Atma Center - Yoga For Every Body

OUR STORY

In 1990, Beverly Singh, founder and director of the Atma Center, became quite ill. Only two years earlier she had climbed to Mt. Everest base camp while living in Kathmandu, but she was barely able to climb the steps to the second floor of her house. Plagued with chronic joint and muscle pain, and debilitating fatigue, she struggled just to continue working at her job as an anesthetist. Going from her doctor to other specialists, having test after test, she was given more and more medications without relief. A tentative diagnosis of Lupus was made, along with Grave’s disease and fibromyalgia.

Beverly decided that if she was to get better, she needed to step in and take a more active role in her health care plan. She sent for a dear friend from Australia, Swami Nirmalratna, who came to “take care of her.” She became vegan, starting taking supplements, and most importantly, began an intensive yoga program.

Swami Nirmal got her up at 5 AM every morning and guided her through a gentle yoga practice of asana (exercise), pranayama (breathing), and Om chanting for an hour before she left for the hospital. Upon arriving home, she did yoga nidra (guided relaxation) and before bed, meditation.

Two hours of yoga per day for three months did more than three physicians had done in over a year. Beverly went from five prescription drugs and feeling horrible down to three and feeling like her life had been given back to her!

AND THEN THE ATMA CENTER….

Before 1997, 2319 Lee Road was a state liquor store. With her vast ambition and vision, Beverly Singh (Swami Atmarupa), a nurse anesthetist with 25 years of experience who was teaching yoga out of her home, transformed the space into a health and wellness center to serve the community of Cleveland Heights.

At first she taught a few classes per week but her Satyananda Yoga classes became so popular that she extensively renovated the center, creating a second yoga studio, library and offices. Two nonprofit organizations were founded to promote the unique and comprehensive system of Satyananda Yoga and to educate students in the depth of this tradition.

The Atma Center is a premier yoga studio and the main Satyananda Yoga Center of North America. The center serves hundreds of students and runs dozens of classes per week as well as conducts yoga workshops and off-site corporate classes. The center also houses the Yoga Academy of North America, one of two international academies world-wide, providing Yogic Studies and Teacher Training.

With its emphasis on inclusiveness and its connection to a strong yoga tradition, the Atma Center provides an exceptional experience of authentic yoga that transforms the health and lives of its students.

WHY YOGA AT ATMA CENTER?

“When practicing yoga at the Atma Center, there is a strong sense of people striving for the same goal, but each in their own individual way.”

IT’S SAFE.

Our teachers are able to modify yoga practices to fit the individual student. We respect your strengths and limitations, fitting the poses to your body rather than getting everyone to do things the same way.

WE ARE SKILLED.

All of our teachers have at least 2-4 years of formal teacher training. Level One teachers have over 1000 hours of training and Level Two teachers have over 2000 of training. The industry standard is 200 hours. In addition, many of our teachers have a background in medical and allied health professions.

WE OFFER A SPECIALIZED APPROACH.

You have unique needs and we can suggest an appropriate class for you. We teach in “cycles” and “levels” to allow you to progress according to what is comfortable for you. We also offer specialty classes that focus on conditions such as anxiety, depression, aging, and stress.