Journey with us through collective song and restorative movement.

We begin with kirtan, call-and-response chanting of mantra (sacred Sanskrit code) that serves as an open dialogue with the divine. The divine is subjective; for you it may manifest as a god-like figure, a powerful, awakening energy, maybe even a sweet, surprising embrace from a friend—perhaps anything beyond logic that transcends the mundane. Through the collective repetition of mantra, we cultivate a powerful resonance. We weave the intangible—divinity—with the tangible—the body and breath. 

We close class with grounding yin yoga postures, holding shapes for 3-5 minutes. Our slow, meditative practice initiates a deep release of connective tissue to stimulate channels of the subtle body. 

About Nikita

Nikita is a bhakti practitioner and yoga teacher based in Brooklyn, NY. She was first exposed to kirtan growing up singing at the Kali Mandir in Laguna Beach, CA. As she practiced yoga and completed her 200 Hour YTT in 2015, she began playing kirtan music in the background of her asana practice and knew she’d be tethered to this music for life. In 2017, Nikita learned harmonium under the instruction of Sita Devi, beginning to attend kirtans across San Francisco and the East Bay, CA where she was based at the time. In 2021, Nikita began attending kirtans and trainings at the Bhakti Center, and hosted kirtans in backyards and living rooms across Brooklyn. Nikita continues further kirtan and facilitation instruction with Seth Lieberman. 

Nikita loves integrating the joy and devotion of harmonium + chanting into yoga class offerings across NYC, and is excited to share this esoteric knowledge with others. Together we can honor the traditions of this practice and continue to evolve them with integrity.