Courses

Ayurvedic Vegetarian Cooking for Winter Nutrition

with Divya Alter

When: 

Thursdays, January 27, February 1, 8, 15 - 6:30 - 9:30 pm

Where: 25 1st Ave. (bet 1st and 2nd), 2nd floor Lounge

Info:  In this class we will learn how to prepare delicious, easy-to-make vegetarian meals based on the principles of India’s ancient healing system, Ayurveda, which emphasizes balancing one’s diet with the seasons, eating according to one’s dosha (constitution/type), and making sure our foods are easy to assimilate and optimally health-promoting. In the winter we need to consume foods that are warming, moist, and a little richer in protein, so we will learn how to prepare soups, root vegetables, grain dishes, beans, sauces and teas that warm the body and promote digestion, as well as deeply satisfying desserts. We will explore the healing properties of foods and spices, discover how Ayurvedic principles can be applied to any type of cuisine, and even learn the appropriate Sanskrit prayers and chants to begin our meals. Each class will combine lecture, cooking demonstrations and hands-on food preparation practice.

Fee: $140 (includes all recipes & materials, 4 delicious full meals)

If you can attend only 1 class, please contact Divya for availability.

For more information and to register: 313-909-2800, divya.alter@gmail.com

Website: www.veggiecooknyc.com

Comments from Students:

Divya’s simple, fresh, exquisitely flavorful food is a revelation. And her thoughtful, generous, nurturing ways never fail to feed and soothe a harried New York soul.  –Ruth Patkin

Divya's class was a very positive experience for me. I looked forward to coming to class each week. It wasn’t JUST a cooking class. I felt like it was an education on how food can be extremely nourishing with exceptional flavors. The class opened my eyes to many spices and cooking techniques I have never heard of. I came home wanting to try the recipes out and telling my friends and family what I have learned. People often think vegetarian cooking is bland and boring, but the dishes Divya taught us were beyond flavorful and out of this world… and extremely healthy! I would recommend this class if you want to really open yourself up to learning new things, meeting wonderful people and really having a loving and healthy relationship with food. I hope to return again and learn more cooking techniques from Divya! –Amanda Gershkowitz

The Art of Sanskrit Chanting, Level 1

with Divya Alter

When: coming up in January - please contact Divya for details

Where: 25 1st Ave. (bet 1st and 2nd), 2nd floor Lounge

Info:

Immerse yourself in the sounds and poetry that have captivated yogis for millenia.

In this convenient three-part/10-hour workshop, you will gain access to the inspiration and healing embedded in the ancient bhakti texts of India.

Each session will take you through the cultural, technical, musical, healing and spiritual aspects of Sanskrit chanting in a way accessible to anyone. In particular,

Level 1 focuses on the rules for pronunciation and meter practiced with ample chanting and one-on-one tutoring—the basics you need to properly recite any Sanskrit mantra or verse.

Fee: $150

For more information and to register: 313-909-2800, divya.alter@gmail.com

Comments from Students:

I have been studying Sanskrit for 6 months before meeting Divya and I was filled with such joy to be chanting and singing again. Divya lives this practice that she teaches and so we are infused in the sound and feelings of love and devotion. I am an artist and a healer as well as a long time practitioner of yoga. Divya shares this language with us in the most natural way, like breathing. It is remarkable how quickly she taught even the very beginners how to read and pronounce the Sanskrit verses accurately and also gain the tools to continue on our own practice. –Mary Anne Willoughby

I loved the class, loved the generosity, compassion and knowledge of the teacher (Divya) and felt like a whole world was opened up in just 3 lessons.  I have so much more of an understanding and appreciation of chanting and the Sanskrit language now . This class planted a seed that inspires me to continue studying and practicing. --Ken Montgomery

I had a background in the practice of Buddhist mantras and wanted to deepen my understanding of the language on which they are based, particularly to enhance my ability to utter them properly. Owing to Divya's mastery of technicalities and gift as a teacher, the rules for pronunciation were covered in a meticulous yet succinct fashion.  After merely three sessions I was able to look at a brand new piece and have a ballpark idea of how to chant it!  Beyond the technical level, I also felt enriched by all the personal and historical anecdotes Divya had recounted throughout class; they were awe-inspiring, as if by shining a light on the fathomless spiritual depth and cultural richness with which the Sanskrit literature is infused. –Bernard Chan