2022 Reflections, 2023 Hope
2022
In 2021 we had just over 15,000 visits.
In 2022 we closed the year with over 25,000 visits!
That is 25,000 hours of dedicated practice, breath, movement, and connection. It is 25,000 hours of commitment, patience, and grit. It it 25,000 hours of curiousity. It is 25,000 hours of class/session planning and preparation. It is 25,000 hours of someone saying “I will give this next hour to be with me, to be with you, and to simply be.”
I’m in awe as I tear up writing these words. It felt like pipe dream to survive this past year. But with the hope of The Practice Space, the teachers who continue to believe in our core values and mission, and to all of the students who continue to practice. I have expansive gratitude.
Teachers and students work in symbiosis to make the potential of our practice magical. Our top two teachers from 2022 were Lily Matson who held Pilates space for 2,752 visits and Allegra Chabay who held yoga space for 2,031 visits. From the beginning and end of any class or session, these two teachers fill the space with unwavering commitment and care. Lily, Allegra, and their colleagues are the heart beat of our spaces. They keep a steady hold on the container of practice without judgement or agenda. They are reliably there for the humans who walk through our doors.
Many students came a handful of times, but for some their practice in our studio is woven into the fabric of their life. There were 38 students who practiced within our walls more than 100 times in the year of 2022. I want to give them merit badges for their hard work, for their social action, for their dedication to pause and be present in challenging times. I feel inspired by the vibrations of connection that they are putting into this world through their own wellness consciousness. The hours they spent practicing is powerful, a little woo woo, and incredibly important to all of us as we move forward to a new cultural relationship to health. It isn’t a badge (yet) but their impressive dedication to practice deserve public recognition:
Caroline Dittman - 149 practices (just shy of 150 I wanted to include this new mama who practiced throughout her entire pregnancy. I think baby may have interrupted her chance to take one more class)
Lesley Delapaz - 155 practices
Michelle Stephanides - 155 practices
Anne Philips - 159 practices
Jane Sage - 164 practices
Pam Haines - 165 practices
Clara Arnston - 167 practices
Naomi Reichman - 173 practices
Ellen Cusick - 176 practices
Kendra Cullen - 179 practices
Marissa Haines - 186 practices
Kat Lopez - 192 practices
Yvonne Vallete - 218 practices
MK. Ewald - 330 PRACTICES!!!
Bradley Coffey - 330 PRACTICES!!!
MK and Bradley tied for most classes and sessions, Dedicating 330 hours of practice, these two people are examples of ferocious loving kindness. In classes they are present with every opportunity for learning and community support. I’m grateful for the lessons they have taught me as I have witness their brilliance in movement and in life. I am grateful to call them my friends.
So whats next 2023?
Hope. Hope is what 2023 at The Practice Space is all about.
After months of figuring out how to rename Yoga Bhoga / Cascadia Pilates & CoreAlign / Yoga Bhoga + Cascadia Pilates / YBCP… this list might as well go one… I got to the core. The practice itself and the space that holds it. The Practice Space.
The Practice Space is an every-human brand. I want it to feel accessible, relatable and easy. I want to show that the practice is always there for you, like a friendly neighbor. I want our brand to finally reflect what is actually happening within our walls, in our conversations, and in our teachings.
There are no finalized plans yet, but when we complete our brand transition in the earlier months of 2023, you can bet that I will throw a party!!! In community with music, food, and above all else joy, we will come together and celebrate. The intention of the celebration will be to honor our past, present, and potential. Here is what I’m excited to celebrate:
The past. The histories of Yoga Bhoga and Cascadia Pilates. As the original seed studios we will honor their past and those who have been in service to the beginnings. As we put these two brands to rest, we will share stories, memories, and pictures of the rich and wonderful past.
The present. At The Practice Space. We have some incredibly practitioners and students who will be recognized for their contributions. Our team amazes me everyday and I’m excited to celebrate them.
The potential. We want to share with our community our plans for the future. We want to plant the seeds together, put the vibrations into the ether, and inspires people to join the mission. The mission to bring preventative health through mindful practices to the forefront of our local and global communities.
With patience and persistence, I wish you all the happiest of new years and a hopeful year to come,
Krista
