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