Dear Founders,
We have been through a lot of life’s transitions together these past 6 years. People always ask why we call it Founders Club, even after the studios have been open for years. Founders are the foundation of Citizen Yoga. You create and maintain our inclusive and inquisitive culture. You share your life stories with our EM’s and teachers. You press pause when your life has big transitions, and re-activate your membership with such joy when you finally get to be back with us on your mat. We still have 40+ original Founder’s from when the Royal Oak location opened. Whether you just joined as a Founder or have been here with us since day 1, there is one thing that I know, Citizen is different. Citizen is another form of therapy. You are a community of socially conscious people. You turn on your videos even when it’s uncomfortable so that other people can see faces and feel connected in an isolating time. You show up for social events so that we know each other beyond our mats. You introduce yourself to others in the studio, even if it’s a little uncomfortable, because we know life is so much better together than alone. Your commitment, love and connection to our studio is what makes our community so powerful.
I wanted to take a moment to Thank You for sticking with us. For being the pillars of Citizen, a studio that has become your second home, even while you cannot be in our physical space. We are dedicated to helping you cope with all of life’s unexpected change online and in person. We hope through your experience with us, you become more of the person you want to become.
A lot of our students are frontline workers. We know all of us have been affected by this virus. Please know that every person, not just our staff, but every person in this community, is and will be there for you from beginning to end. We are not just a yoga studio.
There are moments in history that force us to innovate and drive us to change. We have used this experience to rethink and confirm what Citizen is to all of you and to our teaching team. We have so many new ideas. We will be continuing to create new online classes, workshops, and experiences for all of you long after this passes. And remember, it will pass. We will all see each other again.
Saying Hello is safe. Pay it forward. Spread the Citizen love on your streets, to your long distant friends, and to anyone that looks like they need a friend. Again, thank you for believing in us even after we closed our physical door, and opened up a whole new world of Citizen Yoga.
Here is the poem that I offered in my Saturday 11:45a class, that feels fitting to share with all of you:
“And the People stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the People began to think differently.
And the People healed. And in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.
And when the danger passed and the People joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.” – Kitty O’Meara
I am so proud of us as a community. I am so grateful for you.
Kacee
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