So Thursday night was it, an evening for the history books. My last trade night at Moksha Yoga Downtown ever!

It was my last night of spraying sweat mats, folding the laundry, and cleaning the toilets. It’s hard to believe that almost 3 years ago to the date I began trading at Moksha Yoga Downtown, my most favourite Mokska of all! Moksha Yoga Downtown is my second home. Or rather, it is my home because this place is where my heart is. It is a place I grew to love and be loved at. It is a community of the most amazing people, teachers, and friends. Wait, I’ve been living in Toronto for 3 years? This is crazy!

As I begin the next phase of my yoga life, I can’t help but think back to that very special day when Moksha came into my life. My mother and I were business clothes shopping at the Gap on Queen West. Yes, you heard me correctly. Business clothes shopping at the Gap. I needed a new interview outfit for finding an internship.

My mom is a special lady and does not take well to the busy, urban city with all it’s hard side walks, street cars, and taxis zooming about, let alone stand shopping on the streets of Queen West. Forget it! But still it will be a day I never forget. And how can you when your mom causes a scene and terrifies the adorable sales girl to help her daughter find business clothes? Especially when the adorable sales girl would become my very first Toronto non-school friend. (Maybe my mom knew exactly what she was doing after all!)

Cait McGrath was the adorable sales girl and after my Mom interrogated her with questions only a Mom would ask we really did become friends. “Jill, be friends with this girl,” were my Mother’s exact words. And so Cait gave me her email address and we met up for bike rides, coffees, and yoga. Cait was so great! Afterwards, I quickly became a Friday evening Karma regular at the studio (Cait’s trade night). I was a broke student and couldn’t afford yoga. But karma made it’s way back to me because not long afterwards, an opening came up for Thursday evenings. And I was in. I’ve been so ever since.

My love for everyone at MYD goes so far beyond words. This is where I discovered myself, my passions, and my new ideas for happiness and drive in my life. I’ve laughed here, I’ve cried, been alone and this was my cure. I owe so much of my life, in such a short period of time, to this place.

And now that I’m leaving it feels so sad. I don’t know Thursday evenings outside of the studio. What on Earth will I do?! But as every door closes another opens. I have home to come back to after LA.

And trust me I’ll come running back!