44 | www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com MEN WI N HEALTH For Heather Downs, becoming a yoga teacher and studio owner was not initially a lifelong goal, though her heart has always been in the business of health care and helping others as a hospital parent trainer, a member of the Shaken Baby Alliance and a mom of four daughters. In fact, the Charleston native only started practicing yoga nine years ago at the age of 52, but, in the true spirit of yoga, she found joy in balance – in this case of her health care background and her desire to help people. Now 61, she has worked hard in the past decade, participated in thousands of yoga classes, taught yoga in Savannah and is currently a teacher and owner of Lowcountry Power Yoga. Her specialty in Baptiste yoga reaches across all age ranges and abilities, which has become her passion: “I had been practicing for a few years and had felt the transformation in my own body and daily life. As an older student, I knew the impact this work could have on so many people.” She was inspired to train to become an accessible yoga teacher: “Accessible yoga is the fastest growing field of yoga today and has no limitations for implementation.” Though the challenges of fear of failure and COVID limitations were real, Downs worked hard and realized her new dream this year. “Instead of retiring, I am reinventing myself. My advice to women – both older and younger – is to keep moving your body and your mind,” she smiled. “If you are a student of yoga, dig deeper into the process and be open to where it takes you. You may be called to be a leader and, if so, lead.” By Anne Shuler Toole Heather Downs LOWCOUNTRY POWER YOGA Johns Island 843-779-2345 lowcountrypoweryoga.com @lowcountrypoweryoga SACRAL Photo by Jenn Cady.
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