I’ve taken several classes here and they were all amazing. Especially the mindfulness based stress reduction class, it was life changing! Their catalog offers so many interesting topics it’s difficult choosing what to take next. It also has a bookstore and a small café that has vegan options. A great place to get inspired!

This place is one of the most eclectic centers in New York City. They have classes on spiritualism, ranging from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam-​Sufism, Judaism and Western Spiritual Traditions. It’s a very diverse place.

Overall, this may be a good place, don’t know. I’ve only experienced the meditation room and very briefly. I read about it in an old book that referenced the center’s previous SoHo location. The room had a smell that I construed as unpleasant, though I guess these things are subjective. The incense and candles were not lit, nor was there any other indication of a meditative space. There were cushions on the floor and someone was lying on them, sleeping or meditating, I don’t know. Another young man looked like he was sleeping at the entrance. In general ventilation is good, and I think it was lacking.
I went to Madison Square park and that was much better, fresh air, etc., I recommend doing something along the lines of the latter. In general, fresh air etc., and people not misusing the space, as important as sleep is, are good things in a meditation space. Also, I said hi to someone who I presume works there, not the woman at the reception, but someone else, and she did not respond. So much for namaste. Go enjoy some fresh air in this beautiful city, it can be much more more conducive to meditation or anything else.

As someone who taught there, I was ready to just go along with the flow, teach my one class and be done with it. But their amazingly unprofessional behavior has made me need to reach out to anyone that may be thinking of teaching there at a later time and say «run!»
Taught a class in June and am still waiting to be paid. Was told that the Open Center faces «many financial challenges, and we always pay our bills, though some times they are late» which is impressive considering how much they charge each person to take a course.
Wish I could run my business like them! «Sorry, I always pay my rent… but sometimes it’s late. Not sure when you’ll get your check…»

I signed up for a 6 week Tai-​chi class through the NY Open Center. They ran a deal on groupon. It was very interesting. The instructor was extremely experienced in Tai-​chi, Qi Gong, martial arts and being able to heal through these methods. I enjoyed the class and it was a good experience. I will definitely check out more classes at the NY Open Center in the future.

I have some issues with the Open Center. I’m a clinical massage therapist and I paid a LOT of money to take a continuing education there that would help me work toward a certification in an important massage technique. When I signed up, they were very nice, no issues, asked me to email them a copy of my license. I did so, but never heard back from them about materials for the course (other than sheets and two towels) and whether or not they received my license. As per their payment policy, I paid half up front, and was told I could pay the other half on the first day of class.
The week before class, i suddenly get a phone call asking me to pay my balance. I explain to them that I intend to pay that on the first day of class. Their explanation was that the class was starting «really early» and due to that, they needed payment from me now. They didn’t really explain what the start time had to do with any of this, and I told them that I was going to pay on my first day of class. I then asked if they ever received my license, and y’know what? They had no idea. Didn’t even know that they’d asked me for it. They eventually got back to me letting me know that they had it. Later that same week though, I got ANOTHER call asking me for payment, to which I gave the exact same response.
First day of class, a very nice woman greeted me, ensured I was registered, and told me to go up to the second floor and wait outside the classroom because the teacher was «running late» and would «call us all in when she was ready for us.» 15 minutes in to the class time, the teacher comes out and is like «why were you all waiting out here?» We tell her why, and she had no idea why they decided to tell everyone to wait outside. She was running perfectly on schedule, and was really confused why we didn’t just enter the classroom.
Later this same first day of class, we find out that we were supposed to be told about some text books that were necessary for the course, but it was now too late to get in time for the week long continuing education class.
When i went to pay my bill when the front desk was supposed to be open, they wouldn’t even LOOK at me when I tried to talk to them. I had to raise my voice in order for the woman to acknowledge my presence, at which point she told me to pay later… Interesting when they worked so hard to try to get my payment before the first day. When they finally did take my payment later, the girl who was doing it was completely incompetent, and wasted half of my lunch break processing the payment.
As the week went on, we got to know a few of the staff members who turned out to be really kind people. Particularly one gentleman (whose name escapes me unfortunately) who would come in every day and set up and organize our massage tables, class tables, anything we needed, and make sure we were all let in to the building. It was an early morning for him as the class started at 8am, but he was a sweetheart about it.
It comes down to. this is an ok location to take a class, but if you’re looking for anything beyond a hippy-​dippy new age class, you might be out of luck. My class was wonderful, my teacher was awesome, but the facility really screwed up when it comes to organization.

Cool venue with lots of different classes to try in the Heart of Soho.

The Open Center is a unique center of workshops, classes, trainings and lectures right in New York City. The sheer breadth and scope of the programs offered is stunning – everything from esoteric inquiry and yoga to permaculture and coaching trainings to classes on Buddhism, intuition and nutrition. I’ve taken many classes there and always learn something new in an environment that promotes learning and knowledge and expansiveness. I’ve found it incredibly convenient as well, as it’s easily accessible by subway and centrally located. It offers a warm, genuine community aimed towards enriching the minds and hearts and souls of us New York City folk.

The Open Center is a great place to meet like-​minded, friendly holistic New Yorkers. originally from the West Coast, i’ve found an oasis of calm & inspiration. I especially enjoy visiting the Bookstore & their organic Café even if it’s just to hang out. The Staff is very knowledgeable and have been very helpful in helping me select everything from new music for my at home yoga practice, an instructional meditation CD (i’m a newbie) which lead me to taking a fabulous Mantra & Meditation class. There’s even a meditation room open to the public. This place is a gem.

If you enjoy hearing people eat while you learn, THIS is your place!
I signed up for an intro class with the idea being: if you like the class, you’ll then enroll for the entire course. I went to their website and registered for it but when I got there they said they didn’t have me on file. They still let me take the class but by the time I got in, I was 15 minutes late.
Then not one but two women next to me started eating IN class. One woman had a big apple and started chewing on it while the rest of us were trying to hear the teacher. And the other woman actually brought in an entire bowl of watermelon and a fork and just ate it right there IN class while the rest of us were trying to hear. Who does this?! Who eats during a public class?
The kicker is, there were TWO Open Center representatives in the class with us. One of whom I specifically asked: Is it normal to be eating in class?” she said «No» but didn’t tell either of the women to stop eating so we could hear the presentation. It was gross.
Both of these women were older, probably in their 50s so they know better they just did it anyway and didn’t care if they annoyed anyone around them. ***If this is what a woman becomes like after menopause, I don’t look forward to it at all!***

It took me a while and many reviews of the catalogue to decide to finally sign up for a class here and it was great. I love the bookstore and café with items to suit a variety of vegetarian and vegan preferences. A very nice space and the workshop I took changed my life for the better! I can’t give 5 stars to every class offering but so far my experience has been excellent and I hope to have more in the future.

A place where I can connect with a community of people who understand the true meaning of mind, body and spirit. Great bookstore and meditation room. Also, the new café has the best teas and vegan goodies.

I will miss jetting over to hampton chutney for a chai on breaks; the new location is brand new roomy and bright. Things that were okay at the old spring street space like the bathrooms are now great! looking forward to seeing more lectures and programs here. Still easy to get to from the N/​R line.

tiny book store and holistic «non-​profit educational and cultural center» with a limited number of book categories such as relationships, shamanism and native america, body work, etc, but a very good selection within each category. the center also holds classes (weekly sessions and one time classes for what seems to be a reasonable fee range) like writing the personal essay, finding joy, yoga, and various cultural things. the classes looked like they would be taught by very experienced professionals (the personal essay class is being taught by charles salzburg). they also have a small outside rack of books for sale (gardens of the sea, 100% india, egypt, etc).