The Heartbreaking Demise of Our Sacred Spaces
A few weeks ago, I learned that yet another yoga studio - the third to which I have direct ties as either a teacher or a student - is closing permanently. I have been at a loss for words, unable to summon the courage to express my grief, my despair, my frustration, my uneasiness, even my gratitude. But these sentiments have undeniably been the source of sleepless nights. In my restlessness I have wrestled with what to do, why this is happening, what is to blame, what to say and to whom, where to take my teaching practice next. I have no definitive answers yet, but I will start with addressing my connection to these places and what they have meant to me.
Semperviva Yoga: Closed March 2020
Within weeks of the outset of the pandemic in Canada, Semperviva Yoga in Vancouver announced its closure, citing an inability to cover exorbitant rental rates for their four studios, all located in the city’s upscale west side neighbourhoods. The sudden decision put dozens of teachers and staff out of work, and closed the doors to hundreds, even thousands, of students.
In its heyday, Semperviva showcased some of the most prominent teachers in the Vancouver area (Clara Roberts-Oss, Bernie Clark, Cameron Gilley and many more) and welcomed guest teachers (Janet Stone, Sianna Sherman, Shiva Rea, Mark Stephens, Anodea Judith, Seane Corn and many more) from all around the yogasphere. It was not uncommon to show up for a practice or a teacher training module along with over 100 other enthusiastic yogis.
I spent four years travelling to and from Vancouver in pursuit of my 300-HR Advanced Teacher Training at Semperviva, and completed my requirements in 2018.
My fondest memories of my time at Semperviva were the pre-sunrise walks through Granville Island, coffee in hand, eager for the day’s first practice before settling into the rest of the day’s learning. When I needed a new perspective, from the windows of the Sea Studio, I could gaze eastward along False Creek to watch the hubbub of small seacraft crisscrossing the waterway. The longest break - always at 915am to make way for the studio’s 930am daily drop-in Hatha practice - became my sacred time. I would wander the market, armed with my second coffee, relishing the relative quiet before the hoards of tourists would descend from their tour buses. After I had chosen my favourite lunch-for-breakfast meals (Chau Veggie Express’ Diving for Pearls Vegan Pho or Sprig’s Fried Halloumi & Roasted Red Pepper Wrap were my go-to’s), I’d settle into a table in a quiet corner of the market to write in my gratitude journal and study.
There are so few opportunities to delve into the luxury and privilege of adult learning, and I cherished every moment of mine. The wisdom of the master teachers I was able to learn from, the new friends I connected to while studying, and the closeness that flourished between me and my Auntie Adelle, my mom’s best friend, who generously billeted me each time I came for a week-long training session.
MokSana Yoga Centre: Closing May 2021
In April of this year, Ida Winter confirmed that MokSana Yoga Center would be closing permanently at the end of May.
MokSana has been a touchstone for me since I first began practicing yoga nearly 20 years ago. Not only did I join the teaching team five years ago, but when the studio moved to its current location in 2018, I persuaded Ida to share her reception space with my boutique, Beatnik Goods. My intention in opening the shop was to expand the feeling of community within the studio by showcasing local and sustainable makers of yoga-related clothing and accessories, some of whom were patrons of MokSana.
In early May 2019 the calamitous fire at the abandoned Plaza Hotel next door to the studio dealt us the first of several fatal blows to our businesses. The combination of lingering smoke fumes, barricaded sidewalks, and the constant, noisy removal of debris deterred our students and customers from coming through our doors for the months following. No longer able to sustain the costs of running my business with so few customers, I pulled the plug on Beatnik in November of that year. Though I regretted not pushing forward to see the success of the shop reach its full potential, the COVID-19 pandemic would likely have shuttered it a few months later any way.
With seemingly boundless tenacity and whiplash-inducing agility, Ida responded accordingly to the changing public health orders issued by the BC government through every stage of the pandemic. From applying to relief loans in order to keep the lights on and the teachers remunerated for the first six months, to navigating the challenges of running a business adjacent to the homeless camp that sprung up outside the studio doors, to renting the studio - once the relief trickled dry - to the entrepreneurial teachers who wanted to keep their classes going, Ida pivoted as needed to keep MokSana afloat. In the brief moments I intersected with Ida throughout 2020, I could see that she was running on empty. I can only imagine the relief she must have felt when Kaleidoscope Theatre agreed to take over the lease on June 1st.
The building itself was quite special. I loved telling my customers and students the story of the mural painted by Brianna Bear that adorned the lower studio - an awe-inspiring reminder of the Lekwungen territory on which the building stands, and the direct ownership of the building by the Songhees Nation.
But even more so, what I will miss most is seeing regularly the people who gathered in the space, those who started as my co-workers and students and teachers who became my trusted circle of friends: Dallas, Mur, Jen, Crista, Fab, Melissa, Mariko, Ida, Valentina, Stephen, Heidi, Ron, Nyk, Laura, Kay, Jeff, Katy, Jane, Richard, Judy, Catherine, Satomi, and so many more (my deepest apologies if I missed your name…) There is something so sacred about working (and moving, singing, laughing, crying, problem-solving, transforming…) alongside your friends. That is what community looks like for me.
Fernwood Yoga Den: Closing June 2021
The Den Crew, circa 2018
Emily, Tracy, Ande, Rachel, Melissa, Me, Joel & Katyanna.
The latest yoga studio to announce its permanent closure, The Yoga Den has played a significant part in the renewal of Fernwood Square. Opened in 2011 by social workers Rachel Sadava and Lola Storry, The Yoga Den’s soul has always been rooted in supporting community, especially the most vulnerable. In 2018, Rachel formalized an agreement with Fernwood NRG to purchase the studio, bringing it under the umbrella of the non-profit organization’s social enterprise vision. The studio was moved into the brand new building Fernwood NRG had constructed in the heart of the neighbourhood.
Rachel stayed on as studio manager through the transition, and this past year she passed the reigns to Kevin Yee-Chan. Under the admirable leadership of both Rachel and Kevin, The Den continued to unify the studio’s community with messages of hope and gratitude throughout the unrelenting demands of managing the studio throughout the pandemic. Like most studios, they pivoted quickly to offering online classes or a hybrid of live and online when students were permitted to practice together at a distance. But ultimately, Fernwood NRG Group, also suffering huge financial losses over the past year, has decided to sell the building, signaling the dissolution of the yoga studio as well.
The Yoga Den was the first studio to offer me my first regular class in 2012, and by the time the doors close for good at the end of June, I will have occupied the same spot on the schedule (Wednesdays at 5:15) all these years. I will always be grateful to Rachel and The Den for taking a chance on me as a new teacher, and giving me an opportunity to spread my wings.
I am experiencing a deep melancholy for these places that have played such momentous roles in my development as a yoga teacher. Though I know that the spirit of a community lives on beyond the physical spaces they inhabit, the loss of these studios is consequential, and urges me to continue ruminating on why yoga studios have been especially vulnerable during the pandemic’s economic fallout. Stay tuned for more of my musings…but meanwhile, may we celebrate the spaces that hold our memories.
MokSana Moments
