TO: All members on the AuraSoma NING website.
FROM: Francesca Durham, Publisher
DATE: May 29, 2010

As you know earlier this year, NING (the platform provider used to power our network) decided to cease all forms of free service provision and begin charging for their services. (Subsequently NING decided to offer a free option, however with the reduction in capacity and features, it would not support our current model.)

The AuraSomaNetwork.com (ASN) has operated (for free to all members) on the NING platform since it was launched in 2009.

With Ning's announcement, ASN polled its membership to discover their feelings towards supporting our service moving forward. One question in the poll included a payment option query.

Sadly, I must report the majority (about 80% of the membership) were not interested in supporting the ongoing fees necessary for the continuance of ASN and for whatever reasons expressed their belief the system should be free.

Since the platform provider NING has elected to make this an impossibility (and it would be unfair to ask a small portion of the membership to pay for the “freebie seekers”) I have decided to cease operations of the NING platform at this time.

To date, investing in advertising, promotions and other marketing have raised the bar and overall awareness of Aura-Soma and Colour Therapy in general. Through this site we have definitely spread the word about Aura-Soma, its teachers, practitioners and seekers in a positive 'light'.

That being said, I know there are quite a few free options available to the membership and would encourage you all to seek them out. For those who suggested we move to Facebook I would simply say the loss in functionality moving to FB would deliver, was unacceptable due to the level of professionalism people have come to expect. Remember NING is a “white label” Facebook and gave us all the power without any of the limits a singular FB page or group has.

To those of you who supported us and offered to pay, please note there are plans to resurrect this program in the future and we will be in touch when the time is right.

All the best with your ventures and endeavours.

In Kindness,
Francesca Durham