I have always loved the idea of yoga, but never really got "into it" until I found Coolidge Corner…read moreYoga. Once you get over the "youngish, white girl vibe" (those who know what I'm talking about know what I'm talking about), I have found the instructors here are funny, approachable, and not intimidating at all. The classes are pretty easy to follow along with even with little yoga practice. My tip would be to look around you if you have no clue what you are doing (LOL). I also LOVE that the classes here are 1.5 hours - it goes by so quickly and I always feel like I get a good stretch and workout no matter the class. I've only tried one other studio in the area, but that's enough to know I don't really want to go anywhere else. No pretentious renaming poses and flows. Full disclosure: I'm also a skinny Asian American girl in her late 20s, so I can't really speak to how inclusive this place can feel, but I do believe they try to welcome everyone. Once I signed up for the $30/30 days deal, I'm pretty sure I took 10 classes. For beginners, I would come with a friend so you can learn the culture of the studio and introduce yourself to the instructor if you can. Grab a blanket, strap, and two blocks with your mat :) Flow and Restore is what I started out with and it's my favorite class. Come 10 minutes early! I have never not found a spot in a class when I do this, even when it gets crazy crowded. Sometimes, they'll run out of blankets and straps, but the instructor will always get them for you. Parking is metered street parking. You can pay with Park Boston app or credit card on certain streets (including the spots in front of the studio), but other meters are quarters only. I have never missed a class because I couldn't find a spot, even at rush hour!

I attended a Flow and Restore class with Heather. It was a very relaxing class! An even mix of slow…read moreflow and restorative postures. Heather offers optional hands-on reiki/touch during savasana which I loved! The studio space itself has a very grounded and peaceful energy. I can tell they have cultivated a nice community there!

Last week, I purchased the 3-class package at Y6 and tried both Hot Yoga and the 101 class. I…read morereally enjoyed the experience. They have great instructors, friendly staff, and a welcoming atmosphere at the front desk. I was initially unsure about the changing lights, but after the first class, I found them to be a unique and enjoyable touch. I'll definitely be back! Parking: There's plenty of parking Atmosphere: Very clean and friendly Service: 10/10

This was my first venture back into a yoga studio post-baby so I felt a little bit like Harry…read morePotter entering Hogwarts at a 50 year alum weekend having forgotten what everything looked like, but it was great! Kim, the owner, was really nice and you can tell is so proud of this place. I'm so glad it's a fitness option in Assembly! Everything about the experience is so thoughtfully laid out - from the clean space, supremely organized props room, to the accessible sanitizing supplies. Believe me - an experience is about every touch point of your visit - even the sanitizing! My first instructor, Anahi, was great and the class was both challenging and zen - which is my favorite yoga combo. The energy of a class is 100% set by the instructor so she was fantastic, and set the tone on optional adjustments in poses given some previous injuries. Looking forward to trying a few more classes in my trial - they offer a $36 (?) 3-class trial within 7 days so it's a great way to check out a few different classes to see if it's for you or not.

Lotus Yoga is a gift to our community. Last year I signed up for their generous $27 unlimited pass…read morefor new students. When the month ended I got a regular membership and Lotus Yoga has been my sanctuary ever since. You will immediately notice that their two studios in Somerville and Arlington have absolutely no trace of pretension or condescension. Lotus teachers believe that yoga is truly for every body. They are all inclusive and accessible to the core. Ren founded Lotus Yoga after a career as a clinical social worker focused on recovery from trauma. When I first took Ren's Chakra Flow class I felt like it was the best therapy experience of my life. Don't get me wrong, it is also an amazing yoga class on its own, but it has been healing and transformative for me in ways that were not available in other therapy modalities I have tried. In addition to Chakra Flow, Lotus offers daily Slow Flow, All Levels Flow, and Restorative Flow classes. I love them all. Their teachers each bring their own authentic selves to each class they teach. Every teacher is unique and expertly trained. Do yourself a favor and sign up for their unlimited one month pass for new students. It is literally, and I never use that word figuratively, one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Not for me -- I prefer a more athletic practice and found the 3 classes I tried here to be very…read moreslow and not challenging, and without the opportunity to push poses further and make them a bit more interesting or challenging. I was initially quite happy to see a new studio in O2's old space and I had taken classes with Lauren when she subbed there a few times (she was trained at O2 and I believe taught there for a bit, before I became a member) and maybe I just didn't pick the right classes, but I would opt for flow classes at Down Under instead. That said, the prices here are much more reasonable! The cost of drop-ins and class cards at most studios are a huge barrier to making yoga accessible. 866855

I love this yoga place, and I can't say enough wonderful things about Randy, the instructor. He is…read morea great guy and a dedicated Ashtanga yoga person. I was going to him for years before COVID came along and ruined things. But his yoga studio -- great vibe, wonderful people, just a good place to be. It carried me through a lot of tough times. I really hope to return one day soon.

I studied at Ashtanga Yoga Belmont with Randy for about four years. Randy is a very accomplished…read morepractitioner and teacher of Ashtanga yoga and traveled to India multiple times to study with Pattabhi Jois before he died. Randy also mentored under Eddie Stern in NYC. Despite his impressive resume'Randy remains humble and dedicated to teaching yoga as he was taught, something that is very hard to find. This is a great place to get a traditional Ashtanga Yoga education.

All the instructors here are so friendly and encouraging and really make an effort to learn…read moreeveryone's names. During class, they demonstrate each new movement for a few reps, and then go around the class to correct form. They also expertly and seamlessly control the music (I think on smartwatches?) to set the pace for each movement. Overall I highly recommend this studio!

Love the girls at barre and soul so much! The workout options are great; barre, yoga, Pilates. The…read moreinstructors are so nice and helpful, and the workouts are perfectly hard for all fitness types

Perhaps the only authentic Tai Chi Chuan school in New England. Vincent and his brother Gordon…read moredeliver excellent one on one instruction in an old rustic loft space in china town, which is somehow exactly where you would expect to find the real thing. If you're serious about learning Tai Chi, look no further. Vincent is an accomplished master that has attained high proficiency in his art through a life time of study, and direct lineage in Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan. He is has been featured in several magazine articles, been published, and travels all the around the world to give seminars. The students at Gin Soon are very open and friendly, ranging from blue collar workers to college professors. I for one am always a little worried about walking into a situation like and finding myself to be an ethnic minority, or in the middle of a Star Trek convention. Fortunately that was not the case here.

I trained here for a spring semester a few years ago, and the setup and floor were well maintained,…read morethe community energetic, and newcomers matched carefully to make sure they were safe. I plan to return now that I am living in that part of Boston again.

One of the reasons I moved from Brazil to the United States was to practice Aikido in New England…read moreAikikai. The dojo's founder, Mitsunari Kanai Shihan, is known throughout the world for his unique Aikido technique. If you are considering starting Aikido practice this dojo is an excellent choice. It is well located, all students are friendly and the instructors are very competent. I am sure you will be in good hands. If you practice Aikido and are travelling in Boston, make sure you pay a visit. You won't regret it!

Needless to say, we all have our reasons for seeking out some sort of spiritual belief or a way to…read morecome to terms within ourselves and our environment. I turned to meditation for that help. This was probably the best place I could've gone. I'm doing the drop-in classes on Tuesday and really want to take one of the weekend, more in-depth classes. CIMC is welcoming, beautiful, and calming. I didn't feel out of place or like I didn't know what I was doing there. I can't even think of what to say about this place because it exceeded my expectations--which is hard to do since I set such high expectations of absolutely everything in my world. They don't try to push anything on you, religion-wise; rather they allow you the opportunity to just be with yourself and to feel centered--again, something that doesn't come naturally to me. While I was there, the teacher said, "if any of this resonates with you, then meditation can help you." A useful note: the $5 is a suggested donation and they won't turn you away if you absolutely don't have it. Which I'm thankful for since I live on an AmeriCorps stipend and don't have much extra, but once I have the money, I will gladly give them that $5. It's worth it.

I really miss Larry Rosenberg. The center has lost its shine since Larry has faded away from…read moreteaching. He was my first teacher in 1980 and I am forever grateful for his teaching. The center now seems to promote special groups "sanghas". I began practicing because of the Buddhist view of non self and non identification to self, so it seems to me an antithesis to Buddhism of integration and inclusion. I also feel that communication from the center is aggressive about raising money. Volunteering is only for friends of Narayan, or so it seems because she has the final say in approving or rejecting a volunteer. In full disclosure, I have been practicing since1980 but moved away from the center to explore Tibetan Buddhism. After attending a day retreat in July I tried to reconnect by responding to a request for volunteers. I was turned down by Narayan with no explanation. That being said I am aware that many lost souls can find solace in the appearance of the projected peace at the center.