when one door closes, another opens
Yes, the rumors are true, our doors are closing.
Back in 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, I was offered the opportunity and made the decision to purchase my home studio space, Palo Santo Yoga.
Having spent nearly 1.5 years in isolation, teaching yoga classes across a screen to people I used to hug in person, sitting with the mental breakdowns, the tears streaming after teaching, the voices of uncertainty & despair apparent all across the City from that place of forced distance… When I was approached with the idea of taking Ownership of the studio, all I could think was, “we need a place to come back together and heal when all of this is over”. My intention with making this huge life decision was to provide a safe space for my community to come back together, to grow, to hug, to heal, to love and begin to live our lives again together… I genuinely feel that my intention has been fulfilled.
In the last 4 years of rebuilding Palo Santo, the studio has grown exponentially with a full staff of diverse teachers on schedule 7 days a week, the introduction of regular in-person Recovery Dharma meetings, a fresh-made Mysore program for South Philly, several regular monthly groups + gatherings, hundreds of Special Guests, unique events, workshops and community offerings, as well as multiple successful Yoga Teacher Training programs, local & global retreats, and so much more all regularly attended by 1,000+ members of our community, showing up as you always do, making all of these offerings possible.
The time and energy of raising a studio from days of isolation and social distancing has simultaneously been incredibly time consuming and beautifully soul expanding. I cannot begin to put into words the amount of blood, sweat, and sweet tears that have poured from my heart and body into this sacred space that was, in so many ways, my first true home in Philadelphia.
There are several reasons why I have made the challenging decision to close the doors of Palo Santo this spring including a constant disrepair of the old building in which we reside. Even with the regular leaking roofs and electrical malfunctions aside, the inflated economical costs of operating a community-oriented business, the inevitable changes of participating in the Health & Wellness Industry, and the expiration date approaching of a long-held contract to lease our space have all culminated in a building of energy that clearly speaks that the time has come to let go of the old in search of something new.
What is faith? Faith is the truest form of trust in which we allow ourselves to completely surrender… in yogic philosophy we call it, ishvara pranidhana, which essentially means, “surrender to the divine”. True surrender is remembering that in order to flow with grace and ease, we must relinquish control and allow ourselves to be swept up in the Universal current, trusting that - despite what happens along the way - where we land is where we are truly meant to be.
This true essence of faith and surrender comes from the Heart.
In the heart is where we will always meet.
To my beloved community, I feel for you so deeply as this news may shatter your heart as much as it has mine and my fellow Palo teachers. Over the time period of making this monumental decision, I have cried more times than I can count and I am here in solidarity to the pain or despair this may cause you… In a final reflection to offer, I recently made a close friend in Peru that, in just a few days time, I connected with on a level that revealed the deep bond of a Soul Family who have clearly spent previous lifetimes together. Upon departure, there was sadness in having to say goodbye that brought tears to my eyes and a breaking to my heart, so instead I remembered the word “aloha” which is used in both greeting and departure… Meaning something more, that when the heart is so full, it is overflowing with the ability to influence others around you with your Spirit.
So in deepest consolation, this isn’t the end, it’s aloha.
With Gratitude, Grace & all my Love,
MJ Heart
May
(you find peace & grace)
Our last month of studio space
Donation-based Offerings
We are still hosting select Donation-based Classes + Events on schedule up until our final day before summer break, Sunday, May 25th… most of these classes are available on MindBody to register with sliding scale donation fees for attendance (much like the various community classes we’ve held over the last 4 years); however, we are suggesting that you register for class for *free* and donate directly to the studio via Venmo or directly to the teacher at class via cash or their personal Venmo account!
A portion of the donation fees we receive will go to overhead costs of keeping the studio open in its final days but the majority will intentionally go to the teachers holding space in our final weeks at the studio.
Many of our teachers are holding this space in the kindness of their hearts and in devotion to the service they wish to continue to provide, you are welcome to show up for classes unregistered and donate any amount in-person. This provides the opportunity to donate more directly to those you wish to support in any amount you feel is worth the time + effort these individuals may have provided for you in their final offerings.
Other ways of helping Palo navigate her closing costs + support the transition for space holders…
GoFundMe Donations
It’s MJ here… The years of running a community oriented business have been both a heavy burden and a beautiful blessing - in more recent times, people have asked me, “how have you kept the cost so low & yoga so affordable for the people?”
Well to acknowledge some backend truths… Our drop in rate is still $18 and the average is now $25-30 for yoga classes in Philadelphia. Additionally, our overhead costs have risen nearly 30% in the last 4 years and we have only increased our pricing by 10%. Our intention, had we stayed operational, was to incrementally increase prices over the next few years to adjust for rising overhead fees & inflation; however, this is no longer part of the plan due to closing…
So, how is this possible?
By reducing the underlying and outsourcing costs to keep this business afloat… Blessed with skill and ability, MJ has managed to continually do the bulk of the work that has required the studio to maintain its operation and potential for growth.
Other than being the Owner + Operator… she is also the graphic designer for promotional advertising, the website designer and up-keeper of information, the backend software/MindBody worker at its most glitchy needs, the hirer of teachers + coordinator of all events and community happenings, the social media director and newsletter campaign writer, the accountant tracking + bookkeeper & payroll processor, the correspondence behind many of the email questions, the organizer of the studio schedule, the teacher of many classes, a co-facilitator of our 200 + 300 hour training programs, on top of holding space for monthly gatherings, workshops, and other community needs in the studio over the last 8+ years of providing her services at Palo Santo…
Additionally MJ owns + operates her own private practices providing healing services and bodywork therapies in South Philly and has taught in other studio spaces as well as facilitated collaborative offerings locally & internationally over the years providing the opportunity to absorb overhead costs & financial obligations for Palo Santo. This personal work ethic, while continuing to offer outside services, has supplemented financial income that provided the space for Palo Santo to operate a lower overall cost for the community has required a commitment of work that extends beyond a 40 hour work week or provides for vacation breaks, benefits, or general days off.
With backend build up, overhead costs + allocated projection of taxes owed, the cost of closing the studio is adding up… And the work that has been put in, has not always financially paid out in equal to the support being provided.
Our GoFundMe is an option and opportunity to support MJ and the studio in their final months of holding space and beyond… Being a small business owner, so much of the energy and effort that goes into making a space operational has little financial support to real aspects of time, effort, and energy it takes to hold space for so many.
DONATE HERE
Our intentions with these financial community donations are :
to pay off our final debts owed as an operational brick and mortar business in 2024 as well as the partial year of 2025
balance the overhead costs of continuing operations via website, outreach newsletters, & acquired permits to practice in other locations
provide support for MJ & stipend her management staff as they seek new opportunities to teach in other locations
offer a safe space without burden to cultivate new opportunities for events & offerings as we move forward as a community space in South Philly
The Future of Palo Santo…
Pop Up Events & Classes in South Philly
We know that space is typically seen as a physical thing - having four walls has certainly served us greatly, but lately we have also come to acknowledge that space, in its essence, is truly something that we simply hold for each other…
Our next movement?
A Heart Centered Community Space still moving through South Philly
We are collaborating with local businesses, open spaces, and recreational parks in the area to continue holding space for our community through the warm season ahead.
It is our hope that we can navigate the circumstance of closing our doors by hosting special classes and pop-up events in order to continue coming together and provide guidance and support to all of our community members over the coming months and into the future.
We will provide updated information + logistics as how to register or attend events in our regular newsletter. Please subscribe if you would like to continue supporting the intention to uplift and highlight other businesses and members of our community in the area with collaborative offerings and unique events that provide more mindfulness, movement, meditation, healing, yoga, and beyond as we navigate an ever evolving future together.