Lifelong Learning
If you would like to learn more about different aspects of yoga and related subjects, here are our special courses and workshops. From cooking workshops to philosophy, hatha yoga to chanting and ayurveda, all the programs are designed to help you achieve improved physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
We add new topics and dates frequently. Check back regularly, or follow us on Instagram for updates.
april
27apr(apr 27)6:00 am05may(may 5)7:00 am9 Day Pranayama PracticeONLINE VIA ZOOM
Event Details
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Event Details
Pranayama practice
April 27th-May 5th, 6am-7am, $85 (online)
Start your mornings with an invigorating practice!
The challenge will include Sun Salutations to warm up the body, 40 minutes of pranayama (Kapalabhati and Anuloma Viloma), and guided relaxation. These practices help to strengthen the respiratory system, increase stamina and keep good physical health. They also help keep the mind calm and peaceful.
You have to be well familiar with these practices in order to participate in the course. If you have any questions regarding the course please contact us and we will be happy to help you
Here are some of the benefits of pranayama:
-Optimal gas exchange (O2 and CO2)
-Oxygenation of tissues thanks to breath retention
-Harmonization of metabolic rates and chemical balance of the body
-Clearness of mind and stimulation of the parasympathetic system
-Improvement of digestion and fortification of the immune system
In order to benefit from this program, it is important to participate in all 9 sessions.
Teacher: Mayavan has been a dedicated yoga practitioner since childhood. He holds a Master’s degree in yoga therapy and is the director of Yoga Salai, a community-based yoga center in Scarborough.
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Register Now28apr7:00 am10:00 amIntensive Asana Class
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Event Details
Intensive Asana Class with Mayavan
April 28th, Sunday, 7 am-10 am; $55
*(Intensive asana classes are offered once a month. To register for a package of 3 and receive 20% discount please click HERE)
Deepen your asana practice with this special class. The classes will aim to:
- Strengthen the legs, open the hips and mobilize the spine
- Bring more energy through the practice of Sun Salutations and dynamic asanas
- Increase overall strength and stability through standing poses
- Achieve steadiness and comfort in classical asanas
Challenge the mind, increase your awareness, and enjoy the many benefits of hatha yoga practice!
Suitable for intermediate practitioners wishing to go further into their asana practice.
Teacher: Mayavan is an experienced yoga teacher and dedicated student of Yoga who spent many years in serious practice and service to his community. He holds Masters in Yoga Therapy from Ammalai University, India and is the director of Yoga Salai, yoga center in Scarborough.
Time
7:00 – 10:00 am
Price
$55
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Registermay
05may9:00 am11:00 amSun Salutation Series: The Cyclein person and online
Event Details
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Event Details
Sun Salutation Series: The Cycle
Sunday, May 5th 9am-11am; $45
REGISTER HERE for all 3 workshops (Sunday, May 12th and Sunday , May 19th): $100
This is the first in the series of Sun Salution workshops in which students will learn how to break down the Sun salutations practice to create a structured plan for approaching it. Sun Salutations involve a sequence of 12 steps repeated in cycles, reflecting its rhythmic nature. These cycles synchronize with the body’s biological rhythms, aligning with the universal flow. By becoming attuned to your biological rhythms, you can systematically build your practice, enhancing its effectiveness.
Teacher: Mayavan is Sivananda Yoga teacher and director of Yoga Salai, community based yoga center in Scarborough. He hold Masters in Yoga Therapy from Annamalai University , India where he serves as a faculty member. Mayavan has been practicing and teaching Yoga since childhood.
Days
Sunday, May 5th
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Register Online05may6:00 pm8:00 pmFundraising Concert with Narada and Corrin
Event Details
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Event Details
Fundraising Concert and kirtan with Narada and Corrin
May 5th, Sunday, 6pm-8pm; $35
Please consider a larger amount to support our fundraising efforts, and CLICK HERE to register. Thank you!
As part of our fundraising campaign, the Center is organizing a series of events this year. Our first event is the concert with Narada and Corrin, who led us in uplifting chanting during some of our Friday satsang. We are happy to welcome you all to experience this inspiring music and support the Center.
Please check Narada’s music here: https://youtu.be/
Musicians: Narada (Timmy Martin Sarker) is a Bangladeshi-Canadian vocalist and guitarist. His music closely follows the Kirtan genre, allowing the audience to experience a deep state of relaxation and rejuvenation. He is heavily influenced and inspired by classical Indian music and the Eastern philosophy of meditation. Narada extensively travelled and performed in various cities in Canada and internationally. He has released 12 soundtracks under the album Chants of Ecstasy and is currently working on his next album. Corrin Adams is a skilled and experienced kirtan leader, known for her captivating and soulful voice. She has been practicing kirtan for over a decade and currently studies classical Hindustani vocals with Sri Rachana Deshpande. Corrin’s passion for kirtan shines through in her powerful and heart-opening performances, which blend traditional Sanskrit mantras with modern musical influences. Her music is uplifting and inspiring, creating a sacred space for participants to connect with their inner selves and with the divine.
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Register : $3512may7:00 am9:00 amSun Salutations Series: Adapt the Practicein person and online
Event Details
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Event Details
Sun Salutions Series: Adapt the Practice- Sunday , May 12th, 7am-10am; $45
This is the 2nd workshop in the Sun Salutions series.
To REGISTER HERE for all 3 workshops (The Cycle-May 5th, and 108 Sun Salutations on May 19th): $100
(offered in person and online)
Tailor your Sun salutations practice according to the ancient elemental principles. Understand how different constitutions—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—affect your approach and experience of the practice. Learn how Sun salutations influence the body and mind’s bio-rhythms, and recognize potential limitations based on your constitution.
In our workshop, we’ll provide personalized guidance to craft a practice plan that aligns with your individual constitution. We’ll explore how to set goals based on your strengths and strategically overcome biological limitations. This approach ensures that your Sun salutations practice optimally supports your well-being, considering your unique biological makeup.
Online students will receive Zoom link a few days before the workshop.
About the Teacher: Mayavan is the director of Yoga Salai, a community-based Yoga center in Scarborough. He holds a Master’s in Yoga Therapy from Annamalai University, India, where he serves as faculty. He is an experienced yoga teacher and dedicated student who has spent many years in serious practice and service to his community.
Days
Sunday, May 12th
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Register Now19may7:00 am9:00 amSun Salutations Series: 108 Sun SalutationsIn Person and Online
Event Details
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Event Details
Sun Salutations Series: 108 Sun Salutations- May 19th, Sunday, 7-9am; $45
This is the 3rd workshop in Sun Salutation series.
REGISTER HERE for all 3 workshops (The Cycle, May 5th and Adapting, May 12th: $100
(offered in-person and online)
In this class, Mayavan will lead us through 108 rounds of Sun Salutations. It is an ideal way to increase your energy and welcome the spring.
The Sun Salutation is a graceful sequence of twelve positions performed as one continuous exercise. Each position counteracts the one before, stretching the body differently and alternately expanding and contracting the chest to regulate breathing. You have to be familiar and comfortable with the practice of Sun Salutations to follow the class. However, you do not need to do each round continuously. Stay comfortable and rest in a relaxation posture (savasana) when you need to and rejoin after that.
In Hindu mythology, the sun god, Surya, is worshipped as a symbol of health and immortal life. The Rig Veda declares that “Surya is the Soul, both of the moving and unmoving beings”. The Sun Salutation originated as a series of prostrations to the sun. Traditionally, it is performed at dawn, facing the rising sun. In time, each of the twelve positions came to have its own mantra, each celebrating an aspect of the sun’s divinity.
(Online students will be sent a Zoom link a couple of days before the class)
Teacher: Mayavan has been practicing yoga since childhood. He holds a Master’s in Yoga Therapy degree from Annamalai University, India, and is a director of Yoga Salai, a community-based yoga center in Scarborough.
Days
Sunday May 19th
Time
7.00 am
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Register In-Person19may2:00 pm5:00 pmClearing Energy and Balancing ChakrasIn Person and Online
Event Details
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Event Details
Clearing Energy and Balancing Chakras
Sunday , May 19th, 2pm-5pm; $100
This massage training utilizes elements of Thai Massage (acupressure focus) and Polarity (energy flow touch). You will work in pairs, each receiving and giving an energy-balancing massage. The skills acquired will be a true gift to anyone you know who is feeling out of balance and stressed!
Teacher: Jill Mackay, M.S.W. (in the W.L.U. Aboriginal Field of Study), M.T. S. (Pastoral Counselling from U. Waterloo) is a life long learner always upgrading her skills to be able to help others with the best means possible. She studied Thai Massage at the Old Medicine Hospital in Chiang Mai Thailand and Polarity with Sher Smith of “Recognizing Your Potential” as well as other healing modalities at the International Academy of Applied Health. She has been giving energy balancing massages part time for the past twenty five years interspersed with her work as a Social Worker. Jill is a much loved Sivananda Yoga Teacher having attained her teacher training and advanced teacher training certificates back in the eighties. She has continued to have the joy of teaching yoga for the past 36 years. She will be visiting Toronto during May 2024 and has kindly offered to give this workshop as a fundraiser for the Sivananda Yoga Centre.