Hi there,

First, thank you for being part of our community. Whether you’ve just discovered us or have been with us for years, we truly appreciate your support.

We understand that needing to cancel or miss a class/session can be disappointing—and frustrating. So we wanted to share why our cancellation policy exists, why we apply it consistently, and how it helps keep our small business sustainable.

It’s Not “Just One Spot” - It’s Part of Keeping a Small Business Running

To you, it might feel like a small thing: just one missed session or a request to reschedule. But for us, every single spot is part of a carefully balanced system.

We run a limited number of classes per week, and most of our sessions are fully booked. When someone cancels last minute, that spot often goes unfilled, even if we have a waitlist. It's rarely possible to fill that spot in time, even if we have a waitlist. People usually can’t drop everything on short notice.

It might not seem like much, but if just two people cancel per session, that’s a significant loss of income across the week. For a small business, that adds up quickly.

That income goes directly into keeping things running:

* Instructor time and wages

* Venue or studio rental

* Insurance & admin systems

* Supplies, equipment & prep

* Marketing and communication

* And emotional & energetic labor that isn’t always visible

So yes, from the outside it may seem like “just a small class,” but it’s actually part of a finely tuned ecosystem that we work hard to sustain.

We Get It—You Might Not See All This

We know that many people who don’t run a business themselves might not realize just how much time, cost, and effort goes into each class or session. That’s completely understandable, which is exactly why we’re sharing this with you.

We believe in transparency, and we want to help our community understand the behind-the-scenes work that makes our offerings possible.

Why the Policy Is Applied to Everyone—No Exceptions

We understand that emergencies, illness, and unpredictable life events happen—we really do. But we have a uniform cancellation policy for a reason: to keep things fair, consistent, and emotionally manageable for everyone.

If we made exceptions for some, we’d be put in the uncomfortable position of having to decide who “deserves” a refund and who doesn’t. That’s not a role we want to play. We’re here to teach, support, and uplift—not to assess who is telling the truth or whether someone’s story is “valid enough” to make an exception.

This is why we apply the same policy to every booking, for every person, every time. It keeps things transparent, respectful, and fair.

Rescheduling = Taking Up Two Spots

When someone asks to shift to a different session instead, we totally understand the intention, but please remember: that also means taking up a spot in a second class. So in effect, we lose two spaces of potential income for one person. For a small business, this compounds quickly.

Our goal is to serve as many people as we can, with integrity and care. In order to keep our pricing fair and our sessions high-quality, we have to protect the spots that are booked, just like a ticket to a concert or a flight.

What About Concerts or Flights?

We like to offer this comparison: if you miss a concert or a flight, you don’t typically expect a refund. Why? Because your seat was held, the event went on, and the costs were already incurred.

The difference? Big companies can absorb those losses much more easily than a small business can. For us, every spot matters, financially and energetically.

Energy is a Real Investment Too

Each session isn’t just a time slot—it’s a carefully held experience. We spend time mentally and emotionally preparing to deliver something meaningful. When attendance is unpredictable, it can affect the flow of the group and the energy of the session—for you, for others, and for us.

Why Every Spot Matters

We run a limited number of classes and sessions per week, and often most sessions are fully booked. When someone cancels last minute, that spot often goes unfilled, even if we have a waitlist. It's rarely possible to fill that spot in time, even if we have a waitlist. People usually can’t drop everything on short notice.

In Closing

We’re grateful to have clients who care, and we hope this message gives you clarity not just about our policy, but about the bigger picture.

This policy isn’t about being inflexible, it’s about staying sustainable. It’s about protecting the integrity of what we do, while being fair and transparent with every client.

Thank you for being here, and thank you for supporting a small, heart-led business. We look forward to welcoming you again soon.

Warmly,

Ange

Sound of Soma