Yoga Shelter – West Bloomfield Studio

Love this place!
I started coming here because the yoga place down the street screwed me over, and boy am I glad I found them!
I purchased the unlimited package: $ 29/​mo for the first month, and only $ 99/​mo after that. You have access to all studios and you can bring 2 new guests a month. I’m into it!
The deal was good enough to join, but the instructors make you want to stay. Matt and Najee are incredible! You get a great workout while relaxing, and their playlists are spot on.
The other yogi’s are friendly. The space is huge and they have a little lounge bed while you’re waiting. It’s in a little strip mall, but it’s such a gem. Worth your time and money!

So many things! I love that the classes are affordable and welcoming for everyone — beginner all the way to expert! I love how friendly and personable the staff is and they always have the best music! I also love how clean the studios are. I could go on and on… Yoga Shelter rocks!

Terrible customer service. Called about a membership I ordered, the lady who answered the phone was very nice, but unable to assist. I requested to have a manager give me a call and never heard back.

Went to the shelter after about a year hiatus (I moved to another state). I always loved going to Caren’s classes; she was my go to guru. Due to the storm my ‘omie and I couldn’t make it across town to our new place so we decided to try it out again. The storm front was disorganized, sparse, and outdated; the space did not speak yoga but more going out of business feel. We didn’t feel comfortable leaving our phone and wallets since we’re not familiar with the studio and the teacher interrupted me during a shape to make sure my phone was off — she was messing up my vibe. As a yoga teacher myself the teacher was also doing extremely dangerous transitions for a group of mostly novice yogis. She tried to internally rotate my hip during an external rotation and then about 6 internal to external rotations on the same leg — yikes! I also rented a mat and it was torn up and smelly. Glad I brought a yoga towel to cover it. Will not go back; will keep following Caren to her news studios. By the way the student discount is still $ 17.00. Boo.

Wow… what an amazing place. My wife and I have to going to the Shelter for several years now, and I can truly say this place R-​O-​C-​K-​S! Instructors are cool people, the studios are always immaculate, showers with actual hot water, and super-​friendly front desk staff. From the moment you walk into the West Bloomfield YS, you’re made to feel right at home.
I cannot think of anything negative about this place; I truly can’t. Occasionally, a fellow yoga student may forget about social mores, but the instructors always deal with a faux pas with grace and humor. In the end, yoga is about far more than ‘I’; it is about ‘us’…you can find no better group of ‘us’ than at Yoga Shelter. It simply draws out the best in all of us.

I have been going to the shelter for over a year. The shelter is clean, people are all very friendly. The classes are excellent. The teachers are wonderful !!! I wish they would have a class between the hours of 1and 3 in the afternoon !

I went about 6 times in one month. I liked the studio and the warm temperature. I preferred some teachers over others but that just takes time learning which instructors are more my style. Staff was friendly. Facility appears clean.

This yoga studio reminded me of a community rec center, not a calming place to find peace. The class itself was fine, but the location (its in a mall) and the construction will keep me from coming back.

Life is full of crazy. Life is full of the unexpected. Sometimes its nuts and sometimes is pretty good. Once in a while, I find myself inviting a healthy amount of crazy into my life, however there are still times when the craziness is totally unwelcome and completely unappreciated.
So what happens when bat-​shit, completely off-​your-​rocker crazy enters in my life? I’ll probably get pretty annoyed, and fairly pissed off. But then I decide to seek shelter and get my Om on. And Yoga Shelter is perfect for that.
I, too, was one of the unwashed masses that bought the amazing groupon a while back. However, I never felt unwelcome by the staff. Nor, did I feel like the the classes were too jam packed. Sure, there are some crowded classes; I think it depends more on the instructor and the time slot vs. how many groupons were actually being redeemed.
This particular studio offers one huge room which is often divided so two classes are being offered around the same time. It seems like the really popular classes/​time slots will take up the whole room (sans divider). I have found that very late evening classes and weekend afternoon classes are the least crowded. Also, if you can make it to a late morning class, you’ll find it almost empty. I typically like going on Sunday afternoons and Tuesday evenings. I absolutely love Chris’ Sunday Fusion class, but sadly, me attending is a rare occurrence. Almost all the classes are great… I’ve only gone to a few classes which I haven’t completely loved.
However, shelter doesn’t come cheap. Classes are expensive but often they will have packages and promotions where it makes it somewhat affordable. The staff here is great and most instructors are absolutely brilliant. They also have a small retail area offering clothing, yoga mats and other accessories. So despite the somewhat steep prices and sometimes crowded classes, I still will seek shelter and the Yoga Shelter is perfect for that.

I don’t understand what Emily is talking about… the rooms are huge and so are the classes… if u didn’t find a place to sit its prob because u didn’t get there a tad earlier. I love the slow flow class. Eliane Braden is amazing. I just love everything about her and her clas from start to finish. And if you can get into a slow flow class with Caren Paskel we’ll then u just stuck gold… and make sure you are there 20min prior to class… Carens classes fill up amazingly quick. One time I had to be sqeezed it… but I didn’t care, I was just estatic to be there. And caren was sweet enough to make sure they made room for me.
Eliane is my all time fave though. I only go to her slow flow class. Thi place rocks. Been going there for years!
If you see me in elaines class I’m always wearing a «I love karma shirt» in gray and red… don’t be afraid to say hi! Xoxo
Namaste :-)

Five years ago I decided to give yoga a try to help with my chronic back pain brought on by years of activities which I undertook to improve my fitness but in reality resulted in the deterioration of my spine, shoulders and feet. At the Yoga Shelter I gained a knowledge of a form of fitness that was previously foreign to me. After some time, and with with constant struggle, I have learned to leave competition at the door in the endeavor of self improvement and personal expansion into something more than physical fitness. I appreciate the environment staff and teachers as well as a schedule that is very accommodating. I have to admit I absolutely hated yoga the first few times I did it (read too competitive), but grew to appreciate it and eventually love it. If your reading this review to decide if this is the right place for you I recommend that you try the available free week and visit frequently during that period. If you’re like me you’ll be glad you did and look back fondly on the opportunity

I’m one of the great unwashed masses who was at a class today via Groupon. I have suffered from chronic, almost unrelenting lower back pain that 3x per week visits to a local chiropractor can only partially relieve. I was so desperate to find another avenue for relief that I bought the Groupon deal on an impulse.
After one class this morning I am nearly pain-​free for the first time in over a year, although I know that yoga is not a miracle cure. Thank God that Yoga Shelter decided to offer this deal to the general public so that people like me, who would never have darkened the door of a yoga studio otherwise, could take advantage of its benefits. I have a feeling that my interest and attendance will continue after Groupon is over. I’m sorry that some of you feel crowded out by us neophytes, but the benefit to my well-​being is enormous, and I am already a «loyalist.» I hope that’s some consolation, at least.

Since the groupon was posted the classes are too packed to move. I wrote a letter to the owner to complain that the groupon was not fair to loyal members, and he wrote this
Smile our Shelter family just got bigger. Obviously the Shelter has
meant a lot to you but only according to your preferences, your comfort,
and your opinion on how and who we should share with. If you really are
a loyal student then you would be jumping for joy for our teachers who
have bigger classes, for the new students who will get a great taste of
the shelter love and for our business that will sustain itself so that
we can be around for a long time. Challenge yourself to grow, to view
this all in a way that has you smile rather than frown and remember
«What is like nectar in the beginning is like poison in the end, and
what is like poison in the beginning is like nectar in the end». Who
knows with all these new people you could meet your next best friend,
metro Detroit may get healthier, thousands of people from all walks of
life may get closer and more accepting of one another, people may get
inspired to work harder therefore boosting our economy and changing some
of the gloom that rests on our city, none of this may happen at all but
why not try?
I suggest you re-​read this letter and ask yourself if this was written
by a yogi? It’s fascinating what bothers us, threatens us, annoys us,
scares us, what makes us happy, comfortable etc… analyze your emotions
and I am sure you will find the «mind» has simply got the best of you.
Seems strange to get two free weeks yoga yourself along with an
incredible 60 day rate and complain about what other new students are
getting especially after buying a family member the very same deal that
you are complaining about. For three years you have been coming to yoga
and I do apologize that our teachers have not taught you to be of
service, to spread good will and share. It is very disappointing to me
to know that our teachers failed you so greatly. In lieu of this, I
would be happy to have you as my guest to the next Transformation Train,
my wife Lisa will be conducting a goddess workshop in March that you can
attend for free or if you would like I will discount Life Training in
Costa Rica by 500.00 dollars. Laura you are better than this, I have
heard you are a sweet young woman…
Finally may we all live by these words «Mind Your Own Business». You
are absolutely clueless about our business, what we make, where it goes,
how much our overhead is, what finances it took to get us off the
ground, what we pay our staff, employee’s and vendors. Laura I could
have written a very sweet letter acknowledging your concerns offering
you whatever you ask but that wouldn’t help you or us. If you take your
emotions out of what I wrote and carefully read this letter it just may
be the best yoga class of your life! I took the time to write this
because I care, and because you have invested three years into yourself.
If this ends in you hating me, or leaving the shelter every class you
took with us will have been wasted. This is when it gets fun, life that
is, right when it’s not going the way we want. Dig in, join in and let
this whole thing be the impetus for profound change. Peace, EP

Yoga Shelter is THE place to go if you’re wanting to work out and work IN. The teachers are all amazing and the studio itself is beautiful! Great environment to sweat your ass off or work on self transformation — a variety of classes to meet your needs. I love the Vinyasa classes the best… the teachers play awesome music and give great adjustments. LOVE IT!

Being from out of town, I have only taken 3 classes here when I was visiting family.
The style of the classes I went to were Vinyasa focused… flow focused. And the energy of the class was great.
The staff was very helpful, the studio is very spacious (which was really nice since the studio I go to at home is quite small!).
I took a basic flow class and the «yoga rocks» class which was yoga to upbeat music. It sure did help in getting my mind off of how tired those downward dogs are!
The teachers I had were very good at teaching and making adjustments.
I’ll be back in Detroit in a few weeks and plan on taking some classes while I am there.