It's Time for Another Change
The Mill River in the fall.
Dearest Yoga Sanctuary students, teachers, and staff,
I’m writing to share exciting news. The time has come for me to transition into a different role in this community, and for us to welcome someone new to the joys and challenges of being the Studio Manager of Yoga Sanctuary.
It has been such a gift to support YS in this role for these last two-and-a-half years. I have been deeply humbled by this community and the collective wisdom, commitment, and dedication of each of you. I came in expecting another administrative job, and what I’ve found - and been called into - has been so much more. I am profoundly grateful to have had the opportunity to step into the work of helping steward and care for this community; to get to know so many of you beautiful humans; and to encounter and be touched by the unique and transformative yoga practiced here. This yoga that does not shy away from the all of our lives, but embraces it - this yoga is what we need to move forward, together.
You all have taught me so much, but perhaps a most important teaching that I can offer back to you is this: in these COVID-times, we have experienced fully how what matters most is not the space, but the people. Certainly, our sacred spaces matter - they hold us through experiences of profound transformation, and are the container for us to meet one another in our fullest expressions, in person, together. And, what I’ve seen in these last seven months is the incredible power of our human connection: that we can still find each other, welcome others in, learn and give and receive from one another: that human community continues if we remain dedicated to it. I admit that there have been times in these last seven months when my faith has wavered, when I’ve doubted if we, the community of Yoga Sanctuary, would make it through. Yet today, as I sit in the big studio while Erin livestreams her Yin Yoga class from the small studio, I can feel it: we will be here. Not because this space is here, but because each of you, students, teachers, work study staff, and now Lindsay, have said: we will be here. We’re in this, together.
And so, we step into this next change. I am moved by how deeply this transition is in alignment, both for YS and for me, personally. My intention and mandate from my first conversation with Sara in May of 2018 was to support and facilitate the studio through the transition to new ownership: to help the studio get ready operationally and as a community, to support the technical transition, and then to train the new owner and manager and get them set up for the long-term. My last day will be Friday, December 18 - and we will be ready. It will be time for the new manager, whoever they are, to step in and help Lindsay carry YS into our next chapter as a community.
I will be ready for the next chapter, too. It’s time for me to return to the community organizing work that I trained in while in graduate school, and to put the community building, operations, and strategy skills that YS has deepened in me to use as we build the world we want our grandchildren’s grandchildren to live in. My partner and I intend to stay in Northampton, and I intend to stay connected with you, as students together at YS and as stewards of this Valley we call home. You can continue to reach me at the studio@yoga-sanctuary.com email through Friday, December 18, and, if you would like to begin connecting for non-YS reasons, my personal email is jwenz12@gmail.com.
So: it’s time for us to find our new Studio Manager! The job posting for the new position is now live: please check it out and share with your networks. Lindsay and I are excited to meet the wonderful people who will come our way.
Looking forward to the last eight weeks in this role and years of learning to come.
In gratitude,
Jen