Greetings!
All that you touch, you change. All that you change, changes you. The only lasting truth is change.
~ From "Parable of The Sower", by Octavia E. Butler
This second week of November 2020 begins a new chapter of hope for a better United States! We’ve been waiting 4 years for this. Thank you to everyone who voted. And a special shout-out to those who campaigned, and canvassed, and marched on the front lines in the middle of a raging pandemic. Your efforts made it all possible. The People have spoken and, once again, evil was renounced, and love wins.
I have big news to share with you that will land heavy on many hearts. With a mix of tears, appreciation, and great anticipation, Zola and I are retiring from studio management at the end of this year. This is a deeply personal life choice that we’ve been certain of since last summer. Since that time, we participated in dozens of meetings with consultants and potential buyers and also made a huge effort to transition the studio to a worker owned co-op with our employees. We envisioned the co-op as a perfect studio model and a solution in a capitalist culture where the inequities of business ownership and benefits are unfairly skewed. Unfortunately, we encountered too many obstacles and have run out of time to accomplish all of the above while honoring our retirement timeline too. The pandemic and the recent news from the SBA that we cannot change ownership of the studio until our PPP Loan is forgiven (a process that has been stalled by ever-changing government regulations which still haven’t been finalized) have made this an impossible time to transition the studio into new hands.
This means that we will be closing the studio at the end of 2020. After 7 years in this beloved community, our last class will be on Sunday, December 20, the day before what would have been our winter break. You are the ones who built this community. And your participation in this gathering will help to ensure that the memory of Anasa Yoga lives on. It will be a very special interactive closing ceremony guided by our friend, Rev. Zenju Earthlyn Manuel. The afternoon program will include space for Zenju’s wisdom, meditation, and for staff and students to share their thoughts and farewells too. Please pre-register here
AnasaOakland.com It is a no-cost event.
Although Zola and I will be moving on, we encourage you to continue practicing directly with your teachers. Most of them offer classes through other platforms. We’ll do our best to transition Anasa’s class times directly to the teachers so that you can stay together in community and continue with your self-care. Many of the teachers offer donation-based and affordable class prices to fit a variety of budgets. They are the healers who will need your support in order to continue offering their services at a time when our world remains impacted by much uncertainty, isolation, and wrongdoing. They are the ones who will continue to create space for joy, and truth, and growth.
Please plan to use all of your class passes before December 20. We won’t be able to offer refunds. Membership autopays will end on November 20 so that you’ll have the benefit of the full 30 days. Effective today, 5-class passes are discounted from $100 to $75 making them $15 a class. And the same for 10-class passes – they’re reduced from $190 for 10 classes to $150. You can continue to share 5-class and 10-class passes with a yoga buddy too.
We will announce dates to purchase props from the studio in early December. And we’ll be there for folks to come pick up their yoga mats too.
Although Zola and I are committed to retiring from studio operations at the end of this year, we remain open to discussion and offers for a 2021 purchase of Anasa which can change hands after the PPP Loan is forgiven. We are holding onto the vision that our legacy will somehow continue.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to our Go Fund Me campaign. You made it possible for us to get through an extremely challenging time for a small business to stay afloat. And you are helping us finish the year strong.
Thank you to the teachers, students, worktraders, and our manager Gaia for all that you’ve given of yourselves to shape Anasa into the sacred community it became from the moment we opened our doors December 7, 2013. I pray that our love and friendships will last forever.
With deepest gratitude and prayers for your safety & wellness,
Jean Marie
