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.

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.