Welcome to Green Lavender Yoga Studio!

Yoga is transformative – for mind, body and spirit.  Our goal is to provide a practice, where the individual can explore, investigate and discover.

Whether you are a seasoned Yogi, or taking the first step in your yoga journey…whether you are looking for a physically challenging practice, or a more restorative/meditative one – find the class that’s just right for you.

We offer private and semi-private classes, please contact us for details.

Green Lavender Yoga Studio Instructors

Joanna Dela Cruz

Joanna's Yoga journey began during her university years, and has been continuously blossoming since then.

After spending several years in the corporate retail industry, she teamed up with former collegue Mia, (who once sat in the very next cubicle beside her!) to proudly open Green Lavender. As the newest addition to the Junction landscape, Green Lavender allows Joanna to share with others, her two passions, sustainable living and Yoga!!
She is a certified Vinyasa Flow and Hatha teacher and is registered with the Yoga Alliance International.  She has studied, and trained with Maureen Rae of Toronto, as well as taking her studies abroad.  She has also obtained her prenatal, and postnatal training from Esther Myers Yoga Studio in Toronto.  
Her teaching style emphasizes the integration of breath and movement and asana as a moving meditation. She also encourages a mindful and accessible approach to the physical practice of Yoga.
Joanna is grateful for the practice, as it has provided her with the gifts of inner exploration, mindfulness, balance, inward and outward strength.  She is thankful for the opportunity to serve others by sharing the gifts of Yoga.
Her other joys include traveling, music, cooking, and reading a really good book.

Lisa Antoszek

From a very young age Lisa was familiar with yoga. Lisa was lucky enough to have a Mom and sisters who all were and still are into yoga. Throughout her life, Lisa would leave and come back to practicing asana. A few years ago Lisa discovered Ashtanga Yoga and decided this was something she wanted to start dedicating more time to. In 2007 Lisa was certified to teach yoga from Downward Dog, and the same year she also became certified to teach Pre and Postnatal Yoga from Yoga Space.
Yoga has had an immense impact on Lisa's life.  Through Yoga, Lisa was able to bring balance, awareness and strength to her life.  She is humbled to be able to share this practice with so many wonderful people.

Paluna Santamaria

Paluna started her fitness career at a very young age as a leader of both swimming and basketball teams consecutively. After quitting sports she got her diploma in Fine Arts with a specialty in Dance. Training in various dance techniques such as Ballet, Graham, Limon, Horton and Traditional Mexican Dance as well as Aerial skills.
Paluna’s interest in body movement led her to obtain her certifications in Pilates, Yoga, Fitness and Personal Training. 
She recently discovered kettlebell training which she has been practicing for few months and preparing for her kettlebell certification as well as continuing her education in Pilates and Yoga.
She is currently working toward her Equipment Rehab Pilates Specialist certification through Body Harmonics.
Paluna’s endless energy, big smile, passion and extensive training has allowed her to make strong connections with her students that have been participating in her classes since her arrival to Canada.

Lilian Gagic 

For a number of years Lillian  has been searching for the best holistic approach to improve a number of health challenges.  Lillian found Qi Gong to best fit her lifestyle and support her self-healing journey.  Since starting Qi Gong she has changed her perspective of life and feels that she is once again in charge of her health.  After practicing for a short period of time Lillian experienced a major improvement in vitality, energy levels and overall health. Making a conscious decision to explore alternative medicine has brought great advantages to Lillian's life.  She is proud to share her success stories, and through her teachings passionately wants to spread the benefits of Qi Gong.

Abigail Godfrey

Abigail believes in the therapeutic benefits of yoga. She holds a safe, positive space in which students can discover their own practice, within a pain-free range of motion, in an environment that focuses on breathing, centering, exploration and release.  Inspired to create classes that allow space for movement inquiry and truly individual practice, Abigail’s approach is holistic: incorporating the other limbs of the yoga tree with asana practice, expanding awareness, and supporting the integration of mind, body and spirit – on and off the mat.  Abigail loves to teach Hatha, Vinyasa, Restorative, Pre-Natal and Kids Yoga. She believes that asana practice – and all of yoga – can be joyful, and encourages a sense of play and freedom of movement in her classes.  Abigail’s personal practice has evolved over the years, beginning with Ashtanga, growing with Vinyasa, and now focusing on Hatha and Restorative. Abigail believes in leading with the heart. To her this means, among other elements, listening to the body, breathing, grounding and allowing the heart to lead the way in revealing the day’s practice and each day itself.

Cindy Buckingham

Cindy has been practising ashtanga yoga since 2002 and teaches ashtanga, pre& post natal yoga. She completed her teacher training through Downward Dog in 2006 and her pre & post natal yoga training through Yoga Space in 2009. She has also studied with renowned teachers Matthew Sweeny, Chuck Miller & Maty Ezraty and continues to study under the guidance of the gifted Diane Bruni and Ron Reid.Being a new mom herself, Cindy has rediscovered the joy and healing power of her practise with the help of her son Kaleb. She strives to transform the physical practise of asana into a moving meditation.
Cindy is also certified in the Lotus Palm method of Thai Yoga & Prenatal Massage and is currently studying shiatsu through the Shiatsu School of Canada in Toronto.

Sarah Horowitz

Sarah has maintained a regular yoga and meditation practice since 1998. In 2002, her yoga practice was a crucial part of her recovery from a debilitating wrist injury, and that is when yoga truly became a way of life for her. Certified to teach Vinyasa Yoga, Scaravelli Hatha Yoga and Restorative Yoga through Yogspace Studio, she has also studied with teachers from the Kripalu, Kundalini, and Yin yoga traditions, and has studied Vipassana (insight/mindfulness) and Metta (loving-kindness) meditation. Sarah’s yoga classes build heat while emphasizing meditative awareness, core strength and safe alignment, and her students say that her detailed instructions, genuine presence and soothing voice set her apart. For Sarah, yoga is about using movement as a medium to develop the capacity for deep compassion and lifelong learning. Sarah is currently studying toward her Master’s degree in clinical/counselling psychology, which helps her create a supportive and safe environment in her classes. A deep listener and a thorough thinker with a ready sense of humour, Sarah loves to guide her students into greater mobility, flexibility and strength – physical or otherwise.