"Not all those who wander are lost." — J.R.R. Tolkien
✦ CELEBRATING 12 YEARS - 21 JULY 2014 TO 21 JULY 2026 ✦
“The universe had other plans.” - and honestly, thank goodness for that.
Hey lovely,
Rose challenged me again, this time to write about the history of The Yoga Pantry, how it began, where we’ve been, and how we ended up here. And I thought: what a perfect way to mark twelve years. So here it is. The real story. Unplanned, unpolished, and with a plot twist even I couldn’t have scripted.
We turned twelve on 21 July. Twelve years of classes, of community, of showing up, tired and energised and everything in between, and stepping onto the mat together. That’s not nothing. That’s actually quite extraordinary. And it started, as most extraordinary things do, completely by accident.
THE BEGINNING - A BUSINESS PLAN AND A SUBLET
In 2014, I was a few months away from completing my yoga teaching diploma at Wellpark College of Natural Therapies. I had absolutely no desire to run my own studio. None. The plan - such as it was - was to teach my dancers how to look after their bodies. I was running Auckland's biggest Vintage dance school at the time - Swing Out Central, which was approaching its 10th year.
Then a subletting opportunity appeared for a small space on Burnley Terrace. And something in me said yes before the sensible part of my brain could object.
The name? Already existed. Part of the business plan I’d had to write for my yoga training, might as well use it. And just like that, The Yoga Pantry was born. Maximum capacity: 13 people. Actual average attendance for the first six months: 1 to 3 per class. Which was, at the time, absolutely fine. There was nowhere to go but up, and I still had a lot of learning to do.
OUR JOURNEY - THREE HOMES
2014 — BURNLEY TERRACE, MT EDEN A sublease, a business plan name, and a maximum capacity of 13. One to three students per class for six months. The very first chapter of something that had no idea yet how big it would become.
2015 — ST ALBANS CHURCH UNDERCROFT, MT EDEN When the Burnley Terrace lease came up for renewal, a larger space appeared — the undercroft beneath St Albans Church. We moved in and made it our home for the next five years. A beautiful, atmospheric space that held a lot of yoga, a lot of breath, and a lot of community.
2021 — THE CROSSROADS. When Covid hit, the church came under threat of closure from the High Diocese of the Anglican Church. With no guarantee of security, Francesca and I began looking for a new home, not out of want, but out of necessity. What we found was more than we could have hoped for.
NOW — OUR CURRENT HOME, MT EDEN. A space with a long yoga history of its own, first an Iyengar studio for over a decade, then briefly a regular yoga studio that closed within six months. It had been sitting empty when Francesca and I came to look. We signed the lease. And the universe delivered its best plot twist yet.
THE PLOT TWIST THE UNIVERSE DELIVERED
The day I signed the lease on our current studio, the church called to let me know that the threat of closure had been lifted. They were safe. And I could have stayed.
I had just signed a lease on a new space I didn’t technically need anymore.
And here’s the thing: I don’t regret it for a single second (well, except for the final lockdown, which happened just a short while after we moved in; I did think that maybe I messed up). But this space, with its long yogic history, its quiet energy, the way the light falls through the windows, it feels like The Yoga Pantry was always supposed to end up here. Sometimes the universe moves you somewhere before you understand why. And then one day, standing in the room, you understand completely.
Our current space had been a yoga studio for well over a decade before we arrived. The walls already knew what to do with the breath, the silence, the movement. We didn’t find this space. I think, in the way these things work, it found us.
TWELVE YEARS. HERE’S WHAT I’VE LEARNED.
Running a yoga studio and a yoga practice has been the greatest teacher I’ve ever had. And the lessons it keeps giving me are not the ones I expected to learn. Here are the ones that have stuck the hardest.
- PLAN - BUT ALWAYS PLAN FOR THE UNEXPECTED. No matter how well you prepare, life will bring you something you didn’t see coming. Your relationship with the unexpected is everything.
- THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU DON’T KNOW. And that is not a problem; it is the best opportunity to learn and grow. Stay a student, always.
- ADAPTABILITY IS WHAT KEEPS YOU GROWING AND FLOWING. Rigidity breaks. Flexibility endures. On the mat and off it, this is the same truth.
- BE YOURSELF - IT’S THE ONLY WAY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH INTEGRITY AND GRACE. The world doesn’t need your performance of who you think you should be. It needs you.
- DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE COMPETITION. Put your focus on the areas you want to grow and trust that what is for you will find you.
- CARVE OUT TIME FOR YOURSELF AND MAKE IT NON-NEGOTIABLE. You cannot pour from an empty cup, and a teacher who never rests cannot teach rest.
- NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU TEACH A THING, YOU’LL ALWAYS DISCOVER NEW WAYS TO TEACH IT. Stay curious. The practice never stops giving if you never stop looking.
- BREATHE. Always, always, always. It solves more than you think.
None of this would exist without you. Without the people who found their way to a small room on Burnley Terrace, who followed us to a church undercroft, who showed up through a pandemic, who walked through the door of our current home and made it feel like community again.
You are The Yoga Pantry. You always have been. The space is just where we meet.
Here’s to twelve years. And to whatever wild, wonderful, unplanned adventure comes next. 🌿
What's Happening In The Pantry 🧘♀️
Our next Beginner Yoga Course starts on the 3rd of August.
That's just around the corner
If you know someone who's looking to get into yoga and doesn't know how or where to start, then now is the perfect time to start your campaign to get them into our awesome beginner courses. Our beginner Yoga course has been running for almost 13 years (we turn 13 on the 21st of July) and is the best and most well-rounded beginner yoga course around (if I do say so myself). With a good mix of philosophy, breathwork, and, of course, physical postures, but what really sets us apart is the emphasis on finding ways to let the poses fit you rather than the other way around. Plus, all the wonderful folks who make up our amazing community.
It's also a great course to brush up on your basics and get back into the swing of things if you've been away from your yoga practice for a while...😉😊
For more information and to secure a coveted spot in this fantastic course, check out our website and BOOK NOW!!!!!!!
HAPPENING THIS SUNDAY! THERE ARE ONLY 4 SPACES LEFT!
The Power of Rest is 2 hours of absolute bliss, surrendering your aching and tired body to the soft embrace of bolsters, blankets and blocks, plus some lovely poetry to help you sink into your own inner wisdom and intuition, topped off with yummy herbal tea. Join Tash on Sunday, July 26 for this class favourite.
Book Here and bring a friend 😉😍
We've also got another SOUNDBATH happening on August 23rd
Full Moon Surrender - Letting Go And Reconnecting - Restorative Sound Journey
This is happening a couple of days after the actual full moon, but the moon's pull will still be strong, so I thought we might make an event of it 😁. Make sure you grab your ticket for this event before it slips your mind, because it will be here in a flash and it will be awesome! There's going to be some drumming, some crystal bowls, some chimes and some mantras. We'll harness the power of the moon, let go of old useless baggage and reset our intentions for the rest of 2026.
Book your spot in the session and bring your friends to share the full moon magic!
AND even more exciting!!! In September, we are going to explore releasing tension and stress through the MELT method of using a tennis ball to access trigger points in the body and coax the body to let go of deeply held tightness and tension; then we will follow that up with an hour of restorative yoga to soothe and soften any lingering tensions. You will achieve jellyfish/sloth status!
AND you'll also get a special tennis ball to take home for your continued home practice, yay!
Check out all the details for our Melt, Release, Restore Workshop - 2 hours to a new you!
Mark your calendar; this is not to be missed!
Head here to book all your regular yoga classes and maybe even try some new ones!
Remember, you can join us online from anywhere in the world, live or at a time that suits you, with our instant 14-day on-demand Zoom recording!
Don't forget you can also join us for a FREE meditation session every Saturday morning, and even if you can't, you can book in via Zoom and do the meditation later in the day, or every day, until the next session :)
Your YouTube Class Of The Week...
Here's a little vid from when we first moved in....look at how small the plants are and how short and not grey my hair is 😁
Feel free to share these vids far and wide because sharing is caring, and it helps me with the algorithm :D
With twelve years of gratitude and a very full heart 🌿
Tash & The Yoga Pantry Team
See you on the mat 😻
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You can also catch up on previous Yogi Notes right HERE
P.P.S Don’t forget to share your Yoga insights on social media with the hashtag #TheYogaPantryLife #Yogaislife #theyogapantrywithtash
Let’s spread the yoga love far and wide!
I see you, and I appreciate you. You are awesome...and don't you forget it ;) x
