Down Under Yoga

Down Under Yoga was founded by Justine Wiltshire Cohen in 2004 in a parish hall in Newton Highlands. Justine had been studying yoga with John Schumacher in Washington, D.C., and even taught yoga at the Supreme Court, but when she moved to Newton to marry a local boy, she felt she had found her home. As she put down roots here, her yoga community grew, entirely through word of mouth. New teachers joined the Down Under community after meeting Justine during teacher training with Patricia Walden. Everything about our community today stems from these humble beginnings--a group of friends teaching together and our wonderful students who practiced through irregular heat, Our Story malfunctioning fire alarms, and the reverend's dogs wandering through the room. As we expand into our purpose-built yoga studios, we pledge to keep true to these beginnings of community, friendship, and joy in yoga practice.

We hold regular potlucks at student's houses around Newton where musicians, writers, artists, politicians, academics, and international development workers living in Newton speak about an aspect of their lives. The teachers get to talk about studying in India, yoga philosophy, and things we don't get to address in class.

Our yoga fundraisers and charity classes--the proceeds of which fund local Newton non-profits and local causes--are an important part of our program. We offer free classes for elderly yogis and those with disabilities through the Hyde Center in Newton Highlands and provide free classes for almost every community cause and fundraiser in the city.

For two years we searched for a permanent home and found a space at 304 Walnut Street that we would need to build from scratch. Hundred of students wrote letters and gathered names in support of our petition to build. When the time came for our approval hearing, so many beaming yogis packed the hall that it made Newton City Hall history. The application was unanimously passed.

The vision of Down Under Yoga is to do what we have always done well: run fine Iyengar and Flow programs side by side under one embracing roof. 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. With the vision of one ancient practice, different traditions, three different levels of instruction and different generations of students and teachers, the community feels very special.