| Hello Everyone, Thank you for your kind, generous, steadfast and unfaltering enthusiasm and support for our yoga (and other) programmes over many, many decades. I was 30 years old when Esther Myers opened her Studio on Brunswick Ave in 1979; Tama wasn’t even 30 when we first met. I remember instructing many of you in those early days, your children, and now I’m meeting your grandchildren, and happy if you meet mine. It’s been a long, varied, wonderful ride, with tears and heartache, celebration and fantastic adventure – on Harbord St behind Parent Books in 1986, 390 Dupont in 1993, and since then to British Columbia, Chiapas, the Osa Peninsula, Tobago, New Mexico, Reykjavik, Matera and the Golden Temple. Our news may be difficult to hear: Tama and I have decided to close the physical Studio space on Dupont St. Our lease is up on December 31 and the building has been slated for demolition in the next year or so. We’ll stay open for classes and workshops until December 20. We’ll announce our fall schedule, farewell party and winter schedule to all students and everyone in our database later in the year. Our plans are to keep the business alive and functioning. The website, emails, classes, workshops, and retreats will continue. We’ll teach online almost as much as at present, and offer three or four in-person classes/week at The First Narayever Congregation, 187 Brunswick Ave, Toronto, ON M5S 2M4, back near the origins of Esther’s initial location. The new version of Esther Myers Yoga Studio will involve just two of us – Tama and me – teaching most events with dear, familiar, longtime colleagues and guest instructors filling early morning slots and occasionally substituting online. We hope our new plans include you! Please join online on Zoom and in-person sessions in the new (brand new!), mobility-restricted accessible venue. The community room at the Narayever is fresh and bright and welcoming. The building has been a place of religious worship for over a century. We’re looking forward to this change. It will be a release of many pressures and stresses. Please send your questions and if you have suggestions, those, too. With sincere goodwill, deep respect and best wishes to all of you, especially Mar Jean Olson and Paola di Paolo whose excellent teaching and consistent, long term and long-lasting commitment enriched the level of instruction and interaction at the Studio for many decades; to all teachers, graduates and trainees of our Teacher Training Programme, past and present; to colleagues in other fields; to every student who has ever attended a class or workshop; to friends, family, and neighbours for your unflagging support; to Esther Myers, our brilliant founder and mentor; to Elysabeth Barnett, Sue Honsberger and Maureen Johnson for helping us remain afloat and sane; and to Vanda Scaravelli, our inspiration always. Thank you, many, many times over. |
