A Change Of Heart

By Kayla Stanistreet

8/9/2021


I am very excited for this new chapter, but it is of course bittersweet as it means I will be leaving my home of 13 years and leaving salti yoga which has been my life's work for the past 7 years. In my time in Peterborough, I have completed my undergraduate degree at Trent, become a yoga teacher, moonlighted as an aerial circus artist, grown salti yoga from scratch, and most importantly, developed many relationships that I cherish.

The hardest thing about moving away will be leaving the salti yoga community. I definitely have moments of wondering if I might be making a huge mistake, but that fear is outweighed by my thirst for adventure and new experiences. It is very important to me that salti continues to exist and evolve with the times so that it can continue to have a profoundly positive impact on many lives. I am handing over my side of the business to Tara who has been a wonderfully supportive friend and business partner to me over the years. She will be leading this movement with the help of our amazing team in Kingston & Peterborough, and I know that our vision will be kept alive for many more years to come.


I have some pretty big news to share. Before you read on, please take a comfortable seat and a slow breath. In…………………………..............and out...……....................................


My partner, Hugh and I are moving to Nova Scotia in the New Year!


What will I do in Nova Scotia? I want to have a vegetable garden, I want to be by the ocean every day, surf little waves, see whales, write, explore the stunningly beautiful landscape and teach yoga to my new community. I am also very much looking forward to traveling the world. Life is so incredibly short and precious, and I want to soak up this experience of being human as much as I can. For me that means taking a deep dive into the unknown, learning about other people’s ways of living and hopefully leaving this planet better than when I arrived.

My partner and I are now stewards of a stunning piece of oceanfront land with a small cabin on it, surrounded by forest on Nova Scotia’s South Shore. We will be restoring it over the course of the year and will eventually have it as a guesthouse. Our dream is to have guests come stay at the cabin, whether to visit us or to simply have a quiet place to retreat. We will also be offering yoga, meditation and surf tours alongside this. If you are interested in hearing about this new chapter, please give us a follow: @southshorecabin and join our email list to be the first to hear when it’s ready - and perhaps come visit us in the future! We would love to host some familiar faces.

In the meantime, I will be fully present and teaching at both studios until I leave, likely in December. We have plenty of time before we have to say our proper goodbyes. I look forward to teaching many more classes and connecting with each of you individually before I go. After I leave, I will absolutely be coming back to visit and teach occasionally, and I would love to keep in touch in some way. So much love and gratitude to each of you for being part of salti <3

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A Note From Tara

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I know, right? Pretty big news! I'll start by saying that I will miss Kayla a lot, as a friend and business partner. We started with a small idea in our tiny bachelor pad at YTT and came home to build the foundation of a plan that would be salti yoga; we poured blood, sweat and tears into both studio builds and I wouldn't have wanted to do that alongside anyone else. I will always be grateful for the time we've had together as partners and I know that our friendship will continue through many more years to come.


One of the things that I love most about Kayla is her adventurous nature; her ability to travel and explore different cities, countries, and places with such curiosity. While I know that this decision was not an easy one for her, I know that she will be happy and at peace living by the ocean and I can't wait to visit her at her new home one day.


What does this mean for salti yoga? We are not going anywhere. I am excited about what the future holds and the possibilities that are waiting on the other side of the pandemic. One question that has been asked is whether I will seek a new business partner. Kayla is irreplaceable and for that reason, I will take on the role of Sole Owner.


If you have any questions, thoughts or feelings you'd like to share about this exciting change we're going through, please reach out to us at info@saltiyoga.ca or feel free to chat with us at the studio next time you come for class.
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