Atmananda Yoga Sequence

By Danielle Winston

Upon entering this Noho loft one feels the aura of beauty and creativity abound. The name expresses it seamlessly: Atmananda translated, means self-bliss. Formerly known as Centerpoint studios, Atmananda is an extraordinary place, which has grown significantly since its inception twelve years ago. In addition to yoga, the center offers a potpourri of wellness services such as: massage, ear candling, reflexology and nutritional counseling.

Rebecca the resident astrologist, told me, “I love the vibrations here. Jhon T. the owner is a Cancerian, and he puts so much energy into this place. I can’t tell you how many of my clients have walked in and said, I feel like I’m at home.” When I speculated about the correlation between yoga and the sun signs, Rebecca illuminated me, “Yoga is about moving your energy, and astrology is essentially becoming more familiar with your own energetic field.”

It was time to meet the Studio’s founder, Colombian born Jhon Tamayo—referred to as Jhon T. As he led me through the center, the tall, dark, dynamic teacher radiated a tranquil vibe. Referring to his former career in fashion, he said, “I realized my success was not about making piles of money.” Eventually Jhon would go on to create the Atmananda sequence, which is an eclectic blend of: Kundalini, Iyengar, Vinyasa, and Ashtanga yoga. With as many as 69 flowing assanas, it’s a challenging workout and classes of all levels are given.

I wondered what a new yoga student might encounter at Atmananda. So Jhon introduced me to one of the instructors: Amber in the lounge. After recalling her own early struggles to find balance, Amber’s pretty face softened as she shared her experiences with teaching novice yogis, “A lot of my beginners think they can’t do a pose.” She went on to say with a bubbly lilt, “If they’re just shown with a little extra care or playfulness how to do the posture, nine times out of ten they can do it.”

When the studio door opened, an enthusiastic student, Warren Jackson sauntered out, with his mat slung over his bare shoulder. When asked what Warren enjoyed most at Atmananda, without hesitation he said, “Jhon’s hip opening class is very grounding. You find yourself really opening up. I know for men, we’re climbing up subway steps every day. Now I can take two or three steps at a time and not blink.”

Something different was going on everywhere I turned. Jhon’s partner Sabina was darting back and forth to the kitchen when I tried grabbing her attention. Referring to the café, she said, “People really crave good homemade food. You create a lifestyle--it’s not just yoga. You want to be careful about what you put in your body so you’ll have the strength to do the poses.”

A model who studied physical education in Germany, Sabina enjoys teaching yoga but her chiseled face beams when discussing her passion for food, “Jhon wanted to have a place where people could take class, then sit down and have an affordable meal afterward.” She waved her hands while describing the various dishes, “in the winter, our menu will be based in Quinoa. It’s more powerful than meat because it’s easier to digest and still has the protein you need to be fully alert. It is the grain of the Gods, and yet most people don’t even know about it.”

By the time I returned to speak with Jhon, I wanted some final details about Atmananda’s approach to yoga. Originally, Jhon said, when he became a teacher he’d hoped to prevent the injuries students got while practicing Hatha, which is why he stresses Alignment. It was also his intention to convey a philosophy of self-acceptance. After seeing many students working from the outside in, he wanted to make it clear that yoga isn’t about that. He stated it simply, “I think yoga is how present can you be here and now in the totality of your own experience. Now do you need to twist yourself to do this? No.” Then his voice quieted. ”The more you are here, now, the more potential you have.”

Q&A With Jhon Tamayo

Tell me about the attitude at the front desk.

We seek to create an atmosphere for the everyday person who wants to change their environment for the moment, so they feel a place of stillness.

Who are the people that come here? Everyday working class people. Any age.

Explain the style you teach. My experience is that a lot of people really want to do yoga but they do not know how to practice. So we emphasis alignment so they don’t get hurt, and the second stage is breathing. Once they understand the alignment it is easier to breath in the positions.

What is the class atmosphere like?

The classes are individual to the teacher. Some play soft music, some light incense, we go with the flow of the teacher.

Do you have any advice to a hesitant new student?

Ask questions. Call. Communicate with the front desk. Get information about which class you should take. Level one is for beginners.

Will the student feel comfortable if she has never done yoga before?

Absolutely. Yes.

How do teachers adjust the students?

We always ask the student the students if it is okay for us to adjust them. If they don’t want it, it’s fine. We are very sensitive about that.

How is this studio different?

I don’t feel there is competition. We never compare ourselves with anyone. The more yoga centers we have in NY the better.

Tell me about the kitchen.

Yoga practice is not enough. People need to be educated in terms of diet. We have cooking classes. A lot of people think if they stop eating meat their diets will be completely limited. We show them there is limitless potential. We show them how to cook. And after 6:00 the café is open, they can have tea and food after class.

Do the teachers challenge the new student or leave them alone?

Our philosophy is: allow the student to be what they are. Because you can only be where you are. You cannot be where you are not. Once they are very comfortable in level one we encourage them move into level two.

What do you think is the most common misconception about yoga?

People think that yoga is something that is “out there”. Yoga is becoming a monk or searching for enlightenment. People think that happiness can only be achieved when they are able to stand on their head or do the splits. That’s a big misunderstanding. People have to come to their feet and realize that enlightenment is here and now.

Atmananda Yoga Sequence

Nearest Subway Stop: East Side 6 Train, Bleeker Street
Hours of Operation: M, T, Thurs, First Class 9:00 am;
Last Class 8:00 pm; Wed & Fri First Class 9:00 am;
Last Class 6:30 pm; Sat & Sun Closed
*First Class Free For New Students