Schedule Shifts & Prioritizing Practice
As many of you may know, I have been diagnosed with esophagus cancer and am undergoing chemotherapy treatment at Duke Cancer Center. Every other week I get dosed with two different kinds of chemo (Oxaliplatin and 5FU). This leaves me feeling actually sick and truly tired for at least five full days. That is the bad news.
The good news is the treatments are working. The cancer is getting smaller.
So that Nikos does not have to teach every morning when I am down for the count, Tuesday and Thursday mornings will be self-practices. We are also encouraging self-practice on Friday mornings. This way Nikos can get a few solid practices in during his work week, and I can do an important part of my treatment plan, sleep.
The first self-practice of this new schedule will be Thursday morning, January 2nd 2020.
Here is AYCD’s New Working Schedule for 2020
MORNINGS
Monday & Wednesday: doors open at 6AM—Instruction by Suzy or Nikos from 6:30AM-8:00AM
As usual, people are welcome to stay after 8:00AM and the last person will lock up.
Tuesday, Thursday & Friday AM: doors open when you and/or your community arrive and close when the last person leaves—Self-practice. Everyone interested in self-practice should ask for a key.
EVENINGS—No change
Tuesday & Thursday: doors open at 4:45PM—Instruction by Suzy and/or Nikos from 5:00AM-7:00PM
WEEKENDS—No change
Saturday: Led Primary Series 9:00-10:30AM
Sunday: doors open at 7:45AM—Instruction by Suzy and/or Nikos from 8:00AM-10:30AM
We usually practice after class so there is time for everyone to take a nice practice and do a long closing.
I am hoping students use the self-practice times and show up for their own practices and each other. I am also hoping that pass card students use a pass card for each self-practice. If that does not sound right, consider changing to a monthly pass. Talk to me if you need a slightly less expensive monthly pass to make your practicing at AYCD fiscally responsible for you.
When people find out I have stage 4 esophagus cancer they ask me, “What can I do to help?” The best thing you can do to help, as an AYCD community member, is to keep on practicing with us at AYCD. More than ever I need my practice; my practice, as well our studio, is intertwined with you.
This schedule shift that changes two instructed classes to self-practices will allow us to better manage our current realities and keep AYCD open.
More detailed information about opening and closing the studio (heat/AC, lights, espresso! Etc.) will be shared soon so that everyone participating in the self-practices will feel confident in their ability to take care of the studio. It’s very simple and many of you are already doing it.
Xoxo
Suzanne & Nikos
Ashtanga Yoga Club Durham 