History of Integral Yoga Natural Foods
By 1972, the integral Yoga Institute of New York was growing rapidly under the guidance of Sri Swami Satchidananda. Many people became students of Hatha Yoga and began living according to the lifestyle recommendd by the teachings of Yoga. With so much interest generated in following a vegetarian diet, there became a real need for a store that would supply fresh whole foods at reasonable prices. When the problem was presented to Sri Gurudev, he suggested that the Institute start a sore itself as a service to the students and the community.
On March 26, 1972 Sri Gurudev performed a special service asking God’s blessings on this endeavor, and the first Integral Yoga Natural foods open its doors. It was set up as a nonprofit operation and was staffed by residents of the Institute who served there in exchange for their room and board, and by volunteers, called karma yogis. Though the store was only a small space on the ground floor of the Institute’s building on 13th Steet, it was an immediate success. Among the staff of those early years, ws a young man, newly given monastic vows, named Swami Asokananda; who went on to manaage the store and eventually became the President of the Institute, a position he remained in for more than 15 years. In 1977, Asokananda became the President of Satchidananda Ashram in Virginia, the headquarters of the Integral Yoga organization.
IYNF and its clientele continued to grow and by 1979 had more than outgrown the original space. A larger location was rented at 250 West 14th Street, just around the block from the institute. This also became a success. As the business expanded, it became necessary to hire employees from outside the institute membership. This was a major turning point, as it changed the store to a “for-profit” business, and began the process of learning how to apply the teachings of Yoga to the operation of a business. In addition, it became an opportunity for members of the community to experience Yoga and the teachings of Sri Gurudev as employees of IYNF. The store continued to grow and its success became both a way of introducing Yoga and vegetarian diet to many people, and also a means to support the growth of the Integral Yoga organization as a whole.
In 1987, another turning point occurred: the renovation of the entire Institue building on 13th Street, to create an even bigger space for the store there. The manager at the time, Krsna Gillespie, had been a student of Sri Gurudev and integral Yoga for nine years. Krsna was instrumental in planning and creating what is now the existing home of IYNF, a 2,200 sq. ft. space at the new address 229 West 13th Street. By 1989, Krsna faced the same problem yet again - the need for more room as both the product selection and number of customers continued to grow. That year, a small space across the street was rented and Integral Yoga Natural Vitamins was born, with Manu Dawson as its manager. Manu was a student of Sri Gurudev, a Hatha Yoga teacher, and had educated himself to become an expert in the study of diet and nutrition and the use of natural supplements. With Manu’s knowledge and Krsna’s guidance, the Vitamin Store aslo flourished until it became necessary to expand it as well. Finally, in 1996, the adjacent space was rented, walls knocked down, and a complete renovation created a new store twice the size of the first one, with its design in a turn-of-the-century apothecary fashion.
We now have two wonderful stores and a radio show as well, allowing us to continue as one of the leading natural food stores in the tri-state area and the only vegetarinan natural vitamin store of its size, in this area. With the motto, “whole foods for the whole person,.” IYNF strives to provide the purest food possible to the community, in an effort to support the spiritual and physical well-being of the customers. Over the years it has always attempted to adhere to the principles of yoga in every aspect of its operation. It is our hope that all those employed at IYNF find it a place that supports their personal growth and well-being, and enables them to experience the spirit of unity and love that is at the core of the yogic teachings.
