Down Under Yoga Studio in Newton

Down Under Yoga is located in Newton Highlands. It is a small place filled with great people. Having done hot yoga for a while where the teacher was probably on some super strong caffeine or energy-giving product I was not looking forward to doing any fast yoga. My plan was to go to a class and do as much relaxation and breathing practices as possible. Of course, I ended up going to a vinyasa class by accident, which I fell in love with. As I went downstairs to the yoga studio I was greeted by friendly receptionists who took care of everything. They showed me the lockers, yoga mats and so on – they were also very excited to know that this was my first time and that I was doing a project on their yoga studio. Right before the class started a different teacher came in and said she will be doing the class today because Justine (the director of the studio who was supposed to teach vinyasa) could not make it in. By the end of the class I was very glad this different teacher, Coeli, came in because she took it slow and went through each pose as if we were doing research. It was probably the most clarifying class of yoga I have ever taken. In the morning before the class I was very grumpy and upset because my long term boyfriend decided we should break up- I was in no mood to do anything, especially yoga, but I felt amazing when I got there and my day was great after that. It is interesting to see how yoga not only works on the physical but most importantly on the mentality, also how it makes people feel and how important it is for our development.

Vinyasa yoga is a fast paced breathing yoga which definitely works on the strength of the body but also finding the right balance. “Vinyasa, which means breath synchronized movement, tends to be a more vigorous style based on the performance of a series of poses called Sun Salutations, in which movement is matched to the breath”(Magazine of Physical Therapy, 2001, pg.1). This two hour class went over all the basic vinyasa movements but did not do any hand stands and other advanced poses. In yoga working to perfection is very important but it is not the goal. Yoga is meant to be enjoyed but also taken seriously. One can feel the difference if he or she stands in a pose correctly or if something is not right because it can be felt in the muscles and people are tense and stop breathing if they feel uncomfortable.

Down Under Yoga was founded in 2004 by Justine Wiltshire Cohen in a parish hall in Newton Center. She studied yoga with John Schumacher in Washington D.C., but after marrying a Newton-boy she moved here and began teaching. As people passed on the information about yoga in the area more and more people began coming and yoga teachers joined. For two years Justine was looking for a permanent place and thanks to friends in the area she was able to open a real yoga studio. It took a lot of work to renovate and now offers classes everyday almost all day long. There are free classes available for people with disabilities and money is raised through fundraisers where one can come to a free class but also teaching programs are held and many events to teach about yoga, India and other things that yoga classes do not have enough time for. “What began as six friends teaching in parish hall, has grown into a rich teaching environment, honored by the participation of several of America's most senior teachers including Barbara Benagh, Claire Este-MacDonald, Coeli Marsh, Patricia Walden, Natasha Rizopolous, Peentz Dubble, Chanel Luck and Shiva Rea” (Down Under Yoga). This place offers something for everyone thanks to different types of teaching, teachers and styles. The feeling at the studio is very light and friendly and it is apparent that no mean or negative person would be hired at this place. Everyone who came to the studio that day seemed happy and relaxed. Family, women, men, young and elder enjoyed being in the same room together and no one felt better or more experienced, we all did what we could thanks to the help of the instructor and her assistant. On their website one can find photos and information of every instructor as well as the history of the place and what they believe in. One of the most interesting points of their beliefs among believing that teachers continue to be students, challenge and individual attention was: “We believe that yoga studios should act in ways that are consistent with the teachings of yoga. We will never sell plastic water bottles that go into landfill (because ahimsa means “do no harm”). We will never sell $150 yoga pants (because aparigraha means “identifying greed”). We will never accept offers from companies to promote their gear in exchange for free publicity or products (because satya means “truthfulness”). We will never brand, trademark, or pretend we’ve made up a new style of yoga because humility is the whole point” (Down Under Yoga). This is very important because if the studio teaches about these traditional yogic beliefs they should also be able to follow them. This is my favorite point because it shows that even though they are a modern yoga studio for Americans they still follow Eastern beliefs that have so much wisdom in them.

This place really does serve everyone. Depending on the hour and the type of class everyone can find something they enjoy mostly. More intense classes and some that focus on relaxation and breathing techniques. The one thing about this place that I did not like was that it is based in Newton so it seems as everyone could afford the high prices of yoga. For me paying $150 for 10 classes is definitely too much and completely not on my level of affordability. Because it is in Newton, this place is still packed and so I do not think they will ever lower the prices. It is nice that they have some free classes but too bad they are very early in the morning on week days. I was happy to see so many elder people being so flexible and strong. Going back to the statement I made about everyone being able to find something that suits them I remember seeing a class on the schedule for pregnant women. This is absolutely amazing that pregnant women can also practice yoga and make pregnancy a little easier for them. I do wish the classes were a bit cheaper and that yoga was more available to people that cannot afford yoga.

The yoga instructor, Coeli, was a great teacher because of how she focused on teaching us how to do the poses correctly. She had us do it incorrectly first to see how that feels and then with the assistant's help she showed us how it should be done to have the best results. For me it was most important that she kept repeating that we should breathe. Every time she said I found myself hold my breathing and feeling tense. Coeli's knowledge on how to do everything well comes from her past and present. She is the founder of the Teachers Study Project, a professional training and mentoring school for yoga teachers in Cambridge (Down Under Yoga). During the class she shared stories about her life and told us how she got into yoga. It happened when she was thirteen and had an operation done on her back. The doctors had her lay in bed for months but one of the doctor's wife told her about yoga and that she should come after she regains some of her strength. At the time yoga was not something cool to do, it was more for hippies, and so Coeli kept it as a secret from her friends and family. She also talked about her teaching yoga to kids and how amazing it is to see how they develop thanks to yoga. When I interviewed her she shared how Americans like to abuse things and when abusing yoga it works like poison, there is simply too much of it. She believes we must discover the art of being enough and that we should stop where we feel most comfortable without pressuring ourselves to be perfect. Another thing she shared with me when I asked her about the Western modernizing yoga was that different cultures have different needs. “...most styles of ‘modern postural yoga’ emphasize the physical benefits of a¯sana (for example, weight loss or flexibility), as well as their effects in terms of ‘stress reduction’ or ‘relaxation’”(Smith, 2007, pg.32). This quote supports well what Coeli was saying because she believes yoga is the way it is in the States because that is what we need. People in this country are having problems coping with stress caused by expectations and the need to always have more and more. I think we prefer to focus on the body and add the mind to it while in the Eastern part of the world the mind is most important and the body's function is to keep the mind stable, for example through yoga.

“Studies show that yoga decreases levels of salivary cortisol, blood glucose, as well as plasma rennin levels, and 24-hour urine norepinephrine and epinephrine levels. Yoga significantly decreases heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Studies suggest that yoga reverses the negative impact of stress on the immune system by increasing levels of immunoglobulin, as well as natural killer cells. Yoga has been found to decrease markers of inflammation such as high sensitivity C-reactive protein as well as inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 and lymphocyte-1B”(Alyson and Sue, 2010, pg.1). These are just some of the physical benefits of yoga but to me most importantly it improves ones spiritual side and keeps us mentally healthy and happy. According to Down Under Yoga Studio's website yoga has many benefits, such as increased flexibility, strength, greater aerobic capacity, amelioration of chronic diseases and an improved state of mind.

Being a Diamond Way Buddhism practitioner it is interesting to learn about yoga and its culture. These Eastern teaching are very much connected it is apparent that they all work on our 'self' in a very positive way. Although the way we reach enlightenment is very different and I know I have found my way in Karma Kagyu Buddhism, I still enjoy learning about other traditions and seeing how they beneficial they are for people. I can see how Buddha's teachings are part of yoga because we learn to let go of things and how to be present but in yoga through using our bodies in an intense way and I think focusing very much on it. Breathing in Buddhism is very important because it calms the mind and helps us focus on the meditation. During yoga classes I have learned many ways of breathing and it is great how I can use it during meditation sessions.

I believe yoga can be seen as a positive psychology system because it allows us to simply let feelings and thoughts pass without evaluation, we focuses on the here and now, and learn to enjoy whatever comes. Yoga can be beneficial to everyone but as Coeli said it is important to not overdo it because even the most amazing things can become poisonous to our body and mind.

“We are what we repeatedly do” - Aristotle. If yoga is what we continue to practice and we feel good at all times while doing it even if it is difficult or uncomfortable at times then I believe one can reach a state of harmony and balance. Yoga has existed for thousands of years so it must be something good if it continues to be powerful and has moved to the West.

References

A Brief Guide to Yoga Styles. Magazine of Physical Therapy (2008). Vol.16, Issue 4, pg.30-30.

Alyson, R. and Sue, T. (2010). The Health Benefits of Yoga and Exercise: A Review of Comparison Studies. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Vol.16, Issue 1, pg. 3-12.

Smith, B. R. (2007) Body, Mind and Spirit? Towards an Analysis of the Practice of Yoga. Body Society. Vol. 13, Issue. 2, pg. 25-46