Susan Turtletaub
Susan
Turtletaub first came to yoga when a knee injury interrupted
her plan to climb Mt. Rainier. Accustomed to intensive
athletics, the injury put her in a funk, but she was amazed
to find that she could quiet her mind and feel good in her
body by standing still in a yoga pose. Susan’s students now
would be amazed to know that she was ever a stranger to
stillness. She’s a master of peaceful restoratives and
mindful movement, inviting her students into a playful and
gentle relationship with their body that is truly
transforming. As one student explains:
“Susan's classes are a wonderful extension of her personal
practice. In a safety-conscious setting, Susan guides us
through traditional asana practice with a personal twist.
Our classes are a balance between active and restorative
poses depending on the class composition and special needs.
My own physical awareness and sense of well-being have been
greatly enhanced studying with Susan.”
Susan’s particular insight into the body’s mysteries comes
from intensive studies with master teachers Bonnie
Bainbridge-Cohen and Donna Farhi. Susan is currently a
Senior Assistant for Donna Farhi, and teaches at her
Advanced Yoga Teacher Training and other workshops and
retreats worldwide. Her yoga is also infused with the wisdom
of Bainbridge-Cohen’s system of Mind-Body Centering, an
experiential study of the embodied patterns arising from our
anatomy, our psychology and our process of development.
In her study of developmental movement patterns and the
application of universal principles (the interconnectedness
of all things), Susan continually explores the relationship
between authentic movement, physiology, and Hatha Yoga. She
starts with the most fundamental of human movements and
guides the student to discover links to traditional yoga
poses. She promotes alignment from the inside of the body to
the outside, where form and function meet. Susan strongly
endorses the transformative tradition of yoga as a life
practice to be taken off the mat and fully integrated into
everyday lives to promote optimal health and wellness. Her
approach translates into a sound understanding of yoga
postures and ideals, grounded within the broader context of
the yoga tradition.
The fascination and intense respect for the human body that
sparks Susan’s yoga teaching is leading her to further
studies in bodywork. She will begin classes at Seattle’s
Cortiva Institute in 2010. Susan is inspired by her students
at The Yoga Tree, and is grateful to be continually learning
from them.
"This class is an anchor for me ... it reminds me of why I
do this practice and how it enhances and supports me in my
life." - P.B., student
