Hello
I’m Celeste Shirley, the owner of The Yoga House in Toronto. As a Registered Kinesiologist, I combine yoga, mindful movement, and emotional awareness to help people find strength, calm, and connection within themselves. My approach focuses on using the body as a tool for healing—building resilience, true discipline, and self-awareness through movement and breath.
I help individuals stick with yoga and exercise for both mental and physical well-being, developing the confidence and vitality to connect to themselves and in doing so, to others.
My Story
As a former competitive bodybuilder, I’ve gained a deep understanding of self-discipline, which led to the transformative ability to rely on myself. Eventually, weight training stopped making sense to my body. When I started yoga, it took a long time to understand how it worked. I mean, there was no finish line! It felt like I wasn't "doing" anything (productive). Bingo! It was the beginning of my initiation towards a more sensitized experience of moving and breathing into my body. After I became a yoga teacher, I decided to go back to university in my fifties to become a Registered Kinesiologist to combine the biomechanics of exercise with the energy enhancing aspects of yoga.
I work with people of all ages and stages of life — from children and teens to adults navigating midlife changes and those in their later years. The community here is truly diverse, encompassing the full human experience. I design exercise programs that support women’s health, focusing on strength training, mobility, and energy-enhancing breathing to address osteoporosis, menopause, and peri-menopause. And yes — men need yoga too! Many come to improve tight hamstrings, overall flexibility and back pain. In truth, we all come with our “rusty parts,” and yoga offers something for everyone. Many of my workshops explore the intersection of movement and mental health, addressing anxiety and depression — challenges that continue to affect how we connect with ourselves and each other.
With over 44 years of teaching about the body and mind, I bring a deep understanding of individual needs. I feel most alive when I can truly meet people where they are and respond to the unique needs of the person in front of me.