This message comes to you with a very heavy heart. Last Sunday (August 21, 2022), I had to suspend all our downtown (not west end) in-person yoga classes. I sincerely hoped for this closure to be temporary while I navigated the terms of our new lease. It saddens me to share that I have had to make the tough decision of closing this studio location.

Despite exploring and exhausting all possible options to continue re-signing our lease (what would have been our 16th year at this downtown location – 397 Princess Street), I cannot make the financial commitments after such a significant impact from the times both during and now of Covid.

As many of you are aware, this Global Pandemic’s impact has decimated many small businesses in general, and the yoga community is not exempt. The team at Samatva has done so much pivoting. You, our community and our family have risen to remain committed to showing up in whatever capacity we could offer – and I am so proud. Our utmost priority has always been to provide a safe and trusting environment. Being as vulnerable and transparent now seems to be the best thing I can do to show you all how deeply saddened I/we feel at the end of this chapter.

It is my top priority that we continue to offer a healing space for the Kingston community – both in person and virtually – for many years. To do that, I have had to choose to release and let go. For 15 years, the downtown studio location has thrived, providing a space for people to come and lay their mats and a place for its excellent facilitators to share their love for their craft – and we will not stop.

Samatva is not gone, just changing form. Our west end location, outdoor and virtual classes will be the focus of our love and practice moving forward.

I believe from the bottom of my heart that in times of struggle and pain, the easy thing to do is to stay and endure and not necessarily make conscious decisions to free ourselves. Saying goodbye to Samatva Downtown is not a moment of avoidance and certainly not the easy way. Saying goodbye now is a moment of release and letting go of old ways of being that are no longer sustainable or working as they once did. Committing out of “crossing fingers” would be dangerous for the studio’s life in the long run.

I know that this will come as a shock to many of you. You have sweat, cried, laughed and loved in this space, and we are forever grateful that you trusted us to be a part of the process. Those of you that have shared space here know its magic, and we have heard time and time again that it is irreplaceable. But all good things need to also come to an end. We must move forward confidently to keep your trust in a shedding time and a time of growth and evolution, our next phase.

We hope that you will continue to practice with us. Our city is not that large, and we can remain together for many years.

Again, please know that nothing is changing with our west end location. In fact, with September quickly upon us, we are thrilled to announce that we will be expanding on our class’s styles and time. We are reintroducing more exciting workshops, master classes, suspension yoga, and family (pre and postnatal + kids), all in the coming weeks and months.

Your beloved teachers will still be here, and we are committed to making our rates affordable to make yoga accessible to as many people as possible.

Please know that this decision was the hardest I have had to make. It affects lives, and I’m here in the thick of it with you all. I came to this choice from a pressure place, which happened quickly. I’m still trying to get clarity around it, but I trust in the change process, and that growth will begin with a bit of agitation. A tree with the deepest roots needs wind, sun, fruit and also dormancy to outlast the cycles it experiences. This is our time to shift and our time to say some goodbyes.

For those who practice in our downtown location exclusively, we ask that you email [email protected] so we can share what we can do with your memberships and class cards moving forward.

No one wanted this location to continue and succeed more than I did – I assure you I have done everything that I can, and I am truly deeply sorry for these changes.

With love and the most profound respect,
Jaime