I just wanted to send a note to you all to say the biggest, most heartfelt, thank you for everything the Kula space has provided me over the past 5.5 years that I’ve been fortunate enough to call Kula my yoga home. It goes without saying that one of the biggest things I will miss when we move is practicing in person at Kula.
When I first moved to New York from the UK, I searched across the city trying to find a studio that I connected with. I immediately fell in love with the space and, of course, the incredible teachers who offer more insight and intelligence in one class than many will be fortunate enough to learn in a lifetime of practicing yoga.
There is not a class that I’ve taken with you all that hasn’t provided some enlightening moment—be it physically, mentally or emotionally.
I was in the last class before the world shut down and was back on the mat just as soon as you all reopened in person. Kula has been such a source of balance and grounding for me and I feel indebted to you all for that.
The online classes during the pandemic never lost the depth, integrity, or level of intimacy that came from a Kula in person class—the familiarity of your style, voices, soft lighting and abundance of greenery (!) helped create a level of consistency that made the transition from in person to online, virtually seamless. I went through my whole pregnancy during the pandemic but Kevin B. made sure I never felt like I missed out from in person pre-natal classes—offering verbal pre-natal cues and suggestions that meant I could continue to practice in his online classes, despite my expanding bump! Something I am so grateful for.
The return to in person classes has provided a new level of appreciation for practice (particularly for savasana, something I always struggled to commit to, but now often opt into early.
Thank you so much for creating the best yoga space in the world—I know nowhere will ever compare. I haven’t made peace with that, but thank god for the online platform!
I’ll be at a few more classes before we leave, and OF COURSE, very much logging in remotely from LA.
xo—L. (longtime student)
Hi Schuyler,
I’d like to tell you how deeply I admire and respect you for giving birth to Kula Yoga Project. I believe that it is the most sacred place I have visited and I am so humbled by and grateful for its existence. I continually meet beautiful and amazing people and have wonderful awakenings there. It is very clear to me that Kula was rooted in the purist of intentions with sincerity, authenticity and creativity….
Very Truly Yours,
Daniel Sullivan (founder and CEO of Tumeric Alive)
Dear Schuyler,
I hope you have been receiving all the goodness I have been sending you lately. Kula is the most intelligent, awake, warm community (of teachers, staff, students) I could ever ask for. It has enriched my life beyond my wildest dreams…
Huge love,
Mary (longtime student)
I love Kula Yoga. I love the teachers, the energy, the technology that’s behind it, the grace, the flow, the hard work that comes with it, and also the way your teachers don’t expound on lots of subject topics including themselves and just get right down to the work with grace and dignity.
In Great Respect And Love,
Gurmukh Khalsa (founder and director of Golden Bridge Yoga)
This week, if I’m going to go ahead and mark it as a milestone, is the culmination of one of the most patient endeavors I’ve ever set out on—learning, essentially, how to stand and breathe. That patience has kept me on the rails, Nikki, in every way, and I have you and every person who works at Kula to thank for it. I’ve never visited a studio as deep as Kula; every teacher is great. The folks at the desk are great. Brownie is great. It’s a completely accepting community, and I know that hasn’t happened by accident. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to build communities that are fair and caring and dedicated—it is *super hard*, and you should be proud of what you’ve built (I’m sure you are), and know that other people understand how incredibly hard it has been to pull off (I hope you do.)
Thank you, Nikki. Thank you for choosing to teach, and to open this studio. Thank you for putting the millions of tiny pieces together; you should know that it’s made an immeasurable difference to me. No matter how everything else in my life goes, I look forward to at least two—and hopefully several—more years studying at the studio (and with you!)
See you soon,
D. (longtime student)
Hey Nikki,
A belated note but just wanted to mention that I just to moved to Chicago after living in NYC since 2008 and Brooklyn since 2010. I just wanted to say thanks. Since I started practicing yoga around 2010 and found Kula I think in 2011 and started coming to Kula W’burg since it’s just been amazing. Honestly one of the things I’ll miss most about NY is Kula and Kula Williamsburg was such a special place for me. I only wish I could have come more and taken your classes more but was so happy to get to come a couple times a week on average and learn from amazing teachers like Jillian, all the Erin’s, Charlotte who’s no longer in NY and so many others. And the things I learned, friendships I made and people I met, I’ll cherish. Across the country, in NY, the Bay Area, LA, etc – nothing comes close to Kula. Just wanted to let you know what an amazing job you have done, you guys are doing and what a special community you have and have created. I’m hoping I’ll find some awesome yoga in Chicago. And rest assured I’ll be back and hopefully my girlfriend Charlotte and I will come on a retreat or something as well. Gotta get back to Boca Sombrero! So thank you. Thanks for everything. From 2011-2016 Kula Williamsburg was one of my favorite places and meant so much to me. I hope it lives on. Thanks for everything and hope this finds you well.
Yours,
S.