Samadhi Yoga creates a space of community and connection
By Steve Yablonski
Yoga is an old discipline from India that uses breathing techniques, exercise and meditation. The fundamental purpose of yoga is to foster harmony in the body, mind and environment. It is both spiritual and physical. And, it is now offered in Liverpool.
Samadhi Yoga Syracuse is located at 101 First St., right above Halo Tattoo and across the street from Heid’s. It opened in March.
“We are a boutique yoga studio located in the heart of the village of Liverpool,” said owner Bridgette Maney. “We have classes every day but Tuesdays.”
The studio offers beginner yoga, level 2/3 vinyasa, restorative yoga and meditation. So, there is definitely something for everyone, Maney said.
Classes are at 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays with a noon class also on Sundays.
“We also offer livestreams via zoom,” Maney added.
They follow all COVID-19 state and county safety protocols; temperature checks when you arrive and “masks are a must,” she said.
Maney is originally from the Binghamton area.
“I moved to New York City in 1999 after graduating from Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. I spent the last 20 years working in the entertainment/television industry as a publicist. Most recently, I worked [for the last 10 years] as a publicity director at ABC Television, overseeing a number of primetime shows and network specials,” she said.
She moved back to Upstate New York last year during the pandemic to be closer to family.
“My sister, brother-in-law and 5-year-old nephew are here,” she said. “They’ve lived in CNY for about as long as I was in NYC.”
Maney said she has always had a passion for health and wellness.
She is currently working on her NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) certification.
“I started doing yoga 20 years ago and fell in love with it,” she said. “I’ve had the opportunity to study under some amazing teachers in New York City over the years and have taken workshops on sound healing, Reiki, etc.”
She is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance (RYT-200 HR).
“My vision in opening Samadhi was to create a space of community and connection. Everyone is welcome at Samadhi. Doesn’t matter your fitness level, your yoga knowledge, there is a class for you here.”
“Oh, I’m asked a lot about the name of my studio — Samadhi? In ancient yoga philosophy, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali describe the eight limbs of yoga, with the eighth and final limb being Samadhi. It’s a state where individual and universal consciousness aligns; so there is a deep meaning behind it.”
Photo: Bridgette Maney is the owner of the new Samadhi Yoga in Liverpool.