HELLO LOVELY COMMUNITY,

I hope you are well despite the circumstances. Thank you to everyone who has done their best to support us over the pandemic by purchasing retail, coming to classes, workshops and booking massages. Your contribution means the world to us. We know that this pandemic has been very difficult on everyone emotionally, physically, financially, mentally and spiritually. We get the opportunity to see people everyday and by hearing their stories the reality is that for many, life has felt impossible with so many obstacles being presented everyday. Our heart is with you and I hope for all our sake this nightmare ends sometime very soon.

As you know, small businesses have been impacted SO incredibly hard by Covid19. Many have been shutting down with each passing day. The fitness/recreation/wellness industry has undoubtedly been hit the hardest with the pandemic. Ironically, the industries who have helped thousands of people with their health and well-being, were the first to be closed and the last to be opened and somehow in turn have not been adequately supported by the government in a meaningful way.

None of us could have anticipated how long this pandemic was going to last or the damage it bring, so we all held on hoping things would change. But with no end in sight, recovery at this point becomes more difficult everyday.

In addition to these unforeseen hurdles brought by the pandemic, Buddha Belly’s building has also been sold in recent weeks and unfortunately with our lease being at the end of its 5-year term, and our new landlord significantly increasing the rent to an unmanageable amount, it is just not feasible to continue to run a business here. We considered moving elsewhere, but the reality is that it would be too financially burdensome to create something from scratch during a pandemic where things are so difficult and the future is so uncertain.

I have done countless hours of soul searching and there is simply no way to continue to offer what we do, in these circumstances. So, after much deliberation, prayer, meditation, grief, and sleepless nights… I have made peace with the decision to embrace letting go. Buddha Belly Yoga and Wellness will be closing its doors permanently, effective December 15, 2021. I believe it’s the best way to gracefully end this chapter in my life and move forward on my own individual path before a new year begins.

As an alternative option, I do welcome the opportunity for someone to purchase Buddha Belly over the next 6 weeks to keep it running. If it is meant to be, I am sure it will happen. If you or anyone you know would be interested in owning a yoga studio, please let me know. *

At some point when things have cleared up, I will undoubtedly launch a new business that I would love for you to be a part of. If you would like for me to keep you posted, please let me know and I will add you to my email list so that you can be a part of that journey when the time comes. I have so much hope that I will again be able to create something as heartfelt as Buddha Belly.

Buddha Belly has been my ENTIRE life for the last 5 years. I have truly loved sharing my creation with you all but the time has come where I am going to have the opportunity to put all of that attention back into myself and my well-being. I am nowhere near the same person I was when I started Buddha Belly and it only makes sense that my time would come to an end eventually. Buddha Belly was a gift, while it lasted. It has been a catalyst for my growth, healing, transformation and expansion in ways that I could not have ever anticipated. The journey had many ups and downs but will forever have been worth it. 

Buddha Belly has been such a loving home to us all. For many of you it is a place of connection, healing, rest and inspiration. Each of you have contributed to the collective space that we have created together and it has been nothing short of brilliant. It has been a true honor to serve all of you and to witness your kindness, love, growth, bravery, tears and laughter. Your presence has been so impactful. Thank you for all of your time and dedication. For your commitment to your health, to our community and to the journey of finding peace in your heart.

The team and I would love the next few weeks to be a real celebration of the time we have spent together. We are hopeful that you will be able to participate in as many yoga classes and massages as you can over the next 6 weeks and say your final goodbyes. It is certainly going to be the most emotional 47 days of my entire life and I know it will be for many of you too.

We will miss your presence greatly. I am grateful and feel so fulfilled for all that Buddha Belly did for our community over the years and for all of the heartfelt connections that were made. What a beautiful loving community of students and team members we have. I couldn’t have picked anyone better to share + serve with. My deepest gratitude goes out to you. I hope you know how much you have meant to me. Thank you for the memories. You will always be in my heart.

I wish you so much health and happiness.

May your future be abundant and blessed. 

Namaste,
Melanie

xo
P.S. I know this is a lot to take in at once and so, in the upcoming days I will offer more information about other important logistics that will come with shutting down. 

I hope this finds you well and healthy.

As you know, a few weeks ago there was an announcement to close all group fitness studios. So all of us studios closed. Then the next day, most of us reopened when they clarified we could now have 4 people + 1 instructor per class.

Now, this week, a new announcement has been made. Group fitness classes are not permitted at this time due to the new measures put out by the Alberta Government. As such, all in person yoga classes are cancelled effective Friday the 26th. Further announcements are said to be made on Dec 18th as to how to proceed forward.

We kindly ask that you switch over to join our virtual live stream classes in the meantime.We know that while some are loving the benefits of live-stream, it is not an ideal compromise everyone, especially for new students. I am really sorry for all of the ups and downs of what’s been happening with all of the re-opening and closing. Unfortunately it is a situation that is completely out of all our hands. If you need adjustments made to your memberships or would like to cancel, I completely understand. Please email me at melanie@buddhabelly.ca.

Normally I have so many more things say (and sappy ones at that) but at this point I honestly have no words. I am absolutely exhausted and full of 999 other emotions. As a business owner where you invest your time, whole life and savings into something and 80% of our revenue comes from yoga, it’s beyond sad and frustrating and it will be a miracle if we make it through this again. It doesn’t make any sense to me why businesses like casinos and bars are open, yet yoga, the practice that lends so much to mental health is not permitted at this time. The Irony is that I just spent a fortune on special UV machines and cleaners that are recommended by AHS to kill Covid…for no reason. Aghhh. I hope these new measures do help lessen the spread of Covid so that we all remain healthy, safe and can get back to a “normal” life together one day where in person human interaction is the preferred style for everything and our lives, health and livelihood are no longer threatened by this monster.

If you’d like to support the studio in the meantime, please consider:

signing up for virtual yoga classes. It really helps us to keep the teachers working and ensures their livelihood. It also helps us to continue offering yoga online for those who greatly rely on their yoga practice;

consider making a purchase from our online retail store (we do still have some used props for sale and I will be adding more on Monday);

make an appointment with one of our massage therapists, acupuncturists or reiki practitioners. We do offer direct billing to most insurance companies for massage and acupuncture. Please know that your health and safety is our utmost priority and is reflected in all of our cleaning, intake and treatment practices. All cleaning practices and supplies are approved and recommended by AHS. To check out our covid protocols for massage, reiki and acupuncture please visit our website http://www.buddhabelly.ca. I am very grateful that we are able to still run these treatments at this time. It could always be worse.

We appreciate your continued love, support and patience.

I know everyone is being affected in one way or another and my heart so completely goes out to you. We are all in this together. Sending you much love and light.

Hang in there everyone

Xo,

Melanie

Closing & Reopening Confusion

Okay. Things got a little confusing and weird there for a minute. Thanks COVID.

The government announced (with only a few hours notice) that studios were no longer able to run group fitness, so all of us yoga studios in Alberta shut down our studios to in person classes. BUT THEN the very next day, clarified that we are actually now allowed to have 4 people plus an instructor for in person classes. OY! What strange and contradicting times we are living in. You are probably asking “how does one sustain a business with 4 people in a class?” Well…It doesn’t.
However, we are going to roll with it anyways and hope that the live-streaming option is what will sustain us through this roller coaster ride.

So, while we run in person classes (with only 4 people in them), the teacher will ALSO be live streaming the class at the same time so that you can join in right from home on your computer, laptop, iPhone or iPad. All your regular passes and memberships apply to online classes. You sign up as usual through our website or Mindbody app and then a link to the class will be sent to you 30 minutes before class. If for some reason you don’t get a link, call us ASAP 780-249-9642. Thanks in advance for your patience.

To schedule your class, book now on the Mindbody app or CALL US AT 780-249-9642 or visit http://www.buddhabelly.ca

If you need an extension on an unlimited pass you had when before our first lockdown, please respond to this email so I can set you up with an extension and access to live and in studio classes.

If you have an unlimited yoga membership the bonus is that you get a FREE on demand video library where you can access pre-recorded videos from our team from anywhere at anytime. We will have regular 60 minute classes but have also added some 15 minute, 30 minute classes as well as meditations for your time convenience! We’re feeling excited about that.

You will notice, I myself am not on the schedule anymore but rest assured, once I have worked out all these kinks you will find me back up there and in the Video on Demand Library.

Another good note, is that our lovely Sophia will be joining in with us from the United Kingdom to teach classes which is very exciting! We are so happy to be able to somehow have her on our team still, from afar. Her classes will be added in tomorrow.

We also have 3 new great teachers joining us, Scott, Bailey and Rian! We are sooo thrilled to have them on the team. So be sure to give them a warm welcome when you see them. We have a few more staff joining us soon, we will keep you posted.

I just want to say a BIG thank you to Terri for all of her help this week. You have truly been a saving grace. I couldn’t have done it without your support!

Thanks for everyone’s support in general and extra big thanks to the teachers for just being awesome in general but also for switching gears so fast and being willing to learn a new setup and teach online classes.

Things may not be normal and they may be hectic, but you know what? I am beyond blessed and grateful to have all of YOU (customers, staff and other supporters) written into my weird “covid movie”.

Sending all of my love and hugs your way. I wish you and your families well.

I hope to see you tomorrow in those live classes people! ? ❤

XO

Sincerely,

Melanie and Buddha Belly xo

As the province has suspended group fitness, Buddha Belly Yoga and Wellness will be temporarily closing its doors to yoga effective immediately in order to do our part in reducing the spread of Covid-19. The closure is expected to last for two weeks (November 13-27). 

Since we can’t be together during this time, all of our classes will be Livestreamed so that you can connect with your instructor and other members. Thanks for your patience while we transition over. Our schedule will be updated within 2 days.  

If you have signed up for an in-studio class during this 2 week closure, your class will be credited back to your account.

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If you are in a position to support the studio, please note that: 

1. our online retail store will remain open for easy shopping;
2. we will remain open for massage, reiki, hawaiian healing and acupuncture at this time. Thank you in advance for any appointments booked as they do go a very long way in helping us stay afloat. Any support is greatly appreciated. We offer direct billing to most insurance companies for eligible services. 

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I’ll be honest here. There are many mixed emotions that come with a 2nd closure. I feel like I just regained my barings from the last 7 months by recovering from the 1st studio shut down while also enduring my own personal crises and volcano eruptions. I was just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But, the good news is that Buddha Belly and I are very resilient creatures. We weather any storm (and trust me there have been many in all the years of being open) and this time will be no different! <3 We somehow managed to pull through and attempt to save and rebuild the studio the first time. I am not one for giving up, so here is to hoping we can survive round 2!  

Please know my heart goes out to you all. We all are experiencing a roller coaster of a life right now and this has affected us all in great ways and turned the world upside down. I hope you are safe and healthy and I can’t wait to see you again soon <3 I wish you all well during these challenging times. All we can do is breathe deeply and take it day by day, moment by moment. 

Together I hope to keep our community going. After all, it was the overwhelming love and support and kindness of the customers and staff that got Buddha Belly through the first time. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking by me this year. You mean the world to me and I have so much love and gratitude in my heart for you all. 

Take care of yourselves and each other. Please remember to be kind. <3

Xo Melanie and the Beautiful Buddha Belly Team

To Our Beloved Community,

I found a way back into the Country last night after being away for some time. It was a frazzling experience but we are now safe at home. I have been diligently trying to come up with a plan on how to move forward ever since. I’m not going to lie, it isn’t easy making these decisions from my quarantined home. I do feel rather helpless within the whole situation. We don’t have enough information to know what will happen next. There is so much uncertainty looming in the air right now and I presume there will be for a while longer.

It’s with deep sadness that I announce that Buddha Belly will be closing immediately. My hope is that in a few weeks time we will have more information as to how we proceed. Things are changing rapidly day by day. Our decisions and actions will also need to be made day by day.

Since I am quarantined, Kat is currently freely offering her time, holding down the fort at Buddha Belly and finishing final details with bells on. She is grabbing me some groceries on the way home and bringing some yoga props to my doorstep. That girl is always in service and always the first person to freely offer her heart and her help. I am so grateful to my sister at this time. Thank you to Hope and the other team mates who held strong and supported the studio on standby while I was away and to the students who have offered their time and support to the studio at this point in time. I love you.

Today my father in law dropped off bread on our doorstep as we waved to him out the window. I cry just thinking about the weirdness of it all but I could also cry thinking of how much love there is in our life.

I’ve been sitting at the computer trying to find the right words and trying to keep my eyes open all day long.

It’s all just so overwhelming. SO many different emotions.

We know that Buddha Belly is a central source of health & well being for many of you and understand that this will disrupt your daily routines. We are working on a solution and hope that we can still maintain a connection with you by reaching you in your homes soon. We are currently researching ways to potentially live-stream video classes. There are several options we have in mind & we appreciate your patience while we navigate how this might be implemented to keep us connected. Please keep an eye on your email, our website and social media pages for the most up to date information.

Now is the time where your yoga practice off the mat is vital. The mindfulness techniques, ability to sit with discomfort, and willingness to do hard things are invaluable right now.

On behalf of our entire team at Buddha Belly, our hearts are with you during this difficult time and we send you so much love. We will miss your presence greatly. Know that we are all in this together and we love you! Regardless of what happens, there is a part of me that feels so grateful and so fulfilled for all that Buddha Belly did for our community over the years and for all of the heartfelt connections that were made. What a beautiful loving community of students and team members we have. I couldn’t have picked anyone better to share + serve with. My deepest gratitude goes out to you for all of the support over the years.

There are a lot of details we need to work out and I have very limited support at my fingertips. Please know that I am doing my very best and need some time to figure out all of the logistics of this so I ask for your patience and compassion right now.

All future membership payments will be suspended. All passes and memberships will be put on hold and given extensions when we can re-open. This arrangement may change if we need to be closed for longer than anticipated. I will reach out again closer to April 15 to inform you of any updates or changes.

Small-business owners & their families are directly impacted by the daily ups & downs of ownership, but the enormity of this pandemic will certainly continue to generate a challenging shift for your local entrepreneurs. I have been brought to tears many times today when I think about what this means for you as our students, us as small business owners, and our team who rely on us for income.

As of this month our current goal is to resume the studio, if and when the world goes back to normal again. The sad reality is that there is always the possibility that Buddha Belly may not make it through this difficult time. My husband and I are both self-employed and in times like this it is quite terrifying having no income and the potential of losing all that we have worked so incredibly hard to build over the years. I lost my entire life overnight, as all of you have as well. What a surreal time to be alive.

It is with great sadness that we have to be physically separated from our community in a time like this when we need each other and the studio the most. We will do our best to stay in touch and keep you up to date as we know more and make further decisions.

I know many of us are very close and I already miss you all. Any of you, please feel free to add me on Facebook or send me an email and I can send you my cell # if you want to stay in touch.

Thank you all for patience right now as we navigate these uncharted waters.

I wish you and your families all of the safety, love, support and health in the coming weeks and months.

I am here for you through this all in spirit.

Stay strong, positive and centered deeply in your light.

We are so lucky to have social media and access to information at our fingertips.

All my love,

Melanie Cosens XO

Heres a little link to my own personal blog if you are interested in how I made it home during all this: