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Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset
1200 Arguello Blvd.
Corner of Federick St.
(between Lincoln Way & Frederick St)
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 681-2731
1200 Arguello Blvd.
Corner of Federick St.
(between Lincoln Way & Frederick St)
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 681-2731
Residency Opportunity
Experience a healthy lifestyle in a spiritual community following a daily schedule of meditation, yoga, & communal work.
- Hours:
Mon. 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Tue. 10:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Wed. 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Thu-Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
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16 reviews for Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center
Sivananda Center San Francisco.
For those looking for an authentic Yoga practice look no further. From the moment that you arrive to the Sivananda Center you are greeted with kindness and attention from the knowledgeable, friendly staff. The teachers are all immersed in living a Yogic lifestyle at the center. They even offer a vegetarian lunch for a $6.00 donation after class.!
The Center and practice space are warm and inviting. The classes are usually small and the instructors are able to provide great attention to each student. They offer advance versions for the advanced practitioner and the basic poses for the new student.
The Practice is very beneficial and authentic to Yogic traditions. The Class starts out with Sivasana (relaxation) , followed by pranayama (breathing practice) to balance out the mind and prepare the body for the Asana practice. The Asana practice starts with several rounds of sun salutations to warm the body and prepare it for the asana practice. In between each asana there is a brief relaxation pose (sivasana) to allow the body to relax, the energy or prana to circulate through the body, and it also is beneficial to keep lactic acid from building up in the muscular system.
If you are a beginner to Yoga this is an excellent place to come to. The poses are explained and the repeated practice helps the practitioner have a good understanding of alignment. They even offer an excellent beginners course to acclimate you to Yoga and the Physical postures, as well as the breathing and meditative aspects.
Unlike the majority of studios I have frequented that claim classes are "ALL LEVELS" and welcome new students, a new student will benefit greatly from the Sivananda practice and not feel that they "Cannot Do Yoga". If you are serious about wanting to start a practice and learn about yoga then do yourself a service and attend the Sivananda Center.
The prices are very reasonable as well.
The Center has a wide variety of workshops as well as body work and an ayurvedic therapist. To have a center like this in the middle of a city in western culture is truly a gift. If you have been intimidated by the intensity of the majority of western yoga practices do yourself or a friend a favor and go to a Sivananda Yoga class.
I always leave the classes feeling balanced, centered, calm, restored, and ready to face life with a new zest and appreciation.
The Sivananda Center has been my safe haven in every sense. And I believe it is the combination of the yogic lifestyle and their great staff.
Coming from India, I spent many years of my youth in yoga schools with a guru and this comes really close to that experience! And the added advantage is that almost all their staff have been to India for training and know their thing.
My life changed after I started visiting them regularly. The changes happened on both a physical and mental level and I am grateful to the Center and their amazing staff who are so kind and compassionate.
I remember heading there after work for class all bothered, frustrated and just cranky... and I'd walk out with a bounce in my step and just at peace with myself. If centering yourself is what you seek... head here.
Physically, allergies went away, flexibility increased, back problems subsided, got mental clarity and just felt really connected with my being.
The folks here are good and simple people, down to earth and very much about spirituality and wanting to impart it to anyone who wants to receive it. Everyone makes eye contact and just smiles at you and the vegetarian meal after the evening class is heaven! It makes you open your heart and let it in... its not easy. :)
This place reminds me of a quote:
"Our life is frittered away by detail... simplify, simplify, simplify!... Simplicity of life and elevation of purpose" - Henry David Thoreau
... that reminds me! Gotta register for Yoga 2! Later, my peeps!
Swami Padmapadananda teaches a positive thinking meditation course that shouldn't be missed.
"The work is fraught with implicit guidance for turning our personalities into forces of compelling influence and charm..." -- Swami Sivananda
This center has been my sanctuary. My life has changed tremendously from the work I have completed here. Really great for meditation, positive thinking, better eating habits, community, and I really enjoy Satsang: which is meditation for 30 minutes followed by Kirtan (sanskit chanting) and a lesson. The yoga has a consistent format which makes it easy to follow with pranayana, asanas, poses and blessings. This is the best price for yoga in this area. Great people work here.
If you are new to yoga or have been away from it for some time, consider taking Yoga 1 and Yoga 2. Some teachers help you with alignment and others do not. Some really push, and others are more gentle. Each teacher has their own strengths, weaknesses, and wisdom. I always enjoy the time I spend here and always leave with a feeling of integrated bliss.
Sivananda Yoga Center was my first yoga experience. If you're a beginner, and uncertain of yourself WRT yoga this is a great place to start!
I took the Yoga I course, which is 4 weeks long, meeting two times a week. One of the goals of this course is to prepare you for the Sivananda Yoga open class. We learned about yoga philosophy from the Sivananda point of view, basic pranayama and kriya, relaxation, and the 12 asanas they use.
I found the class to be informative and the teachers and staff to be helpful. With the teacher's help, I did a lot better than I thought I would! I've already noticed an improvement in my flexibility (too many years at a computer. sigh.) and breathing. There are psychic benefits as well.
The class size was small (started with three, their minimum, but ended with only two!), which allowed for as much personal instruction as was needed. I didn't feel any competition. They have a spiritual point of view, which is introduced in class, but I felt no pressure.
I enjoyed my experience, learned a lot, and will continue to take classes there.
This is where I got my formal yoga start. It is also when I started my love for Lord Ganesha Remover of Obstacles.
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center does not just teach a large variety of Yoga classes, they also offer classes, cooking and retreats all in the 1200 Arguello St location.
Parking can be a bit tight. The classrooms are fragrant of Nag Champa and immaculate.
There is a store of Yogic swag for a cost.
There is so much offered by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center that I have not had time to do everything. I am going to make it up to the Grass Valley, CA location one of these days.
Go check it out... get your stretch on. The first class is free. What do you have to loose?
Aum Shanti Namaste Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center Rocks
I have never done yoga before and I was really interested in learning about the meditation side of things along with the poses. Someone refered me here and so I thought I'd check it out. Anyway, everyone is so friendly and helpful. They walked me through everything and it was one of the most relaxing and rewarding experiences I've had in a long time.
DON'T MISS THIS!
Yelping on behalf of another.
A great studio with people who love sharing the gift of yoga.
With revolving teachers and strict adherence to the form this intimate studio is the place for traditional practice. This is just the place if you want hands on beginner instruction or have developed a practice and want to perfect your pose.
"They who give have all things; they who withhold have nothing"
I found this place via Yelp, and oh am I so glad that I did. Everyone is very friendly here, and it's an old Victorian home out near the Park- it's very quaint and charming. I love the open classes, they are usually very small so if you really want to perfect your poses go at a quieter time where classes have 3-4 people in them. Sara is my favourite instructor so far. The prices are decent, and the food is delicious. They really encourage a well-balanced lifestyle- not just you spending money on yoga classes and that's what I love about this place.
Over the past few years I've tried out several different yoga spots in the city and this one by far is my favorite. I'm currently taking an intro to yoga class that meets twice weekly for 1 1/2 hours each time. What I love about the class is that the the teacher explains a lot about the history of yoga, the philosophies and reasons for why each posture is beneficial to the body. I feel like I'm starting to gain a thorough understanding of yoga, and as a result, it makes me that much more excited to be doing it. The added bonuses? The swami and teachers there are absolutely wonderful people who make you feel right at home AND, they have a cook on staff and for $6, you can have an authentic, vegetarian (usually) Indian dinner after your evening class. Fantastic.
I learned classic yoga and pranayama breathing here. While they obviously have a "spiritual agenda" and encourage a vegetarian lifestyle, the lessons were excellent. It was worth the price because you can also get a yoga card for the month or a membership deal. The only thing I would recommend is to bring exact change so that you don't make work for the volunteer who signs you in for the classes! There is something about the relaxed atmosphere that makes it hard for them to deal with getting your change??....but hey, the classes are well worth it.
there is nothing fancy about it, but i love, love, love the sf sivananda center. classical hatha yoga taught in small classes, by attentive & skilled teachers in a truly welcoming environment. everyone who "works" here is a volunteer who believes that selfless service is an act towards world peace, and it shows in how they conduct themselves as teachers. this is a welcome respite in a city where yoga is rapidly becoming commercialized.
if you attend the 10:30am or 5:30pm class you can partake of plentiful, organic, vegetarian meals afterward for a $6 donation. even better, you eat with the center's teachers, residents, and other students, contributing to the community atmosphere.
most of their classes are all levels, with variations added to suit the level of the students in the class. they have also added a 2-hour advanced class on sunday afternoons that is fantastic, and still for the low price of $12 for members (or less than $10 if you buy a 10 class pass).
they have loads of classes and special events, all reasonably priced or by donation.
check them out--your first class is free...
This place is really really great! I took a beginner course and wanted to continue after it was finished but due to work/time issues I couldn't. I think it was 2days a week for 5 weeks for about $110- and there was only 4 people in the class! Great one-on-one time with teacher!
The course was a mix of education and exercise. The teacher would introduce yoga-ish topics -lifestyle, health, history, etc- to us and tell us informatively about them. Then we'd practice our postures. If I had problem the teacher would assist me and show me what I'm doing wrong. But they're not overly strict about it and will help you if you're going to hurt yourself, not because you're doing it "wrong".
I learned a great deal of interesting things and the yoga improved my overall mood, outlook and I felt great!
There are drop in classes, meditation classes and special events happening monthly. It's a very special, peaceful, friendly ashram.
This was my first true yoga class experience. Now I'm saying true because I have done the at home thing with the video but that is the extent of it. So when I went here I was open to anything as I've had the experience and the friends who are into meditation and all those things. So to each their own. I really liked the class. At first I thought this is not going to stretch me as I need to be (that is another story and nunya biz) but the next day--damn! I was sore and definitely feeling limber. It isn't too much and yet you do work so it was cool. I'll be back. The room is a bit small and awkward so that's why 4 stars.
This is a charming yoga studio, set up in a big old house on Arguello at the panhandle. It has much more of a community 'ashram' feel than other yoga-as-sport places. They have small studios and hence small, more spiritual classes. They often also offer delicious healthy organic/vegan meals after class for a donation! Food is always good!
i didn't know how incorrect my yoga poses were until i came here. small class sizes, so they can help you in your stances. i love the breathing exercises.
