Kriyā Yoga: A Beginner’s Guide to Inner Calm When most people think of yoga, the first thing that comes to mind is moving through postures on a mat. But yoga is much more than physical movement. One of the quieter, more meditative branches of yoga is Kriyā Yoga—a practice designed to calm the mind, balance […]
2025/09/25Befriending Our Nervous System and Our Innate Capacity to Survive + Thrive. by Trish Sullivan SOMATIC PRACTICES are mind-body practices which focus on working, or partnering, with our nervous system. These simple, evidence-based practices (e.g. movement, grounding, box breathing, self-hug, shaking, re-bounding, humming, singing, being in nature) can help release physical and emotional tension […]
2025/09/24Did You Know Yoga Can Boost Your Brain Function? Yoga is widely recognized for its physical benefits, but its impact on mental well-being is just as profound. Regular practice can lead to improved brain function, emotional balance, and resilience. Key Benefits of Yoga on the Brain: Reduces Stress: Lowers cortisol levels and promotes relaxation. Boosts Focus […]
2025/02/20Backbending Benefits for Body and Brain Backbending is a fundamental aspect of yoga that offers profound benefits for both physical and mental health. As we arch our backs and open our hearts, we engage in a practice that not only enhances flexibility and strength but also promotes the release of essential fluids that nourish the […]
2025/02/01In a world that often moves at breakneck speed, slowing down can feel like a luxury. Amidst the chaos of modern life, finding moments of stillness becomes invaluable. This is where Yin yoga emerges as a haven—a practice that beckons us to linger, to soften, and to embrace the art of surrender. What is Yin […]
2023/11/28Unveiling the Power of Pilates: A Perfect Complement to Your Yoga Practice Are you curious about Pilates? Wondering how it can transform your fitness routine and enhance your yoga practice? Let’s dive into the world of Pilates, explore its effectiveness as a form of exercise, and discover how it seamlessly complements your yoga journey. What […]
2023/10/31Mysore Yoga Practice Tips on How To Establish a Regular, Dedicated Mysore Ashtanga Practice by Svitlana Nalywayko, Breathe Co-Owner and Mysore Teacher If you’re like so many Ashtanga/Mysore practitioners who understand the massive rewards that a daily practice brings, yet sometimes face mental roadblocks to getting onto our mat every day, join the club. Let’s […]
2023/10/11Discover the Power of Mindfulness Meditation Are you feeling overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of daily life? Mindfulness meditation might be the key to finding your inner calm and managing stress and anxiety. Let’s explore the benefits of this practice, and don’t miss our 4-week Intro to Mindfulness Meditation Workshop with Trish Sullivan Benefits […]
2023/09/29What is Ashtanga Yoga? Ashtanga Yoga is a dynamic and physically demanding style of yoga that was developed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. It is often referred to as “Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.” This style follows a specific sequence of postures (asanas) that are linked together in a flowing manner, synchronized with the breath. The practice […]
2023/08/19Introduction Yoga, an ancient practice that originated in India, has gained immense popularity worldwide for its transformative effects on physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Among the various yoga styles, Mysore Style Yoga stands out as a traditional and self-paced approach that allows practitioners to develop a personalized and sustainable practice. This essay explores the origins, […]
2023/06/26WHAT IS ASHTANGA YOGA? Ashtanga yoga is a traditional form of yoga that has gained immense popularity in recent years. Ashtanga yoga is a system of yoga that emphasizes a flowing, dynamic practice of poses that are performed in a specific sequence. The practice is physically challenging, yet deeply transformative, and practitioners often cite numerous […]
2023/06/22Teaching Yoga to Seniors: Tips, Props, Modifications, and Finding the Right Opportunity to Help Bring Yoga to an Aging Population Yoga is an ancient practice that offers numerous benefits, such as improving flexibility, strength, balance, and mental well-being. These benefits make yoga an excellent exercise for seniors, who may be experiencing limitations in their physical […]
2023/06/08Yoga’s Benefits are Massive. But you have to do the work. Here are some tips and tricks to help you stay on track and grow physically, mentally and spiritually. CONSISTENCY is the key to progress: THE PHYSICAL: Yoga is remarkable in that it works towards full body mobility: the ability to move up, down, sideways, forwards and […]
2023/04/18Resting Heart Rate …. an unexpected benefit of my yoga practice. How can you tell if your physical practice – running, hitting the gym or anything else – is making you not only feel better, but feel healthier, too? Of course, we can do testing with our medical team to prove benefits from our physical […]
2022/07/20Yoga and … p.a.t.i.e.n.c.e. by Ed Van Hooydonk, Director of Corporate + Partnerships Last week, while on my yoga mat, I was reminded of the value of patience. Of slowing down, and enjoying the journey of not only my yoga practice, but of life. We are running a marathon here, not a […]
2022/06/06The Physical Benefits of Yoga – Part I Neck Strain by Ed Van Hooydonk, Director of Corporate + Parterships Do you have neck strain from sitting at your desk all day, and perhaps from looking at multiple monitors? I’ve been using multiple monitors at work for many years. And with my email being […]
2022/05/3121 reasons to practice yoga in the morning Make yoga part of your morning for 21 days in a row and feel the difference it makes to your day. Here are 21 reasons why … by Emma Newlyn Our goals and good intentions like New Year resolutions are often based around becoming happier and healthier, more […]
2022/04/27Mysore – My Practice What is Mysore? When I started attending classes at Breathe I noticed that my Yoga teacher would tell me in class to perform certain poses at the level “that was my practice” and I had no idea what my practice was. Sure I knew that I didn’t stand on my […]
2022/04/03Yoga Therapy Designed To Fit Your Individual Needs “In recommending Yoga practices, one should always consider an individual’s particular circumstances. Just as other activities and practices must be adapted to the changes in one’s life, such as aging, so too Yoga practices need to be adapted as the practitioner changes.” – Krishnamacharya What is Yoga Therapy? The […]
2022/03/15Corporate Yoga and Wellness …. A Personal Journey I started practicing yoga in the fall of 2019 at the age of 56 and today find myself as the Director of Corporate Yoga and Wellness Programs at one of Canada’s leading yoga and wellness Centres. Going back, as a 25-year Tech Sales Exec, I spent a […]
2021/10/25Starting Yoga at 60… After attending drop in yoga classes offered at my community centre and gym, I had a strong desire to learn more. I gifted myself a 4 week Yoga Basics Workshop at Breathe Yoga Studio for my 60th Birthday. This turned out to be one of the best decisions I have made. […]
2021/09/02The Perfect Home Yoga Studio: Create Healthy Change, Build Your Body, and Relax Your Mind Yoga isn’t your typical exercise routine. Sure, it will help you improve muscle tone and flexibility, everything you want from a standard workout at the gym. What sets yoga apart is the uniquely holistic approach it takes to […]
2021/05/28As a Breathe yoga student, on behalf of all of us I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your on-going support. You’ve helped keep our yoga community strong, and enabled our instructors to continue teaching throughout Covid. Every dollar you have spent on classes has gone towards helping keep our Admin staff employed […]
2020/09/17July 30, 2020 Dear Breathe Community, You have likely heard the positive news by now that Toronto is moving into Stage 3 openings. As a yoga studio, Breathe falls into the category of businesses that the City of Toronto is allowing to re-open. However, with social distancing requirements it is still not possible […]
2020/08/03Dear Breathe Community, As you are aware on March 10, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a global COVID-19 Pandemic. Should we be alarmed? Are we over-reacting? There are presently relatively few confirmed cases of the virus here in Toronto and there is still much uncertainty about the means of transmission and prevention. Leading […]
2020/03/15Why Take Yoga Teacher Training at Breathe “During this teacher training I was going through a tough transition in my life and I then had to deal with some difficult personal issues halfway through the programme. Not only did the programme give me tools and space to focus on myself and to heal […]
2020/02/27February is coming to an end and we are making our way through 2020. Unfortunately many of us are falling into the habits we swore off at the beginning of January. We are back into the habit of being busy. We live in a society where this is the norm, if not the celebrated way […]
2020/02/26Happy New Year, folks! As 2020 commences, and we have the inevitable resolutions that come along with a new year, I’d like to share some strategies that have been useful for me in sticking with the changes I wish to make in the new year. The first strategy is a simple and obvious one: […]
2020/01/08From the outside, my life seemed picture-perfect. I had a promising career and made it to the company of my dreams, a beautiful place to live and a large social circle. But here’s the thing. If you’ve lived long enough, you find out that things aren’t always what they seem. My superpower was the ability […]
2019/12/10Injuries are apart of participating in sports, but luckily the body has the amazing ability to heal itself. The body’s innate ability to create chemical reactions and cellular metabolism are the back bone to our body’s healing ability. Science has allowed us to understand how this works and consequently how to manage injuries. This article […]
2019/09/18One of the most common complaints I hear from clients is how stressed they are. This is true for people coming in for all sorts of reasons, often not even related to those stresses! It seems that our lives are now so full that we are living in a state of low level (and sometimes […]
2019/08/15We all know the benefits of flexibility and good posture but did you know yoga also improves your health in these 5 ways? 1. Builds Needed Muscle Strength Strong muscles are more than good looking. They protect us from chronic conditions like arthritis and back pain, and help build balance and stability. And when […]
2019/01/27Five Reasons Why You Should Do A Yoga Workshop 1. Renew your commitment. Stepping out of a comfortable routine can help you appreciate your practice all over again. Good times to shake things up are seasonal shifts, holidays, birthdays or whenever you need renewed energy and a fiercer focus on your practice. 2 .Alignment and technique. A workshops allows you […]
2018/08/10We were named the yoga studio to visit for Toronto in Best Yoga Studios in Canada – Thank you so much, Stylight!
2018/06/21AnnMarie Wolf on Transitioning from Dabbling Yoga Student to Certified Yoga Teacher. After retiring and moving to Toronto, AnnMarie Wolf went from what she calls a “once a week yoga habit” to immersing herself fully into her yoga practice, and becoming a certified yoga teacher. In the midst of entering a new phase in […]
2018/06/07Mother-daughter duo Julia and Lindsey Gallagher have discovered stillness in yoga. Julia, a busy mom who suffered from body pain and Lindsey, a 16-year old dancer and student, explain why practicing yoga at Breathe has completely transformed them: body and mind. How did you discover yoga? Julia: It was an incredibly stressful few years so […]
2018/03/22Lioudmila Tanda started yoga and strength training over a year ago and says her life has never been the same. “I heard yoga and strength training were important but I never practiced before.” She credits longtime Breathe yoga teacher David Good for, “opening up a completely new world” for her and explains that now, there […]
2018/03/05When was the last time you played? No seriously, when was the last time you let your guard down, grabbed a friend by the hand and laughed until your belly hurt? For Lynn Kerrigan, it was when she was immersed in kids yoga teacher training. At first she was nervous and shy, but slowly Lynn […]
2018/02/134:45 a.m. Getting up at this hour sounds daunting. For Breathe owner Svitlana, the early morning wakeup call was her biggest deterrent to trying Mysore Yoga. What is Mysore? Learn more here. “I had heard so many positive things about Mysore but was convinced that I wasn’t an early morning practice person. My body was […]
2018/02/06We’re so excited to have our owner, Svitlana, as the very first blog feature. Why the blog? “I’ve wanted to start a blog for a while because there are so many of our students whose lives have been transformed through yoga. They’re meaningful and motivational stories that I think the whole world needs to know […]
2018/02/06Thank you Sweat Equity Magazine for including us in the top 5 of your Best 2018 Yoga Studios & Teachers list!
2018/01/02Breathe Yoga is honoured that Sweat Equity Magazine has been rated in the top 5 of Best 2018 Teacher Training and again in 2020. Breathe Studio owner Svitlana Nalywayko was also honoured by the widely distributed and highly respected magazine for being a Top 50 Fitness Entrepreneur in its January 2020 Issue. Our 2019 Winter […]
2018/01/01When toronto.com features you in their top 5 for the Best Yoga Studios in Toronto, you can’t help but feel honoured! Our wonderful teachers, staff, therapists and most of all – our customers make Breathe everything that it is; a beautiful, clean, friendly space to feel welcome and inspired. Thank you toronto.com!
2017/07/18“…the best yoga studios function as community hubs, providing a social and spiritual space that serves as a refuge from the city’s daily grind.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! Thanks so much, Culture Trip, for including us in your list of the top 10 Best Yoga Studio to Try in Toronto.
2017/03/06Welcome to the Breathe Blog. This is a virtual place that showcases real-life stories. We started this blog as a way to honour all the people that make Breathe what it is today: a warm, vibrant and thriving community. There are so many stories that need to be told and this is where we […]
2017/01/31In Narcity’s article, they write: “Whatever you may be looking for, they offer classes for every level, restriction, and anything that may make you feel different. Everyone becomes one within their walls, and it’s absolutely lovely.” It’s so important to us that everyone feels welcome, we want everyone to feel at home here. Browse our […]
2016/03/01Breathe is honoured to have been included in the top five in BlogTO’s Best Hot Yoga in Toronto! In our popular hot yoga classes, we use infrared heat panels. They’re the closest available alternative to natural heat from the sun, which aids in gently heating up the body, detoxifying muscles and organs, and helps in […]
2015/10/02In BlogTO’s “The top 25 yoga studios in Toronto by neighbourhood“, Breathe was honoured to have been chosen to represent the Junction. They mentioned our workshops, specialty classes, and our wellness centre. As a very proud member of the Junction community, Breathe offers numerous free yoga events throughout the year. Our Yoga in High Park […]
2015/06/11Big thank you to The Star! We’re thrilled to have been featured for our specialty classes: Yoga for Runners (now called Stretch & Strength) and Yoga for Stiff Men! We’ve got lots of unique and niche classes for virtually every interest!
2013/03/22