Down Under’s mission is to give comfort, inspire reflection, and ignite movement through the power of yoga in a school that students and teachers across traditions call home.

A Warm Welcome

Down Under School of Yoga is New England’s premier yoga school, home to some of America’s finest yoga teachers, Ayurvedic practitioners and bodyworkers, and a vibrant student body. When asked how we “convinced” so many legendary teachers to come under one roof, the answer is: we didn’t. We simply built what we believed was valuable and never wavered from that vision.

This Boston yoga studio began as a group of friends teaching in a parish hall, all graduates of senior American yoga teachers. More than ten years ago we decided to create a space dedicated to teaching and learning. Those senior faculty plus many of Boston’s leading yogis naturally gravitated towards the uncompromising clarity and authenticity of that vision. It is the quality and cadence of these relationships, a vibrant internal dialogue, the desire to evolve intelligently, and our commitment to our core values that define who we are.

At Down Under School of Yoga, we are not seeking a beautiful pose but rather the quality of your attention inside the pose. Each tradition whispers its own secrets. Every teacher works on a different aspect of your practice. As you explore different classes, you learn to respect your body and your process. The student who loves to sweat often struggles with stillness. The yogi who delights in precision gains something different when asked to flow with body and breath. We invite you to practice what is heavenly and hardest for you, to expand your practice and possibilities.

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Memberships and Pricing

Honoring Yoga: Our Promise

As students and teachers of yoga, we are the stewards of an ancient practice; the way we act off the mat is as important as what we do on it. Consistent with the tenets of yoga philosophy that eschews materialism (aparigraha), Down Under will not make corporate product deals, trademark new styles of yoga we "invent," or sell $120 yoga pants. What matters is the quality of your attention and we adore you in your oldest baggy pants. We’ll continue to take yoga off the mat by supporting sustainability in all forms and keeping our studios green, hosting charity classes, free philosophy discussions and workshops, supporting our teachers' social justice initiatives from free yoga in low income areas to safe spaces for people of color, marginalized groups, and people of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds.

The current American yoga student paradigm:

In an age where large gyms and corporate yoga chains sell yoga as a fun, fitness class, students are inundated by yoga glitz and gimmicks where yoga is dumbed down and dressed up (because otherwise it’s just not that appealing!).

In contrast, the concept of a yoga school as a place of education, exploration, and community may seem a little old-fashioned. We defy the assumption that everything must be corporatized and we celebrate this ancient tradition, the authenticity of lineage, and the fact that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Our purpose is to shift the paradigm to create a space where students can come to learn in an environment that is without distraction and propaganda. What is so astonishing is how much this vision resonates with yoga students. As the practice lands, the student begins to distinguish amusement from authenticity and entertainment from instruction.

The current American yoga teacher paradigm:

The young exhausted teacher running all over the city with a haphazard schedule trying to cobble together an income

Advised by "business of yoga" seminars to prioritize social media over study

Encouraged to bill themselves as "Master Teachers" although having taught for less than a decade

Yoga corporations exploit young teachers by objectifying them to sell over-priced yoga clothing to students who have come to learn a craft that repudiates materialism

All this leads to a vicious cycle that is a powerful testimony to how hard it is to make a living as a yoga teacher. These mixed messages that young teachers receive in the name of building a professional career means that yoga is in danger of becoming the very distraction it is intended to be a relief from.

In contrast, our purpose is to create a business model where yoga teachers have a “home” where they can grow their personal practice and cultivate a sustainable living and lifestyle.

Down Under Through the Years

Down Under Yoga was founded by Justine Wiltshire Cohen in 2004 in a parish hall in Newton Highlands.

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Mission & Values

Down Under’s mission is to give comfort, inspire reflection, and ignite movement through the power of yoga in a school that students and teachers across traditions call home.

We elevate the standards in all we do: our quality of teaching, our offerings, the cleanliness of our studios, and our personal attention to students, teachers, and managers.
We create the possibility for greatness in people. It is through this greatness that we cultivate the courage of action to try our best regardless of the outcome.
We believe we are all in this together. Our human compassion binds us to one another as equals, not in pity or condescension, but in a shared recognition that everyone we meet knows the taste of struggle.