Every human is a soul, a ray of infinite light, embodied within finite form.
Yoga Center Amherst’s purpose is to help open the way for the future by supporting the embodied self and the soul to come together and create an integrated, purposeful, and fulfilling life. We cultivate a light-filled vibration in the studio that offers greater access to direct experience of the soul. We offer teachings that support surrendering the separated identity’s motivations and desires to the soul’s wisdom and aspiration. And we teach embodiment practices that integrate body, life, mind, and soul. Yoga Center Amherst exists to be a container for joining spirit and matter and infusing the sacred into every day, every moment, every breath.
Yoga Center Amherst is a yogic enterprise, a business devoted to embodying truth, wholeness, and love. Our intention is for yoga to infuse every aspect of our work. At the heart of yoga is unity. When we look at the world around us, we see separation, division, and alienation. In reality everything is One. Yoga Center Amherst’s “Pay From The Heart” model aligns with this unity. Together we create a space that can freely share the gift of yoga with all, for no one is outside of our human family.
Corinne & Matthew
We are honored to steward such a vibrant and committed community of yoga practitioners. We met in 2000 at UMASS Amherst, and have shared a passion for yoga in all of its many forms. In addition to our love, practice and teaching of Embodyoga® with Patty Townsend since 2004, we’ve studied together with Baba Hari Das and connected deeply to Amma. We have experienced the blessing of our beloved teacher Guruji-Ma’s love and guidance since 2002. Our relationship with her has awakened in us a calling to join all aspects of our lives, to place Love and the Source of Yoga at the center of our lives and let our thoughts, plans, and actions grow organically from this center.
We are deeply inspired by the international community Auroville and its dedication to embodying human unity. Auroville is where we first connected with the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, whose call to awakening stirs our deepest hearts. We aspire to embody the wisdom that they offered to humanity. And we travel to India regularly with our brilliant children Arin and Irina to connect with our spiritual roots and honor the tradition of yoga that has given us so much.
We believe that yoga involves a progressive seeking, a process of growth toward wholeness that is not confined to human effort, but present throughout the natural world and the cosmos as well. Our practice interweaves aspiration and exploration with surrender to these natural evolutionary forces through which the Divine seeks union with Itself. In asana classes we invite you to feel and embody the living presence of the Divine and weave the teachings of yoga into your embodied life. In kirtan we sing love songs to the Divine, and in meditation we offer the experience of soul embodiment.
Whether you feel called to join us in weekly classes, teacher trainings or guided trips to India, we very much look forward to connecting with all seekers and sharing the inner and outer pilgrimage of yoga.