At Three Jewels, there's coffee out front, and ancient Tibetan wisdom in the back

Three Jewels recently opened a cafe-yoga studio combo (a spiritual speakeasy!) at 5 E. Third St. just off the Bowery...



Three Jewels, the nonprofit that has been around for 21 years, moved into the storefront in Janaury; the cafe space opened in late February.

Stehen McManus, the managing director of Three Jewels, shared more info with me.

Here's part of a news release:

Three Jewels is coming out on the Bowery scene after 21 years hidden in an East Village walk-up. The non-profit community space looks to be a modest whitewashed café from the street, but walk through their rose-mirrored wall, and you’ll enter a glowing temple room where spiritual seekers practice inner and outer methods ...

Their model of spiritual education is tripartite (and most of it is free): a comprehensive meditation programme with a colorful Tibetan backbone, thoughtful yoga classes, and deep scriptural education from seasoned practitioners. The centerpiece offering, an eighteen-course spiritual training in Buddhism, contains texts that were translated to English from Sanskrit and Tibetan for the first time in the early 90s. Comprehensive meditation and yoga trainings are curated to provide students with the root of an authentic personal practice.

The spiritually curious can choose from the themed meditation program and relax on Samaya cushions in the temple space or bear witness to the flow of artists, business-types, dancers, social activists and yogis whom migrate to the café, curated by the Bushwick coffee heroes Little Skips.

You can find their cafe menu here. You can find more about their classes and events here.