I’m a management consultant in the financial services industry and a former bank executive who also teaches yoga part-time to highly fit individuals at one of Toronto’s premier fitness clubs. Although banking has ‘paid the bills’ for most of my life, I’m a dancer at heart who loves to move and refuses to let her age (55+) prevent her from whipping upside down into a handstand or tackling a challenging arm balance.
In the mid-1990’s, I was one of the first wave of instructors to introduce yoga and its benefits to health clubs in Toronto. As a teacher, I wanted to study from the best and originally attended EMYS as part of a 4-day Advanced Teacher Training Workshop in 2003 led by Esther Myers. I remember being both inspired and humbled during the workshop. I recall being surrounded by students of the EMYS Teacher Training Program who seemed far more advanced in their knowledge and practice – so I knew I had found a place where I could continue to learn and grow. And yes, I’m now a graduate of the EMYS Teacher Training Program.
I continue at EMYS because of Monica Voss and Tama Soble, who have patiently guided and encouraged me in my yoga practice over the years. In each class, I always learn something new – a fresh approach to a pose, a welcome release in the body, a calming or stimulating breath practice (pranayama). Afterwards, I bring what I learn at EMYS to my own students, helping them gain a better understanding and appreciation of their bodies, their capabilities and by extension themselves.
Yoga helps me to be a better version of myself. After all, “Yoga is the practice of tolerating the consequences of being yourself” (Bhagavad Gita). I practise meditation/pranayama daily which gives me the tools to take on the stresses of each day – and do it with a smile.
The approach at Esther Myers Yoga Studio is often called “thinking body yoga”, due to its focus on the body, the breath, and the release of tension through grounding to create greater freedom and health in the body. This style of yoga is introspective and nurturing.
This approach would appeal to both newcomers and advanced yogis who get that “slow is the new edge”. It would also resonate with someone who is curious about a mind-body practice and its impact on overall well-being. The classes are slower paced, reflective and restorative, enabling students to experience the fading of aches and pains; a calmer, clearer mind; and if they are patient, joy.