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.
So what does this mean for the studio over the coming months? Our regular yoga schedule continues weekly until Saturday, May 3rd with an extra special finale culminating at our 10 Year Anniversary of Heart Centered Service Celebration in April!
Please join us for extra classes, community events, and unique offerings from our Palo Santo Teaching Family & some Special Guests to celebrate 10 years of love and devotion on East Passyunk Avenue with our deeply appreciated South Philly Community! And yes, of course, there will be an open-house party for everyone to join us one last time to send off our beloved space with a literal bang!
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
10 Year Anniversary of
Heart Centered Service
in South Philly
It’s been 10 whole years since our founders, Rachel & Daniel Cordua dreamed up, conceptualized, built out, and materialized the home space we’ve come to know as Palo Santo right here on the busy corridor of East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia.
As a long-standing member of this community, I know I cannot thank them enough for creating a safe space for all of us ‘misfits’ to come together and feel loved, accepted, and open to our own potentials. This yoga studio is so much more than just that, and when I found it - I found a part of myself that was longing to be awakened, remembered, accepted, seen, and unconditionally loved - and I found that here… and I know that if you are reading this, to some extent - you did too… And now here we are, 10 whole years later - a space SO filled with love in all of its dimensions, filled with blood, and sweat, and tears that it is bursting with an energy that makes everyone drop their shoulders, open their hearts, and really feel ready to align to something greater as soon they walk through those doors…
So yes, we’re physically closing, but we’re also going out with an emotional BANG!
In Numerology, 10 is an epic number as it simultaneously represents the completion of a cycle as well as the potential for a new beginning to unfold with divine support, guidance, expansion, and growth. It is the epitome of the classic phoenix story - rising from the ashes of death, and the old quote saying, when one door closes - another opens, and we are elated to celebrate this very full cycle of devotion as well as the perfect opportunity to humbly accept change as a conduit of growth and soul expansion, which was part of the original intention of opening the doors to this sacred space so (seemingly) long ago.
We have thrived as a community at Palo Santo, not only because of the awesome teachers, facilitators and space holders who have shown up - but because of everyone who has filled it… To everyone who has shown up messy, who came to practice because they needed space, to the students who walked through our doors feeling broken and vulnerable and unsure, but still showing up anyway… Whether you came for movement and mobility, feats of strength or exploring philosophical depth, if you came seeking solace in healing, or arrived completely unsure as to why you were even there… YOU are the heartbeat of this space and the true epitome of expressing what coming together in a unified potential can really do - it can change us for the better, and in changing us, we change the world…
So thank you, a whole 10 years worth of thank you for arriving, for landing, for showing up, for practicing, for doing the work, for being willing to explore, for opening yourself up to the possibilities that we lay before you, and for taking these lessons out into the world to nurture self and others to offer compassion where it’s missing, and to bridge together the broken parts of this world in which we live that so desperately need fixing. We see you - we have seen you, we love you - we have always loved you, and we so deeply honor YOU.
Just because our walls are crumbling - it does not mean this is the end… in the meantime, please join us in an elevated heart frequency for the month of April as we celebrate!
Special Classes + Community Events
Pop Up Classes w/ MJ - Morning Myo, Roll + Release
Saturday Series w/ Kirsten - Subtle Body Yin & Somatics
Thursdays Noon w/ Philly’s favorite, the Dynamic Dave Hem
Monthly Men’s Circle w/ Daniel Cordua
Community Kirtan Night w/ Bob Healey + Aria Trueblood
Partner Yoga w/ Joe Huntenburg & Renee G
Expansive Kundalini Craziness w/ returning Guest, Joe Longo
Yoga & Food Experience w/ Colleen Krupp + Matt Budenstein
Nourishment Night : Cacao + Yin + Pranayama w/ MJ Heart & Josh Evans
Goddess Gathering, A Sacred Sisterhood Ceremony w/ MJ
Sound Bath & Unconditional Rest w/ Shay + Lindsey
Shadow Workshop w/ Kirsten Youngren
Glow Flow Yoga w/ Lindsey Gill & Ecstatic Dance w/ DJ Mythra
Fire & Ice Flow, an extended Collaborative Class w/ MJ + Daniel
Palo Party & Celebration Send Off w/ the Palo Teachers & Community
And more…
Check our studio schedule + workshops & events pages for more updated information and how to register for joining these special offerings.
We also understand the logistics…
so, here are some answers for your potential questions…
What to do with excess class passes?
Use them by attending any of our regular in-studio OR online classes up until May 3rd + all of our online classes are held via Zoom : we use the same meeting ID : 883-036-6021 for all classes
Use the classes for friends or family to attend in your place : they can use your name/account at class (this happens often) + there is also the ability transfer classes to other accounts for use.
Donate some leftover classes to those in need financially or gift them to a friend as a surprise to spend time practicing together. (Reach out if you are interested in donating your left over classes to others in the community - we’re here to help with this!)
At the end, when all is said and done, if you have a large amount left on your class packs or MindBody account - we are able to transfer any leftover value to account credits that could be used to sign up for the various workshops or community offerings at the studio.
I have an auto-renewal subscription, what’s going to happen?
We are monitoring those of you have committed to our auto-renewal monthly contract and will terminate these contracts in either late March or the within month of April so that you may continue to attend classes with your subscription for service and not over-extend your monthly contract to a time that isn’t suitable for the services being provided.
If your contract renews beyond a date that is not feasible for you to attend regularly in our final months of offering, please reach out to rectify the issue individually - we are more than happy to help.
When are the last day of classes?
Our regular studio schedule continues 7 days a week with morning + afternoon + evening offerings until Saturday, May 3rd. You are welcome to purchase drop-in classes or smaller class packages until then to utilize at your own convenience to continue practicing with us.
Where can I find my favorite teachers or keep following the future of Palo Santo?
Please subscribe to our Newsletter or follow us on Social Media to stay in touch with us!
We have every intention of sending out regular (without bombarding you with) emails to let you know where your favorite teachers are offering classes + events, how to stay in touch via social media, websites, or email campaigns, and other opportunities we are brewing up to keep practicing with the Palo Santo Community once our doors close this spring.
Question unanswered? We’re still here : reach out via email & just ask us!
join us for our open studio
Palo Party!
Our doors & hearts are open…
Saturday, May 3rd
1:00-8:00pm
An open door gathering… join us for light food & drinks, gift bundle raffles, yogi twister, farewell board + artistic expressions, photo opportunities, joyful musical offerings, open practice space, Q&A with your favorite teachers, uninhibited community hangs, and the sweet gift of time to simply be together one last time…
No RSVP Necessary - show up when you can, as you are - participate as much, or as little, as you would like - as always, our doors & our hearts are open for you…