Welcome!
Our mission at Your Element Yoga is to help clients discover and explore the benefits of practicing yoga and incorporate yoga into a plan for wellness and balanced living. Our expertly trained and supportive instructors, combined with a peaceful and welcoming studio, will help our clients to explore their individual needs and potential in yoga. Whether you are new to yoga, have been practicing for years or fall somewhere in-between, we invite you to come experience our classes and find a style that fits you. We offer classes in the following styles: vinyasa with many variations, Hatha, Forrest, Svaroopa, and youth.
News and Events
About Us
Your Element Yoga was conceived by founder, Sue Cushing. Sue has been practicing yoga for 10 years and wanted to create a studio where people could learn how to incorporate yoga into their everyday lives as well as challenge their practice to the next level. Through practicing a variety of styles of yoga with different teachers, Sue has learned that each practice brings a different benefit - some days it may be more physical, some days it may be more meditative. Regardless, each practice contributes to a better understanding of self.
The name Your Element Yoga was chosen because it encompasses many meanings in the practice of yoga. We invite you to our studio to find a place where you can be in your element.
Our symbol is the element of fire. Fire is considered the spark of life and is the chi or energy needed by all living things. You will use the fire within your body to give life to your practice.
As you practice yoga, you will begin to make the practice personal, it will become yours. Each person practices yoga for different reasons and realizes different benefits. The time you spend on your mat is yours and you should honor yourself for taking time to communicate with your body, mind, and soul. So come and practice with us. Bring your fire and create something that is yours!
Schedule
Please note classes are subject to substitution!
Pricing
Your Element Yoga encourages payment by cash or check We also accept Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards. There is a minimum charge of $30 for all debit and credit transactions. For your convienence, a number of ATMs are located throughout the shopping center.
Our pricing policies are below:
Svaroopa Pricing:
Private/Small Group Instruction Available - call for pricing.
Class Descriptions (Use the scroll to the right to view all of our classes)
*Studio Temperature: During colder months our studio is heated between 75 & 80 degrees to help warm the muscles & encourage the body to open. In warmer months we do not use heat. Children's class are regular room temperature.
Gentle Yoga - An excellent class for those who are looking for a less vigorous practice but still wanting a connection between the breath and body and increasing flexibility and strength. Typically practice will begin on the floor, warming up different parts of the body and move to standing/balancing poses. This is an appropriate class for senior bodies, beginners, or those looking for a quieter practice. Modifications and use of props is greatly encouraged.
Forrest Yoga - Connect to your core, get strong and centered! The studio is warmed to approximately 80 degrees creating a gentle heat that helps release toxins in your body. Poses are held longer which helps you flush, oxygenate and rejuvenate every cell. Forrest Yoga does not require strength or flexibility; it only requires that you bring a willingness to learn how to feel authentically and respond honestly.
Hatha - Hatha truely brings balance into your practice. In Sanskrit, "Ha" means "sun" and "tha" means "moon" - bringing together opposites in unity. Traditionally thought of as a more gentle form of yoga, this practice will unite a strong, heat-building breath with each movement. The practice will begin with seated postures to awaken each part of your body and progress into a slow flow of standing postures. Hatha is an excellent practice for all levels of practice, especially those who are new to yoga.
YogaKids (ages 4-7) - Designed specifically for children, YogaKids classes include age appropriate themes, music, games and stories. Working both mind and body, classes also incorporate academic, anatomical and ecological learning into our yoga practice and above all, HAVE FUN. A variety of relaxation techniques are also explored in every class.
Youth Classes (ages 7-12) - Throughout the ever changing pre-teen/ teen years yoga can help kids to remain grounded, build self-esteem and learn stress management skills as well as build both mental and physical strength. Various aspects of yoga will be explored as they continue to work on the mechanics of traditional yoga pose and most importantly, HAVE FUN!
Special Needs/Typical Integrated YogaKids - Children with special needs can benefit physically and emotionally from practicing yoga. Children will connect their bodies and minds in a calm and nurturing atmosphere which can result in increased relaxation, better concentration and a better awareness of learning. Space is limited in this class and must be reserved in advance -please call the studio for further inquiry.
Vinyasa - Vinyasa yoga is a system of yoga that emphasizes the connection between movement and breath. Vinyasa yoga is composed of a specifically designed series of postures that improves strength and flexibility, while working to focus and calm the mind. In this class, you will move from one pose to the next on an inhale or an exhale of the breath. The breath dictates the movement and the length of time held in the postures. Attention is placed on the journey between the postures not just the postures themselves. Vinyasa yoga creates heat in the body, which increases blood-flow and helps to detoxify muscles and organs. The results, among so many others, are greater strength and flexibility, improved circulation, a light and strong body, and a calm mind.
Teen Yoga (ages 13+) - Teenagers are sometimes leading busier lives than adults these days! But just as adults benefit physically, mentally, and spiritually from yoga, so can teenagers. Teens can increase their strength and flexibility, learn relaxation, stress management and concentration techniques, as well as increase their awareness of compassion and self-understanding. Students will be led through a modified series of poses focused on teaching proper physical alignment, using the breath, and creating a strong mind/body connection.
Svaroopa - If you suffer from low back pain, neck and shoulder tensions, or would like to relieve stress in your life, then Svaroopa® yoga is for you. In Svaroopa® yoga poses are carefully chosen and sequenced to provide release of muscular tensions in the core of the body along the spine. As you begin to experience core opening deep in the spine tensions leave the body you begin to experience less pain, stress relief and deep relaxation. Your body will become more relaxed and flexible and your mind will become quiet and calmer. Please note Svaroopa is limited to 10 students.
Yoga Basics - Not sure where your feet go in Warrior 2? Need a little more instruction in Triangle? Then this is the class for you! Yoga Basics will focus on teaching proper alignment for basic yoga poses and provide a clear foundation to help further build your practice. This is a great class for those who are new or returning to yoga, but is open to students of all levels of practice.
Events and Workshops (Use the scroll to the right to view all our events!)
Kids Helping Kids Benefit Yoga Class!
When: February 22, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Suggested Donation: $15 (cash/check only)
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
During this class we will spend time thinking about how all children are alike and different as we stretch, strengthen and relax the body. We will also spend time writing stories and drawing pictures that will be sent to the children who are in Children's Hospital Boston. Proceeds go to the Your Element Yoga team which is raising funds for Children's Hospital Boston at Yogathon 2012.
Breast Cancer Fitness and Recovery Through Yoga, Pilates & Weights
(Please note you do not have to register for all three workshops; you may register for an indvidual session.)
When: February 12, 2012 - CLICK TO REGISTER
March 11, 2012 - CLICK TO REGISTER
April 22, 2012 - CLICK TO REGISTER
Time: 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Fee: $30
The road to surviving Breast Cancer is complex physically, emotionally and mentally. We are pleased to welcome personal trainer Rhonda Skloff to YEY to lead a series of workshops for Breast Cancer survivors and their support people. The physical aspect of this workshop will blend yoga, Pilates and light weights to lengthen and strengthen the bodies that have been through so much. By reconnecting with the strength within the body, we hope to provide participants with additional tools to rediscover the spirit and soul. Rhonda has been a certified personal trainer for over 10 years, a certified Pilates instructor since 2004 and recently completed certifications in both Yoga for Breast Cancer & Beyond and the Pink Ribbon Program for Pilates and Breast Cancer.
Join Us at Yogathon 2012!!
When: May 6, 2012
Where: Gillette Stadium
YEY is so excited to be a part of Yogathoon 2012! Yogathon is a day-long yoga event held at Gillette Stadium. Yogathon was created by local non-profit organization, Yoga Reaches Out (YRO). YRO raises funds for children's charities through yoga events. This year's beneficiaries are Children's Hospital Boston (specifically the Division of Developmental Medicine which supports children with autism and their families) and Africa Yoga Project. This year's key presenter is Baron Baptiste as well as a number of Boston's most amazing yoga teachers. It's a FUN day of yoga, music, marketplace and community.
What can you do? JOIN OUR TEAM !! There is a $25 registration fee and a minimum of $250 to raise in funds per person. Click here to register now and be a part of this great day!!
Teachers
Janine Agoglia
Janine L. Agoglia is a certified yoga instructor who has been teaching yoga since 1998. In 1995 she began studying Iyengar Yoga, a yoga style that involves holding poses for a long time, learning great detail about alignment in each pose. In 1997 she discovered Vinyasa yoga and she felt everything open up: her mind, her body and her spirit. She felt at home with Vinyasa yoga, a flowing style that uses the breath to move from one pose to another. As a former professional modern dancer, the movement had real appeal, but it was her foundation in Iyengars alignment training that gave her the freedom to move effectively and efficiently. She gained strength and even more flexibility than she already had.
Since that time, Janine has passed on her yoga knowledge to many students, both in groups and privately. Her main goal is to help each person feel good in his or her own yoga practice, experiencing yoga both on the mat and in the world. She believes in a safe environment for learning, one where the student develops a keen sense of their own body, how it moves and how to listen to its signals of pain or fatigue. Janine is nurturing, yet challenges each student appropriately, according to his or her personal strengths and limitations. Janine is also a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist who has been practicing at Integrative Therapeutics in Natick since 2003.
Sue Cushing
Sue, owner of Your Element Yoga, has been practicing yoga since 2001. Sue was drawn to yoga because it provides a place in our busy lives without judgment and expectation and allows students to focus on cultivating the positive aspects of their physical and mental selves. Yoga can be whatever you need it to be - a gentle or intense physical work out, a mindful meditation, a simple act of kindness, or anywhere in between. Sue has experienced many styles of yoga including Ashtanga, Hatha, and Forrest and blends the styles together into a fluid vinyasa practice that focuses on increasing flexibility, building strength and understanding the individual body. One of the most exciting things Sue likes about yoga is that there is always something new to learn about yoga - with over 10 years of practice, she has realizes she has only begun to scratch the surface! Sue's main message to students is not to focus on whether or not you can touch your toes, bind a pose or do a headstand; instead, focus on the fact you take the time to come to your mat and explore how to deepen the communication between your mind and body. Sue completed her 200 teaching certification with Natasha Rizopoulos through YogaWorks.
Laura Grundstrom
Laura is a certified YogaKids facilitator and trainer. She has taught children in many different capacities for the past twelve years. Laura began teaching in the special needs field with Autistic children and then became a preschool teacher. She has a degree from Franklin Pierce College in social work and a minor in dance. Children have an innate need to move, as a teacher Laura strived to bring that movement into her classroom which lead her to the YogaKids program. YogaKids does just that as it educates the whole child by blending yoga with reading, music, body awareness and academic skills in a non-competitive environment.
Hilary Finnegan
Hilary Finnegan (RYT) comes to yoga with a long history of individual and team competition, from soccer to skiing, swimming and triathlons. But when she found yoga, something shifted. Yoga bestows strength and flexibility in the body and mind while allowing for a deep recognition of the essential self. This dance between mind, body and breath is a wondrous thing to share. Hilary completed her 200-hour teacher training with YogaWorks under the careful guidance of Yoga Journals Natasha Rizopolous. She looks to incorporate precise alignment with heat and energy, allowing the breath to lead students through a rigorous but balanced and thoughtful asana practice. Sharing her life with a husband, three teenagers and three labradors, Hilary deeply understands the need for balance in this increasingly busy world
Ari Caldwell
I feel so blessed that my life has turned onto this (very unexpected) path of yoga. My belief is that yoga is truly a miracle and whatever we seek, whether consciously or unconsciously, for our minds or for our bodies, can be found on our mats. Im so honored to be able to teach and my goal for my classes is to further my students awareness of their energy, breath, bodies, and alignment, and to help them realize the beautiful light they all possess. My 200-hour Yoga Alliance certification is from Prana Power Yoga thank you, Taylor & Philippe!
I should also thank David Magone, Baron Baptiste, Bryan Kest, Ana Forrest, and Ellen Heed. Jene, Jacqui, and Sue, you continue to inspire me and Joe, if it wasnt for you I wouldnt have found my way here. Thanks to all for your energy and light. Besides yoga, Im certified to teach pilates and Zumba, am a Level II Usui Reiki practitioner, and have a deep interest in our chakras and how they affect every aspect of our lives. Ive been graced with two unbelievably wonderful sons and one exceptionally crazy dog.
Lynn Morris
Lynn is a lifetime fitness enthusiast who has been teaching yoga since 2006. Having experimented with various styles of yoga, she found her home with the power and release found in Forrest Yoga. In 2008 she completed the Forrest Yoga Foundational Teacher Training with Ana Forrest, and it has been Lynns pleasure to share that experience with her students. Through careful sequencing and mindful hands-on adjustments, Lynn encourages her students to feel their practice. She stays fresh by practicing regularly, and frequently attends workshops, conferences and master classes in the New England area.
Maura Matarese
Maura received her certification through Prana Power Yoga in Cambridge and has been practicing yoga for over 10 years. Maura describes her style of teaching as hatha yoga infused with a creative and fun vinyasa flow. As a teacher, she stresses the importance of the student following their own rhythm by tuning into their breath. It's an approach of wait, listen, and then flow. She is a Licensed psychotherapist (LMHC) in the state of Massachusetts and registered yoga teacher (R.Y.T.) through the Yoga Alliance. As a therapist, she specializes in both traditional talk therapy and mind body techniques including yoga therapy. She has also informally studied holistic health and nutrition and can provide responsible information on where how to seek this kind of treatment.
Joanna Levine
Joanna initially trained as a ballet dancer and came to yoga looking for a way to stay in shape during her off-season. After beginning a daily vinyasa practice in 2007, Joanna quickly realized the benefits of yoga extend far beyond a strong and flexible body. Its is Joannas belief that Yoga offers everyone the opportunity to come as you are, empowering children, teenagers, and adults alike with the ability to discover joy in their own movement and self-acceptance. She strives to offer classes that are both playful and grounding. Joanna completed a 200-hour training with Bonnie Argo and Chanel Luck and is a certified Color Me Yoga® childrens yoga instructor. She also draws inspiration from Shawn Shaw as well as her studies of Prana Flow® yoga, Acroyoga® ,Thai Massage, and her extensive experience in ballet and modern dance. In addition to her background in movement, Joanna holds a B.S. in Physics and a M.S. and PhD. in Astronomy. When she is not in the ballet or yoga studio Joanna can be found teaching Astronomy and Astrophysics to the beautiful young women of Mount Holyoke College, where she is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor.
Jenna Jolnerovich Raetz
Yoga is a beautiful space in my life where I can always find peace and calm in the middle of uncertainty and chaos - whether it's external or internal. I initially introduced yoga into my life as a form of exercise to keep fit but as a result found so much more. I found a way to accept who I am, let go of judgment and ego, and just live in the moment. Take it one movement and one breath at a time. After a consistent practice this awareness carried itself off the mat, out of the classroom and into a place where I brought more and more awareness and attention to what I do, what I think, and what I believe in. I had to learn how to let go of attachments and see what's important to me and what's not. I had to let go of a lot and start looking for things that nourished my life, body and soul in a much healthier way. And I am still learning. That's the beauty of yoga, it's an ongoing practice. You can always keep going and growing. And you can make mistakes. My goal is to encourage a fun, supportive and non-competitive atmosphere in each class where students can feel free to open up, no matter where they are on their mats or in their lives. I want to create space where students feel free to go within, with an open heart and mind, and enjoy the process of becoming more body, mind and spiritually aware. I want to be there to witness personal, physical, and emotional transformations, to see others develop, change and realize their inner potential.
Annette Zucco
Annette discovered Svaroopa® yoga in 2004 and was hooked after her first class. She found that being supported with props (blankets, blocks, pillows etc.) allowed her to relax in the poses, and after one Svaroopa® class she was able to do poses that she was unable to do before. As she continued practicing Svaroopa® her chronic back and knee pain went away and she began to feel calmer and more centered. Svaroopa® refers to this as being in the bliss of your own being.
Annette decided that she wanted to share the gift of Svaroopa® yoga with others. She has completed 700 hours of teacher training through Master Yoga Foundation, (the training institute for Svaroopa® Yoga) and is Certified Svaroopa® Yoga teacher (CSYT), a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance and is a Certified Embodyment Yoga Therapist.
Sarah Gardner
Sarah Gardner is a graduate of the 200 Hour Sacred Seeds Yoga School. Her teachers, Jacqui Bonwell and Jené Rosse, inspired her through powerful study and practice. Even with an extensive background in fitness including a Master of Education in Human Movement from Boston University and over 15 years as a personal trainer, she is more fulfilled as a human being and grounded in her purpose because of her yoga studies. She deeply believes in living a life of service and providing opportunities for others to feel empowered. Sarah is the founder of Yoga Reaches Out, a non-profit organization that raises funds for childrens charities through yoga events. It is her intention is to create a stage where people believe in themselves and as a result are able to pay it forward and help others. Through her teaching and her work with Yoga Reaches Out, she offers a class where her students feel connected, filled with possibility and challenge their bodies physically and mentally.
Specials and Gift Cards
Note: For on-line purchases, we use PayPal. You do NOT need a PayPal account to purchase specials/gift cards . When you click on a button below, the PayPal screen will pop-up - scroll to where it says "Don't Have a PayPal Account?". For Gift Cards only, click on the "Note to Seller" on the review page to enter To/From information and if the gift card should be mailled or picked-up at the studio.
Gift Cards
Info
Find Us
Address:
525 Boston Post Road
Sudbury, MA 01776
Phone:
978.261.3202
Email:
info_yourelementyoga.com
YEY Favorite Links
Below are links to local vendors and friends of Your Element Yoga and organizations we support.
