THE IYW BLOG

"Be the BEST version of yourself"

December 1, 2023

Happy December 1st everyone!

We hope you are staying warm and taking care of yourself as we transition into the holiday season!

This month we encourage you to take some time to reflect on caring for yourself.

We know life is busy, especially at this time of year, but we wanted to provide you with a gentle reminder, that taking the time to care for yourself, is taking the time to care for others! (Remember, you can't feed your friends and family from an empty cup!)

Here at Imagine Yoga and Wellness we practice breath work, movement and gentle self reflection as a form of self care.

Don't forget to give yourself permission to rest and reset when needed! Kindness, respect and compassion are not just for the people around you, but also for you yourself!

What are some things you do to care for yourself? Write them down and see if you can find some time this month for a few!

As always, much love from our Imagine Yoga and Wellness Family to you and yours!

October 27, 2023

Navigating Difficult Times...

As we come to the end of the month, we at IYW would like to offer some tips for regulating the nervous system in times of stress, grief, or anxiousness.

The first is to breathe! Long, slow and even breaths (10) can help bring ourselves back into the present moment when we start to experience negative emotions.

We also recommend box breath in times of extreme stress or anxiety: breathe in for a count of 4, hold the breath for a count of 4, breathe out for a count of 4, and pause for a count of 4 (option to trace out a square with your finger, repeat as needed!)

Another great way to regulate the nervous system (and our emotions) when things begin to feel out of control, is the 5,4,3,2,1 grounding method. First, find 5 things you can see. Then 4 things you can touch. 3 things you can hear, 2 that you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

You can use one, or all three of these techniques combined (one after the other) wherever you are, and whenever you need. As always, we are sending love from our IYW family, to you and yours!

Happy Thanksgiving & Welcome Fall!

Happy Thanksgiving from our Imagine Yoga and Wellness family to you and yours! We hope you have enjoyed your weekend, and that you are staying warm as we move into some cooler weather.

As we transition from the summer season into the Fall there are a few things we offer for you to keep in mind; sunlight, smiles and circulation!

As the days get shorter we encourage you to get as much vitamin D as possible while the sun is still shining, and remember a smile goes a LONG way in terms of bringing joy to yourself and others. Finally, as we move into this new season our circulation tends to slow down with the weather, make sure you keep your body moving to keep things flowing and your energy up!

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June 21, 2019

Yoga Dance Party!

Annual Picnic hosted by The Durham Down Syndrome Association

On Sunday, June 23, 2019, IYW was invited by the Durham Down Syndrome Association (DDSA) to participate in their Annual Picnic at Nova's Ark!

We had a super fun time with both volunteers and attendees sharing a fun-loving Yoga Dance Party & Yogalates! The weather was dynamite! We swayed, we shook, we twirled and we took a deep breath in at the end, thankful for this wonderful community of people! And of course, followed it up with some trampolining!

A perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Hockey Canada's Summer Camp

IYW had the pleasure and unique opportunity of sharing yoga (”Joga”) with the young participants attending the annual summer camp, created and hosted by the one and only Hockey Canada!

This image capturing the class helps to demonstrate that even young people who are athletes with an abundance of energy and a sincere desire to move consistently, can zone in, and zen out. We were so thankful for their willingness to dive into the practise, find their breath and experience some movement outside of the life of sport.

Hockey Canada does just that through their summer camp: provide children with the opportunity to work hard, have fun and be apart of new and different experiences.

We are grateful to have collaborated with such an organization and their staff who are leading and doing amazing things for the younger generation!

IYW's 1st Magazine Article

IYW featured in the ParaSport Ontario Magazine - Summer 2019

We are so excited and thankful to be featured in the summer 2019 issue of ParaSport's Magazine! Throughout the article, we express the intention and dedication of IYW in offering adapted yoga so that the practice stays accessible for ALL, EVERYBODY and EVERY BODY.

We had the pleasure of being interviewed by Jeff Tiessen, Executive Director at ParaSport who is helping lead the way for accessibility.

To check out the article in the most recent issue, please click on the following link: http://online.anyflip.com/yjhf/osxf/mobile/index.html

Accessible Yoga at the Shadow Lake Centre!

During the month of August, we had the wonderful opportunity to share accessible chair yoga with the fabulous participants attending summer camp at the beautiful Shadow Lake Centre! We got to practise outside on the deck of a stunning old cabin looking out over the mesmerizing lake! So peaceful and relaxing - very conducive for our yoga practise!

Here’s what our participants and staff had to say about their experience:

“Having Imagine Yoga & Wellness was an extremely successful and inclusive program here at Shadow Lake. Being a camp with a wide range of individuals, it was fantastic to have an activity that adapted and enhanced yoga in a way that our campers of all abilities were able to participate. Whether they were experts or it was their first time doing yoga, all of our campers participating were able to gain something positive from the session! Thanks again for bringing your expertise to camp”

We loved our time there! Thank you so much for having us and we hope to see you again next summer!

We now offer Pre & Post Natal Yoga!

Imagine Yoga & Wellness is very happy to announce that Pre & Post natal Yoga is now offered in our list of services for all of the soon-to-be Mamas and Mamas out there looking for gentle and mindful movement. We strive to offer the opportunity to connect with your baby and to connect with other Mama's in a supportive and inclusive environment!

We offer both group classes and 1:1!

Thank you to Balanced Life Yoga for the awesome training!

Please visit our home page for more information!

2019 Fourth Annual Special Needs Information Fair

October 19, 2019

We love connection!

Oct 19, 2019

We absolutely love and appreciate the opportunity to participate in this particular information fair! It is a one-of-a-kind community where vendors, parents, participants, organizers, the venue, everyone supports one another! You can really experience the desire to work towards increasing the quality of life for individuals with special needs and disabilities and that is something remarkable.

The connections we made and the interesting attendees that we met, always inspire us and what we do with Imagine Yoga & Wellness that much more! We are already looking forward to next year's Fair!

Variety Village's Active Living Conference

November 1, 2019

Today we had the pleasure of participating in the 22nd Annual Active Living Conference hosted by Variety Village and what an amazing day it was!

It’s so inspiring sharing movement and services that are accessible and inclusive for all abilities! We love this conference, we love Variety Village and we love all that they do in leading the way in striving to make life accessible for all!

Thank you to all the staff, participants, students, fellow vendors and attendees we connected and shared with today!

The profound power and impact of meditation

December 4, 2019

A sneak peak of our meditation and relaxation class held weekly at Community Living Toronto in Etobicoke!

Participants focus on stillness and on obtaining a sense of calmness via deep breathing techniques and through visualized meditation for one hour each week.

The results: relaxation, a greater awareness of one’s self, a sense of empowerment and an opportunity to connect with the power and positive impact of the breath!

Yoga & Wellness for Gardeners
January 14, 2020

We had the honor of presenting 'Yoga & Wellness for Gardeners' and sharing yoga at the Chestnut Hill Pickering Recreation Complex to the Pickering Garden Club, founded in 1933!

We began the evening by discussing health and wellness related topics that would aid in both the hobby of gardening and life in general. The presentation was followed by chair yoga and relaxation. A beautiful group of people that were both passionate and very enthusiastic!

Student Yoga at Cliffside Public School
January 24, 2020

Best way to start a school day with... yoga! Nothing like kicking off a Friday morning at school with movement, awareness of breath followed by time to find stillness and quiet to really connect and relax.

The students at Cliffside as young as grade 1 up to grade 6 were fun, focused and keen to practise!

We are thrilled to see that more and more schools are recognizing the benefits of yoga in and out of the classroom and our supporting bringing it into the curriculum! We are thankful to be apart of this mindful shift!