Week 21 — “Heart”
“I am loving to myself and others.”
Hello friends!!!
Happy Sunday! We have a lot of IMPORTANT ground to cover today, so please read carefully and let us know if you have any questions afterwards!!
But, before we get there...Jenni thought we should take a moment to reflect and I couldn't agree more, because some of you know how this started, and some of you don't and for where we're going, it's even better if you know the beginning.
I had just found out that I was unemployed and alone in NYC for the foreseeable future within about 12 hours. To say I was overwhelmed would be an understatement. To say I felt hopeless would be an undersell. To say I was desperate doesn't even begin to cut it.
This was a huge dice roll. I didn't think it would work. My "tripod" was an old end table balanced on top of a hamper sitting in my window threatening to topple over at any moment with the help of my newly adopted Cat.
Welcome to Pilates People's beginning.
We started on Patreon. I was very hesitant to go any further than that because I didn't think it could be done. I didn't think it was real. I didn't see a world in which it could happen.
Luckily, I got called out on that, given a huge nudge and a website was created for me literally while I was asleep.
The website made it real for me.
And I started pushing.
And you all came with me.
You started telling friends and family.
Jenni joined.
Then Xander and Javi.
And Grace and Sean.
And with each step, I thought back to that hamper tower and the moments I kept thinking it didn't matter and no one was watching.
So here we are, friends. Turns out, you were watching.
And because of that, we are growing.
And with growth comes change.
Good change.
Pilates People is officially partnered with Mindbody and you all already have an account set up!
WHAT?! I KNOW! Trust me, we've been HARD AT WORK behind the scenes.
I'm sure many of you are familiar with the platform as many fitness studios use it, but if you are unfamiliar, it will be taking over all of our scheduling/video accounts and compiling everything together into one, big, user friendly experience that we are SO THRILLED about!
How will this work?
In the next few days, you will be receiving a welcome email from Mindbody with your temporary login information
Upon receiving your email PLEASE LOGIN and finish setting up your account!
If you have a pre-existing membership or class pack with us, it is ready and waiting for you in Mindbody! If not, once you're all set, everything is ready to be purchased through that system (including our new CANDLE with Nosebest!!! Click here to check it out) so GO FOR IT!
I'm a Pre-recorded Video Member (Aligned/Centered/Focused) or interested in joining:
Amazing! Your membership has been transferred to your MBO account for the month of August. Come September, you will need to renew!
We are shifting to one, singular membership option (we're calling it Aligned). As of September 1st, you will receive TWO pre-recorded videos each week and have access to EVERY video we have already recorded and continue to record. Until then, we will continue to upload four videos a week.
All videos will be transferred to MBO and ready to view there by Sunday, August 16th
Two ways to pay:
$35/month on a month to month basis
$30/month for a 6 month auto pay contract
If you break this down, you will be paying between $3.75-$4.75 a class for the NEW classes, not even counting the 100+ videos that already exist that you will also have access to!
By joining our video membership, you will receive a 20% discount on our LIVE classes!
I take LIVE classes:
Wonderful! If you have any outstanding class packages/memberships with us, they should be transferred into your account! If you think there is an error there, please reach out!
Our prices are shifting slightly. A non-Video member single class will now be $15 instead of $12. If you would like to get that $12 class, it's still possible! Consider joining our Aligned Video membership where you'll get 100+ additional pre-recorded classes AND that class discount for the cost of roughly 2 LIVE classes!
You can now sign into class up until 2 minutes BEFORE the start of class time on your own! No need to reach out to us for this unless you run into an issue!
You will automatically receive a link to the MBO livestream for class about 30 minutes before the class start time. If you're in that last minute sign up window (less than 30 minutes before class) you will STILL get the link. Give it a moment or two to send post signing up! (Yes! This means NO MORE ZOOM!)
You will also be receiving class confirmation reminders via email/text message. To opt in and out of these messages, please visit your account and adjust your notifications!
Our LIVE classes will officially be happening on MBO as of Sunday, August 16th! Please have your account ready by Saturday, August 15th to ensure we're all smooth sailing for this switch!
Up until the 16th, please continue to sign into your classes as you have been doing :)
I do Private sessions:
Groovy! If you have any outstanding packages with us, they should be transferred into your account! If you think there is an error there, please reach out!
Your instructor's availability will be updated and correct as of Sunday, August 16th. At that point you will be able to book yourself a session and cancel your sessions within the cancellation policy window. If you need any help navigating any part of this, please don't hesitate to reach out!
You will also be receiving class confirmation reminders via email/text message. To opt in and out of these messages, please visit your account and adjust your notifications!
Up until the 16th, please continue to sign into your classes as you have been doing :)
If you have any questions as we move into this new system or need any help setting any part of it up, please DO NOT HESITATE to reach out! We so appreciate you all and everything you've done to make this REAL! I truly mean it when I say I never expected to be where we are right now and am in awe of everything we've accomplished in less than 6 months!
And finally, a note about finances before we move on...
You are talking to an artist, a dancer in fact, who has struggled to make ends meet more than once in her lifetime. Everyone teaching through this platform is an artist who has very likely experienced a similar struggle firsthand or can list off five close friends who have instead.
WE GET IT.
Our priority is to keep you healthy, to keep you moving and to keep you surrounded by people who love and support you.
So, if you ever find yourself in a position where money is the boundary that is preventing you from any of the above priorities, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US. We will find a way to make it work.
We love you. We want you to succeed. We want the best for you.
Those are the things that matter and are most important to us. Especially in this world.
I promise we're serious. Please don't let the reason you leave us read, "Money is hard."
We know. Let us help.
Oh my gosh, Cassandra...haven't you already said enough?
You would think so, wouldn't you?
But, you'd be wrong...because we need to cover our theme for the week.
Luckily, this will be a quick one because...well...I don't know if I have a whole lot more to say about it.
We're going into our hearts this week, everyone. And just in case it hasn't already been made clear, everything we do here, from the beginning until now, is an act of love.
So while I honestly feel my heart stop the second someone says, "let's talk about your heart," I'm hoping this will be an easy thing for all of us to approach. Because, whether we think about it or not, we really are moving from our hearts all the time.
Your heart chakra is located in your breastbone.
The color is green.
The element is air.
The right is to love.
You have the right to love. Yourself. Others. The world. Your body.
I'm going to say it one more time.
You have the right to love.
Take that right and use it for all it's worth - in your practice with us, in your inner conversations with yourself and as you look out into the world.
We're still here and so are you. Thank you for coming along for the ride.
All our love, as always,
Cassandra + Pilates People
P.S. - We're doing an IG LIVE class with our friends at Good Time Pilates on Monday, August 10th at 10am to benefit Buy From a Black Woman!! Follow us on Instagram if you haven't already for more details!!!