The Flying Yogi, Toronto

After learning yoga in India and then pursuing a teaching career that has lasted more than a quarter-century, Beatrix Montanile wasn't expecting to be surprised by anything about the practice. But one day in 2009, she saw her first demonstration of suspension yoga, a technique that finds students cradled in colorful slings that hang from the ceiling. She was so amazed and intrigued by it that by the following year, she was teaching suspension yoga at her own studio, The Flying Yogi. Because of the slings, bodies are raised off the floor, giving them absolute range of motion. This in turn allows for the use of inverted poses, which has many benefits. Positioning the body upside down can boost oxygenation of the brain, activate lymphatic drainage, decompress the spine, joints, and organs, and finally show the soles of your feet what a ceiling looks like. The effects of this unorthodox method are widespread: it can improve posture, encourage deeper sleep, and relieve chronic ailments such as headache or back pain.

The Flying Yogi also offers a range of hot infrared yoga classes to promote therapeutic detoxification. These classes which are heated by far infrared radiant panels designed to warm up bodies rather than air are set to 32 to 35 degrees Celsius (90-95 degrees Fahrenheit). that In addition to providing strong yoga fundamentals with strength, body awareness, and breath, regular exposure to infrared light-rays has been shown to help with symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Hot Infrared Yoga also helps alleviate chronic, increase circulation, and promote weight loss among many other benefits.