Mandala Center LA studio Photo of Saul David Raye Class by Joy Santos
Mandala Center LA—Yoga, Community, and Conscious Living— exemplifies both yoga’s collective experience as well as its personal practice.
Mandala’s vision, according to co-founder Saul David Raye is, “to create a community of Teachers, Artists, Students, Activists. The intention is circular—hence the name Mandala—to invite everyone into the conversation.” Many of the teachers who are collaborating at Mandala have known each other for years. Some of the center’s teachers include: Saul David Raye, Richard Wegman, Grace Flowers, Micheline Berry, Samantha Mehra, Patti Quintero, Leslie Kazadi, John Sahakian, Normandie Keith, Sherry Brourman, Jason Frahm, Phoebe Diftler, Azita Nahai, Mas Vidal, Daniel Stewart, Steve Ross, Zach Leary, Shiva Rea, Seane Corn, Sianna Sherman, Mark Whitwell, Mia Togo, Sara Ivanhoe, Kia Miller, Cristi Christensen, Larry Payne, Ashley Turner, and more.
Part of the vision of the center is to have a circular model of a studio that includes profit-sharing for teachers and donating a portion of studio proceeds to nonprofits and seva or service projects and organizations. Saul says, “We wanted to offer a studio dedicated to consciousness first, a place to step up to a bigger vision of how to work together.” In addition to a robust weekly schedule of classes (drop-in and package prices available), Mandala will also offer healing sessions, meditation classes, and workshops and seminars from notable teachers.
During one of the studio’s first public events, I felt a sense of belonging and connectedness because Shiva Rea had arranged the mats in a circular formation—a Mandala. The lofty ceilings felt spacious and the skylights invited the sun’s rays to join us. The strongest feeling I experienced at Mandala as I practiced is knowing that life is best when shared.
Natalie Macam is a Yoga Teacher who teaches locally in Los Angeles: www.nataliemacam.com.