Ashtanga Yoga Northampton

This is my yoga home. Both my parents were yoga teachers (Integral) and I’ve always been a yogi in some casual way, but Ashtanga Yoga is what got me hooked on a regular asana practice.
I started practicing with Michelle when her location was in Florence. Her combination of wisdom and humility make her the most approachable teacher I’ve ever had, and I am truly endeared to her.
I’m also a total convert to the Mysore style class, where one follows the sequence along with their own breath. In a Mysore style class, the instructor is available to be giving adjustments because they don’t need to be demonstrating the sequence, and you get a quality of one on one attention that is rare in an affordable group yoga class, and usually only found in a private lesson. This is especially true if you are lucky enough to go to a class with low attendance.
My favorite things about Ashtanga Yoga are 1) the Ujjayi breathing (a breathing technique that puts me immediately into The Zone; done throughout the practice), and 2) the fact that one does the same asana sequence every day.
You learn to memorize the asana sequence, and it translates perfectly to a home practice. I never enjoyed any kind of disciplined home practice until I started doing Ashtanga! Now, I can do my practice anywhere. Currently I actually do it at a local gym (Hampshire Fitness), only because they have childcare (yay, childcare!!) I bring my kids in, walk past the pool, the scheduled yoga class, the exercise equipment, and go straight to my favorite corner mat. (It’s not nearly as nice a location as AYN, but it works for me, and I couldn’t be more psyched to be getting my practice in!)
Right now I’m on one of the prescribed monthly days off, and I can’t wait to get back. You know your yoga is good, when you miss it on the days you’re not supposed to do it!

I always feel welcome at this studio. The level of pretentiousness is really low. The other students are there for the yoga and the teaching. No one at this studio will judge you, gawk at you or hit on you. Michelle and her fellow teachers make sure that each student is appropriately physically and mentally challenged in class, which is an incredible feat. I’m almost afraid to give such a positive review because I don’t want to share! But my secret hope is that so many people will want to come here that they will have more classes including later night classes!

As someone who studies Asian philosophies for a living (I’m a religion professor), I’ve always been interested in yoga, but I never really enjoyed going to led classes. They never really resonated with me in ways that inspired me to keep practicing. Then I discovered Ashtanga and the Mysore style of teaching, and my whole perspective changed. Mysore classes enable students to move at their own pace, and allow for a much more introspective, individualized way of practicing.
Just a few weeks ago, after a three-​year hiatus from any sort of regular yoga practice, I began attending Michelle’s Mysore classes at Ashtanga Yoga Northampton. I’m hooked! Michelle is a phenomenal teacher, who guides all of her students with patience and humor.
I can’t speak to the other classes that are taught at Ashtanga Yoga Northampton, but the morning Mysore classes are great. (The only downside is that the space is small, so it might start to get crowded in there if more people start showing up.)