Yoga One instructor to lead Yoga on the Midway

Vibrant in voice and energetic in spirit, Amy Caldwell speaks with a dedicated passion about the practice of yoga. Caldwell is the co-founder and head teacher of Yoga One, a studio located downtown at 1150 Seventh Ave.

Caldwell, who has nearly 20 years of experience, 16 of those in San Diego, will teach her third “Yoga on the Midway” class in conjunction with the Downtown San Diego Partnership and Scripps Health’s “Healthy Living in the City” program. DiscoverSD sat down with Caldwell to find out how she got started in one of the biggest exercise movements in the world.

Q: How did you first discover yoga?

A: My now-husband and I were traveling around the world for three years. We were in Australia, picking apples, and we picked up a book on health that had a section on yoga in it, and we started. We kept traveling, and by time we got to India, we were excited about yoga. We stayed six months, immersed in hours of classes per day, and fell in love with the practice of it.

Q: How did you get involved in yoga in San Diego?

A: When we moved here, I started offering classes by donation at Balboa Park. I rented various places, at dance studios, gyms, and at the time there wasn’t much in the central San Diego area. Then in 2002, I found a studio downtown, and have been there ever since.

Yoga on the Midway

When: 7 a.m. Saturday

Where: USS Midway Museum, 910 N. Harbor Drive, downtown

Cost: Free (Note: Registration was full as of time of print)

Information: Participants are encouraged to dress as their favorite comic book character. More information available online at downtownsandiego.org/healthyscripps

Q: How did “Yoga on the Midway” come about?

A: The Downtown San Diego Partnership did a tree lighting near our studio, and we got to talking. At the time, Scripps Health was wanting to launch “Healthy Living in the City.” So it started as a free class once a month at various parks, and the Midway class was the official launch of the program. This will be the third class there.

Q: Will the class be open to anyone, regardless of skill?

A: It’s a one-hour class and will be for all levels. For me, safety and having people feel good in their bodies is of utmost importance. It really is a positive community-based class and will encourage people to work at their own level, break a sweat, and enjoy the beautiful location.

Q: Is there still room, and how much does it cost?

It’s completely free! Online, it’s saying the class is full; 1,500 people already registered, but it’s still first come first served, so you may still be able to attend.

Q: Okay, a couple of fun questions. What’s your favorite posture?

A: Handstands are so fun, and also backbends. They really counteract our daily living. And of course, Shavasana (in which a person lies supine, also known as “corpse pose”).

Q: What’s the most popular posture people come to you for?

A: For beginners, they are seeking either stress relief or maybe their back is hurting. For others, inversions (typically, when the heart is above the head) carry a lot of fear and excitement. To be able to tell somebody the details and nuances empowers them to succeed.

Q: What’s your proudest moment in 20 years of yoga?

A: I feel very blessed to be able to do this. Big events are fun and exciting, but equally so are my private classes.

Q: What’s on the horizon for Yoga One?

A: We recently started offering our 200-hour yoga teacher course at (San Diego State University), so that’s exciting. It’s held at their recreation center, but you don’t have to be a student (to take the course). We are also hosting a retreat in Costa Rica in April 2017. And we consulted on an app, iYoga Premium. It shows poses, muscle groups and voice-over, and you can even put together your own program.

Source: DiscoverSD