Butterfly Kisses Yoga Studio in Northbrook
Tonia Stella moved to Flinton with her family four years ago from Ajax, and they have been getting used to living “North of 7” ever since.
Tonia brought her years of experience as a yoga instructor, Reiki practitioner and meditation instructor to a new venture a year ago, by founding a yoga studio in Northbrook. She had been teaching yoga in Napanee, and kept that going until recently, and as she starts up year 2 of BKY (Butterfly Kisses Yoga), she is looking forward to fully focusing on promoting BKY this summer and beyond.
She said that last summer she was able to connect with a lot of seasonal residents, who helped fill the yoga classes that BKY holds, at their 12345 Hwy. 41 (next to Pine Grove Motel) location in Northbrook.
“Things certainly slowed down this winter, luckily, she has a few amazing students who continued through the winter and now people are getting more active, now that spring is coming,” she said, in an interview from her yoga studio, this week.
She said that her practice in Northbrook is more focussed on slower flow movements, than the Vinyasa and faster flow classes she taught in the past in Napanee, in tune with needs and desires of the local population.
Butterfly Kisses Yoga was created “with the intention to teach yoga to children and teens, although that has shifted and it is now more adult focussed. This studio was created out of the desire for community. Not just any community, but a place to grow a stronger body, mind and soul. A place where we can share knowledge, speak face to face and make real life connections,” is how BKY is described by Tonia, on her website.
As the business has developed over its first year, classes tailored to an older population have been developed as well. Classes in Hatha Yoga, Yin Yoga, Core Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Gentle Hatha, Yin/ Yang as well as Vinyasa, Yin/Sing, are available, and Tonia also offers Sound Bath, women’s circles as well as Reiki circles. She does Reiki Sessions and other spiritual modalities, Catherine Crawford offers Biofield Tuning both by appointments only.
Group classes are offered five days a week in Yin/Yang and Hatha (Tuesdays), Gentle Hatha (Wednesdays) Sweet Stretch by Marilyn Farrell, Yin and Sing and Core Yoga (Thursdays). Restorative Yoga and Vinyasa Flow (Fridays ) and Gentle Hatha (Saturdays). More classes will be added in May.
Getting the word out about the yoga studio has been an ongoing challenge, but through word of mouth, people have been coming to see Tonia.
“A lot of people come just because they have a need to exercise. From there, a lot of people open up through yoga, and even through meditation. The most gratifying part of being a yoga teacher is watching people improving their physical and emotional well-being through yoga”
Now that the studio is a year old, the possibility of other practitioners coming on board to use the space is being explored by Tonia. She has a separate room for massage or a cosmetician/aesthetician for rent.
“I am really looking forward to building in year 2. A special thank you for all the support this community has given me. Especially to the clients I lovingly call my ride or die and my beautiful Marilyn Farrell. I just don’t know what I would do without you.” said Tonia.
BKY has a website (butterflykissesyoga.com) with a list of services and a pricing/booking application, and a Facebook page (Butterfly Kisses Yoga) where people can keep up with the classes, and events that are being planned for 2026.
