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Photo: Bluemoon Productions

Mindful Moments: Meditation & Yoga

Mindful Moments works to support students’ holistic wellbeing: body, mind, spirit and heart. Through mindfulness meditation and yoga classes, we aim to provide programming where students can learn new skills, develop life-long healthy habits and learn about themselves. These classes are also a great way to find a quiet space during busy days.

Each instructor’s class is shaped by their unique academic and personal experience with mindfulness and yoga. Read about each of our Mindful Moments instructors.

Mindful Moments is CCR-eligible if you participate in 18 sessions and complete a reflection.

If you’re interested in learning how to facilitate mindfulness for your peers visit MindFIT Training Program.

Sign up for the Multi-Faith Centre newsletter to receive information about mindfulness, meditation and yoga programs!

All undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff are eligible to attend where space permits. All levels of fitness are welcome to our yoga classes.

Types of Mindful Moments Classes

We aim to create a warm, welcoming, joyful, yoga class where everyone can feel comfortable in their bodies and with one another. We know yoga and fitness classes can sometimes feel intimidating. Here, we want to help dismantle contemporary notions of yoga as hierarchical spaces demanding perfection that are hyper-focused on the physical form of the body. Instead we emphasize moving at your own pace and developing a practice that works for you. Your instructor will offer options in class that you can choose to make the practice more or less physically challenging.

Good things to know about these classes:

  • Beginners are welcome. Remember, your instructor was a beginner once too.
  • This is not a competitive yoga environment. Everyone should feel free to do as much or as little of the physical components of class as they feel comfortable doing.
  • Listen to your body. It is your best guide on your yoga journey.
  • No special clothing is required but you should wear something you can move comfortably in.
  • We usually practice barefoot to reduce the risk of slipping.
  • Your instructor is happy to chat after class if you have questions about the practice.

When we get quiet in mindfulness meditation, we start to notice all kinds of things: our mental chatter or self-talk, our physical habits (e.g. clenching our teeth) and we can even become more aware of our mood and feelings. This awareness is empowering because it allows us to question or contemplate whatever we start to notice. Agency and autonomy can grow from this awareness and reflection.

Good things to know about these classes:

  • Your facilitator is trained and they welcome your questions.
  • You facilitator might be a graduate student, a staff member or even faculty.
  • Mindfulness is challenging—that’s why practicing together can really help!
  • Mindfulness is never about being perfect. It’s about noticing when our minds wander and learning about ourselves from that wandering.
  • There is no right, singular mindfulness practice for everyone. Your facilitator will offer a variety of meditations including breath meditations, body scans, visualization meditations, walking meditation, self-compassion and kindness meditations.

Mindful Moments Instructors & Facilitators

Headshot of Abby standing and crossing her arms confidently.

Abby Gaskin

Yoga Instructor
Sessions:
Thursdays, 8:10 – 9 a.m. at Hart House Fitness Centre
Wednesdays, 8:30 – 9:15 a.m. at Goldring Fitness Studio
Fridays, 7:15 – 8 a.m. at Goldring Fitness Studio

Abby is a graduate from the Master’s in East Asian Studies program at U of T and is an enthusiastic motivator about practicing and teaching yoga. Throughout her studies as a fashion designer (BFA in Fashion Design from the Parsons School of Design), followed by her time as a womenswear designer for UNIQLO in New York City, Abby has been exploring a diverse combination of yoga styles and practices. Though she started her yoga pursuit in 2016 as a Hatha-style certified teacher, Abby enjoys teaching a variety of styles with a focus on relaxed vinyasa yoga flow.

Headshot of Catherine smiling and sitting on a staircase.

Catherine Amoguis

Mindfulness Instructor
Sessions:
University College via Instagram @ucstudentlife

Catherine is a fourth-year Criminology and History student at the University of Toronto. She is passionate about promoting mindfulness and mental health within the BIPOC and queer communities on campus. Catherine has completed her training through the U of T MindFIT Program. She previously worked for the Multi-Faith Centre as a Mindfulness Program Assistant for two years, where she was the Student Co-Lead for Wellness Wednesdays and a TA for the 2023-2024 MindFIT cohort.

Headshot of Fiza smiling.

Fiza Mahtani

Mindfulness Instructor
Sessions:
University College via Instagram @ucstudentlife

Fiza is a 4th-year Economics student passionate about health, wellness, and event planning. Over the past two years, she has been actively involved as a Work Study at the Multi-Faith Centre, supporting mindfulness, yoga, and interfaith programming. Beyond university, Fiza is the co-president of the U of T Pilates and Yoga Club and is currently working toward completing her yoga teacher training.

Jenna smiling.

Jenna Smith

Mindful Yoga Instructor
Sessions:
Tuesdays, 8:30 – 9:15 a.m. at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport

Jenna is a current Master of Arts student in the University’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. She has worked for the last three years as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and holds her 200-hr YTT certification. Her approach to yoga has always focused on mobility and a mind-body connection and her goal is to make her classes accessible and engaging to yogis of any ability. She has experience teaching professional athletes, kindergarteners and everyone in between! She would be excited and honoured to see you in one (or many) of her classes.

Keke standing in tree pose outside of old city hall in Nathan Philips Square.

Keke Shadane

Yoga Instructor
Sessions:
Mondays, 7:15 – 8 a.m. at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport
Tuesdays, 8:10 – 9 a.m. at Hart House Fitness Centre
Fridays, 1 – 1:45 p.m. at Athletic Centre Dance Studio

Keke Shadane is a multidisciplinary performing artist, movement/yoga instructor and community leader. She began her movement practice as a classically trained ballerina. After dealing with a traumatic injury in her late teens, Keke fell in love with the magic of yoga and sustainable approaches towards movement and mindfulness. She infuses her love of poetry and dance into her teachings by inviting in childlike explorations and encourages participants to explore what movement can feel like when we tune into what our bodies truly need, instead of contorting to fit in.

Headshot of Lauren

Lauren Brown, Ph.D., M.Ed., E-RYT, AMMS

Program Coordinator and Facilitator
Sessions:
Meditation: Wednesdays, 12 – 12:30 p.m. on Zoom
Yoga: Tuesdays, 12:10 – 1 p.m. at Multi-Faith Centre
Thursdays, 4:30 – 5:15 p.m. at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport

Lauren is the Mindfulness, Meditation & Yoga Program Coordinator for the Division of Student Life. She was introduced to mindfulness as a teen athlete and has practised yoga for over 20 years. Her recently completed PhD research is a call to leverage formal education, such as credit bearing university courses, as a preventative measure in the fight for student mental health and wellbeing. Through her research she identified that undergraduates learn about wellbeing through experiential learning, contemplation and critical thinking.

Headshot of Lucy smiling.

Lucy Wolff

Yoga Instructor
Sessions:
Tuesdays, 4:30 – 5:15 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 – 9:45 a.m. at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport

As a former U of T graduate student who loved attending Mindful Moments yoga, Lucy looks forward to facilitating classes in this community. She completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Downward Dog Yoga Centre in Toronto and has since been certified in Pre/Post Natal Yoga and Chair Yoga and completed the MindFit program at U of T. Her classes focus on weaving together mobility, breath, and mindfulness while also having fun with movement.

Headshot of Melissa

Melissa Campagnolo, RYT, C-IAYT

Yoga Instructor and Mindfulness Facilitator
Sessions:
Yoga: Wednesdays, 12 – 12:45 p.m. at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport
Tuesdays, 1:10 – 1:35 p.m. at Hart House Fitness Centre
Meditation: Tuesdays, 1:40 – 2 p.m. at Hart House Fitness Centre

Melissa is an experienced yoga teacher & therapist and Buteyko Breathing Educator. She has completed Foundations of Applied Mindfulness Meditation at U of T’s School of Continuing Studies. She encourages you to personalize yoga and meditation and bring their teachings into daily life. Melissa’s classes involve a reflection topic/intention, gentle yoga practice, relaxation, breathing practice and seated/lying down mindfulness meditation. All of her classes are beginner friendly with modifications available.

Headshot of Motahareh smiling.

Motahareh Niaki

Yoga Instructor
Sessions:
Mondays, 1 – 1:45 p.m. at Athletic Centre Dance Studio

Motahareh is pursuing her Master’s in Psychospiritual Studies at Emmanuel College in U of T within the Muslim stream. She has been a longtime yoga practitioner and aims to follow the philosophy and physical practice of Yoga in bringing oneness to her mind, body and soul. She is passionate about embodiment and the ability to use yoga to find healing and presence within her body. She obtained her 200-hr YTT from Yoga and Tea in Ottawa, where she was also completing her MA in Education. She has experience working in the non-profit sector, and in her free time she enjoys hanging out with her cat.

Niamh standing in front of an open field smiling.

Niamh Wall

Mindful Yoga Instructor
Sessions:
Wednesdays, 7:15 – 8 p.m. at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport

Niamh is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Forestry and Conservation at U of T. She has had a meditation practice for over a decade and was certified to teach yoga in 2017. She has trained in various meditation techniques, including the Vipassana tradition in Nepal in 2014 and through her training with Pat Harada Linfoot in Toronto. She has also taken Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness Based Compassion courses since. She joined the MindFit program at U of T in 2019. Niamh views her personal yoga practice as an opportunity for physical and spiritual inquiry.

Headshot of Smriti smiling.

Smriti Sundar

Yoga Instructor
Sessions:
Sunday, 10 – 10:45 a.m. at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport

Smriti Sundar is a U of T alum, designer and yoga instructor. Raised in India with yoga as a constant in her life, she rediscovered its significance as an adult, realizing the transformative impact of a wellness and mindfulness routine. Intrigued by its workings, she pursued her 200 and 300-hour teacher training in Bangalore and Mysore, India. Her classes focus on discovering grounding and self-awareness through conscious stillness, controlled movement and synchronized breath.

Headshot of Sophia smiling.

Sophia Shkodzinsky

Mindfulness Instructor
Sessions:
University College via Instagram @ucstudentlife

Sophia is a fifth-year Rotman Commerce student, specializing in Management. Her passion for mental health and wellbeing is demonstrated through her participation in the MindFIT Student Facilitator Training Program as well as through the Buddhism and Psychology Student Union at U of T, where she aims to help foster student support and connection.

Headshot of Dr. Susitna smiling.

Dr. Susitna Banerjee

Mindfulness Facilitator
Sessions:
Meditation: Mondays, 11:15 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Robarts Library Room 8045

Dr. Banerjee is a family doctor who has been meditating for many years. She has focused on mindfulness in healthcare for the last several years due to the growing research on its potential impact on stress management, mental health, pain and many other conditions. Her sessions are a great way to practice as a community whether you are a beginner or a seasoned meditator. Each session involves a short introduction, meditation and a short closing discussion addressing any questions, concerns, and/or sharing of experiences.

Headshot of Suzi smiling.

Suzi Lima

Yoga Instructor
Sessions:
Mondays, 4 – 5 p.m. at Innis College
Wednesdays, 3 – 3:45 p.m. at Athletic Centre Dance Studio

Suzi is an assistant professor in the Department of Linguistics at U of T and a certified trauma-informed yoga instructor. In addition to her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, Suzi is also certified in restorative yoga and has training in mindfulness meditation from the School of Continuing Studies at U of T. Suzi first connected with mindfulness meditation and its benefits in 2013 when she was in graduate school. She believes that different components of yoga (movement, breath, and meditation) can lead individuals and communities to a calmer and more grounded experience in their daily lives.

Headshot of Thomas smiling.

Thomas Shakir

Yoga Instructor
Sessions:
Tuesdays, 4 – 5 p.m. at Trinity College, Abbott Room

Thomas is a U of T alumni in Cognitive Science, and a soon to be master’s candidate at Daniel’s Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design. His meditation practice began in high school after attending a few life-changing silent retreats. Ever since, he has dedicated years to practicing mindfulness and discovering the true nature of the mind. With an array of creative ventures in teaching, fashion and architecture, Thomas credits his secular and non-secular meditative practices to a clarity, stillness and peace in his personal and professional life.

Veronika smiling.

Veronika Vernassa, MPA

Yoga Instructor
Sessions:
Wednesdays, 5 – 6 p.m. at St. Michael’s College

Veronika is an alumna of the University of Toronto and a registered yoga teacher whose classes focus on syncing breath with movement, alignment and mindfulness, with an emphasis on safe sequencing. She completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at PranaShanti Yoga Centre in Ottawa, and her 300-hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training at Octopus Garden Holistic Yoga Centre in Toronto. Veronika seeks to pursue work that aligns with her values and currently works as a full-time Policy Analyst in intergovernmental affairs at Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Search for Mindful Moments sessions

Some sessions require registration via Folio, others are drop-in style. Search for Mindful Moments on Folio to register.