The rebirth that is coming...
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
As many of y'all know, this last January I became the sole owner of Be Free when Bee decided to hand me her ownership torch in honor of her deep need for less on her plate. I was in full support of her decision and I thought, at that time, that I could handle the day-to-day. However, it became clear to me very quickly that energetically, Be Free was never meant to be operated by one person. We’ve created community on purpose… it's meant to be held by community. So, the last 6 months have stretched me, shown me my shadow, and asked me to grow in big ways! Truthfully, it has taken me to my knees on multiple occasions. But, as is the journey of life, often we have to experience the challenges to get really clear about what we actually want!
This spring a beautiful catalyst stepped into my sphere. Carah Campini. She had been coming to Be Free since the fall and reached out sharing how impactful the studio had been to her life and how she had a side gig of helping women entrepreneurs refine their businesses. We had coffee and felt an immediate synergy.
Through that conversation, it became clear to me that it was time to shift into what I always wanted Be Free to be, a non-profit. The only way to really have a space that is truly financially open to ALL, is to have larger funding coming from the outer web. And, non-profits are run by a board of directors… a team… not just one person. I immediately felt a huge exhale at the idea of not doing it alone.
What I didn’t see coming was the route we would choose to take to that non-profit form. Carah asked me if I had seen the Korean church that had been on the market for almost 2 years. This was the third time someone had mentioned this building to me, so I paid attention. A few days later we went and looked at the church and it hit all the points that I would want… a larger main studio/sanctuary space, a kitchen, a community gathering space, space for Wellness Practitioner rooms, AND space for a secondary studio in the basement. That last piece opens BIG doors of possibility…. So many more opportunities for community, most especially kid and teen programming so that parents can come receive without having to figure out childcare (as a single mom for most of my parenting journey, that holds a special importance for me). Did I mention that the mortgage will be several thousand dollars less a month than we’re currently paying in rent?
So Carah asked me, "Have you thought of turning Be Free into a non-profit church entity?" And the answer is yes, I had thought of it in the past, but always leaned away from it because so many people have been wounded by "church" (myself included). However, I've witnessed many "alternative" churches popping up in our culture — churches designed to protect spiritual traditions and give their members spiritual freedom to practice outside the bounds of mainstream religion. There are MANY others following this path… especially in the sacred plant communities… but also just spiritual groups that fall outside the realm of dogma and organized religion.
For me, it’s about claiming the spirituality of all that we do in our space and allowing the form of “church” to support us in supporting others in a bigger way. From a practical standpoint, buying a church building, AS A CHURCH, saves the non-profit thousands of dollars in property tax and change-of-use through the city. But I was clear from the beginning that choosing that form had to be deeper than that. A reclamation of spirit, outside the religiosity and dogma that tells some they’re “right” and others they’re “wrong” . Yoga is union. The practice of yoga is beyond any one religion. It is connection to Spirit that is available to all, and it weaves into everything we do at Be Free.
So, The Be Free CommUNITY Center is coming this fall. A rebirth into its next form, and I couldn’t be more excited! I have called in a powerhouse group of wise women to the founding Board of Directors. Each of them bring wisdom, clarity, and vision to support our community and staff and anchor us into this next evolution! My ask is that you read their bios and their WHYS… and if you love our mission, vision, and values, that you help us manifest this new home. Your (tax deductible) financial gift will help us grow in powerful ways to serve our Fort Collins community in a bigger way. Every dollar and share helps us towards our goal.
My deepest gratitude for everyone who steps through our front doors. Those coming to receive. Those coming to give. Those coming to share space and remember that connection, to ourselves, each other, and the planet, is our birthright. May you feel loved, held, and supported on your path back home to your heart.
with so much love,
Melanie