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This is the section of the website devoted to news, tips, special offers and to recognize the members of the Big Stretch community.
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[Posted on Friday, October 7, 2011, filed under Yogis/Yoginis of the Month]
"Yoga is an integral part of my life keeping me centred, calm, and appreciative of the simple things in life. Healing poses stretch the mind and body, not to mention my posture has improved greatly along with my flexibility, which in turn has helped some medical issues. I'm blessed having Joanne in my life as she shares her gift with me and others." ~ Helen Younder
Helen began her yoga practice in 2007 at Wellspring Cancer Centre - as a caregiver - and found the program to be a lifesaver. She was surprised by the fact that practicing yoga had such an enormous effect on her well being. Once her sojurn was finished at Wellspring, she was desperate for more yoga and began her practice at The Big Stretch in 2008.
Helen enjoys the Sun Salutation series noting that it embraces the day, and gives thanks to the world.
Retired recently from business, Helen is a mother of 3, grandmother of 4, and enjoys, gardening, cooking, golf, handcrafts and reading, and care giving at a Seniors' Home.
She was raised on a farm which is now a heritage village of Meadowvale, west of Toronto. With 175 acres to tend to, Helen says "Dad kept us very busy - bringing in the hay, and tending the sheep and other farm animals. As did Mom with her vegetable and fruit gardens." When she is having trouble focusing at yoga, a sure fix is going to the farm.
Helen is depicted at right in her sister Carol's backyard, in Murray River, PEI. What a fabulous place to do yoga by this gorgeous river which houses mussel fields. The moss is thick, birds sing, breezes gently blow, water gently laps the shore and facing north west, the sunsets are breathtaking.
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[Posted on Saturday, November 27, 2010, filed under Yogis/Yoginis of the Month]
Jennifer, 12 years old and in grade 7, has been doing yoga for about a year at The Big Stretch and loves Joanne's classes. She was introduced to yoga early on when she was five years old and attended a few parent-child classes.
At school, Jennifer's favourite subject is art. She enjoys being creative and is very artistic. She also really likes English class because she loves to read. This busy yogini snowboard races in the winter (the exact opposite of yoga!), and plays the piano, guitar and flute.
Her favourite yoga poses are child's pose, lotus flower, all the twists and especially enjoys the seated sun salutations.
"Yoga really makes me feel much better after a stressful day at school. I especially like when there are candles lit up because it makes the room look magical." ~ Jennifer Manley
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[Posted on Saturday, November 27, 2010, filed under Yogis/Yoginis of the Month]
Irina is a professional wedding and portrait photographer in Toronto. A people person, she absolutely loves her job and enjoys being able to capture happy moments in people's lives. She lives and works in the Lawrence Park neighbourhood and is expecting her first baby at the end of November 2010.
Irina started her yoga practice in March 2010 at The Big Stretch Yoga Centre. "I absolutely loved my fist session! Joanne was very welcoming and the energy at the centre very positive. I soon after found out I was expecting our first baby and continuing with the practice has been very rewarding during my pregnancy."
Irina's favourite asana is the tree pose - always challenging and very rewarding when the perfect balance is achieved.
Her yoga practice has really helped her to become more flexible, something that she has struggled with in the past. And, the breathing techniques have brought great energy to her growing belly bump. Her pregnancy has been smooth due to this wonderful practice!
A karma yogini as well, she loves to donate to the community. Through her photography work, she love to do food drives during the holiday season and offer any time and talent towards worthy causes to help benefit others. She believes what you put out, you receive back.
"I would highly recommend to anyone thinking about starting a yoga practice .... to simply GO FOR IT!!! The experience is wonderful and very rewarding as you become more and more flexible. There is something magical when you can connect with your body in a peaceful way. ~ Irina Fortey
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[Posted on Friday, September 17, 2010, filed under Yogis/Yoginis of the Month]
Margaret first practiced yoga in the 70's but for whatever reason didn't keep it up. In 2001 she discovered Joanne and The Big Stretch and the rest as they say "is history". She plans to stay with Joanne and The Big Stretch until she's at least 90.
Margaret's favourite pose is the pigeon pose and finds that yoga helps her to be more flexible and relaxed as she ages. Margaret who is 71 years young was born in Wingham, Ontario but has lived in Toronto since 1968 when she began teaching in the former city of Etobicoke.
A true karma yogini - In her retirement she volunteers twice a week at Sunnybrook Hospital and serves tea at Montgomery's Inn in Etobicoke. She belongs to various activity groups through University Womens' Club, enjoys theatre going, walking groups, much reading, and babysitting her great niece and nephews.
It's an absolute pleasure to have this former teacher on our student roll!
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[Posted on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, filed under Yogis/Yoginis of the Month]
Years ago, Vawn found a flyer in her mailbox for yoga classes in a nearby church basement. The instructor was Joanne Lowe, and Vawn has been taking her classes ever since -- for more than a decade now at The Big Stretch. Early on, yoga was a complement to other activities, such as running and martial arts. Now it's become much more than that -- a way of providing balance and perspective in a busy, stressful urban environment.
As a freelance writer covering everything from tech to travel for newspapers, magazines and online publications, Vawn spends much of her free time traveling overseas, including a three-year stint working and backpacking through Asia. The one constant has been yoga, and she's been privileged to practice with teachers in countries as diverse as India, Thailand and Guatemala. When at home, she continues to practice at The Big Stretch and other Toronto-based yoga studios, and has become a dedicated follower of yin yoga.
The once dreaded saddle posture has now become her favourite for its benefits of opening up the entire front body, affecting the stomach, spleen, bladder and kidney meridians. Other favourites include the breath of joy, an energizing, uplifting breathing practice, and tree posture, a standing balance posture.
Pictured at right is Vawn and her friend in Thailand.
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[Posted on Friday, February 5, 2010, filed under Yogis/Yoginis of the Month]
Yogi, aptly named, is our Yogi of the month!
Yogi Tambiraja began his yoga practice in 2000 following a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or ministroke. Shortly after that, he attended the Sivananda Yoga Centre's Teacher Training Certification in the Bahamas. At the time, he had no intention of becoming an instructor, but after visiting an ashram in Quebec he met some teachers who shared their learnings and knowledge, and as a result his own practice developed.
Yogi credits his yoga practice with keeping him balanced and centred during a difficult decade, which involved a marital separation. His favourite pose is sirsasana or headstand - the king of asanas. Inversion poses have great benefits for your heart and your psyche.
He also founded the Yoga-thon for The Schizophrenia Society of Ontario (SSO) five years ago. His son, Eugene, has suffered from schizophrenia for more than 20 years. It took three years to diagnose his illness and another few years to begin proper treatment. Unfortunately, a fair amount of damage had already been done by that point, which is why early intervention is so important.
Yogi started instructing a class at his workplace for colleagues and donated the session fees directly to the SSO. While he enjoyed raising funds in this manner, he felt there was more he could do and after a "Eureka" moment the Yoga-thon idea was born, with its first venue being Nathan Philip's Square in Toronto. The rest, as they say, is history....
Web Link: Sponsor Joanne Lowe in the Yoga-thon here
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[Posted on Monday, January 11, 2010, filed under Yogis/Yoginis of the Month]
She is pictured here with two dogs from the shelter - Misty and Chico.
Nikki has been practicing yoga for 5 years now. Back in 2004, she decided to go and see what this whole Yoga craze was about; after her second class she was hooked.
On the benefits of yoga, Nikki says "I reap so many benefits from yoga I will try narrowing it down to just a few. I know this is very "Western" of me to say but I enjoy the physical challenge of the poses. I had been lifting weights twice a week for 7 years before I came to Yoga. Although I could bench press like nobody's business, I was amazed at the different strength required to hold many of the yoga poses. I enjoy this challenge. I have also benefited from increased flexibility, deeper breathing and the pure joy of quiet time to myself on my mat. I have also made new friends through yoga which is such an unexpected pleasure."
This is what our karma yogini had to say on rescuing dogs - "I have been rescuing dogs since the early 90's. My family owns 200 acres of property in Haliburton and our shelter is called Pheasant Ridge Kennels. I have always loved dogs and grew up around many of them. As a kid, we never had to bug our parents to get us a dog; in fact, sometimes we complained that we had too many dogs! My father, Dan Pavlov (no joke...my maiden name is indeed Pavlov) passed down his love of dogs to me. He taught me everything I know about how to train dogs and how to rebuild their trust after experiencing abuse at the hands of other humans. I have placed over 1000 dogs in loving homes since we began. I love them all and have many funny, touching, sad and triumphant stories to tell."
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[Posted on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, filed under Yogis/Yoginis of the Month]
A Big Stretch, Big Shout Out to Eileen Harris who is celebrating her own milestone this October - 77 years young!! Eileen, an archaeologist, has been doing yoga with Joanne for 12 years now. She began her practice at the age of 65.
Eileen's favourite pose is savasana and she enjoys Joanne's "relaxing voice and gentle, sweet approach to yoga".
There seems to be a competition of late amongst some of the practitioners to be the oldest yoga student - how refreshing!
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[Posted on Saturday, January 14, 2012, filed under Yoga Tip of the Month]
The triangle pose increases strength and flexibility of the feet, legs, hips and back. The pose also relieves back pain, tones the waist and strengthens the neck. It also improves circulation, digestion and elimination.
The triangle pose is also known to stimulate the heart chakra as you open your chest and lift your heart up towards the sky allowing you to radiate joy.
As you are practicing this pose, imagine that you are standing against a wall, or between two planes of glass so that you may line up the shoulders over the thigh. Practicing with straight legs, the lower hand might reach to the thigh, shin or the floor. You may also practice with a block, resting your hand on the block for balance and stability.
If you are experiencing pain in the upper shoulder, feel free to rest your hand on your hip but continue to lift the heart up towards the sky.
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[Posted on Saturday, January 14, 2012, filed under Yoga Tip of the Month]
Yoga is an inward journey. Be mindful of your fellow yogis and yoginis and do keep casual conversation before and during class to a minimum.
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[Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2011, filed under Yoga Tip of the Month]
Pranayama, or rhythmic breath control, is the Yoga of Breathing. Prana is the life force or vital energy of the body. The breath revitalizes the body, balances the emotions and creates clarity of mind.
There are three steps in breathing - INHALATION, RETENTION OR PAUSE, and EXHALATION.
Sitali or Cooling Breath is a breathing technique which purifies the blood, cools the system, quenches thirst, stimulates the liver and spleen, improves digestion and calms the nervous system and mind. The breath passing over the tongue cools the body, perfect for hot weather conditions.
Curl your tongue upwards to form a trough through which the air is drawn. The tongue is kept between the lips and curved upwards like the letter "u". Inhale by drawing air through the mouth as though you were sipping through a straw. Close the mouth, retain the breath for a few moments and then exhale through the nostrils. Repeat several times.
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[Posted on Friday, March 18, 2011, filed under Yoga Tip of the Month]
Although we do have yoga mats for you to borrow, your own mat will have your own odour and footprints on it. For health reasons, and for vibrational reasons, please bring your own mat to yoga class. It is your magic carpet; make it fly.
If you tend to sweat a lot, please bring along a towel to dry your brow, before they become puddles on the floor or your neighbour's mat.
The Big Stretch has top quality mats available for sale including environmentally friendly eco-mats and "tall" mats for those who need an extra foot.
When purchasing a mat, here's a little tip - if it smells plasticy, like a beach ball, this is not a very good mat.
More mat etiquette - please be mindful of others. When in class, try not to walk on other people's mats as this is where they lay their nose, head or face.
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[Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2011, filed under Yoga Tip of the Month]
Supported Child's pose or Salamba Balasana is a lovely restorative yoga pose that fosters reconnection with the breath, relieves lower back tension and releases tight shoulder muscles.
To practice this soothing posture, come into a wide-legged Child's Pose and place a bolster between your thighs. Let your belly and chest melt into the support and totally relax your arms and shoulders. Turn your face to one side, feeling free to turn to the opposite cheek at anytime. You may choose to tuck a zafu or blanket under or above the bolster to adjust the height allowing you to release completely.
Enjoy!
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[Posted on Monday, September 13, 2010, filed under Yoga Tip of the Month]
A yogic classic, Uttanasana is sanskrit for intense stretch or simply a standing, forward bend. The standing forward bend stretches the entire back side of your body, tones the abdomen, refreshes the mind and clears your head. I like to think of this pose as a rejuvenator or mother nature's face-lift pose. No botox necessary here - reversing the effects of gravity on the face.
Standing with feet hip-width apart (you might choose a wider stance if there is a lot of back tension or you are pregnant), outer edges of the feet are parallel to the edges of your mat, exhale and bend forward at your hips. In a perfect world, your legs would be straight, however, if you are just warming up, have tight hamstrings or the low back is pulling you may choose to bend the knees any amount that feels right for your body. Try not to rock your weight back into your heels, but distribute the weight evenly over your feet. Grabbing opposite elbows creates a nice traction for the spine, however there are many variations such as grabbing the big toes or stepping onto the hands, palms up, fingers towards the heels.
Do not be concerned with how far you can bend forward, but can you let go in your pose. Can you be at peace with what is? Let the head hang, you may want to give the head a little shake to let go of holding in the neck.
Variations: More challenge: interlocking the fingers behind the back and reaching the hands away from the hips, stepping the feet together and grabbing opposite elbows behind the legs or you might simplify by resting your forearms on your thighs with bent knees or resting your hands on blocks or a bolster. If you are not sure how to make the pose your own please feel free to ask me for one of many variations to add more challenge or simplify the pose. How fabulous that we can all do the same poses, but look completely different and still reap the benefits and stillness of the practice.
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[Posted on Monday, January 11, 2010, filed under Yoga Tip of the Month]
Bloom where you are with this simple meditation.
Sit quietly and comfortably with your eyes closed.
Let your breath be slow and relaxed.
Lengthen your spine by lifting your heart.
Hands are held at the heart in prayer and then the palms move away from one another, fingers spread, forming a cup or blossoming flower shape.
Visualize a beautiful white lotus flower blooming inside of you.
Breathe into its essence for several minutes.
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[Posted on Monday, August 17, 2009, filed under Yoga Tip of the Month]
The Big Stretch recommends warm, whole, organic milk, spiced (any or all of the following - coriander, cardamon, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, rose petals, lavender) with a dab of ghee. Enjoy as a snack mid afternoon, when you are on the run, if you are feeling peckish before yoga class or as a lovely snack before bed inducing a deep sleep. Serve warm to hot. You can prepare ahead and keep in a thermos hours before which increases the herbal potency of the drink as the spices are slow-cooked.
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