The Yoga Ranch was founded in 1974 by Swami Vishnudevananda to provide a peaceful retreat structured around a full immersion into Yogic living and nurtured with the natural beauty of the lush mountains. The simple living close to nature quiets the mind and prepares it for meditation and the high thinking of the Vedanta philosophy. Asanas (yoga postures), Pranayama (breathing techniques), vegetarian meals, chanting, and working together in Karma Yoga help complete your Yoga experience. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to the propagation of classical Yoga teachings. Experience the empowerment to transform health, relationships, and attitude through practices focusing on the body, mind, and spirit. Awaken a deep inner appreciation for dharmic (sustainable) living. The Yoga Ranch invites you to come explore this adventure in healthy living.
This place is very special. I never been to a yoga retreat before and I really enjoyed my time at Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch. The location is serene with beautiful views of Catskills Mountains. The food was delicious, the yoga teachers were amazing, special shout out to Uma for yoga with the sound of rain. And most of all I was very touched by kindness of karma yogis. If you are looking for a place to ground yourself, to quiet your mind, to rejuvenate your body, look no further, this yoga ranch is the place to be.
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Date of stay: August 2024
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Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A sanctuary of healing and spiritual growth!! The perfect place to get away breathe in the fresh Catskill mountain air and recharge in a peaceful, clean, natural environment. I came here after the death of my mother when I was broken and consumed with grief, darkness and sadness. The warmth, love, and kindness of the Karma Yogi staff along with the meditation, chanting, and yoga opened my heart and allowed the light back in.
The Well-Being Center staff was absolutely wonderful. The treatments literally reconnected me to my body. Thank you so much Ishvari, Krishna Pria, Parameshwara, and Maheshwari for your skill, patience, and love. I will be forever grateful.
There is delicious organic vegetarian/vegan food freshly made for every meal. The ashram has its own garden and greenhouse and is lovingly overseen by Sitaram Chaitanya. The grounds are beautiful with gorgeous flower gardens tended by Ambika and gentle hiking trails surround the property.
The Ashram offers two Sivananda yoga classes and a variety of interesting workshops. The wood burning Russian sauna is very popular. (pack a bathing suit) The beautiful Satsangs start with meditation and chanting, usually followed a teaching. If you are fortunate to have Satsang with Swami Paramananda or Srinivasan, you will be inspired by their knowledge, devotion, and humor.
This experience enabled me to return home and deal with the aftermath of my motherβs death in a clearer and saner manner.
It is truly a spiritually charged haven.
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Date of stay: July 2019
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My stays at the Sivananda Yoga Ranch have been absolutely magical! I've been fortunate enough to visit several times, both with family and solo, and each visit leaves me feeling incredible and already planning my return trip.
Here's what you can expect at the ranch:
Delicious, Wholesome Food: Get ready to nourish your body with amazing vegetarian and vegan meals! Amazing People: You'll meet friendly and inspiring people from all walks of life during your stay. Soul-Healing Practices: Yoga, meditation, and the beautiful surroundings will leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Seriously, if you're looking for a chance to unwind, reconnect with yourself, and experience the magic of yoga, the Sivananda Yoga Ranch is the place to be! You won't regret it!
Om Shanti
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Date of stay: May 2024
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Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I went by myself to visit this place for the first time. I thought that taking public transportation would be difficult. It was easy from New York city to the center. Riding the bus was comfortable and switching to the second bus was also a nice experience.Being there with nature was a relaxing time to disconnect from every body and from everything. It was a wonderful trip. I stayed a few days.The service was excellent and the food was exotic. I enjoyed all activities in the center. I felt safe being in this environment alone.
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was my third stay at the Ashram and I had a wonderful time. It is a perfect place to relax and recenter. Love the yoga, satsang, chanting, workshops, peace and tranquillity of the place. The staff is very helpful and kind. I highly recommend a visit to this place. Additionally it is easily reachable by bus from NYC.
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Date of stay: May 2024
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Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This place and people are very special. Beautiful grounds and walks in the woods. Ponds, trees, awesome views. Accommodation was clean, quiet and private. The food was divine. Best vegetarian food ever, lovely fresh produce, curries, salads, lentil soups, vegetables and lots more. Yoga was very good. I wasnβt very experienced but the instructor's were patient, kind and great teachers. Daily satsang was lovely. Beautiful community and people. Loved it. Felt very refreshed and rejuvenated after a long weekend there.
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Date of stay: July 2024
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Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Β Super stay
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The staff were very stressed out and some of them did not seem happy to be there. It did seem like some of them were overworked and multitasking. What I could not get over was overhearing two of the staff use foul language! I felt stressed and depleted after just one night.
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Date of stay: January 2011
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Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
In January freezing cold out, their hot water and heating system was down. Make you attend their religious chanting. Feed you poor nutritious food only twice a day. Two inches stained mattress. Make you clean cow manure as a part of yoga practice.
We decided to leave earlier from this unpleasant experience but they refused to refund but credit for nights that we didn't stay.
We'll never go back and never recommend for anybody.
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Date of stay: January 2009
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have been going to the Yoga Ranch since 2006, and just recently returned from their Passover/Easter weekend with my young daughter. It is a wonderful community of people in a beautiful environment, but it is not for everyone. It sometimes takes more than 2 days to get used to and feel comfortable there, but if you give it a chance, you just might find it feels like home away from home. I would like to take a moment to address some things that other reviewers might be confused about.
1) The Dishes: There is an industrial dishwasher/sterilizer in the kitchen and all dishes go through this machine before being air dried. The wash buckets commented on were there to dislodge any food debris before going into the washer. This is the equivalent of rinsing your dirty dishes at home before placing them in your dishwasher. Having said that, it is a moot point because the Ranch is no longer requiring guests to rinse their dishes at all and the staff is doing it all.
2) The Rooms: The main building of rooms is from the 1940s and could do with an update. That said, the rooms are neat and tidy. Yes, they are small, but the beds are pretty comfortable and how much more room do you need when the great outdoors beckons? There is a bed, a dresser, a closet, a nightstand, and great views of the woods or the mountains from every window. If you want more space, you can book an apartment suite with an attached bathroom and common space. Either way, the rates are pretty reasonable.
3) The Noise: Yes, the boards creak and the walls are thin. The boutique sells earplugs, or you can bring your own. In the summer, you can set up your own tent and enjoy the sounds of the crickets outside in the field, instead of your neighbors. And you can always feel free to open your door at night and kindly request that any hallway conversations be shifted into whispers inside their rooms. I have done it before when my daughter was sleeping and was only met with compliance and apologies.
4) Cliques: Yes, there are regulars here and often on weekends, there are a series of mini-reunions as people come back and get reacquainted with each other. However, that makes it very easy to identify newcomers and you will find that most people, both staff and regulars, make an extra effort to introduce themselves to new visitors and get to know them. I am sorry that the visitors who made comments here did not have that kind of welcoming experience. I would say it is the exception rather than the norm. In the busy season (late spring to early fall), there are MANY newcomers and it is really fun to go table hopping at meals (meals are held outside on picnic tables with a view of the mountains) and learn about who comes from where and all their interesting stories. I encourage everyone who is new to the Sivananda family to sit with someone different everyday, and I promise you, you'll come away with a stack of cards and a few new friends.
5) Food: The food here is mostly mildly spiced Indian food, so lots of rice and dal. There is always a cooked veggie, a fresh salad, and a protein source. The cooks are talented volunteers who really take their jobs seriously. It IS a lot of rice. I often get hungry in the middle of the day between Brunch and Dinner, so I always pack nuts, dried fruit, seaweed packets, crackers and a smoothie mix with me (note: you will not have access to ice unless you book an apartment with a fridge). There are also ample snacks in the boutique (organic chocolate, chips, crackers, frozen desserts, etc). If you have a car and need further sustenance, there are a few short drives you can take to buy what you need, and the staff can give you directions (Walmart, Arati health food shop, etc). In the warmer months, there is a decent coffee shop less than a five minute drive away, and there are a always a few visitors who drive there every morning to get their fix.
6) Meditation and Chanting: To newcomers, "Satsang" can seem weird. Just give it a few tries. It is contagious. And there are some really, really good singers who come to the Ranch and sing their heart out. My 5 year old absolutely loves Satsang.
7) The Yoga Classes: Sivananda yoga is a particular style of yoga with specific poses in a specific order. It is the same class every time, albeit with different teachers. There are no props, so if you are used to using blocks and straps, or have any injuries or chronic conditions, be sure to arrive early to class and approach your instructor to ask for modifications. Headstand is indeed the first formal yoga pose, but only after about half an hour of warming up. And most of the people will do the more simple Dolphin pose, not headstand anyway (like me, and I've been going for a while!) You can also choose not to take the class and do your own practice outside in the summer. Ahhh, fresh air...
In addition there are some exceptional guest teachers who present workshops at the Ranch. If you want to learn about permaculture and organic gardening, this is the place. If you are into green juices, there is a popular cleanse in the summer run by the incomparable Manu of Integral Yoga Natural Foods. The Ranch is home to the first deaf yoga teacher training in the country. And no one can teach you more about the power of the breath and yoga than Leslie Kaminoff, my favorite yoga teacher in NYC.
Basically, if you want a peaceful, quiet place to practice yoga and meditation, and reflect upon your life, this is the place. If you want a spacious fancy room, and a full and varied buffet of foods three times a day, and 20 classes to choose from at any given time, then go to Omega or Kripalu. It's all good.
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Date of stay: April 2015
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Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Β Upper floor in Ananda, away from the bathrooms is the most quiet.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I do appreciate the Sivananda ashram experience but, I think I will stick with the Bahamas location. The routine of yoga, meditation, chanting etc can be a lot especially if you are new to it or have been away from it for a while. What bothered me about this place was that a guy kept coming around at every meal to solicit people to do "karmic yoga" which means you do community service like help out in the kitchen, housekeeping etc, mostly in the kitchen even if you had done your 2 hour service already or not. After doing karmic yoga in the morning I felt that I had done my share and didn't want to do karmic yoga twice a day. This place needs to hire a couple of staff people to run the kitchen if there is such an overflow of work to be done. Stop asking the guests to fill the labor gap. We are there for R and R and I understand that karma yoga is part of it It but, I felt like they were asking too much and sensed they wanted FREE labor. The woman at the front desk seemed stressed out daily, I felt bad for her being the main person for customer service contact, sucky job. This place works people hard, especially the staff, they all seemed tired and run down. Somehow the Sivananda Bahamas location and climate takes the edge off this kind of devotion/service. At least you are in the topics so it lessens the impact of the regiment. The Ayurvedic staff are absolutely wonderful, talented people. Ayurvedic treatments are a must if you go to any Sivananda loaction. I will not return to Sivananda Woodbourne, NY.
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Date of stay: September 2010Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Woodbourne area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
sivananda ashram yoga ranch hotel woodbourne
LOCATION
United StatesNew YorkCatskill RegionWoodbourne
NUMBER OF ROOMS
25
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