Cari Friedman
YOGA, BREATHWORK, AND MEDITATION
nyc + brooklyn + online
Cari weaves together diverse traditions, lineages, and meditation practices, including Vipassana, woman’s sacred circling, and Katonah yoga. Since 2012, Cari's work has been colored by her mentor Nevine Michaan, founder of Katonah Yoga, whose influence has deeply transformed Cari's teachings and life.
Her longstanding NYC yoga classes welcome committed practitioners, devoted teachers, and curious newcomers in a truly unique communal experience that challenges, nurtures, and inspires all at once. She also works intimately one-on-one to help people implement the multi-dimensional aspects of yoga into daily life.
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She is a partner and mother of two children who daily inspire her practice and teaching.
Influences
Katonah Yoga
Katonah Yoga® is a syncretic Hatha yoga practice developed by Nevine Michaan over 40 years. She and her teachers incorporate classical Hatha yoga with Taoist theory, geometry, magic, mythology, metaphor, and imagination — in a practical framework designed to potentiate personal and communal well-being.
Framing the practice, maps of time and personal space are defined and refined. Themes using asana as origami, manipulating form for function, and developing a sense of personal measure are incorporated in Katonah Yoga practices.
Katonah Yoga is organized around three principles of esoteric dialogue: all polarities are mediated by trinity; the universe has pattern, pattern implies intelligence; by virtue of repetition there is potential for insight. Revelations are revolutionary. Katonah yoga center is in Bedford Hills.
Vipassana Meditation
Taught by G.N Goenka in the tradition Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Vipassana Meditation is one of India's oldest traditions of mediation first taught over 2,500 years ago. It is a practical method that builds self-awareness to live a more fulfilling life and lessen suffering.
Dr. Shefali Tsabary
For Parents and the Individual. Dr Shefali is a master of the mind. Through meditation & years of study, she integrates Eastern philosophyand Western psychology to unify who, why and how we become and heal our most authentic selves.
Testimonials
"Practicing with Cari is like being invited into a deeper conversation with your body, one that you didn’t know you were missing until her teaching opened the door. There’s a rare grace in the way she weaves precision, presence, and deep care into every moment of class.
It’s no exaggeration to say that her teaching has changed my body and how I think about myself within it."
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"Cari is a magical teacher. In her classes, she manages to both foster community through laughter and kindness AND focus on individual needs with thoughtful adjustments.
Through years of practice with Cari, my yoga capabilities have changed. But more importantly, my vision for my life has changed with new potential."
"What sets Cari apart is the clarity and care she brings to each class. She teaches with a presence that invites both discipline and gentleness, guiding with detail and compassion.
Her classes help me connect more honestly to myself, my breath, and whatever I’m moving through. Her guidance has shaped how I move on the mat, and also how I move through life—and I’m deeply grateful."