Programs - Toronto Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

26mar23aprYoga Level 1 (Introduction to Yoga)

26mar7:30 pm9:00 pmSound Bath with Reiki and Yin Yoga

Event Details

Sound Bath (with Reiki and Yin Yoga)

with Vishwa and Shakti

March 26yh, Thursday, 7.30pm-9pm, $50

Join us for a 90-minute healing experience combining sound bath, yin yoga and Reiki for creating a powerful synergy for holistic healing. Yin yoga gently opens the body’s deep connective tissues, preparing you to receive deeper energetic work. Reiki and sound healing together help clear stagnant energy, regulate emotions, and nourish the subtle body. This multidimensional approach harmonizes body, mind and spirit, making it highly recommended for anyone seeking a comprehensive healing experience.

Benefits of this session:

• Deep relaxation and stress relief

• Enhanced emotional release

• Improved mood, clarity and self awareness

• Strengthening pain relief and immune system

• A profound sense of holistic well-being

No prior experience needed! Just come as you are and allow yourself to be held and restored.

Vishwa Panchal

Vishwa is a Reiki Level 2 practitioner, intuitive healer, and artist from India. She recently graduated with a degree in Interior Design, incorporating her creative spirit into every healing space she holds. Guided by her natural sensitivity to energy and her deep understanding of the chakra system, she offers holistic healing sessions. Currently, she is working on a children’s book that introduces the concept of chakras in a simple and heart-centered way. Vishwa’s intention is to help others connect deeply with their inner light.

Shakti (Beverly Horii)

Shakti is an experienced yoga practitioner and dedicated teacher. With a background in architecture and expertise in feng shui, she has recently begun weaving sound healing into her yoga sessions. Passionate about collaboration, Shakti enjoys working alongside fellow energy workers to create rich, multi-layered experiences that blend various healing modalities for the benefit of her students.

Price

$50

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31mar8:00 pm9:15 pmKirtan by Candlelight

03apr8:00 pm9:30 pmHanuman Jayanti

04apr5:00 pm6:30 pmKirtan and Chai with Narada

Event Details

Kirtan and Chai with Narada

April 4th, Saturday, 5-6.30pm; $35

Join us for a warm and heart-opening afternoon of devotional chanting and tea with our community and Narada. Relax, connect, and share in the joy of sacred music together. Everyone is welcome, whether you would like to chant, listen, or simply be present in the circle.

Musician: Narada (Timmy Martin Sarker) is a Bangladeshi-Canadian vocalist and guitarist. His healing music infuses ancient Sanskrit chanting into contemporary rhythms, creating a unique brand of conscious music that uplifts and inspires. Narada’s music closely follows the Kirtan genre, allowing the audience to experience a deep state of relaxation and rejuvenation by connecting with his music.

Narada is heavily influenced and inspired by classical Indian music and the Eastern philosophy of meditation. He creates soulful, vibrant musical pieces by incorporating the knowledge acquired from these age-old traditions. Before the pandemic, Narada extensively travelled and performed in various cities in Canada (Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Saint John’s) and internationally (U.S.A., India, Colombia) to hone his skills and connect with his audience.

Over the past three years, Narada has released 12 soundtracks under the album Chants of Ecstasy. He is currently working on his next album, collaborating with musicians across the globe. Narada has also been conducting concerts for Canadian and international audiences.

Please check Narada’s music here: https://youtu.be/lX1Pk5Znj54?si=8LseIbwbZfkuOqbP

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07apr(apr 7)6:30 pm05may(may 5)8:00 pmYoga Level 1 (Introduction to Yoga)

11apr3:00 pm6:00 pmSun Salutation Workshop with Mayavan

Event Details

Sun Salutation Workshop

Sunday, April 11th 3pm – 6pm; $55

Join us for a practice-based workshop on Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation). The sequence will be broken down step by step so students can understand the structure of this classical practice. You will learn the correct form for each posture, how to transition smoothly between movements, and how to adapt the sequence with modifications appropriate to your level. Whether you are new to yoga or looking to refine your flow, this workshop will help you build strength, stamina, and improve alignment.

The workshop will also examine the different phases of the cycle and how they affect the body. Students will observe how the sequence strengthens and supports the muscular and skeletal systems, stimulates the cardiovascular system through rhythmic repetition, and maintains steady energy through breath-led movement.

Beyond learning the mechanics of the sequence, we will thake a holistic apraoch to Sun Salutation as an integrated practice that connects body, energy and the mind.. Practiced with awareness, it becomes not only a physical exercise but also a moving meditation practice.

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.

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12apr8:00 am11:00 amIntensive Asana Class

Event Details

Intensive Asana Class with Mayavan

April 12th, Sunday, 8 am-11 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 practice with an engaging three-hour class that combines practice and theory, taught by special visiting teacher Mayavan. Suitable for intermediate students, this class is an opportunity to challenge yourself and go further in your practice. And don’t worry: the time flies by! You will leave feeling uplifted and full of energy.

This class will allow you to:

Fine-tune your practice, through personalized corrections
Strengthen the legs, open the hips and mobilize the spine
Tap in to 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
Gain practical knowledge about the yoga practice and yogic lifestyle

Teacher: Mayavan has devoted his life to learning and teaching the art and science behind yogic practices. He has spent the past three decades in dedicated practice and service to his community. He holds a Masters in Yoga Therapy from Annamalai University in India and has earned the prestigious designations of Yoga Siromani, Yoga Acharya and Yoga Baskara. Mayavan is the director of Yogasalai, a yoga centre in Scarborough.

Time

8:00 – 11:00 am

Price

$55

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13apr(apr 13)6:00 am17(apr 17)7:00 am5Day Morning Pranayama PracticeONLINE VIA ZOOM

Event Details

5Day Morning Pranayama practice

April 13th – 17th, 6am-7am, $55 (online)

Begin your week with a five-day guided pranayama course ideal for morning practice. These classes will help you feel more alert, focused, and calm before work or school. Practicing in the morning is aligned with the natural rhythm of the body, and helps regulate stress and supports mental clarity throughout the day.

Each class begins and ends with a short relaxation practice and includes gentle warm-ups to prepare the body for breathing exercises in a sitting position. You will practice foundational techniques such as Anuloma Viloma (alternate nostril breathing) and Kapalabhati (cleansing breath). These techniques improve oxygen flow, calm the nervous system, and balance your energy (prana).

With regular use, these tools will help you feel steadier, more present, and better equipped to meet the demands of daily life. This course builds a strong base for continued personal practice.

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 5 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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15apr(apr 15)6:30 pm13may(may 13)8:00 pmYoga Level 2 (Establish the Practice)

16apr7:30 pm9:00 pmSound Bath with Reiki and Yin Yoga

Event Details

Sound Bath with Reiki and Yin Yoga

with Vishwa and Shakti

April 16th, Thursday, 7:30pm – 9:00pm; 50$

Join us for a 90-minute healing experience combining sound bath, yin yoga and Reiki for creating a powerful synergy for holistic healing. Yin yoga gently opens the body’s deep connective tissues, preparing you to receive deeper energetic work. Reiki and sound healing together help clear stagnant energy, regulate emotions, and nourish the subtle body. This multidimensional approach harmonizes body, mind and spirit, making it highly recommended for anyone seeking a comprehensive healing experience.

Benefits of this session:

• Deep relaxation and stress relief

• Enhanced emotional release

• Improved mood, clarity and self awareness

• Strengthening pain relief and immune system

• A profound sense of holistic well-being

No prior experience needed! Just come as you are and allow yourself to be held and restored.

Vishwa Panchal

Vishwa is a Reiki Level 2 practitioner, intuitive healer, and artist from India. She recently graduated with a degree in Interior Design, incorporating her creative spirit into every healing space she holds. Guided by her natural sensitivity to energy and her deep understanding of the chakra system, she offers holistic healing sessions. Currently, she is working on a children’s book that introduces the concept of chakras in a simple and heart-centered way. Vishwa’s intention is to help others connect deeply with their inner light.

Shakti (Beverly Horii)

Shakti is an experienced yoga practitioner and dedicated teacher. With a background in architecture and expertise in feng shui, she has recently begun weaving sound healing into her yoga sessions. Passionate about collaboration, Shakti enjoys working alongside fellow energy workers to create rich, multi-layered experiences that blend various healing modalities for the benefit of her students.

Register

Register Now

17apr(apr 17)6:30 pm15may(may 15)7:45 pmIntroduction to Meditation

18apr(apr 18)1:00 pm02may(may 2)3:00 pmThe relation between the cognitive science of mindfulness, meaning, mystical experience and the philosophy of Vedanta

Event Details

The relation between the cognitive science of mindfulness, meaning, mystical experience and the philosophy of Vedanta

April 18th-May 2nd, 1pm-3pm; $85

This course explores recent work within cognitive science on phenomena that are relevant to Vedanta philosophy focusing on the cognitive scientific work of John Vervaeke. Each week will be a one and half hour lecture followed by Q&A.

Week 1. Introduction and Mindfulness

What is cognitive science and how could it be relevant to Vedanta. What does cognitive science have to teach us about attention, mindfulness, meditation and contemplation.

Week 2. Meaning

What is meaning in life and what patterns undermine it and what patterns afford it? How do self-deception and self-transcendence impact meaning?

Week 3. Mystical experience. What is mystical experience and how does it relate to meaning and mindfulness? How does it relate to psychedelic and flow experiences?

Teacher: John Vervaeke is an Associate Professor, in the teaching stream. He has been teaching at the University of Toronto since 1994. He
currently teaches courses in the Psychology department on thinking and reasoning with an emphasis on insight problem solving,
cognitive development with an emphasis on the dynamical nature of development, and higher cognitive processes with an emphasis on
intelligence, rationality, mindfulness, the nature and function of the self, and the Psychology of wisdom. He was the former director of the
Cognitive Science program where he currently teaches courses on the introduction to Cognitive Science, and the Cognitive Science of
consciousness wherein he emphasizes 4E (embodied, embedded, enacted, and extended) models of cognition and consciousness . In
addition, he taught a course in the Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health program on Buddhism and Cognitive Science for fifteen years.
He is the director of the Consciousness and the Wisdom Studies Laboratory. He has won and been nominated for several teaching
awards including the 2001 Students’ Administrative Council and Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students Teaching Award
for the Humanities, and the 2012 Ranjini Ghosh Excellence in Teaching Award. He has published articles on relevance realization, general intelligence, mindfulness, flow, metaphor, and wisdom. He is first author of the book Zombies in Western Culture: A 21 st Century
crisis which integrates Psychology and Cognitive Science to address the meaning crisis in Western society. He is first author of the book,
Awakening from the Meaning Crisis, and the Youtube series After Socrates.

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25apr(apr 25)1:00 pm23may(may 23)2:30 pmYoga Level 1 (Introduction to Yoga)

25apr(apr 25)2:00 pm09may(may 9)5:00 pmIntroduction to Vedic Astrology: Decode Your Birth Chartonline via Zoom

Event Details

Introduction to Vedic Astrology : Decode Your Birth Chart with Narada

A Live Online Workshop via Zoom (18h of instruction plus Q&A)

April 25th – 26th, May 1st-2nd, May 8-9th (cost $450)

Saturdays & Sundays, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Discover the ancient science of Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) in this immersive 18-hour live workshop delivered via Zoom over three weekends.

Weekend 1 — Foundations: The 12 signs, 12 houses, 9 planets (grahas), and 27 nakshatras. Understand conjunctions, aspects, and retrograde planets.

Weekend 2 — Chart Interpretation: Planetary strengths, dashas (planetary periods), and yogas that shape your life path.

Weekend 3 — Live Readings: Submit your birth details in advance and experience real-time chart readings with professional interpretation.

Who Is This For? Complete beginners, yoga practitioners, wellness professionals, and anyone curious about understanding their cosmic blueprint through the authentic Vedic tradition. Format: Live via Zoom | 18 hours of instruction + Q&A | Participants will receive ZOOM link one day before the workshop.

Teacher: Narada is a practitioner of two classical branches of Vedic Astrology — Parashari and Bhrigu Nandi Nadi — specializing in Venus readings (the astrology of wealth and relationships). With over 1,500 consultations completed in the last three years, Narada has hosted international Vedic Astrology workshops for psychotherapists and delivered programs internationally in Turkey, bridging ancient spiritual wisdom with modern healing modalities.

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09may10:30 am12:30 amYoga for Fascia Health