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As 2012 comes to a close, I look back and find so many reasons to be thankful. It has definitely been a year of great change and transformation! Great change is always followed by great challenges -- that's how we learn, grow and blossom as human beings. However, there have been countless blessings as well.  As I often say to my students, impermanence is the nature of life. The only constant in life is change. Yet, many of us resist change. As Caroline Myss expertly puts it: "If we let go of things, our life is going to change. And the reality is that we are actually more afraid of change than we are of death." However, if we allow inevitable change to happen and go with the flow, we might just end up with something unexpectedly better than what we had before.

In the spring of 2012 we were ready to expand our horizons and embrace what we thought was the next step in our evolution as a yoga studio. As I announced in the May newsletter, we had big plans to move into a newer, bigger space. By the summer we had everything lined up: 2,800 square feet of space in a great location with ample parking, amazing plans drawn by an architect, backing from the City of Issaquah, and even the financial means to commit to such an endeavor. It seemed to be a done deal. Then, as the small details started to be determined, the situation started to shift and I realized that a move might not be in Terra Yoga's best interest after all.

What makes Terra Yoga a unique studio is our exceptional community.  I often hear from Terra yogis how peaceful, welcoming and cozy our environment is.  I realized in talking to some of you that Terra Yoga is not the actual physical space but the energy we've cultivated in that space for almost a decade.  A much larger studio would dissipate that energy and the ability for people to connect in more meaningful ways.  Yes, it would be nice to have showers... but the quality of instruction and the community aspect (the "gifts" or "content") are a lot more important than the amenities (the "packaging"). The unique gifts we offer differentiate Terra Yoga from other studios, not the nice but superficial packaging in which they are presented.  Managing a much larger space would also translate into considerably more administrative work for me -- my overhead would pretty much double -- when what really brings me joy is developing high-quality content to present to you.  Last year I promised myself I would reduce my work load and bring more balance to my life. How can I keep my commitment if I add more to my plate? The idea is to simplify life, not to complicate it -- and to continue to do what I love.

Furthermore, when I discussed with different contractors the optimal method for heating up the new studio efficiently (while staying within my budget), far infrared heat came up at the top of the list. Far infrared is considered  to be a cleaner and more economically viable option than other heating alternatives based on the (biased) safety studies produced by the companies that sell such products. It is no surprise that far infrared is a very popular choice among hot yoga studios at the moment. However, infrared heat is a form of radiation that hasn't been used for the purpose of heating larger spaces for long periods of time until very recently. Therefore, there haven't been any definitive studies on the long-term effects of recurrent exposure to infrared radiation for periods longer than 1-2 hours per day.  As with any other type of radiation, the effects can be cumulative if not enough time has passed between sessions.  As such, long-term exposure to a very low dosage may be equivalent to short-time exposure to a large dosage.  Both my physics background and my yogic intuition tell me that --until more serious, unbiased studies are done -- it is not wise to risk exposing students, teachers and myself to daily doses of infrared radiation. (Note: This is a complex topic that deserves a separate editorial. I have done a lot of research on infrared this year and will be sharing my findings with you soon.)

In the end, what we thought was the next step in our evolution as a yoga studio this year was not really a physical move but rather a shift towards more refined, higher-quality content. Here are just a few examples of the amazing programs we offered in 2012: Kirtan with Girish, Ayurveda workshops, Group Breathing Circles and 40-Day Challenge, to name just a few. We have expanded our horizons this year and will continue to do so as we transition into the next. We have definitely cleaned house and got rid of what wasn't working in order to raise the bar in terms of the yoga education we offer. In 2013, we will have our first-ever yoga retreat in Brazil (Peru is probably next), a better and improved 40-Day Challenge program, monthly Group Breathing Circles, and many more special events and workshops with gifted teachers. In January, we will even be introducing a new class style that you won't find anywhere else! 2013 promises to be an exciting new year, and we would love for you to be a part of it!