Summer is here, the sky blazes blue and the sun is a celebration of yellow. The flowers are everywhere, like a new masterpiece each day, changing the frameless scenery.
The layers of winter are left in some forgotten closet.

It’s the time when each of us should think about our flexibility, good mood, healthy lifestyle, grace, vitality. YOGA is here to help you feeling rejuvenated and I will guide you.

This summer, I will teach Yoga at my Studio at 407-30 Elsinore Path (Lakeshore/Islington), on Tuesdays at 7pm and at the beautiful, retreat like garden space at 185 Emerson Ave. (Bloor/Dufferin/Dupont) on Mondays at 7 pm.

Balasana (child pose) is resting pose that centers, calms, and soothes the brain, making it a therapeutic posture for relieving stress. When performed with the head and torso supported, it can also help relieve back and neck pain. Sometimes used as a counter-pose to backbends, Child's Pose restores balance and equanimity to the body.

Regular practice of Child's Pose teaches conscious exploration of the breath. Keeping the breath slow, long, and steady allows for a new awareness of the breath's path through the front and back of the body.

​Instructions how to do it:
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Begin on your hands and knees. Center your breath, and begin to let your thoughts slow down. Turn your awareness inward. Spread your knees wide apart while keeping your big toes touching. Rest your buttocks on your heels. Sit up straight and lengthen your spine up through the crown of your head.
On an exhalation, bow forward. Allow your forehead to come to the floor.
Keep your arms long and extended, palms facing down. Press back slightly with your hands to keep your buttocks in contact with your heels.  Allow all tension in your shoulders, arms, and neck to drain away.

​Cautions:
Do not practice Child's Pose if you have a current or recent knee injury. Women who are pregnant should only practice a wide-legged variation of the pose — do not press the belly on top of the thighs.
Always work within your own range of limits and abilities. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga.
If you have difficulty resting your buttocks on your heels, place a thickly folded blanket between the backs of your thighs and your calves.
Spreading the knees wider apart can create a deeper stretch in the hips.

Any Questions? Please email me and I would love to help you out.
​Maya

In my current Vinyasa class that I teach every Wednesday evening, I have 18 students and among them 5 couples. I had before class with one or two couples but having 5 is something I am so happy to see.
​Yoga is traditionally thought of as an individual practice, but there is a new trend emerging; that of partner yoga. There is something about bonding and whether it would involve romantic couples, friends, family members or business partner - yoga can definitely offer some refreshing ways of spending quality time together.

​Doing yoga with a friend or a spouse will help improve communications and develop trust, not to mention that is great for building strength and all in fun-filled and supportive environment. Together, couples can motivate each other and do so much to improve their bonding as well as their mental and fitness level.

It is important to know that It doesn’t matter if you or your partner have never practiced yoga before - partner yoga is suitable for all levels.
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Yoga in general is all about stretch, relaxation and rejuvenation. When couples workout together, they will both relax at the same time and enjoy each other’s company even more after class. and two people will enjoy each other’s company even more after the class.

There are many yoga poses that I would recommend for couples - just sitting in lotus, relaxed and trying breathing exercises or doing DWD or boat pose is a very good start. Therefore, I am so glad that having couples at my class is really working out and – that this a confirmation that partner yoga is a positive trend.
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Kudos to all that feel the same.
​Maya Toracki

It's coming! Who wants to be reminded that Fall is approaching...
But we have to remember that Fall is the time when we are "giving our thanks" for an abundance of food-family-friends...and for everything that has blessed our lives.
It is also time when we slow down and when we should set our intentions by incorporating more yoga into our everyday life.

Speaking off - our Fall Yoga season is starting on September 19,2018, same place and time.
If you want to get into Yoga routine again and deepen your practice, get your body stronger and stretched, and equally important - if you want your mind to be calmer and focused...please join me again.
I am offering 2 classes - All levels at Mimico and Intermediate class at Burnhamthorpe location. The last one starts later, lasts longer and doesn't have as nice space as at Mimico.
 
Link: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/Portals/0/AdultLearners/docs/Full%20L4L%20Fall%202018%20Brochure.pdf
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Go with Vinyasa Flow, bar code - 90998 ( Mimico) or 90500 (Burnhapthorpe).
Invite family and friends, they will enjoy as you know...

Looking forward to see you all and - remember - live Smart and Live Well !!
 
Namaste
Maya

Summer is here – we are active more than ever. That’s great.  
As you know – Yoga is such a great ‘tool’ to keep our body energized and our mind calm – therefore I am inviting you all to come to a beautiful, specious and full of light yoga space at AVALON FITNESS CLUB ( 800 Islington Ave. South Etobicoke).
There are plenty of parking spaces and the Bus stop is in front of the building.
 
Our new “Flower-Power” summer yoga session will start on July 22, 2018 at 10am. It will be one hour gentle Yoga Flow class and we will have it for 7 weeks (possibly longer) at $12.00 per class.
All levels are welcome. So please come.
 
Since I have to rent that yoga studio space I would need to know who would be coming, so please let me know ASAP. Thank you!
 
Hope to see you soon!

Yesterday evening I had to teach yoga class – just 4 days after I lost 70% of my blood and had surgery. I was weak and I couldn’t do much but – I remembered Michael Siddall's advice:" guide class verbally, do your  practice at your own time" – and Darcie Clark who offered me a great support and told me to be honest with my students and teach them verbally instead using my own body to demonstrate every move… and – it went well, better than I ever hoped. My students were great and energy was almost palpable.
Great lesson learnt!!

These are the days where there is light under the dark. These are the days where the green grass grows fast through the cracks and there is laughter beneath cloudy skies. The sidewalk may be cold, yet every foot is dry. These are the days when flowers are the jewels of the new season.
It’s time to venture out of our winter cocoons.Our “Cozy Winter” session is coming to the end. We had 9 classes and majority of you came even when it was very cold and streets icy and slippery. I love your enthusiasm and dedication. It shows in your Yoga practice –your body is more open now and you are beginning to feel a change. Sometimes change is not coming as fast as we want – however – remember – real change is gradual and needs a time to blossom.
 
Now, I am inviting you to our next SPRING Yoga session that will start on April 11th,2018, same time, same place.

NEW Registration is in full force for our Spring Yoga session.
Again, we will have 9 classes for only $84.00 ($50.00 for seniors).
Location: Mimico Adult Centre – 255 Royal York Road.
My class is – YOGA VINYASA FLOW, code is 89480
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Follow this link:  https://econnect.tdsb.on.ca/Start/Start.asp  and - register- online or you can call: Phone: 416.338-4111

Thank you and I hope to see you again!
 
Be kind and stay kind.
 
Love you all.
Namaste
Maya

As a graduate of the Yogaspace teacher training program, my yoga teaching portfolio has just become enriched by becoming a member of the Advisory Board at Mindful Reach.
The Mindful Reach Advisory Board plays a significant role in the guidance, development and review of programs and educational products that are built to connect practices of mindfulness, positive psychology and coaching with sustainable behavioral change for personal and organization gains.
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Mindful Reach provides individuals with tools that will enable them to develop quality relationships with clients, colleagues and management.

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Winter. Dove grey sky. Sleepy flowers and the naked winter trees. The leaves bejewelled with frost. Lake has given up its blue. Crisp air.
Woolen hats pooled over our red ears, warm scarfs and mittens. Rosy cheeks and bluish lips.
We are now more at our cozy homes, slowing down, wrapped in blanket… enjoying mulled wine, cinnamon and cloves.  
It’s time for inward contemplation and for a big exhale, a big cleansing sigh…… and for slowing down to find calmness. We shouldn’t forget to stay kind and share happiness and everything that has blessed our lives. 
Holidays are coming, and we will eat more and relax more. 
Something better is on its way, and at the same time, it cannot be rushed. It is time to set our intentions to incorporate more Yoga in our everyday life.

I continue to be grateful for yoga, breath and You, my yogi and yogini. 
Have a Happy Holidays!

Namaste
Maya

Teaching a beginning yoga class is very challenging but also very rewarding.  However, teaching a “Mixed” class where teacher has to face some very experienced yogis, some that don’t practice regularly and those who are complete beginners – is a big challenge. 
​Teachers are accustomed to “Mixed” classes and It is up to them to make it fun as well as a great yoga experience for everybody in the class.

Now, how we do that? 
I absolutely love teaching yoga and I believe that my students can feel that. This is a start, a good positive energy that is coming from the teacher. I am also a believer in using simple words and avoiding yoga jargon and Sanskrit pose names. Students can’t remember them, can’t pronounce or repeat them. So – what’s the purpose??
I break down poses step by step paying attention to my “Mixed” class diversity - offering optimal pose variations for a variety of body types, abilities, and reasons for coming to class.
​I would like to quote an amazing yoga teacher from Toronto – Michael Siddall – who hardly ever demonstrates what he is teaching. Michael uses verbal cues to help and direct his students into the poses. He says: ‘Teacher is here to teach – not to practice yoga. We should practice at home, on our time, but when we teach we are here to pull out maximum from our students and that is possible with good and simple cues.’ 

In addition to what Michael says, through experience I realized that doesn’t matter what I sometimes say and how simple my cues are – some students are doing something different; I guess they do what they want to hear, and some are simply very visual.  Therefore, I demonstrate each pose and stay in that pose just long enough for students, especially beginners, to understand it, usually just for one breath and than I am off to help them with alignment.
Perhaps, a yoga student can do a handstand, or not; a lunge, or not; a balance pose, or not but what I always stress to my students is –that they should only do what they can. This will help them find strength and ease. It will be reflected in their everyday life as well. My personal philosophy is that “Only you know what works for you. Your practice is your practice”.