01/11/2026
I’m writing to you with some heartfelt news about The Breathing Room.
On the 20th of December, after so many wonderful years of sharing yoga together, we will be closing the doors of The Breathing Room.
One of the beautiful teachings of yoga is impermanence, the understanding that nothing in life stays the same forever. Everything has its season, and even the most wonderful chapters eventually come to an end, making space for something new.
In 2017, we purchased the old Scout Hall with a dream of creating a home for modern yoga practice. A welcoming space for students of all backgrounds, all ages and all levels of experience. What grew within these walls has become so much more than we could ever have imagined. A connected community for everyone.
The Breathing Room has become a place of friendship, kindness, connection and belonging. A place where we have shared our practice, supported one another, and grown together.
And that is something I will treasure always.
The reason for this change is a personal and loving one.
My husband Gil is retiring, and he has asked me to share this next chapter of his life with him.
Gil is 11 years my senior, and I don’t think either of us ever really imagined this moment or what it might look like when it arrived.
Many of you may not know just how much Gil has given to The Breathing Room over the years.
It was his love and kindness that made the purchase and renovation of our studio possible when we first opened as Ara Studios. It was his support and determination that helped us navigate the challenges of the council’s resource consent rejection back in 2018. And it has been his endless patience that has seen him spend many evenings at home on the couch while I have been here teaching yoga.
For almost a decade, this has been a commitment we have both loved and shared, and I am incredibly grateful for the part he has played in making it all possible.
Now, as life begins to shift, it feels like the right time for us to embrace a new chapter together.
It means letting go of a future I had imagined, while opening my heart to one I hadn't quite considered.
And isn't that so much of what yoga teaches us?
So, between now and 20 December, let's practise together as much as we can.
Let's enjoy this beautiful space, each other's company and the time we still have together.
For those of you with 10-class passes, please continue to enjoy your classes between now and
20 December. Any valid unused classes remaining when we close will of course be refunded. If you feel you won't be able to use your remaining classes, please email me at [email protected] with the name on your class pass, your bank account number and the exact name registered to your bank account, so l can arrange your retund.
I also want to acknowledge the wonderful teachers who have been part of The Breathing Room over the years. Each has brought their own unique gifts, wisdom and warmth to our studio, sharing their love of yoga so generously with all of you. Their dedication, kindness and care have helped create the beautiful community we have today, and I am deeply grateful for everything they have given along the way.
A Final Thought...
Nothing lasts forever, and perhaps that is what makes life so precious. Yoga teaches us to embrace each moment with gratitude, to welcome change with an open heart, and to trust
in the beauty of what comes next.
Thank you for being part of something so very special.
With all my love and deep gratitude,
Love, Kara and Gil xx
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