In this high desert town, the spirit of the land and its ancient landscapes accentuate the sacred power of yoga.
By Debra Bakur
Santa Fe's sun-drenched landscape lies a full 7,000 feet above sea level, making yoga practice in this high desert town—not to mention breathing—a true challenge. Cultivated first by the area's original Pueblo residents, the town still retains much of the architectural influence of the Spanish who arrived in 1610. Even today, the aura of power is unmistakable. Whether it's the incredible Southwest light or the ancient mesa faces, there simply is no bad time of day or wrong season in Santa Fe—and for the dedicated yoga community in this pink adobe town, that's just part of the blessing.
"The spirit of the land is strong here," says Santa Fe Community Yoga Center's Michael Hopp. "This can actually be a very difficult place to live. People who move here often get more than what they asked for. Thankfully, yoga is supportive of spiritual growth." Gail Ackerman, who has taught Iyengar Yoga for 17 years at her studio, White Iris Yoga, agrees. "I think Santa Fe is the kind of place energetically that teaches one to develop faith and trust," she says. "It's definitely a challenging place to live. Often people who come here from urban environments arrive with a sort of got-to-get-it-done agenda," Ackerman says, laughing. "You have to get into the rhythm of letting things unfold. Santa Fe teaches patience and persistence."
Downtown on Early Street, known as the Rail Yard Cultural Arts District, Rima Mitchell offers a wide variety of classes, workshops, and spiritual adventures at Yoga Moves Studio. Besides Tantra, Kundalini, and Ashtanga classes, Mitchell's studio specializes in partner and prenatal yoga. Drop-ins are welcome, and the menu at Yoga Moves includes classes in trapeze, innovative art, movement, and acting, with regular performances offered as well.
If you're in search of a Buddhist-inspired practice, you can visit Yoga Source, where owners Tias and Surya Little incorporate meditation into all their classes. Yoga Source offers 30 classes a week, primarily in the Ashtanga and Iyengar styles, and the peaceful studio features a soothing waterfall and plentiful leafy green plants. Besides a lovely place to practice, Yoga Source also has a well-stocked boutique, offering numerous books, videos, props, and natural foods.
Just north of the city on the way to Taos is Espa๑ola, where the Hacienda de Guru Ram Das Ashram Community is located. The international headquarters for the study of Kundalini Yoga through 3HO (the Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization), Espa๑ola is a restful, rural town with breathtaking views of the nearby mountains. According to community member Ek Ong Kaar Kaur, morning sadhana begins daily at 3:45 a.m., with visitors always welcome. Monday and Tuesday evening meditation classes are personally led by Kundalini Master Yogi Bhajan when he is in residence.
To practice Bikram Yoga, you can visit Bikram Yoga Santa Fe, the only studio in the town offering Bikram classes. Two to three classes are taught per day in this newly remodeled space, which is decorated with original artwork.
If you drive all the way to Taos, less than an hour from Santa Fe, you can drop in at the Taos Kundalini Yoga and Health Center, owned and operated by husband and wife team Rajinder and Harbhajan Khalsa. Located on Paseo del Pueblo Norte at the north end of Taos, close to the Kachina Lodge, the center has a yoga room and two additional healing rooms. Besides classes in Kundalini, Ashtanga, and hatha, the center provides professional massage, aromatherapy, hot stone, Swedish, craniosacral and myofascial treatments. They offer monthly weekend retreats year-round, along with Pilates, prenatal, yogic communication, and special chakra courses.
A few miles south of Santa Fe along Hwy 285 lies the tiny community of Galisteo, once the setting for westerns featuring screen legend cowboys Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne. Spread across this dramatic backdrop is the Vista Clara Ranch, where yoga teacher Ramona Mitchell offers classes in the ranch's enormous and inspiring underground kiva. Day visits to the ranch include transportation to and from Santa Fe, with packages that feature classes, massage, and hikes or horseback rides to the nearby petroglyphs.
If you stay longer, you can relax in the ozone pool, treat yourself to a leisurely art or cooking class, get a massage, or participate in a Native American sweat lodge. Whatever type of yoga you choose, just remember to take it easy—you've definitely achieved altitude here.
By Debra Bakur
Santa Fe's sun-drenched landscape lies a full 7,000 feet above sea level, making yoga practice in this high desert town—not to mention breathing—a true challenge. Cultivated first by the area's original Pueblo residents, the town still retains much of the architectural influence of the Spanish who arrived in 1610. Even today, the aura of power is unmistakable. Whether it's the incredible Southwest light or the ancient mesa faces, there simply is no bad time of day or wrong season in Santa Fe—and for the dedicated yoga community in this pink adobe town, that's just part of the blessing.
"The spirit of the land is strong here," says Santa Fe Community Yoga Center's Michael Hopp. "This can actually be a very difficult place to live. People who move here often get more than what they asked for. Thankfully, yoga is supportive of spiritual growth." Gail Ackerman, who has taught Iyengar Yoga for 17 years at her studio, White Iris Yoga, agrees. "I think Santa Fe is the kind of place energetically that teaches one to develop faith and trust," she says. "It's definitely a challenging place to live. Often people who come here from urban environments arrive with a sort of got-to-get-it-done agenda," Ackerman says, laughing. "You have to get into the rhythm of letting things unfold. Santa Fe teaches patience and persistence."
Downtown on Early Street, known as the Rail Yard Cultural Arts District, Rima Mitchell offers a wide variety of classes, workshops, and spiritual adventures at Yoga Moves Studio. Besides Tantra, Kundalini, and Ashtanga classes, Mitchell's studio specializes in partner and prenatal yoga. Drop-ins are welcome, and the menu at Yoga Moves includes classes in trapeze, innovative art, movement, and acting, with regular performances offered as well.
If you're in search of a Buddhist-inspired practice, you can visit Yoga Source, where owners Tias and Surya Little incorporate meditation into all their classes. Yoga Source offers 30 classes a week, primarily in the Ashtanga and Iyengar styles, and the peaceful studio features a soothing waterfall and plentiful leafy green plants. Besides a lovely place to practice, Yoga Source also has a well-stocked boutique, offering numerous books, videos, props, and natural foods.
Just north of the city on the way to Taos is Espa๑ola, where the Hacienda de Guru Ram Das Ashram Community is located. The international headquarters for the study of Kundalini Yoga through 3HO (the Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization), Espa๑ola is a restful, rural town with breathtaking views of the nearby mountains. According to community member Ek Ong Kaar Kaur, morning sadhana begins daily at 3:45 a.m., with visitors always welcome. Monday and Tuesday evening meditation classes are personally led by Kundalini Master Yogi Bhajan when he is in residence.
To practice Bikram Yoga, you can visit Bikram Yoga Santa Fe, the only studio in the town offering Bikram classes. Two to three classes are taught per day in this newly remodeled space, which is decorated with original artwork.
If you drive all the way to Taos, less than an hour from Santa Fe, you can drop in at the Taos Kundalini Yoga and Health Center, owned and operated by husband and wife team Rajinder and Harbhajan Khalsa. Located on Paseo del Pueblo Norte at the north end of Taos, close to the Kachina Lodge, the center has a yoga room and two additional healing rooms. Besides classes in Kundalini, Ashtanga, and hatha, the center provides professional massage, aromatherapy, hot stone, Swedish, craniosacral and myofascial treatments. They offer monthly weekend retreats year-round, along with Pilates, prenatal, yogic communication, and special chakra courses.
A few miles south of Santa Fe along Hwy 285 lies the tiny community of Galisteo, once the setting for westerns featuring screen legend cowboys Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne. Spread across this dramatic backdrop is the Vista Clara Ranch, where yoga teacher Ramona Mitchell offers classes in the ranch's enormous and inspiring underground kiva. Day visits to the ranch include transportation to and from Santa Fe, with packages that feature classes, massage, and hikes or horseback rides to the nearby petroglyphs.
If you stay longer, you can relax in the ozone pool, treat yourself to a leisurely art or cooking class, get a massage, or participate in a Native American sweat lodge. Whatever type of yoga you choose, just remember to take it easy—you've definitely achieved altitude here.
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