Inscape

Inscape is a hub of zen, mindfulness and a brief escape from the hustle of everyday life. Inscape offers various sessions ranging from 30 minutes to 70 minute sessions of audio guided meditation, relaxation and mindfulness. Whether you are looking to be more focused, mindful or calm there is a session for you. Inscape also offers a large retail section filled with books, essential oils, candles and snacks. While it may run up a high bill, the curated selection of “gifts for yourself and others to nourish your body and mind,” will keep you looking well after your session. There is even an app that you can download to further your practice on your own if you can’t make it to the dome. Even if you are much more inclined to do  a hardcore cardio workout, as we are, this is  something you can add to your repertoire on your own time, because health after all isn’t all about sweating.

RUNDOWN

WORKOUT

The “workout” that is Inscape is truly a personal experience. We took a Calm Meditation class focused on mindfulness. Throughout the 45 minutes we were instructed to sit up straight with our eyes closed. The facilitator encouraged us to make ourselves comfortable while still sitting upright. She reminded us there was no technology in the dome and that we should remain quiet throughout the session. The audio guided session reminded us to come back if our minds had wandered. A lot of our session was focused on the connection of mind and breath which was at times slightly challenging. At one point we thought about how it might be easier to push ourselves through a 45 minute spin workout rather than work on our breathing. That’s when it occurred to us- this was something we needed to do more frequently. The session had various points of silence and some points with light music in the background. The audio guided recording was very soothing and urged us to “travel gently” at the end of our session.

INSTRUCTOR

The 45 minute session was lead by an audio recording. This may seem odd but it makes for a more uniform experience no matter what day, time or session you attend. There was a facilitator who ushered us into class and gave us a run down of what would happen, the rules and started the recording. She was available for questions after our session but was not a “instructor” in the traditional sense.

SPACE

As soon as you walk through the doors into the huge lobby at Inscape, the hustle and bustle of NYC is immediately gone. You enter into a spacious lobby filled with a retail area, front desk and two large seating areas filled with adult sized bean bags. The space is quiet and tranquil. We were greeted right away and given a quick tour of the space which included – retail area, seating, lockers and cubbies for shoes and lastly showed us the dome where our session would be taking place. There is also a space called “the alcove” in which relaxation sessions are housed. The dome is where most of the sessions occur is very large. There is enough room for about 30 people. It is filled with pillows, bolsters and blankets on the floor. You can choose your own space and are instructed to make yourself comfortable. The spaces are fairly close together but once you are in your meditation session with eyes closed you feel like you are in the dome all alone. The dome’s ceiling has bamboo like support structures with colorful lights as a backdrop that correspond with the mood of the session and change throughout.