Eddy Toyonaga Yoga

Calgary yogis, come catch me if you can.

I’m teaching until Friday, then I’m off to Vancouver Island to chase waterfalls, walk through forests, and spend some time in nature. Otherwise see you in early September.

To me the practice of yoga has always been about returning to yourself.

In a world that is constantly pulling our attention outward, yoga invites us back inwards. Well return back to the breath, back to presence, and back to the heart.

In one month from today, we’ll begin another session together in Bragg Creek.
It’s fifteen weeks of movement, stillness, challenge, growth, and community.

Whether you’re brand new to yoga or have been practicing for years, there is a place for you.

I hope you’ll join us.

10 things you might not know about me…

There are some new faces here so I thought this might be fun :)

1. Yes, I’m French-Canadian. So sitting with a bunch of frogs seemed appropriate.

2. I lived in Israel for eight years and absolutely loved it there.

3. Before teaching yoga, I built and ran a retail business with 16 locations.

4. My favorite place to think is while walking.

5. I voluntarily get into freezing cold water every day. Some habits still require a deep breath.

6. I recharge best in nature. Give me the ocean, mountains, forests or a quiet lake over a crowded city any day.

7. I teach yoga but I feel the real practice begins after you roll your mat up.

8. I’m less interested in being right than I am in discovering what is true.

9. I’d choose a deep conversation over small talk every single time.

10. I’m endlessly curious. If something resonates with me, I’ll experiment with it.
And if it genuinely improves my life, it’ll become a way of life.

The greatest thing yoga has ever taught me had nothing to do with the poses.

For the past 15 years, I’ve practiced some form of yoga almost every day. It’s often assumed it’s because I enjoy moving my body, staying flexible, or building strength which is absolutely accurate however that’s not not the whole story.

I practice because it continually brings me back to myself. This past year brought moments that deeply challenged me. Moments that could have easily pulled me into fear, resistance, or the looping stories of my mind.

Instead, they became the catalyst to go deeper into my practice. Every day, I consciously slowed my breath, settled my mind, and returned to the present moment.

These days we hear a lot about nervous system regulation and to me, that’s simply another way of describing what yoga has been teaching for thousands of years.

The Bhagavad Gita says, “Such equanimity is yoga.”

Equanimity is the cultivation of a calm mind and a peaceful heart. Some days are calm while others will be stormy. Some days lift us up, and others will ask us to dig deep.
The practice is about learning how to meet life fully.

This is why I still practice, and this is why I still teach.

Elemental Adventure Retreat: Tulum 2027

February 18–24, 2027

We’re excited to officially open registration for our next retreat.

Join Jasmine and I for six nights in a beautiful jungle setting just outside of Tulum.

We’ll move, breathe, explore, eat well, spend time in nature, and create space to slow things down and reconnect with what matters.

This retreat brings together daily yoga and breathwork, cold exposure, a traditional temazcal ceremony, adventure, community, and plenty of time to simply be.

Included:

• 6 nights accommodation
• 3 daily meals
• Scheduled airport transportation
• Daily yoga and breathwork practices
• Two guided adventure days, including a pyramid and cenote excursion
• Traditional temazcal ceremony
• Guided ice bath sessions
• Time to rest, reset, and enjoy the beauty of the land

Pricing (double occupancy):

• Early Bird (until September 1): $3,295 CAD
• Regular: $3,595 CAD

A $1,000 CAD deposit secures your spot.

A limited number of private king room upgrades are available.

If this speaks to you, send us a message and we’ll get you set up.

About a year and a half ago, I decided to try Dry January.

It was less about the challenge, and definitely not because I had a problem with alcohol either. I’ve always been a social drinker but I was simply curious to see where the path would lead.

The interesting thing was that I never really had to say no afterward. There was no resistance, no willpower, nor any internal battle. I just never felt called to have a drink.

The first time I noticed anything was this past February in Mexico. Something about the ocean, the warmth, the sunsets, and the slower pace of life awakened a simple thought in my body, that a cold beer would be nice. So I had a non-alcoholic beer instead, and everything felt complete.

That experience taught me something important. There is a difference between denying ourselves something and simply listening. The body is constantly communicating, and the more regulated, present, and connected we become, the easier it is to hear what it is actually asking for.

Freedom, perhaps is less about discipline, and maybe more about no longer needing to fight ourselves. At least, that has been my experience, and I found it interesting.

And to my fellow Canadians, happy Canada Day. May you find freedom not only around you, but also within you.

It’s difficult to see clearly when the mind is agitated.

The mind is like water. We cannot see our reflection in moving water. But still waters will reflect the beauty all around it.

This is why we practice. When we return to back our breath, we settle our nervous system, and return back to our center. And little by little clarity returns.

The answers were never missing, we simply needed to become still enough to hear the whispers of our own soul.

Over the years, I’ve explored many ways to regulate the nervous system.

Breathwork, cold water, nature, and movement have all taught me a great deal. Yet one of the best regulators in my life continues to be this little guy.

Every time I sit down with him, life seems to slow down, my mind becomes quieter, my body softens, and whatever felt important a few moments ago suddenly doesn’t seem quite so urgent anymore.

Animals have a beautiful way of reminding us what presence looks like. Sometimes the medicine is simpler than we make it.