October 9, 2022

I don’t know about you but I am still pretty disoriented after the past few years. I was just talking to my friend, Laura, today about how we miss the in-person community that was built over the 21 years we were in Somerville and the 9 years we were in Cambridge and the South End. To be honest, it is painful. Painful in the loss and painful in the memories that lead me to give up every one of those physical spaces. I remember distinctly the moment that I thought, maybe, everything was going to be okay.

Closing Cambridge was brutal. We lost our beautiful boy, Dylan, in August of 2018 after 5 years of battling cancer. It felt like everything was falling apart but I tried my best to keep the yoga studio and cafe open. And in the meantime, Somerville suffered because I just couldn’t balance it all. Steven had a bad fall in late 2018 and broke his ankle, we lost the furnace in Somerville and were working with space heaters for a couple months until we could afford to replace it and Steven was able (even though he was anything but), and I was full-time trying to keep the Cambridge studio and cafe going. And we were broken; physically, emotionally, and financially.

So, after moving out of the Cambridge space, fixing the furnace, and making my way back onto the Somerville schedule, feeling back at home at my yoga love (the Somerville community) and running our retreat in Mexico, in early 2020 (which would end up to be our last), I looked at Steven (this was March 1, 2020) and said, I think we are going to be okay. I was back doing what I loved in Somerville and joyously seeing all of you! I wasn’t healed but I was feeling at least some old wounds close up, and feeling the genuine joy, love, and satisfaction of teaching yoga again in Somerville. Well, you all know what happened next. Within 12 days, we were shut down. After 2 years of struggling to get through Covid, we finally had to say goodbye. (If you didn't know, I live in NH and commuted to MA for 21 years!)

I guess my point is, I know that an online only community is not ideal for many of you. There are certainly many benefits but the lack of human contact is so flipping hard. It was a choice that I made out of necessity and not of desire but it still feels painful. That said, I hope that we can all figure out a way to continue to build community in any way we can, through, retreats, workshops, cooking classes, our new monthly Community Discussion, and heartfelt greetings when we see each other online.

On that note, on 10/13 we celebrate 6 months of the new O2! As my friend Laura said to me this morning, “Mimi, you are a fighter.” And so I will keep fighting to make what I can of this beautiful community we are all part of. I will work towards building it, making it stronger and better. And if the stars align perhaps I will find my way back to your physical presence. Perhaps you can join us in New Orleans, or take an online cooking class with me, join our new Sunday morning discussion group, or maybe, I can figure out a way to teach a class or two where you are. I love what I do and I hope you do too! (And all of my amazing teachers as well!). Let's keep living, loving, practicing, growing, and supporting each other!

Big love,

6-class Card for $60 (good for online and on-demand!)

6-month Unlimited Online AND on-demand Yoga- $550

These specials will be available from 10/9-10/13!