About Us
We often find ourselves focused on a singular goal with laser-like attention. We look toward the future with ambition and think about our lives in terms of one final destination. We are driven, fast-paced, and rarely have the presence of mind to look around us. These habits can consume us if we forget that each destination is the result of our unique and special journey.
Welcome to Yoga Odyssey. The mission of our studio is centered around each individual’s unique journey: your personal odyssey. Just like every other aspect of life, one’s yoga practice is constantly changing, so much so that perhaps it never reaches a final destination. Instead, it builds upon itself, never peaking but using each prior practice to help itself evolve. Since ancient times, odyssey has been used to describe a long journey full of enlivening adventures and life-changing experiences. An odyssey is filled with lessons, some pleasant and some enlightening, that foster self-growth and self-appreciation. At times, an odyssey seems impossible to navigate and at the mercy of the wind of an unforgiving universe, but an odyssey is never ending — it won’t be long until you find your way towards a clearer path, stronger and wiser and with even more faith in yourself and in your journey.
Your odyssey
begins within.
Yoga, like an odyssey, teaches patience. The acknowledgement of your odyssey in life and in yoga is the practice of self-kindness and self-love. We practice yoga not to perfect poses, but to build them; no pose is ever complete because it has no limit. It is boundless. Our yoga practice is designed to maximize our strength, both mentally and physically, not so that we can impress others but so that we can feel balanced and complete within ourselves. It is only through our own wellness that we can begin to spread our light to others, sharing our energy and spirit with those around us and creating peace and camaraderie within our communities.
Our community is special. Our people are unique. Our odyssey is infinite. Taking even a moment of stillness can be challenging; it can be difficult to look back, and it may seem impractical to find a purpose in where you are. But you are exactly where you need to be: you’re in the middle of your odyssey, ever evolving and always improving. Let us provide you the space to find the joy of the journey. Allow us to help you slow down, to help you see the beauty in every step and feel the power in every breath, because every step and every moment is just as important as the last and every bit as valuable as the next. When you join us at Yoga Odyssey, set your intention toward progress, rather than perfection, as you come to understand that the boundaries you have been pushing toward are elastic because your odyssey is limitless and begins within.
The Mati
Engraved on our mirrored wall is the Mati, also known as the Greek Eye.
It protects us and our space from evil spirits, collecting negative energy and transforming it into positive, invigorating energy. It releases this positive energy to us and our space through the rays of the sun, as represented by the eye's lashes.
The Mati serves its purpose with the help of the olive branches, serving quietly to give us the wisdom to recognize that darkness can always be turned to light and guide each of us to a life filled with prosperity and fulfillment.
May this safe space serve us in good health and happiness for a very long time!
“I opened Yoga Odyssey to share my love of a healthy and empowering lifestyle.”
— Zachy Christodoulou, Owner
Meet Zachy
For her entire life, Zachy Christodoulou has been a model of enthusiasm, positive energy, and physical fitness. As a standout athlete in multiple college sports, she developed a goal-oriented mentality that helped her achieve many long-term successes. From triathlons to mountain biking, from skiing to golf, Zachy has been able to apply her zest for life and love of the outdoors into her daily routine. As a mother of three, she began her yoga practice and quickly fell in love with the practice. After several years as a certified yoga instructor, she opened her own studio on Main Street in Somerville, NJ.
Yoga Odyssey is the only hot yoga studio of its kind in Somerset County, which services the many diverse communities in the surrounding area and caters to the many skills levels that yoga attracts.
Zachy looks forward to sharing a love of healthy and empowering life styles that combine the ancient concept of a healthy mind and a healthy body. For years, she has helped a wide range of clients improve their overall health through a customized training regimen that includes external connections with nature and awareness of the inner self. Zachy looks forward to bringing her love of life and emphasis on a holistic balance to improve the life force of the growing yoga community.