Themed Yoga Classes

We’ll offer a range of classes, workshops, and Teacher Training and special events on Zoom in 2025 as well as teaching live in the Studio (16 participants). Practising online and in person is meaningful in different ways and we hope you’ll enjoy either or both. Thank you for your continuing support in these uncertain times. And we hope you use and enjoy our pre-recorded Home Practice audios and videos.

The Studio is open for in-person classes with online advanced bookings and payment in advance only.  The preferred payment method is by e-transfer to info@estheryoga.com. Sorry, we cannot accept drop-insCredit is available with 24 hours cancellation ONLY.

Themed Classes explore unique topics through yoga, meditation, qi gong, and other creative offerings over a single class, a week or a few weeks on Zoom or at our Studio in downtown Toronto.

Themed Yoga Classes Online and In Person

Lymph Circulation

Lymph Circulation

Monday, May 19 – Friday, May 23, with Mar Jean Olson, 8:00am-9:15am ET, $80/week, $23/class, *no class Tuesday May 20
on Zoom

Join us in learning about our vital lymph system. We’ll focus on easy exercises for the flushing, drainage, and circulation of this open network which continually changes and is essential to our immune system. Everyone welcome.

Friday Intensives

Friday Intensives

*May 23, June 20, July 11 with Tama Soble, 1:00pm-3:00pm ET, $30/class, included in unlimited passes
on Zoom

Enjoy the pleasure of deepening your practice by taking time at the end of the week to unwind and revitalize. For students and teachers at every level.

“I really enjoyed your Friday Intensive yesterday. I look forward to your monthly classes and love the way you lead up to the theme, gradually encouraging us to open our rib cage as yesterday. I always leave inspired and encouraged in my ability to move into poses with more ease and comfort.” SM

Friday Intensive at the Studio

Friday Intensive at the Studio

May 23, with Tama Soble, 1:00pm-3:00pm, $30/class, included in unlimited passes,
at the Studio

Enjoy the pleasure of deepening your practice by taking time at the end of the week to unwind and revitalize. For students and teachers at every level.

“I really enjoyed your Friday Intensive yesterday. I look forward to your monthly classes and love the way you lead up to the theme, gradually encouraging us to open our rib cage as yesterday. I always leave inspired and encouraged in my ability to move into poses with more ease and comfort.” SM

QiGong for Health - Spring

QiGong for Health – Spring

Mondays, May 26, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 with Donna Oliver, 5:00pm-6:00pm ET, $144/8 classes, $21/class *no class Monday May 19
at the Studio

Focus will be on gentle exercises that may relieve stress, back pain, depression, and insomnia, as well as other common health disorders. Boost your immune system and remain healthy this spring with Qigong!

Practising yoga to regulate the nervous system

Practising yoga to regulate the nervous system

Monday, May 26–Friday, May 30, with Shirley Roll, 8:00am-9:15am ET, $100/week, $23/class
on Zoom

Everything about practising yoga touches our nervous system, from grounding, breathing and even elongating the spine, to interoception, proprioception and our awareness of the world around us.  In this series, we will learn how our yoga practice alters the activation of the various pathways of our nervous system – the sympathetic or spinal chain and the dorsal and ventral branches of the vagus nerve.  The resulting balance of that activation affects our sense of wellbeing and that of those around us. Let’s practise together, exploring how these elements influence our energy, our resilience, our mood, our thinking and our feelings about ourselves and others.

Embodying your Nervous System for Grounding, Resilience and Balance: A Body-Mind Centering® Approach

Embodying your Nervous System for Grounding, Resilience and Balance: A Body-Mind Centering® Approach

Monday, June 2 – Friday, June 6, with Mariko Tanabe, 8:00am-9:15am ET,  $100/week, $23/class
on Zoom

While many of us feel challenged and overwhelmed these days, a Body-Mind Centering® introduction to the complex and ingenious Nervous System may be helpful. This system can seem daunting. I wish to demystify it by offering an accessible and embodied approach that supports the nervous system and deepens our sense of its inner workings. 

This includes how it began through some early embryological development, to how it works in collaboration with our blood, organs, muscles, bones and other tissues.  We will use movement, sound, touch and meditations for grounding, resilience and ease in our practice and daily lives.

All are welcome, no previous experience is necessary. 

Meditation, Pranayama and Yoga Nidra

Meditation, Pranayama and Yoga Nidra

Monday, June 9 – Friday, June 13, with John Campbell, 8:00am-9:15am ET, $100/week, $23/class
on Zoom

A morning practice – pranayama, guided and silent sitting meditation, finishing with yoga nidra. Start your day here, right here. Energized, grounded, present, free, easy, infinite capacity. Everyone is welcome – both those new to meditation and experienced meditators.

Image: Buddha and Mouse, Louise Tanguay

Back Body Awareness

Back Body Awareness

Monday, June 16 – Friday, June 20, with Julia Juhas, 8:00am-9:15am ET,  $100/week, $23/class
on Zoom

In this class series, we will explore the often forgotten, sometimes neglected back body, focusing on its strength, flexibility, and connection to overall posture and well-being. Through mindful movement, targeted stretches, and intentional breathwork, let’s endeavor to develop a deeper awareness of the muscles, tissues, and energy in the back body.

Each class will guide you through a variety of movements designed to release tension in the back of the neck, shoulder blades, spine, pelvis, backs of the arms and legs.

Relaxation Forum

Relaxation Forum

Monday, June 23 – Friday, June 27, with Monica Voss, 8:00am-9:15am ET, $100/week, $23/class
on Zoom

The benefits of relaxation are multitudinous, including lowering blood pressure and blood sugar, understanding and easing stress and distress, positively influencing our attitude to pain, increasing awareness of and respect for the body, building bone density, and facilitating healing. We know a lot about relaxation, yet both process and effects have not been fully studied.

Let’s examine our experience of rest, release and unwinding. Join me this summer week and we’ll test various techniques, such as breathing, grounding, position and movement, body scans, sense awareness and sound.

Image: Siesta of the Lottery Vendor, Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain by Inge Morath

Lazy, hazy days of summer

Lazy, hazy days of summer

Monday, June 30 – Friday, July 4, with Della Croteau, 8:00am-9:15am ET, $100/wk, $23/class
on Zoom

The summer is a time of light and warmth. To balance the heat and energy of the summer season, we will explore postures and breathing to cultivate the opposite environment on the inside of the body – cool and calm.

Image: Wheatfield under Thunderclouds, Vincent Van Gogh, 1890

Releasing the Spine: Accessing Freedom and Energy

Releasing the Spine: Accessing Freedom and Energy

Monday, July 7 – Friday, July 11, with Tama Soble, 8:00am – 9:15am ET, $100/week, $23/class
on Zoom

Lying at the core of the body, the spine is strong, flexible, and at times elusive. Focus on spinal release is a basic principle of our approach to yoga. It is also a moving meditation, an anatomical journey, and a joy.  Let’s spend a week exploring the myriad ways we can free the spine, and enjoy the effect on body, mind and spirit. 

Strengthening Digestion

Strengthening Digestion

Monday, July 14 – Friday July 18, with Mar Jean Olson, 8:00am-9:15am ET, $100/wk, $23/class
on Zoom

Join us in learning natural and easy ways to improve and strengthen our digestion. Each day we will focus on one aspect of this important process as well as review and build the following day. 

Awaken the Shoulder Girdle

Awaken the Shoulder Girdle

Monday, July 21 – Friday, July 24, with Julia Juhas, 8:00am-9:15am ET, $80/week, $23/class *no class on Friday July 25
on Zoom

Although the shoulder girdle is brilliantly designed to be extremely mobile, more often than not, it feels the opposite due to the weight of the world we carry on our shoulders. Why not lighten the load? Let’s rediscover shoulder mobility through the exploration of movement of the bones and soft tissue that make up the shoulder girdle and how these movements affect the spine.

“If, like me, you’re recovering from the fatigue of a respiratory infection, attend (Awaken the Shoulder Girdle) with Julia Juhas. The focus on the shoulder blades, especially, helped open my torso and I have been able to breathe more deeply and come off the mat more energized as a result.” Candace S

I enjoyed ‘Awaken the Shoulder Girdle’ with Julia Juhas. I learned a lot about shoulders and mine have never felt so released and relaxed! The class was a perfect blend of information, instruction, and helpful feedback in a safe and friendly space. ” Jan Fleming

Image: From the film ‘Aniki Bobo’, Manoel de Oliveira, 1942

Heart and Hands

Heart and Hands

Monday, July 28 – Friday, August 1, with Monica Voss, 8:00am-9:15am ET, $100/week, $23/class
on Zoom

Our hands are extensions of the heart expressed daily with friends and family – holding, soothing, caring and cooking – and in our work, if we’re lucky enough to love it, too. The heart expand as the arms stretch wide, and hands spread even wider when greeting loved ones, the earth, the sky and all beings.

In yoga, we use hands to understand the ‘wonders of the living body’, as Thich Nhat Hanh exclaims, for self-support, grounding, energy stimulation, release and circulation. Join these sessions focused on the hands and reclaim a vibrant and sensitive part of the body, sometimes overworked, sometimes neglected, sometimes in discomfort, but always beautiful, strong, clever and curious.

Scroll to Top