Thu 5 Apr 2007
Otto Cedeño runs Bikram Yoga Union Square
Otto Cedeño was born in Quayaquil, Ecuador and came to the United States at the age of four, accompanied by his parents and his five older siblings. Otto considers New York his home, and he is the quintessential New Yorker, having lived in 3 of the 5 boroughs: Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Corona/Fresh Meadows, Queens and the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Otto’s mother was a second grade school teacher, and he began following in her footsteps at an early age. As a teenager, Otto gave downhill skiing instruction in exchange for racing lessons and he taught dance for several years. He also has an extensive background in horseback riding.
In 2000, Otto was introduced to Bikram yoga by John Golterman, owner of the Bikram studio in Chelsea. He fell in love with the practice and immediately took a break from his acting career to go through Bikram teacher training.
Following a period of consistent Bikram practice, Otto noticed a dramatic improvement in his asthma. He had been taking medication for ten years, but he felt strong enough to abandon his Asthmacore inhalant and he has not needed it for the past year and half. He had been suffering from a herniated disc since childhood, an injury requiring injections into his lumbar spine for treatment. The Bikram practice has greatly improved his condition.
In addition to these, and the litany of other physical benefits, Otto has become more focused, determined and committed. He states that he is “less likely to walk away from a commitment and more likely to take on a challenge.” And he believes that those who practice Bikram will experience this same inner clarity and motivation.
Otto was invited by his two best friends to share his knowledge of Bikram by opening a studio in Southern California, but his greatest desire was to have a positive impact on his community in New York. His commitment to his hometown was only intensified by personally witnessing the collapse of the Twin Towers on September 11. He feels that it is no coincidence that his Bikram studio, which teaches a healing practice, looks out over Union Square Park, the location of many vigils following the attack. He hopes that his contribution will help New Yorkers recover and emerge with greater strength and devotion.
