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I am writing to you now with deep gratitude and appreciation for your support over the last 10 years and 9 months (to be precise) owning and operating Midtown Yoga KW (formerly Bikram Yoga KW)! The studio opened on April 12th, 2008 and it has been an ever-changing and enriching journey for me since that time. I would also love to give thanks at this time to all of the fantastic teachers, receptionists and cleaners (past and present) who have supported the studio since its' inception and invested their love and skills to support it and without whom it could not have become the healing centre it is.
Last Friday, January 11th I closed a deal selling the studio to Rebecca Rose, who has had a strong presence at the studio over the last 6 months--teaching a lot, working at the front desk and infusing her heart and spirit into the studio. I know she will be a great studio owner with her grounded intelligence, her open-hearted humanity, great people skills, creativity, vitality and her love of the practices at the studio and her expertise in teaching them. I look forward to supporting her and the studio in the coming months by continuing to teach and work at the studio. (Fun fact: Rebecca's yoga journey started at the studio on August 5th, 2008, just a few months after the studio opened!) I also look forward to this new chapter of my life, pursuing more fully my love of music (song-writing, performance and recording) and intensive meditation. (I hope you can make it to one of my concerts!)
In July 2007, I moved to Toronto from Vancouver (where I had been teaching Bikram Yoga for 5 years) to open up the studio in Kitchener Waterloo having received permission from the Bikram Yoga headquarters to do so (the protocol at that time). I considered Rio de Janeiro and Singapore, but decided, all things considered, Kitchener Waterloo would be the best place for me to open a studio!
RIM (now Blackberry) was booming and the region was giddy with the success of the locally originated global tech darling. (The world's first and only smart phone maker at the time! Imagine.) RIM stock reached an all-time peak two months before I opened and RIM employees poured into the studio as well as all manner of people eager to try out this, new to the region, phenomenon of "hot yoga" and its' life transforming benefits. (Even Jim Balsillie practised at the studio for a time after he stepped down as CEO of RIM!)
Midtown Yoga KW (then Bikram Yoga KW) was the first hot yoga studio of any type within a hundred kilometres of Kitchener Waterloo and word spread quickly through town. Now, the mighty oak that was Blackberry, has planted so many seeds of tech start ups and the region continues to prosper and yoga, wellness and healthy eating options have also prospered.
Since before I opened I was focussed on fulfilling the Mission Statement of the studio:
"To tangibly raise the consciousness of the Waterloo Region through the practice of Yoga and the promotion of natural health and healing."
In my view that was fairly easy: come in and practice Bikram Yoga regularly and you will raise your consciousness and transform yourself! I am confident the studio has fulfilled that purpose, at least to a degree, and am confident that it will continue enriching the community with new vitality under the capable direction of Rebecca Rose.
Let the Girl Power begin! (For those who have sensitivities, Rebecca said she would love it if I said exactly those words:)
Wishing you all the best in the future: health, happiness and inner and outer abundance. THANK YOU!
NAMASTE (the Divine in me bows to the Divine in you, in which place we are both One)
Gratefully,
David Tiviluk
former Owner/Director Midtown Yoga KW