| Dear Friends This letter is to communicate that I am retiring and will no longer teach yoga. I have spent 63 years of my life practicing and teaching yoga, fulfilling the karma for which I came into this matrix. I have had the good, the bad and the ugly from the yoga community, but have remained true to my mission. Yoga has been my life, and I thank all of you who have been faithful and supportive throughout the years for your friendship , and I forgive all of you who have in one way or the other betrayed my friendship and my teaching. We, as human beings, are fragile and it is hard to stay on the straight road. I also have wandered away sometime, and have repented afterwards. I hope that those of you who sincerely practice yoga will find the courage and the integrity to face the storm we are in and the ones that are waiting around the corner, and that this storm will help you to find the divine humanity that lives in all of us. Yoga involves body, mind and emotions, or the manomaya kosha, the pranamaya kosha and the annamaya kosha. I quote here my one and only teacher, BKS Iyengar who said: MY BODY IS MY TEMPLE These two years have been stormy, but in spite of fear, coercion and a hatred which I would never have imagined even in my worst nightmares, I have not yielded my body to poison. I am paying the price for that, but do so gladly. I will be true to yoga, whatever comes. As you have seen in these past years together I am very attached to our school, which is why I’ve done everything possible to leave you in the hands of an expert, whose seriousness and faithfulness to our method I appreciate. For this reason, I consider Patrizia Gregori my heiress for the future development of Centered yoga which I will continue to supervise, health permitting. I wish you all well on your yogic path, and, as the Canadians say: HOLD THE LINE Dona Holleman |
| Dear students, ex students and colleagues, all dear friends, I’m Patrizia Gregori… I’m turning to you to follow the communication from Dona Holleman. Imagining your surprise and sadness at Dona’s decision, I’m here to ensure you, as President of Centered Yoga Dona Holleman ASD regarding certain fundamental aspects, the yoga courses and cultural development of Dona’s Centered Yoga will continue with renewed enthusiasm, still respecting those precious things of value for our lives as I have received them. As far as I’m concerned, I will make my experience available to all of you wishing to continue together the undertaken path of Centered yoga, taking it forward as it is spread and deepened. The suggestions and contributions from each of you will still be welcomed and respected. Although Dona has expressed a need to enjoy calmer moments, more appropriate to the requirements of current life (she has just turned 80), this does not mean that she will deprive us of her presence and precious teaching. I personally will hold the basic training courses leading to obtaining the teaching Diploma and the intermediate course (3 intensive at two days for two years), allowing the deepening of certain more complex positions, so as to prepare you best. Dona will supply her personal contribution and reference to those appearing more able, deserving and committed to deepening these skills. One master class a year. I consider it fundamentally important that we communicate with each other, so I urge you to consider yourself an active, involved part of this small but very efficient yoga community that wishes to respect and enhance everyone’s individuality. I will keep you informed of all the classes and meeting opportunities we may share, and our site may be an available exchange and enablement area. With renewed commitment, Best PATRIZIA GREGORI |