Red Lotus Society

Was introduced to the red lotus society by a Co worker this weekend and had a blast. David was our instructor and he was excellent with guidance and help. If you want a excellent yoga session this place is probably the nicest facility in San Diego. I will have to start coming here more often, the place is so chic.

I’ve only been once but I’m in love.
They have a lovely studio in a fantastic location, but what’s really cool is the idea behind this organization. According to their website the space is a renovation of a hotel that was about to be condemned, and is now a community space.
Not to start one of my hippie rants, but yoga has sort of been co-​opted for rich white women who pay lip service to the spirituality of yoga, but are mainly just looking for a killer workout. Now there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s so refreshing to attend a yoga class in an unpretentious, meditative context.
I took the deep yoga class with David, which was a real treat. This is a great class for a beginner or anyone who wants a more grounded yoga experience — — it provided a great foundation in breathing exercises and was a little slower paced, so you can take the time to find the benefits of each pose. I can’t wait to go back.

I have not yet been for yoga or meditation, but the capoeira angola class is awesome. It is unlike any other capoeira class I have experienced in SD. I recommend checking it out!
The instructor covers movements and music as well. The space is beautiful and has a good vibe!

I wish I could rate this place higher, it’s such an amazing place. Wonderful people with great energy! I leave this place feeling recharged and ready for anything every time I join a class. If you haven’t yet, check out their website and stop in for a visit. Most classes have recommended donations, but there’s quite a few classes that even if you can’t pay they won’t turn you away. They’re wonderful and warm and a true blessing for the community.

This is an incredible community space for learning the arts of yoga and meditation… and it’s donation-​based and located close to the Gaslamp in Downtown San Diego.
Beautiful space, beautiful teachings… 100% authenticity. Truly a gem!

What a lovely space — with amazingly calming energy smack in the middle of downtown! I took Catherine Dean’s Yoga Nidra class today. It was brilliant. It’s best heard in a good County Tyrone accent. (But I’m sure it would sound lovely in a Derry accent too.) Wonderful class.

What an amazing place! I attend their silent meditations often & some of their concerts when I have time. All fabulous! I actually had a great friend who lived there & became friends with a few of the residents. I cant speak highly enough about the type & quality of people that are in and around this little vortex in the middle of the Gaslamp :)
They have 2 large studios that are fit for any gathering, class, concert, lecture, or anything else in that regard.
Just this last sat March 13, I attended a CRYSTAL BOWL VIBRATION SOUND HEALING CONCERT! Elivia’s channeled music on 45 singing crystal bowls including a celtic harp, symphony gong & percussion. This energetic presentation blended acoustical textures that invited deep sound travel and healing on all levels! WOW
If you are into any of the amazingness that Red Lotus offers, please check out their 2 monster studios.
They offer Qigong, Guided & Silent Meditations, Martial Arts, Body & Mind Healing, Yoga, & Dance.
Their slogan is «Conscious Movement & Peace Though Meditation» How cool is that! Thats what I want :)

A friend of mine volunteers there and suggested I should check out the «Introduction to Meditation» class on Sunday evening. What a great choice! Not only the studio is very warm and welcoming, the people are as well. You’re basically making friends right as you enter the door.
The studio is newly renovated and has a large yoga area with tatami mats attached to it. Seats, blankets, and pillows are available for any session.
Red Lotus Society offers classes in Yoga, Tai Chi QiGong, Martial Arts, Meditation, and Taekwondo. Check out their website for detailed schedule. You don’t have to be a member and can give a $ 8 donation for each class.
It’s located Downtown (3^rd and Market), so parking can be a hassle. However, you can use the nearby Horton Plaza for 2 hours free parking without the need to validate!

I went there last night for the first time. Everyone was welcoming and friendly. The space is beautiful, comfortable and clean. It’s a non-​profit, but donations are encouraged, however there is no pressure and you can give what you are able.
For the Sunday night Buddhist meditation session we sat on pillows in a circle on the floor (although there are comfortable looking chairs available along the wall for those uncomfortable on the floor). Someone offered me a blanket, which I took. The meditation began with some basic instruction, what to expect and then 15 minutes of breathing and visualization, after which, questions were taken.
My friend and I were invited to stay for the Dharma discussion after the meditation and we accepted. The Director, Michael, is very well spoken and learned on the topic of Buddhist history and Karma. I learned a lot, was entertained and felt comfortable enough to ask questions, if I had any.
The only downside is parking– there isn’t any. I’m not removing a star though, because I didn’t mind the walk, chatting with my friend. I can’t wait to go back and try a yoga class. Soon!

I got to experience a Tibetan Crystal Bowl concert here… it may have changed my life!

The perfect place to go for excercise, for reading, for relaxing, for tea, for chit-chatting…and believe it or not, for getting a massage or psychic reading!
You’d think that’s not possible, but if you do then apparently you haven’t been to the Red Lotus Society!
The Red Lotus Society attracts a diverse — but friendly — group of people to all their various excercise (yoga, pilates, qui gon, tai chi) classes, meditation sessions, discussions and events. The instructors and lecturers are very friendly and open as well. So friendly are the Red Lotus people, that they will allow you to have an essential free roam on all their events (everything is by donation only; and they do not force the idea upon you).
With such great and friendly «service,» you would assume something surely must be lacking. Thankfully, this isn’t the case; for all the diverse classes and events going on at the Red Lotus Ideal Studios headquarters, everything is very high quality. Each instructor is a true expert at their field and everything — even in the biggest of groups — feels very one-​on-​one.
I can not give a higher recommendation to everyone involved at Red Lotus, and would most definitely suggest everyone try them out!
=)

Have you ever had the feeling of a big rock sitting on your chest as your trying to slip from under it? That is precisely how I am feeling at this very moment. The pressure to write a great review as this is the first impression — on Unilocal at least.
However before I continue please note the statement below which I conveniently COPY+PASTED :)
«The Red Lotus Society is a non-​profit organization founded to promote the practice and awareness of meditation for the improvement of mental health and environmental wellbeing. They are dedicated to facilitating instruction in the variety of ancient and modern meditation techniques to combat the stress and pressure of modern living, and to encourage more mindful approaches to the social and environmental problems facing the world today.»
continuing on with my review…
I was introduced to the Red Lotus Society by a wonderful «king of rishi» whom I met at a friends house party. Besides the charm, there was a natural calmness about this yogi I couldn’t refuse to be around. Thus, when an invitation for yoga, meditation and a discussion was extended all I did was smile and said, «I’d love to.» …
…until I found out this particular invitation was for 3 different session in one evening — WOAH! but my host did say I could skip any of them if it wasn’t my thing — obviously this person doesn’t know me… anyways…
so yes I had the choice to only attend parts of it but I also wanted to be respectful of the invitation. Regardless, Who am I to think I can handle this three hour session of enlightenment after going through a major injury? The last time I remember committing three hours straight was for Economics class on Friday mornings and that for sure wasn’t enlightening at all.
Uncertain about sharing a personal experience in an unknown space filled with strangers, I thought perhaps I can just slip away, perhaps this Maha Rishi acquaintance of mine won’t show — but DARN… he is a rishi after all and of course he showed! Regardless of his presence, as I entered the studio, I was greeted by a young man who was warm and helpful. As the first session begin, the yoga instructor took her time in providing some basic introductory rules about the session. As we went along, she further helped individual (a hem like me) with certain positions and really drilling in everyones head that it’s not about pushing yourself as it is about releasing yourself with each movement.
Hour upon hour was passing by and before I knew it, I left the studio feeling open, unguarded and perhaps even a bit more enlightened although that’s a bit of an exaggeration… BUT…I certainly felt more «calm and centered.»
What I have learned over the last few years of my short life is, on a journey to self discovery, one must be willingly open its mind, body and soul to look within and beyond. In fact, the word yoga means «union» — through yoga a union develops between body and mind through breath and movement. Thus, keeping this partial personal philosophy in mind, I am sure without yoga the path to balance and self discovery would be difficult if not impossible.
You must experience its benefits first-​hand and taking a class or two here and sharing the experience with people alike is well worth it for yourself. Finding the words to describe all that yoga can bring to your life is a challenge. Yoga can have profound healing and strengthening effects, and Red Lotus Society aims to offer these to everyone. My experience has been just that — profound. Each session has taught me to appreciate the practice of yoga in a new way.