Founder & Director: Robert Pelaski is a Certified Jivamukti yoga teacher from New York now living on Chicago’s Gold Coast. He draws his teachings from the profound wisdom of his teachers, David Life and Sharon Gannon. Robert received his Jivamukti training at an intensive residental program at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, where he continues his ongoing education and spiritual practice. In his classes, through a variety of vinyasa formats, he shares the five tenets of Jivamukti Yoga—ahimsa, bhakti, meditation, nada yoga, and study of scripture—with students and practitioners throughout Chicago. With twenty years of teaching experience and thirty years of public service at hand, he enthusiastically continues his daily practice and shares his gifts to all who come.

Types of classes offered: Jivamukti, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Restorative and Basics yoga classes

What makes Samgha Yoga unique and why should someone try your classes? We are a Jivamukti-affiliated center with schools in New York, London, Berlin, Sydney, and Charleston from which many students visiting Chicago from these cities may continue the method for which the curriculum is prepared and written under. The authenticity of our practices from India are at the forefront of our classes, immersions, and workshops.

What advice do you have for someone who is trying your studio/classes for the first time? Be present, open and honest with yourself.

Favorite things to do in Chicago outside of attending Samgha Yoga's classes? For vegetarian fare (we LOVE to eat!), visit Karyn's Cooked & Raw Restaurant, Native Foods...and The Chicago Diner. Our neighbors next door recently opened Heritage Bicycles at 2959 Lincoln Ave for the BEST coffee and custom-made bikes in the city!

Did you know? Yogis travel from all over the world to Samgha regularly to 'guest teach' and share their knowledge, art form , and livelihood with this down to earth tribe. Kirtan performers are scheduled this summer in 2013 as there are many affiliated artists with the Jivamukti method.

Robert Pelaski
Founder & Director, Samgha Yoga Shala

Robert has personally spanned the Earth landing on five continents and over 65 countries which collaborate the essence of our true form found nowhere else in Chicago. He has done a headstand on the Great Wall of China in Beijing, sat in the prison cell of Nelson Mandela on Robyn Island in South Africa six months after apartheid to pray, raced downtown to aide survivors to give blood while living in Manhattan during 9/11, and taught a 77-year old man with Parkinson's disease a 90-minute yoga class. He describes the people of Samgha as a rare form of holy beings!

Check out the inspiration for Samgha's Spiritual Warrior classes in this video:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjDWd78lMQk]

Ready to give Jivamukti a try? Book a class at Samgha here today!