Posts In: wanderlust

Part 5 of how Yoga One founders Amy & Michael Caldwell turned their love story into a thriving yoga community! Read Part 4 here.

After backpacking around the world for 3.5 years, Amy and I felt that returning to LA seemed too familiar and too intense. So we settled in San Diego. I became an account manager at a graphic design studio and Amy worked for a family business coordinating the distribution of vegetables.

A few times a week, Amy practiced yoga in the Redwood Circle area of Balboa Park. With increasing frequency, people would stop and ask her what kind of dance she was doing (it was 2001). When she told them it was yoga, many asked if they could join her. As her following grew and winter approached, Amy and company started looking for a space to practice inside.

We tried out residential community centers, dance studios, and friends’ living rooms. For a period of time, Amy even led classes in a Hillcrest night club undergoing renovation. To access the space, everyone literally climbed over a pile of rubble. 

Eventually the classes migrated to 1150 7th Avenue downtown, in the exercise room of what was then Bodyworks Gym. The owner, Rich, allowed Amy to lead classes rent-free as long as his members could attend complimentary. It was a great arrangement, except that there was no direct access to the space. Amy and students had to go up the steep gym stairs, down the back stairs, through the long, narrow hallway and then wait until the spin or aerobic class let out. It was worth it since the room had high ceilings, sky lights and a beautiful hardwood floor. (Sound familiar yet?) 

However, it also had some challenges – the massage therapist working for the gym could only access her treatment room by walking through the exercise room. Often she would walk through multiple times during class – going to meet her client, going to wash her hands, leading her client out, even during savasana! Amy became adept at deep conscious breathing (: 

Still, classes were going well – the people and space had good energy. Rich suggested Amy lease the space directly. After not too much thought, Amy gave up the distribution of lettuce to teach full time.

PS. We loved our time in Redwood Circle so much we got married there. <3

Part 4 of how Yoga One founders Amy & Michael Caldwell turned their love story into a thriving yoga community! Read Part 3 here.

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The weather was perfect, sunny and warm, a slight ocean breeze. Our stay on the island of Viti Levi, Fiji had been serenely stimulating (like the kava ceremony in which we had participated). Pretty perfect.

But we wanted more. More perfection. 

What we hadn’t yet done was to explore another island. So we gathered up our things and the food we had: a bag of rice, some water, a submarine sandwich and a packet of Twizzlers. Our conversation went something like this:

“Let’s go down to the dock and see if one of the boat crews will take us to a deserted island.” 

Cool, like the blue lagoon?” 

“Sure, yeah, why not?”

So we did. And to our surprise, almost immediately, we’re bumping along in a small boat, stunned and a little nauseous from the gas fumes. What had we done? 

Some time later, we cleared the open water and drew near to an idyllic island. We could almost see all the way around. There were about 15 people of a variety of ages milling about collecting shell fish and sea creatures. As we approached, some of the small boys took an interest in us. After some short socializing, everyone began to depart, including our boat crew. 

“How long do you want to stay?” They asked.

Amy and I looked at each other, amazed. We could read each other’s minds. Wait, what? Everyone is leaving!? This island is uninhabited and you are actually going to leave us? 

Awesome! We take a quick accounting of our supplies. 

“How about four days?” We said.

“Ok, see you in four days.”

Then they motored off.

And just like that… Amy and I are alone. On an uninhabited island. In Fiji.

For sleeping gear, I think we had a sheet, toiletries, um, a toothbrush, I think… Phones or other communication devices? Nope. We did have a small camping stove. When we cooked the rice, we used too much water and it got soggy. There was no refrigeration and it was hot during the day and yeah, so…

It was glorious.

We literally slept in a cave. It was expansive and dry, not at all dark, damp and dingy. We bathed in the deep azure ocean. We didn’t need a change of clothes because we didn’t need clothes. Except for the time the little boys paddled their canoe over from the adjacent island. But we could see them coming from literally a mile away. Jamme, Eli, and Joe taught us how to create sand suits and face masks.

At another time, we traversed the slim trail through the jungle to the other side of the island and were enjoying the secluded beach when a sailboat of French travelers arrived. Needless to say, they were as shocked to see us as we were to encounter them. 

During the days, we climbed rocks, swam, explored, stretched, did absolutely nothing for hours and had some amazing adventures. At night, we listened to the lapping of the waves, counted the stars and our blessings. Then on the fourth day, we heard the sound of the boat’s engine and it was over. It had been more than perfect.

(The photos are us after we relocated to an adjacent island.)

Part 3 of how Yoga One founders Amy & Michael Caldwell turned their love story into a thriving yoga community! Read Part 2 here.

It was early morning. The concrete floor was stone cold. Swami Shivananda, who we would call Guruji, showed up for our first daily private yoga lesson. He was younger than our 27 years, but his big, black and bushy mustache made him look older and certainly more authoritative. As he stood in the center of what was our single room living quarters, he said something about feeling stiff. To loosen up, he jackknifed forward with both legs straight and touched his head near the top of his feet – then, in a flash, he bent backward and brought his head between his legs.

“Uh oh!” I thought.

We had recently arrived in Varanasi from Nepal. One day wandering the streets looking for an Internet cafe (remember those?) we met a man asking if he could be of assistance. His name was Ravi and he invited us to stay with his family. In addition to allowing Amy to learn to cook with the women of the family and finding a tabla drum teacher for Michael, Ravi introduced us to Guruji.

Guruji had us take our positions on the rice bags we were using for mats.* There was a blur of new and intense poses (for us) and the occasional comment from Guruji, including, “After some time, pain finished.”**

And then he was gone, leaving us wide-eyed and astounded. Did we just do what we think we did?

Knowing he would be back the next morning, we immediately established a routine. Re-practice what we had learned, right then and there. Re-practice on the rooftop in the evening and get up extra early to warm up before he arrived the next morning. The weight of our bodies as we laid down on our hard bed increased the soreness. Yet we were keen to learn and explore…and we were having fun.

After some time, the pain finished. Growth and openness to keep learning remained.

*Don’t try this at home, kids. Rice bags are rough and scratchy.

**We encourage listening to your body, not pushing past your edge, and we definitely don’t encourage tolerating any sharp shooting pain.

This article first published on NTCH magazine
Words by Victoria Derr / Photos by Vivian Morellon

Think back to your first yoga class. Was it a crisp studio space? A room with abstract murals on the wall? Was it a relaxing yin yoga class, or a high powered vinyasa class? A YouTube video? An Instagram clip? Or what about a friend encouraging you to do a few cat and cows? 

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For Yoga One studio owners, Amy and Michael Caldwell, their first yoga class was far from the norm.

It was on a searing hot blacktop, ambianced with Malaysian marching band music, taught by a dude doing headstands from New Zealand. They both laugh at the memory.

Rewind years earlier, before being studio owners and even before their first yoga class, Amy and Michael were both working in the music biz in LA; Amy, working for Budd Carr, seeking music to place in movie soundtracks and Michael, at Broadcast Music Inc., promoting songwriters and composers. They met at a record release party for Stanley Clark, and from there the yin-yang duo was born. Michael was promoting music to people like Amy, who placed music in movies and television. Already, their meeting seemed synchronistic – a balance of give and take.

Their dynamic duo energy only revealed itself more as the interview progressed. Much like the ebb and flow of an inhale and exhale, their journey with yoga had its moments of collaboration combined with solo self study: from discovering yoga in a book together, to living in separate cities as they deepened their practice.

Shortly after meeting, they wrapped up loose ends in LA and spent the next three years traveling. Between apple picking, bartending, and updating the Lonely Planet guides, the two lived a budget friendly, free-spirited life abroad. 

“I mean,” Amy shook her head as she spoke. “This was before the time of smartphones and instant communication, if we wanted to talk to people back home we had to find an internet cafe. Our parents must have thought we were crazy.” 

During the last year of their travels, they discovered yoga. For these two, their first encounter with yoga came from a few poses found in a book, Fit for Life. As they continued their travels, they met other individuals who were practicing yoga who would share different parts of yoga, the philosophies, the pranayama. 

NTCH sat down with the two yogis, who shared stories of going to JTMF with their kids, driving over tumbleweeds, Vipassana meditation, and balancing their everyday life through yoga.

NTCH: So how did you two come to yoga, or how did yoga come to you?

MICHAEL: It really was super organic. There’s the phenomenon that once you become aware of something, you see it everywhere. So as soon as we did the few poses we found in that book, Fit for Life, we were in Malaysia walking in the forest, and we look down into a valley and there was this guy who was doing something down there. We had never seen a video, or been to class, so we asked ourselves, “Is he doing yoga?” That night we saw him at the coffee shop, and went over to him, and he invited us to come join him the next day.

So my first yoga class ever…he takes us to the edge of a Malaysian high school, and we’re on the blacktop, in the summer, and it’s about eighty degrees, and we took off our t-shirts and put them onto the ground as mats. And we practiced on the blacktop. And in the distance, just across the way, was the Malaysian marching band [Michael imitates tuba sounds for emphasis] And that was my first yoga experience.

AMY: As we kept going, we would find books and other people who practiced. Two years later when we got to India, we were very much ready to immerse ourselves in that experience. We studied with a private instructor for six weeks that came to our house every morning for an hour. 

MICHAEL: We were on an exploration. I mean, we both went to college in LA, worked in the music business. How fun, it doesn’t get more fun than some of the experiences we had. But the fact that we were looking for more in terms of personal growth set us up to be open for something like that. Trying to engage with your body for its own purpose rather than as a vehicle to get something done. That was a revelation for us.

Read the full interview with NTCH here.

Part 2 of how Yoga One founders Amy & Michael Caldwell turned their love story into a thriving yoga community! ? Read Part 1 here.

“After living on an uninhabited island in Fiji for four days, we returned to the main island Viti Levu where we met a man whose parents owned an apple orchard in Australia. Months later and wanting to make some extra money to fuel our backpacking adventures, we traveled to Stanthorpe and began a two-month grueling and glorious time as apple pickers. 

At the crack of dawn, we rose like zombies and made our way to the orchard. There we fired up the tractor and rumbled to our assigned paddock. For the rest of the day, we frantically scaled up and down ladders grabbing as many apples as we could and then unloaded them one bag at time into the trailer bins. At night, we returned to our cabin, hastily made sandwiches for the next day, enjoyed a quick dinner and went to sleep.

If there was any spare energy, we would read a section of “Fit for Life” by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond. We had become vegetarians a year or so before and were trying out veganism and food combining. The book also suggested we do yoga and there were some super simple stretches included. After picking apples for ten hours a day, ten days in a row without a break, the handful of poses felt tremendous. And that was the genesis of our asana practice. Perhaps in retrospect, we had already begun our yoga practice by becoming conscious of our diet and lifestyle; the poses helped to further expand our awareness. 

Once you turn on to something you often see it all around you. As we traveled from country to country, we found additional inspiration to deepen our practice. By the time we got to India, we knew yoga was something we wanted to embrace more fully, and we began an earnest practice, study, and discipline. During a ten-day Vipassana meditation near Bangalore, we first heard the mantra, “Start again.” – Amy & Michael Caldwell

?Stay tuned for Part 3! ?

Part One: Yoga One Co-Founders Amy and Michael Caldwell weren’t always yoga teachers in beautiful San Diego… Here’s a flashback story of how they fell in love and the seed for Yoga One was planted. 🙂

Check out this Throwback pic of Yoga One co-founders Amy & Michael in Kala Patthar, Nepal in 1999! 

Seeing as ?Valentine’s Day ?is right around the corner, we wanted to share a little background on how their love story brought Yoga One to life in San Diego. 

“It was 1995 and I was working for Broadcast Music Incorporated in Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. We were throwing a party for jazz bassist extraordinaire and film composer Stanley Clarke. Amy and her co-workers from Budd Carr’s music supervision team were attending the event. With Budd and company, Amy had helped with the music for such films as Twister, Heat, Nixon and Natural Born Killers. Since Amy and her team often frequented such events as a group, someone remarked that she’d never find a boyfriend because it always appeared that she was in a relationship. Amy replied that there wasn’t anyone at the party in which she was interested in, anyway. That is until I walked around the corner. Insert angelic music swelling, a warm breeze blowing my hair, and soft lighting caressing my face. A few years later, we were at 18,800 feet on Kala Patar and with Mount Everest as our witness, I proposed. Amy, cold and oxygen deprived said, “Of course!” We then hiked to base camp for good measure.”

This is ~obviously~ Michael’s version of events! But that party was the start of it all. Stay tuned for the next installment about how Amy & Michael discovered their love of yoga in an Australian apple orchard and the seed for Yoga One was planted! ??????

Do you take your yoga with you when you travel? 

Our Yoga One family has spread to all corners of the globe and we’re excited to share some of their adventures.

Missy is Yoga One’s OM (Office Manager). She’s the big smile and warm spirit that greets you from the studio’s office nook. Missy is the hub that connects all the parts. Here she is delivering the opening remarks for the Festival of Yoga, with the primary class being led by Yoga One’s own Amy Caldwell. Not long after Missy inspired the crowd of yogis, she dropped the mic (figuratively not literally). But either way she rocks! \m/

The next Festival of Yoga is scheduled for June 23rd, 2019 at the Waterfront Park. Click here to register for this FREE event!

No matter where you go, you can Keep OM Trucking with Yoga One! Visit Yoga One at 1150 7th Avenue to get your own hat and while you’re there, join us for class. 

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How do yoga teachers feel about their practice? What inspires them to keep teaching and keep practicing yoga? Get to know your Yoga One teachers outside the studio and off the mat.

This month’s interview is with Terri Hobbs, who is leaving Yoga One after 8 years of teaching with us in search of new adventures. All the best, Terri! You’ll be missed.

1. Why do you practice yoga? 

I practice for strength, balance, mindfulness, serenity, and because yoga is a creative outlet for me.

2. What was the most intimidating aspect of your teaching when you first started?

Remembering the difference between right and left! Also I used to worry that I would run out of poses to teach before class was over. 🙂

3. What gives you the most joy as a yoga instructor?

Whenever a yogi tells me a chronic pain of theirs has disappeared, or the first time a student really “masters” a pose.

4. If yoga were a food, car, smell, planet, song, artist, flavor, etc…it would be: the ocean.

5. What’s your yoga inspiration?

I find a lot of inspiration from my co-instructors at Yoga One, especially Amy Caldwell and Mara Harris! I look to the internet and classes I take when I travel to help freshen up both my practice and my teaching.

6. Usually we ask what classes you teach at Yoga One – but you’re saying au revoir. What will you carry with you from your time at Yoga One?

Words may fail me in describing the Yoga One family. I’ve never felt so supported, valued, and loved as an employee and as a person. Why leave nirvana? Upcoming opportunities to travel and a desire for new challenges.

7. Anything else you’d like to add, share, suggest?

Be love.
Appreciate grace.
Make connections.

You can find our full class schedule here. Om!

Do you take your yoga with you when you travel? 

Our Yoga One family has spread to all corners of the globe and we’re excited to share some of their adventures.

An Original Yoga One Yogi, Arati Lane has been teaching at Yoga One from day one. Yoga One began enhancing the well-being of San Diego residents and visitors in 2002 and Arati has been with us every step of the way. When she’s not teaching you can sometimes find her riding on her high horse. But her yoga keeps her humble. 🙂

Arati has been teaching Yoga since 1989, completing her first training with Sivananda. Arati currently teaches yoga classes and workshops for fertility, pre- and postnatal, infant massage, couples yoga, healthy backs, flow and hatha. She counsels in AYURVEDA and loves sharing these amazing life-enhancing methods to heal and maintain balanced health in all forms! She teaches at Yoga One Sundays at 10am. You can find our full class schedule here. Om!

No matter where you go, you can Keep OM Trucking with Yoga One! Visit Yoga One at 1150 7th Avenue to get your own hat and while you’re there, join us for class. 

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Do you take your yoga with you when you travel? 

Our Yoga One family has spread to all corners of the globe and we’re excited to share some of their adventures.

Denisse Ypina is the go-to yogi. She loves to meet people and get out and about. Here she is rocking the Yoga One lid at the City Center Sessions. During this popular event, Yoga One and other fitness studios provide free classes in a Downtown San Diego city street or park.

The next event is scheduled for February 10th, 8am-noon. Yoga One leads a class at 11:30am. Denisse will likely be there. Click here to reserve your space.

In addition to assisting Yoga One with offsite events and TV segments, Denisse is also a graduate of the acclaimed Yoga One Teacher Training course, an ACE Certified Group Fitness Instructor, Zumba Certified Instructor, Nutrition Specialist and Dale Carnegie instructor. Phew!

No matter where you go, you can Keep OM Trucking with Yoga One! Visit Yoga One at 1150 7th Avenue to get your own hat and while you’re there, join us for class. 

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Do you take your yoga with you when you travel? 

Our Yoga One family has spread to all corners of the globe and we’re excited to share some of their adventures.

Sometimes you don’t need to travel very far to get a different perspective. Be a tourist in your own town! Longtime Yoga One student Kay Faryan chilling on the Sunset Cliffs in San Diego, California.

No matter where you go, you can Keep OM Trucking with Yoga One! Visit Yoga One at 1150 7th Avenue to get your own hat and while you’re there, join us for class. 

by Olivia Hughes

I don’t know about you, but 2017 has been an intense year! To bring myself back into balance, I consciously practice gratitude during the holiday season. Gratitude not only for all my blessings, loved ones, health, and happiness, but also for my challenges and opportunities to expand my heart and awareness.

This Yogi Gift Guide shifts the focus from buying material things to practicing self-care and sharing the gift of presence with those you love. Let everything you do this month be sacred.

1. Yoga One Gift Card

Give the gift of yoga!!! This is hands-down the best yoga studio in the heart of downtown San Diego. They offer a range of classes every day of the week, from never-stepped-on-a-yoga-mat beginner level to an intense sweaty and pretzel-y advanced level. They also have a wonderfully relaxing massage room. This could be your one-stop shop for wellness!

2. Meditation Cushion from Sittin’ Pretty Still

Helping people stay calm one cushion at a time. Each one is made with love and intention and they are truly the most gorgeous meditation cushions ever made! They also double as a comfy yoga block or bolster and are 25% off until December 31st. Check out their awesome natural soy candles while you’re at their website, too.

3. Homemade Coupon Book 

Take the holidays back old-school by creating a coupon book redeemable for all your loved one’s favorite things, big and small. You can include anything from a back rub to offering to pump their gas because you know they hate doing it. Coupon books are a great way to show someone you’re paying attention and that you care about them.

4. Crystal Muse by Heather Askinosie and Timmi Jandro

This will be my first Yogi Reads review of 2018! Crystal Muse: Everyday Rituals to Tune in to the Real You includes different rituals and grids you can create to manifest the energy you desire in your life. I loved learning new techniques for staying connected to my crystals, the moon cycles, and their energy all year long.

5. Quinntessentials Yoga & Beauty Products

Organic essential oil products for yoga and life. Owner Julie Quinn crafts each product with intention. My favorite right now is her Palo Santo room spray – it’s perfect for yoga classes and at home. She also makes a rosemary oil for your hair, stash wax for men, and a yogi bones salve that will soothe everyone’s tender spots. Check her out online or in person at different markets around San Diego.

6. Momma Pots

Buying from local, small businesses is one of the best ways to give back to your community. Instead of buying candy or sweets for a stocking stuffer, how about a small potted (low-maintenance) succulent plant? All of Momma Pots products are hand-poured and painted concrete, right here in San Diego. Her pots are truly beautiful, with a modern, minimalist aesthetic.

“Elegant pots, hand crafted by a mom, inspired by all things that grow.” – Blaine Tiongson, owner

7. Passion Planner

Most of us keep our calendar on a mobile device these days, but there’s still value in putting pen to paper. A passion planner goes beyond a list of activities each day by providing prompts for your dreams and goals. It’s the perfect tool to help you think big and stay accountable for creating and living the life YOU want.

“It’s designed to be a safe space for you to dream, reflect, and grow.” – Passion Planner Team

8. Morse Code Malas

Handmade in San Diego these mala beads are intended to evoke a feeling or ignite a purpose when worn. Each one is carefully crafted with you in mind. A one-of-a-kind gift that helps to calm your mind and connect to your spirit. Follow them on Instagram @morsecodemalas

9. Donate Time or Money to the ONE LOVE Movement

The ONE LOVE Movement is a non-profit dedicated to supporting children in impoverished areas. Founder Kim Bauman is a local San Diego yoga teacher whose passion was sparked by a trip to Haiti where she realized how blessed she was, having been an orphan herself who was adopted from South Korea at only 9 months old. She has now dedicated her life to helping other children in need. The ONE LOVE Movement is currently looking for ambassadors in any city, as well as accepting donations of time, resources, or money.

10. Host a Party for Your Loved Ones with Al Fresco Events

For the host or hostess who loves the joy of community and a shared meal, but not all the work of preparation and clean up, Al Fresco Events will pull off an unforgettable holiday (or anytime) party. Your biggest concern will be picking out your outfit, because all you have to do is show up and enjoy! Jennie Niezgoda brings the decor, creates an amazing vibe, and tops it off with her infamous grazing platters, filled with goodies that will leave your guests talking for weeks! Check out her Instagram page to see for yourself @alfresco_events

11. Energy Healing Sessions with Antoinnette Chirinos

A Peruvian modern day Medicine Woman and Angel Tarot Reader, based locally in San Diego. Sessions with Antoinnette will leave you feeling validated within and connected to your spirit. Antoinnette has a deep connection to nature and creates essential oils, herb offerings, and elixirs with intention to support you after her sessions. She also mixes in crystals, and energy clearing kits to help you stay aligned and protected.

12. Yoga Retreat with Olivia and the OM Experience

Give the gift of a retreat! Getting away from it all for a few days in paradise by yourself or with a loved one can be an incredibly healing and restorative experience. Join me for daily yoga, waterfall hikes, snorkeling, relaxing, hydrotherapy, and more! This retreat is one-of-a-kind in its luxury and service, hosted by The Garza Blanca resort in Puerto Vallarta, a five star hotel that offers an all-inclusive experience. Learn more at The OM Experience.

*These recommendations were chosen by the author from her personal life experience and do not reflect any paid advertisements. 

Olivia Hughes
Contributing Writer

Olivia’s yoga journey began in 2003. She is certified in Vinyasa, Hatha, and Aerial Yoga and holds a Masters degree in Spiritual Psychology. She believes the mind, body, soul connection is sacred and encourages her students explore and expand within their own bodies and consciousnesses.

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by Laura McCorry

It’s been said that life is about the journey, not the destination – but if you’re traveling with a toddler, just packing for the journey can feel like outfitting a polar expedition. Getting on the road with the family can be the hardest part!

I recently attempted this challenge, on an annual trip to the mountains to visit loved ones. The car ride itself is five hours without stops, and we wanted to arrive well before the two year old’s bedtime. I very quickly felt stressed about remembering everything to bring and anxious about keeping the kiddo entertained.

We have a cd of kid’s tunes we play in the car and this is one of the songs:

“Try to move a moose in the middle of the road, he’s much too big for you.
He’s ten feet tall and that’s not all, he weighs a ton or two.
When you can’t drive under, you can’t drive over, and you can’t drive around,
you have to wait for the moose to move although it slows you down.
But what’s your hurry, don’t you worry, don’t you know it’s true –
it may take a month or two, but the moose is bound to move.”

If you keep listening, the moose decides to take a nap, cars pile up on both sides, and eventually, everyone gets out of their cars and befriend the moose, taking pictures with him and scratching his chin.

In my yogic journey to the present moment, always trying to arrive, I don’t often embrace the obstacles in my path. I think that’s hard for most of us. What would happen if we did? Would the obstacles change, would we ourselves change, or both?

Yoga teaches us to observe the present moment, to sit with discomfort, to notice our reactions before acting upon them. All of these mindfulness techniques run counter to our culture of more, better, faster. Before you get caught up in the busy-ness of the last months of the year, try to observe the obstacles in your path. Maybe the “obstacle” is an important part of the journey.

As it turned out, we had everything we needed for the trip, the toddler didn’t have a single meltdown in the car, and we even enjoyed stopping to stretch our legs while appreciating the crisp air and fall colors. I hope you find the same joy in whatever journey you undertake.

Laura McCorry
Contributing Writer

Yoga and Laura had an on-again-off-again relationship from 2004 until 2009 when they decided to move in together and there’s been no looking back since. Passionate about both yoga and writing, Laura loves to introduce others to the joys and benefits of yoga and healthy living.

Contact: laura(AT)yogaonesandiego(DOT)com

Do you take your yoga with you when you travel? 

Our Yoga One family has spread to all corners of the globe and we’re excited to share some of their adventures.

Caitlin McPhee:

Anjanae and I, left and center, met during our YTT at Yoga One. This summer we went backpacking in Colorado together! While hiking, we reflected on the ease of practicing mindfulness while hiking and camping in nature (in the sense of our heightened ability to focus on the here and now) and how these activities perfectly compliment our yoga practice.

No matter where you go, you can Keep OM Trucking with Yoga One! Visit Yoga One at 1150 7th Avenue to get your own hat and while you’re there, join us for class. 

Do you take your yoga with you when you travel? 

Our Yoga One family has spread to all corners of the globe and we’re excited to share some of their adventures.

Amy Freeman, Yoga One Teacher:

We were in Telluride, Colorado over July 4th week on a family trip. That was a beautiful waterfall hike we did called Cornet Creek Falls. I also took a few yoga classes there at a studio in the village called Mangala Yoga.

No matter where you go, you can Keep OM Trucking with Yoga One! Visit Yoga One at 1150 7th Avenue to get your own hat and while you’re there, join us for class. 

Sparkling, shiny, sensitive, steely, steadfast, seaworthy, smiling, super…and these are just the adjectives that begin with “s” that can be used to describe the sensational and interesting, Robin Doten. She loves to explore and experience life and brings those receptive and friendly qualities to her teaching. You’ll have to wake up early for her 6:30am Flow class on Tuesdays, but you’ll be glad you did! Check out our full class schedule here.

1. What is your favorite style of yoga?

I really enjoy Vinyasa Flow. I love the heat and energy it creates in my body and I find the linking of my breath with the movements helps me to focus my mind, de-stress and feel balanced. Vinyasa feels like a smooth flowing dance which guides me through a moving meditation.

2. What first attracted you to yoga when you began your practice?

I was invited by a close friend to attend some of her yoga classes she was taking regularly and I loved how I felt after class. My fascination with yoga really grew as I was seeking an activity that could strengthen my body yet not cause damage to my joints. I realized yoga was a low impact exercise that I could do for the rest of my life.

As I started doing more yoga, I heard about Yoga One’s Teacher Training and decided to learn all I could by attending the training! Soon I was diving into a much deeper practice and a better understanding of Yogic teachings and principles. Yoga became an all-encompassing life perspective and I was hooked on its ability to bring me peace and happiness.

3. What is your favorite yoga pose right now?

Savasana (corpse pose) or final relaxation, is my favorite pose right now. It may sound like a joke, because I didn’t take it seriously or see its full benefits before, but now it means so much to me. I find it to be my reset button. After practicing yoga or taking a class, savasana is my time to fully surrender and be still. I feel the support of the Earth and an immense gratitude for my body and its ability to carry me through my yoga practice! While in corpse pose I am completely at ease and feel balanced, this makes me feel so clear, connected and open to the present moment.

4. What pose is still the most challenging?

Bakasana or crow pose is the most challenging for me. I can do it, but it doesn’t feel good in my body. It bruises the back of my arms and I tend to avoid it. I have been telling myself that if I practice crow pose it will start to feel better and in time I will be doing a jump back to chaturanga dandasana (which looks so cool!) but for now, it’s just a goal.

5. If you were an animal, you would be:

There are so many animals that I identify with but the characteristics of a dog seem the most suitable. They are loyal, intelligent companions, who can offer assistance, and are always excited to see the people they love. Dogs are easy to please and happiness moves through their entire body from the tip of their nose to their wagging tail. I love how dogs make people so happy, too!

6. Describe what yoga means in your life using just 6 words: Peacefulness, Openness, Balance, Connection, Unity and Joy

7. What might your students be surprised to learn about you?

That I’ve been bitten by the travel bug and have visited over 30 countries. I once wanted to live abroad and travel so much, I went to Europe in search of work. The only job I could get as a foreigner that would allow me to see more of the world was as a “yachtie” and crew on mega yachts all over the Mediterranean.

The Med was so beautiful, but soon the yachting season ended in that region, so I followed it over to the Bahamas where I continued to crew. Once, I was hired for a two week stay on a private island called Indigo Island with Johnny Depp, Vanessa Paradis and their children! Of all the people I encountered while on this adventure, they were the most gracious.

8. Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for new students?

The best advice I can give is something I remind myself of daily – to create a habit or practice of my own. Be open to learning and trying new poses. Let go of your ego, it will always hold you back and creates judgment of yourself and others. Be a positive influence for yourself and those around you and most of all, just have fun!