Long work hours, holiday stress, excess eating and generally "over doing it" can leave you feeling completely fried by the New Year.
Practice being more mindful and learn how to approach stress and over-indulgence in a healthier way with a weekend meditation getaway. For a surprisingly low price, you can get out of the city and detox with yoga, meditation workshops and delicious vegetarian food. We've also included a few meditation workshops that occur in Manhattan, just in case you can't get away during this busy month.
Located in the foothills of the Catskills (only an hour outside of NYC), this Ashram offers daily meditation programs with Yoga-Vedanta studies and ongoing classes in Hatha yoga, Sanskrit and classical Indian dance and music. Whether a beginner to meditation and yoga practice or someone more experienced, the Ananda Ashram will help you connect with the root of any problems with a sense of renewed clarity and enlightenment. The schedule is less rigid than that of other ashrams but it does include early morning meditation, scriptural studies, open Sanskrit classes, multiple yoga classes and generous vegan meals. You can choose to stay in a dorm or semiprivate room with rates as low as one week for $380. There are additional discounts for students, seniors and couples. Inquire when you make your reservation, by phone only: (845) 782-5575
Ananda Ashram, Yoga Society of New York, Inc.
13 Sapphire Road, Monroe NY 10950
The Sivanada Ashram or "Yoga Ranch" offers both weekend retreats and "Yoga Vacations," so you are sure to find the program that truly suits your relaxation needs. The daily schedule here is strict including a 5:30am wake up call, three yoga classes a day, vegetarian meals and silent meditation. You can also schedule Ayurveda body treatments (at an additional cost). December and January are filled with great workshops, our pick is the "Martin Luther King Weekend: The Art Of Positive Thinking" three-day course that helps you gain control over negative habits and increase self-confidence through Yoga and meditation. Rates are based upon whether you want a shared room, private room with shared bath or in warmer months, if you plan on bringing your own tent. Excluding the tent option, the lowest rate is $70 per day. Call or email to make your reservation: (845) 436 6492 or YogaRanch@sivananda.org
Sivananda Ashram
500 Budd Road, Woodbourne, NY 12788
Located in Chelsea but with classes all over New York City, Brooklyn and Queens, this meditation center is run by volunteers who are dedicated practitioners and Buddhist followers. They offer multiple programs for beginners and classes have a recommended contribution of$5-$15 dollars. Experienced guided meditation and teaching in "The Limitless Mind" series currently happening on Thursday evenings. On December 2, the theme is "Limitless Clarity: Understanding the Mind's Pure Nature" and on December 9, the theme is "Understanding Time and Timeless Mind."
Chakrasambara Kadampa Meditation Center
322 8th Avenue, Entrance on 26th Street between 8th and 7th Avenues, Suite 502, New York, NY 10001
"Learn" to meditate from qualified instructors in one of this center's one hour beginners classes held every Wednesday at 6pm and Sundays at noon. They also have a series of programs that range from a "Posture Clinic" to help you manage stress and energy in your body, to a weekend workshop "Wisdom of a Broken Heart" that uses Shambhala Buddhist teachings and meditation to help you learn how to heal and gain wisdom from painful emotions.
Shambhala Meditation Center Of New York
118 West 22nd Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10011; (212) 675-6544