Our new shala is almost ready

Yoga students. The day has come!We are finally moving on from what has been a wonderful chapter in the story of our little shala in Dublin. Our new shala is almost ready and we are so excited about welcoming you there this Sunday for our first class.Our shala in Baggot Street is about to burst at the seams in its valiant, yet futile attempt to house all of you hard-working ashtanga yoga practitioners and it is definitely time to move on! We're delighted that we'll have more space for you all at the new shala.Finding a new shala, negotiating a lease, and getting the place ready has been a long and difficult process. It's almost four months since we were told that we would have to find a new home and, at the time, it seemed like we'd have ages to find a new place. As it turns out, we'll be moving one day before our lease expires in Baggot Street. It has been a stressful process that I wouldn't recommend you try!Then, just when we thought we would have everything done and finalised, we were told yesterday that the building work won't be finished in time for Sunday's class. Boohoo.So, unfortunately, we won't have a shower for the first few days at the new shala. Our builder says he should have it all finished by the end of next week. I know a lot of you like/need to have a shower after practice and I sincerely apologise that it won't be there straight away. Everything else should be in place by this Sunday.We really did everything that we could to have it ready in time but, as almost anyone who has dealt with builders in Ireland knows, they sometimes disappear on you just when you really need them. It has been a frustrating few weeks, to say the least. Thankfully we practise ashtanga yoga and, so our equilibrium is totally unaffected by those sorts of things ;)I had a brief moment of nostalgia in the old shala yesterday evening while I was teaching. The room was as packed as it has been for the last few months and, as the steam rose from the practitioners and made it hard to see to the other end of the room, it struck me how much the space has held us all and provided a haven for us to practise.Students have come and gone, some have stayed a long time, some a short time, and some only made one visit. So many people have been nourished by coming into contact with the ashtanga yoga practice at our small shala. We've played our part in that but, as always it has been the practice itself which has provided all the benefits. Those of you who know us will know that we do not seek the limelight at all, but sometimes we do have to step back and pat ourselves on the back. We're so proud that we have facilitated the emergence of such a special community of yoga practitioners. That's how I felt yesterday evening as I squinted through the haze. We've done our best to nurture you all on your journey with ashtanga yoga and we are looking forward to continuing that journey in a new place.A yoga shala, after all, is so much more than the physical building that houses it; it's the students who really make it into something special. We love you all.