In case you had any doubts, a new study from the University of Illinois at Chicago found that massage can relieve muscle soreness and improve general blood flow. The researchers noted that until now, no studies had actually validated what this investigation focused on – whether massage therapy is beneficial for aching muscles after exercise, and if the intervention improves circulation. For the study, healthy but inactive adults were asked to exercise on a standard leg-press machine until their legs were sore. Then half of the participants received massage on their lower extremities while the other half did not. After completing 90 minutes of therapy, the participants in the massage group reported no continuing soreness, while those in the the group that did not get massages were still sore 24 hours later. Continue reading “Is it Any Surprise that Massage Therapy Really Works?”
Author Archives: The Branches
Formerly Queen Street Yoga
Yoga & movement. Rooted in community.
We’re here to create a better world with Yoga as our common ground. We lead down-to-earth classes, expert teacher training, and an engaged intergenerational community.
We opened our doors in 2005, and have become known for our highly experienced teachers, our innovative approach to movement, and our efforts in community care and social justice. Our aim is to make the practices of yoga and meditation more inclusive, more accessible, and more relevant for your day-to-day life.
Establishing a home practice, not always as easy as it sounds
No matter who you are, keeping up a home yoga practice can be difficult at times. Heck, even our Yoga Teacher Trainees struggle with it sometimes! We showed our YTT’s this article on 10 Tips and Tricks to Establishing a Regular Home Yoga practice and asked them what they thought. Continue reading “Establishing a home practice, not always as easy as it sounds”
Prenatal Yoga – What’s it to you?
Are you or a friend interested in practicing yoga during pregnancy? Here’s what our prenatal instructor Julie Zettel has to say about why she thinks yoga is helpful for women during their pregnancies.
Prenatal Yoga has become a huge draw for many women looking to stay healthy and vibrant throughout their pregnancies. Pregnancy is an ideal time to begin a yoga practice under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher. These classes are a great environment for the first timer to learn basic postures in a safe manner and experience the incredible healing effects that the practice has on body and the mind.Continue reading “Prenatal Yoga – What’s it to you?”
Madison’s Canine Connection
We’re super excited to bring to you this fab article that was written up in last month’s edition of GRAND magazine about the amazing work our CranioSacral Therapist Madison is doing! Madison has been busy in the community helping people with therapy dogs. Check it out below to learn more about her inspiring story!Continue reading “Madison’s Canine Connection”
Building Fires: A reflection on a cozy yoga retreat
When I thought about what a retreat was, I thought of it as an individual endeavour, where one went off on ones own, sat in silence away from the world and came back with some answers or a better understanding of things as a result of that time away. While the building fires retreat was indeed away from the hustle and bustle of the city and the demands of our day to day lives, it was not as solitary as I imagined a retreat to be. Together, there were 21 of us: a handful from Queen Street Yoga, and an equal number from a studio in Toronto known as Kula.Continue reading “Building Fires: A reflection on a cozy yoga retreat”
Yoga and Action – Beginning to Bridge the Gap
This blog was written by Emma as a reflection on the Sacred Justice Workshop from last weekend, and thoughts on where to go next as a community.
Leena and I have long contemplated the intersection of yoga and world issues. We have asked ourselves, how can spiritual practice be an integral part of working towards a more beautiful and inclusive world? How can it support and sustain us in growing our awareness and understanding, and how can it energize us towards action? And how might we view outward action as necessary and integral to spiritual practice? Continue reading “Yoga and Action – Beginning to Bridge the Gap”
SACRED JUSTICE – Exploring Yoga, Awareness and Social Action as a Community
One aspect of our vision statement at Queen Street Yoga is “Growing Community”. By this we mean that we are committed to seeing our practices as a bridge to awareness and action in our local community and our wider world. We also endeavour to support intelligent change-making and social responsiveness, and to co-create inclusive, diverse, and playful spaces.Continue reading “SACRED JUSTICE – Exploring Yoga, Awareness and Social Action as a Community”
Adjustment Cards: Keeping you Comfortable in your Practice
At QSY we are continuing to work to make our studio a fun, safe, and comfortable place for all people to come and practice in. As part of this effort we are introducing Adjustment Cards to help make our classes more welcoming. What are Adjustment Cards you ask?
Continue reading “Adjustment Cards: Keeping you Comfortable in your Practice”
Flight Club! aka Acro Yoga
I went to my first Acro Yoga class last week. After seeing Leena and Emma’s faces light up when they talked about it, I thought it just had to be a wonderful thing to try! I feel like Acro Yoga is like a jacked up version of some trust game you might play at the beginning of a company retreat or something. The trust that you need to put in the other person that is lifting you up into the air is incredible, and also the personal boundaries that are crossed when you let a stranger put their hands and feet on you and push you up is something else as well. But wait, I think I’m getting a little ahead of myself. You may still be wondering, what is Acro Yoga?Continue reading “Flight Club! aka Acro Yoga”
Queen Street Conversations: Talking about Climate Change
I didn’t know what to expect when I came for the chat: what we would talk about, the emotions that would arise, how involved people would get. As a home body, I often struggle with getting involved in activities outside of work hours, but at the same time I also have a desire to connect with the community that resides beyond my home and workspace. When presented with the opportunity, I often pass over such events, but this time something deeper drew me to come. For a long time I have struggled to participate in conversations surrounding climate change. When someone mentions the documentary they just watched about floods, extinctions and the like, I am paralyzed by fear: fear of the unknown, and by feelings of hopelessness, and powerlessness. What are we going to do? How will I survive? What’s going to really happen?Continue reading “Queen Street Conversations: Talking about Climate Change”
The Branches 