Cynthia - Yoga Sanctuary

What's Your Story? Yoga in everyday life

What's Your Story? features the different characters that roam the streets of Toronto. Every Monday and Thursday, a new person shares their story, likes and dislikes about the city, a little secret and more.

Cynthia - Yoga Sanctuary

Name: Cynthia

Age: 43

What neighbourhood are you from? East York

What do you 'do'? Founder/Director of two yoga schools. I also teach yoga and train others to become yoga instructors.

How long have you been in Toronto? 11 years

What's your story?

I first learned yoga when I was working as a tree planter at 19. I learned to maintain strength and flexibility to help me plant trees. I took my teacher training in Los Angeles, came back to Toronto and nine years ago, my sister and I started the Yoga Sanctuary on College Street. Then, we opened a second location five years ago on the Danforth.

You start to live yoga in everyday life and begin making different decisions. Yoga is about relationships - first to ourselves and then, to everything around us.

Favorite thing(s) about Toronto:

The seasons, the multicultural diversity, the proximity to Lake Ontario and the myriad of events and venues we can take in.

Least favorite thing(s) about Toronto:

This doesn't pertain to this summer but the extreme humidity in late July. And heavy snowfall.

You have 24 hours to spend with someone who's never been to Toronto before - what do you do?

The day starts with a small yoga practice and meditation, followed by a walk through Taylor Creek Park. We would then go to the top of the CN Tower and I would point out all the landmarks of Toronto. We'd follow this by afternoon tea at the ROM and a walk up the stairs to Casa Loma.

One thing that your friends/family don't know about you:

How much I value my alone time.


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

A brief history of one of Toronto's pioneering industrial families

Canadians rip on the wealthy upset by the capital gains tax hike

Japanese person shares brutally honest guide to living in Canada

Most Canadian millennials think conventional approach to retirement is outdated

Here are all the Toronto parks where drinking will be permanently allowed

Alcohol in parks in Toronto is now permanent but some neighbourhoods are not happy

Video shows Ontario police throw flashbangs at suspect car in movie-level takedown

City of Toronto has been awarding multimillion-dollar contracts to single bidders