More Than a Downward Dog

West Orange resident Amy Witmyer is one passionate yogini. She's been practicing yoga since her teens and, now, decades later, she is sometimes still mistaken for one.

"The other day I was at the West Orange pool and someone approached me. He said I had to be 18 years old in order to be swimming in that lane," laughed the 37-year-old. Is yoga the secret to the fountain of youth? It may very well be the answer.

When Witmyer grew up in South Orange in the 1970s, the area was not very holistic.

"As a teen, I read and studied lots of books on everything from health, nutrition to spirituality. There wasn't much available in town," said Witmyer.

She took it upon herself to learn as much as she could on her own. "I decided, as I learned more about wellness, to embrace the entire lifestyle. I became a vegan. I would go food shopping and put my foods in one cabinet in the kitchen," she said.

While Witmyer studied at the School of Visual Arts and at the International Center of Photography, and was very involved in the photography world, the road led her back to yoga.

"Even though I worked full time in a gallery for Art Conservation, I participated in an intense two year yoga program," said Witmyer. "I was used to being behind the scenes, behind a camera. I did not want to be in front of a class teaching."

At the end of the two-year program, students had to take various exams, such as a written exam and teaching a class in front of the masters, in order to be considered for a teaching position. Despite her reservations, she decided to do it. Out of 50 students, Witmyer ended up being one out of four asked to become a teacher. "Not only that, I was asked to take over a master teacher's class," she said.

Witmyer said that yoga helped her find her true essence. "I was shy. Yoga helped me come out of my shell," she said. "It gave me confidence to see who I really was." And she never looked back.

She led classes in various yoga studios throughout New York City and New Jersey before establishing her home studio, Sacred Space Yoga and Wellness, a decade ago.

In her home studio, she offers her students private and semi-private classes, where usually no more than four students register for each class.

"This way I can guide each student in their practice," she said. "I help each individual find their own flow." Having studied with yoga masters of different backgrounds, Witmyer is able to offer a hybrid yoga practice and can tailor each class, depending on the students present. In addition to yoga, she also offers body and energy work, such as Intuitive Touch Healing and Reiki.

The Witmyers, which includes a husband and a 10-year-old son, have lived in the Gregory section of West Orange for more than seven years. "I love the diversity of our community," she said. "I love the geography, the mountains and the reservation."

One aspect of yoga that Witmyer teaches to her students is that yoga is more than just a form of exercise, it's also a lifestyle. "Yoga can be practiced anytime, anywhere," she said. "It's not just about a certain pose. It's about a way of being in the world. You can practice yoga while driving in a car, running or waiting in line at the grocery store."

For more information on Witmyer or to sign up to receive her newsletter and a free 20-minute consultation, visit her website or her new website. In order to share the yogic message with the community, Witmyer is offering a class called "A Taste of Bliss," Thursday, July 29, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost usually is $25 per class, but this class will be donations.

Do you have ideas for upcoming columns, know an athletic enthusiast, want to ask a question or can put me in touch with people who are creating a healthier West Orange? E-mail Hurtado. Hurtado is an enthusiastic fitness expert with years of experience and has spent nearly a decade on the business side of publishing as a Beauty Director at magazines such as Mademoiselle and Seventeen.