Media Review Scarsdale Magazine

PREMA SHANTI YOGA
Eastchester

The focus here is "to integrate body, mind, and spirit," says owner Antonella Caruso, who opened her studio two years ago. While Caruso is trained in Kripalu and Vinyasa-style yoga, it's hard to strictly categorize her classes since she, too, believes in tailoring each session according to student needs. Her Friday-night restorative class is especially popular with women, who find it a great way to unwind before the weekend. On a recent visit to one such class, I arrived to find candles lit and incense burning, immediately putting me in a more relaxed mood. Each student was set up with yoga blankets, pillows, and blocks to help us ease into the postures.

The best way to describe Caruso as a teacher is nurturing. The class began with each woman checking in to say how her week had gone, and to mention any physical issues that might affect her ability to do certain poses. From that point we moved into a meditative breathing exercise, followed by a series of stretches and poses that felt comforting in a way that I haven't felt in a long time (I guess that's why it's called "restorative"). One posture that especially stood out for me was the first; we sat on our heels, then, from a kneeling position, bent forward, draping ourselves over a large, rectangular bolster. This may sound nutty, but it felt like a mother's warm embrace.

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