Meet Jenifer Ooi, affectionately known as Jen by her students and community. As the heart and soul behind Karma Yoga, Jen has spent the last two decades transforming lives through the profound practice of yoga.
From her humble beginnings as a creative director in the advertising industry to becoming a beacon of mindfulness and compassion in the yoga community, Jen’s journey is nothing short of inspiring.
In this interview, Jen shares her insights, challenges, and the rewarding experiences that have shaped her path as a yoga teacher and studio owner. Dive in to learn more about her philosophy and the unique aspects of Karma Yoga.
Q: Can you tell us about your journey into yoga? What initially drew you to the practice?
About 20 years ago, I stumbled upon a yoga studio on my way home from work and signed up for a long-term membership on a whim.
My first class was pranayama, a breathwork practice, and it completely changed my life. My teacher spoke minimal English but guided me through the practice. From that very moment, I was drawn into the very simple yet profound practice of yoga.
Q: How has yoga influenced your life beyond the physical aspect?
Yoga has taught me empathy, compassion, and solace in both good and challenging moments. It has shown me that the time is now—the importance of living in the present moment. It has empowered me to find beauty in perceived imperfections. Yoga has nurtured me to be my true self, embrace grace in strength, and find calmness in chaos.
Q: What inspired you to become a yoga teacher and share your knowledge with others?
It happened with a little push after 10 years of learning with my teacher. My then-teacher decided to stop teaching, leaving me a bit lost and with nowhere to go. He persuaded me to become a teacher. To be honest, the thought and responsibility were really scary to me.
However, I realized that if he had such a significant impact on me, I could share that knowledge and impact others. It was at that moment I was determined to be a good teacher with everything I could give.
Q: What did you do before becoming a yoga teacher? What was the moment like when you decided to take the leap to start Karma Yoga?
I was a creative director in the advertising industry for about 15 years. The moment I decided to take the leap happened at home during the MCO. You know—I was with myself all day, which was the best time really :)
The MCO taught me a lot about the local yoga industry and, more importantly, what could be improved. I realized that if no one else were going to make those changes, I would. It felt like the right thing to do, and I still feel that now every single day.
Q: Tell us more about Karma Yoga. What do you teach? And unique things about your teaching style or your studio?
Karma Yoga School isn’t a business; we are a komuniti where we strive to teach everyone yoga, enjoy our practice as much as we can, and put people first. Our yoga school is not unique per se. We simply want to teach yoga authentically, creating more mindful humans by doing good every day.
I personally teach yoga in many ways. In its entirety, at Karma Align Academy, which is Karma Yoga School’s training ground where we offer yoga teacher training, and I am the lead trainer.
I also teach group classes where I incorporate many modern interpretations of yoga movements. Nowadays, I spend more time on private classes that focus on rehabilitation from injury, muscle imbalances, and building long-term strength—especially for yogis.
Lastly, I teach mindfulness—staying still in silence and being aware of everything we do. This is the essence of yoga, and it is how I got started in the first place.
Q: How did you grow your yoga school to what it is today from scratch? And how does your day look like?
Just like anyone else’s day. I believe that normalizing the “hustle or nothing” creates unnecessary expectations of the ultimate reality.
That said, we do what needs to be done—nothing to glorify or complain about. It’s all about doing the right thing. That’s all there is to it.
A few key things in growing Karma Yoga School:
- Know your values. Make sure you know what you stand for. Then, use a voice that’s authentic to what you’re building.
- Be kind, but also be firm. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in the years running Karma Yoga is this: Don’t feel guilty about saying no—even if it means a bad review. The customer isn’t always right; our job is to enlighten and teach kindness.
- People over profit. Operational losses happen, especially with more yoga studios offering more competitive prices. However, we believe if we put in our effort to make others feel good, be good, and do good, then we have done our absolute best and that is enough.
Q: How long have you been a yoga teacher? Which part surprises you the most? What is most rewarding?
This year marks my 10th year of teaching, and what surprises me the most is that I still mix up my lefts and rights after all these years! To me, watching people grow has been incredibly rewarding.
Q: What do you do when you’re not doing and teaching?
It’s all about sleep and rest. Being well-rested is crucial to giving my best to the people around me. It’s the secret sauce to everything.
Q: What do you think about the yoga industry and community in Malaysia? What do you think we can do better?
The yoga community in Malaysia is strong, with great bonds over a shared love for the practice. I’m eager to see how we can grow further in the years to come.
However, the industry needs regulation. Many teacher trainings are conducted by inexperienced trainers, leading to lackluster and shallow yoga teachers who do not teach yoga in its entirety. Many yoga studios run trainings and workshops to cover their operational costs or to gain profit. It’s sad to say, these businesses are not very ethical in their practice as there is no governing body.
With the rise of social media trends, the true essence of yoga is often lost—taken over by trends and fads. As a community, we need to discern right from wrong and call out what isn’t.
Q: What’s the next step or stage for you? What are you most looking forward to in the next 3-5 years?
I’ve never truly thought about the future. Covid and MCO taught me not to plan too far ahead.
That said, I look forward to seeing Karma Yoga School grow. We may not survive amidst spa-like studios, but we will continue to teach kindness, compassion, and empathy.
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