Home is where the heart is.
Caya Yoga is moving, Friday, December 8, 2023. Our new yoga home is located at 314 Illinois Ave. in Maumee.
Dear yoga friends,
I find myself extremely anxious as I type out this message to you. I can only imagine what you might be thinking and how you may be reacting/feeling to the above announcement. I offer my sincere and heartfelt apology as my only aim ever with being a Yoga Teacher, as well as a studio owner really, is to offer a sanctuary for yogis to learn and practice ways to bring calm, healing, and balance to themselves and their lives.
Following is some background information if you are interested in knowing the what/why/how come’s….
What???
We are moving ASAP to a unit in the building owned by Maumee Lodge No.682 Independent Order of Odd Fellows at 314 Illinois Ave. Maumee. It is maybe about 5 minutes from our current space. I received the keys this evening and will bust my glutes to get it shiny and clean, cozy and warm,intending to have it relatively ready by this Friday’s, Dec. 8, 6pm Yin class.
Why???
Well, I made a big mistake. I knew that the studio’s 5 year lease was coming to an end on November 30th. However, I made assumptions that I could simply stay on and did not check in with my landlord until the second week in November. I also did not go back and re-read my lease which would have told me that I was to formally let him know of my intentions to stay at least 90 days in advance. While my landlord was willing to overlook my mistake, my rent would be raising to an amount that the studio simply cannot afford especially plus my ever rising utility rates. Closing the studio is just not an option, so I began a harried search for a new space.
How come I’m just telling you now???
I kept putting off announcing this upcoming change thinking I would have the whole picture figured out quickly, and therefore would have time to unfold our relocation plan, minimizing stress and anxiety to our community. But it was more challenging than I thought to find another space quickly, and the longer it took the harder it became to say anything. Enter: guilt, shame, fear… plus sadness, regret, embarrassment…oh, and, many more. In hindsight, I was afraid to admit my mistake because what if everyone leaves? What kind of studio owner, let alone yoga teacher, could make such a mistake? I cried and felt awful, and consumed too many processed snacks and wine, and felt awful some more because what kind of yogi does that? And then I remembered yoga. I sat with my feelings, confessed to my yoga sisters, practiced with my teachers, meditated and journaled, and breathed…a lot! With all of that support on board, I began searching available rentals available ASAP and for low cost. Once I found a potential space I waited more because I wanted to make sure it was a definite “GO” which also took longer than I thought. All in all, I overthought everything, I internalized my experience and assumed I knew what was best for our community from that perspective, and in doing so I created a whole lot of suffering for myself. And I have learned A LOT about myself and the world around me in this process.
A little yoga lesson
So why exactly am I sharing all of this with you? I’m sure I don’t have to, I could simply state we are moving, give you the date and address, and leave it at that. Well, I’m practicing what I preach:) At Caya, we want the practice of yoga that we teach and share to have a lasting and positive affect on all aspects of yourself and your lives. We want you to come to your mat with all that you are in the moment, and then take your experience with you when you step off of your mat so that it can continue to support you. This is a look into my humanity, and a little bit of the process by which I use my yoga to decrease my suffering. In sharing this my intention is to allow you to be human too, and to offer my experience as a tool for potential growth.
The Buddha teaches that desire and ignorance lie at the root of suffering. These both lead to craving and attachment to things that are impermanent, and this attachment causes us to suffer when we experience loss or change, because we hold onto a false belief that these things will bring us lasting happiness.
We can learn more about this from the framework provided by The Four Noble Truths which can help us understand suffering and how to overcome it. The first noble truth is that suffering exists. The second noble truth is that suffering is caused by craving and attachment. The third noble truth is that suffering can be ended. And the fourth noble truth is the Eightfold Path, which is a set of principles and practices to follow to bring an end to suffering. In the Eightfold Path lies our yoga practice of movement, breathing, meditation etc. *More on this at a later time:)
I know these things. In fact I have been studying these concepts for a very, very long time. Yet look at my knee jerk jump to the deeply instilled patterns of grasping at what I have and don’t have, desiring a specific outcome for our yoga community, looking outward for the answers that really only come from inside myself, to just name a few. Life is hard. Thank goodness for yoga!!
What’s next???
We all learn a new route to the new yoga studio. Then we come together and practice yoga just like always. As is said, “Home is where the Heart is” so wherever you are, there is home. Maybe you will have to find a new favorite spot in the new room, but you will definitely have the opportunity for fresh a perspective:) Know that we are here for you should you need anything during our transition. And remember, change IS hard, but hard does not equate to bad or negative.
Things to look forward to:
MOVING SALE: $79 Unlimited Monthly Subscription thru Jan 31st (reg $109)
MOVING SALE: take 20% off 5 and 10 class packages, use code 20PERCENT thru Dec 31st*limit 2
New Year’s Day Yoga 10am all levels/mixed style yoga class
new class(es) and workshops: (Restorative Yoga with Reiki & Sound; Dance for Wellness; Quarterly Yoga Foundations Workshops; Meditation Workshop; Yin Yoga for Seasonal Wellness; Myofascial Release…)
sangha support groups: chronic illness/long COVID
Social Yoga: Open House, beginning of January (more info to come soon)
bring friends for free in the month of January
Yoga Therapy 1-1 sessions
