Who's Who in El Cerrito: Elke Savala

Name: Elke Savala

Age: 52

Occupation: Holistic Healing (Ayurveda)

How long have you been living and working in El Cerrito? 10 years

What do you like about living and working here? It's not as crazy as the city. It still has the city vibe, but at least down here it's close to everything, close to the city, close to Berkeley. Here you can get a small little old house that is somewhat affordable if you're lucky. In this neighborhood I have a lot of old neighbors. It used to be quiet.

What would you change about El Cerrito? I would love to have more hangout places to build a sense of community. There's not even a decent tea house. The local health food store doesn't even have a blackboard for community events. I'd like to see less corporate and more artistic. I don't want to go to Peet's or Starbucks. I'd like to participate in artistic stuff. I'm also an artist as well as working with Ayurveda, but I don't want to confuse people. People will think I'm a jack of all trades. Truth is you're an idiot if you specialize. In ancient traditional culture the doctors were also artists.

I've been here so long I know my immediate neighbors but that's about it. There's an element of danger in this neighborhood. I don't feel unsafe here, but it does have that element. It doesn't have that small-town vibe. I would like to see more community blackboards. The Gun Shop up the street invites criminals. I don't agree with it.

Most people may not know about Ayurveda, could you tell me a little about what you do? Yoga is a sister practice to Ayurveda. Ayurveda should be a practice for anyone who does yoga. It's a diet and a lifestyle that is specific to your body type. Basically you have to consider your constitution concerning diet and herbal remedies. It is the most complete and oldest system that still exists. Sound, color, everything is a part of it. It is always focused on the mind and body. Meditation, mantra, sound, all of these things are a part of Ayurveda. In Ayurveda you want to remove the cause, not just treat the symptom. Consultations are very in depth, about two hours long. I can customize to any budget though. It is much more customized than any other approach and it's also about self-help.

Is there anything else we should know about you? I also give people yoga lessons. I teach a class every other week at the Niroga Center in Berkeley.  I can customize yoga workouts for my clients.  I also do graphic design.