A Letter of Love and Gratitude: A Special Message from Christina

Dear Members,

It's metamorphosis season at Kasa Yoga Dallas.

I feel grateful to be here, honest and vulnerable, towards all of you 150 beautiful human beings that belong to Kasa Yoga Dallas, extremely devoted to the practice and to the community spirit we have been creating for 5 years.

In January of 2019, I found this beautiful place for lease. I had a dream of building the most desirable space - a house, the Kasa -  to practice yoga and meditation in Dallas, so I moved forward to make my dream come true. It was the second biggest risk of my life at 45 years old - the first one was in 2004 when I quit my career as an attorney and a college professor and left Brazil behind because I believed in love and I listened to my heart. Many people said I was crazy, but I did it anyway.

On April 11, 2019 (my dad's birthday), I decided to become an entrepreneur, the second risk because I never studied business, and a few people said I was crazy again, but I did it anyway. I had a lease contract in front of me; the offer made by the Landlord was a 10 year contract, being 5 years plus an extension of 5 more, ending in 2029. Without a question that I was doing the right thing, because it was a dream, a purpose from the heart, I signed the agreement. Improvements were made and I opened the most incredible space in Dallas on July 11, 2019, where 250 people gathered to embrace the new venture that was being created. We were voted the best yoga studio in the city of Dallas in 2023. 

The journey has been phenomenal. With a deep commitment to the community's well being, we have 150 members, 14 group classes a week, private sessions per request, 3 teachers, 1 licensed studio in Frisco, retreats in Brazil and Mexico, and a human culture that embraces values as calmness, joy, kindness, self-care and community support, values that are the fundamental principles of yoga and meditation practices.

Like any journey, obstacles came our way. In 2020, we faced the Pandemic after being in business for only 8 months with 25 members and significant investments to be repay. While navigating the Covid-19 situation, we also had to face a partnership dissolvement, but me and my team were committed to overcome the difficulties, and we did successfully, emerging stronger, reaffirming our belief in the daily work we do at Kasa.

Someone told me that 2024 is the year of Saturn with the planet's power bringing about profound and unyielding changes where change is needed most, with no mercy. Well, Saturn knocked at my door at Kasa and decided to clean the atmosphere.

After 8 months of tenacious legal battles to extend our lease contract, involving attorneys and court proceedings, I secured a favorable position in court. As I await the trial scheduled for December, I've arrived at a personal decision. This whole experience of battling for my rights has become more expensive, in all senses, than the value of my own work, purpose and mission at Kasa Yoga Dallas. More expensive than my own value. No, I can't accept that. The spiteful actions are now not only directed towards me, but towards some of you with the unkind notes about the parking spaces.

I feel ready to honor my value, my purpose and my community. I do believe this is not going to end, unless I decide to leave the space to the Landlord's desire. So, I decided to put an end to this beautiful story of creating a space for beauty, health and love; the same space that has now become a war zone, and for that reason it doesn't make sense for me to stay anymore.

I don't feel sorry about this decision and I don't want you to either. Space is the material part of my mission, not the essence. You are the essence. The practice is the essence. The values of health, self knowledge and love are the essence. We must keep and honor these and leave the material behind. We must honor the peace and leave behind the anger and insult.

So, yes, I decided to close the operation of Kasa Yoga Dallas where we are now, but the work is not ending. The work is within and we will move forward with our commitment to each other. I see this conflict as an act of the Universe, which is giving me a different and better perspective of my mission, purpose and intentions with the project that I created 6 years ago.

"Love is not so much a getting together and making dreams work as it is using your energy to help life get where it needs to get. The heart has its feelings regardless of the outcomes. Being true to these feelings is the thing." - J.D.Gill, Letters of Juliet.

We still have beautiful events ahead of us to congregate our love and respect to each other: on June 8th, Kasa's 5 year anniversary event (details coming soon), with the launch of Christina's new project (stay tuned!), and the Brazil Retreat in the Fall with 13 students from Kasa going to Christina's hometown to deepen their knowledge of the practice. 

This is an end, not a sad one, but a happy one, a brighter new beginning.

I have already a few scenarios in front of me to recreate Kasa around Lovers Lane, where I always wanted to stay. My energy is always there.

Classes maintain their regular schedule as we remain in this location until the Fall. After that? I don't know yet, but something really good will come our way!

I want to be grateful, one more time, to all of you, my members, for believing and trusting in me and my service. I want to say thank you to my team, Kaylee Blubaugh, Sameera Butt, Jodi Glass and Erika Gribbin, for making this business respectful, serious and joyful.

I want to say thank you to my husband Mark, and our daughters, Sophia and Helena, for giving me all the support I needed when the days were extremely difficult around that space.

My friends, here and in Brazil, you know who you are. Thank you. And to my attorney, Darryl Silvera and his legal team, who have been representing me in court with the most incredible work and impeccable service, pursuing the truth and fair resolution. We won, but what matters in essence is that we live in peace, in love, and in respect for what we say, act and sign.

Let's continue as a Kasa Community, wherever we go! This is not an end, and don't feel sorry... the best has yet to come.

Love, Light and Gratitude,

Christina