Today we’d like to introduce you to Kari Jaffe.
Hi Kari, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Yoga. Yoga started in 2009.
I was living in Miami Beach. I was a workout junkie and had a personal trainer at the time who worked me in new and challenging ways. We trained in plyometric work, teaching me techniques to use my own body as resistance. I loved the push/pull aspect of training my own weight to build strength and power. This style of training got me super connected to understanding the intricacies of how the human body works and the finite localized muscles that often get left behind.
Within six months, she had said to me that I needed to try Hot Yoga. It was August in Miami. Voluntarily stepping into a hot room during the Caribbean summer months seemed like a crazy idea. Yet, there I was, completely overdressed in bootlegged cotton leggings and a Hanes cotton tank top, duck feet, knock knees, acute low back pain and unable to touch my toes. At least my personal trainer friend set up my mat just near the door…
I sucked at yoga. I would never say that now. “Sucking at yoga” is not a real thing because everyone is just doing the best they can on any given day and everyday will be different. At the time, I didn’t understand this concept, so I just assumed that I wasn’t good at yoga. I didn’t understand how to breathe exclusively through my nose. I couldn’t do most of the postures the way everyone else was doing them. I couldn’t steadily balance on one leg without falling over after half a second. I was unable to find certain muscles that the teacher had cued. I could NOT handle the heat, panting like a dehydrated dog and gasping for the bursts of fresh air any moment the teacher would open the door.
Despite all of that discomfort, I could not help but be inspired by the other bodies I saw around me. I witnessed people move seamlessly through transitions that felt unimaginable in my own body. I watched calm and peace wash over the faces of students, even though their bodies seemed to be moving through rigorous work. I was in awe. I came back the very next day and bought a membership.
And that’s literally how it started, this yogi life of mine. I never thought back then that I would build a life and career on the foundations of yoga and its doctrines. I never could have imagined teaching in countless public studios, working with professional athletes, teaching to crowds of 400+, developing after school programs, hosting yoga teacher trainings, and creating, curating + producing yoga and wellness experiences, retreats and activations all over the world.
It’s radical where your path can lead you if you follow your intuition, hone and shape your vision, and stay true to who you are.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
So many bumps!!! But challenge is the portal to transformation. How on earth could I, or anyone, possibly grow if we haven’t had an opportunity to be met with moments that test us? These are the moments that really develop character and strength. They are reminders of how to show up for yourself and how to show up in the world.
I’ve lost business partners and had to cancel retreats. I’ve juggled all the financial aspects of my entrepreneurial lifestyle which has left me vulnerable to a mismanagement of funds or an error in judgement. None of this means failure to me. It is the exact opportunity that allows me to grow as a yogi, a human and as a businesswoman.
I welcome adversity. It’s empowering and it sheds light on ways to be more effective.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At my core, I am a yoga teacher. I teach yoga asana (posture), meditation and breathwork.
But really, I am so much more than a “yoga teacher”. Yoga is way bigger than movement & posture. Yoga is breath. Yoga is space, mentally and physically. Yoga is a way of being. Yoga is a lifestyle. Yoga is how you communicate with others. Yoga is union of body, mind and spirit. Yoga is a personal practice connecting through Self to something greater than Self.
I teach people yogic doctrines and principles through my own human experiences. I help students to hold their own value system in the face of the world. I do this work through public classes and private instruction. I’m most proud of being able to share this on a greater scale through my yoga retreats + wellness experiences. I’m known for hosting epic events, both locally to California and internationally in places like Mexico, Thailand, Indonesia and more! I create and curate spaces where yogis of all levels and backgrounds can step into my world of yoga + wellness, the environments I construct, the connections I foster and the vibrancy of my community.
My authenticity is what sets me apart. I’m not afraid to speak my mind. I’m not perfect. I make mistakes. I talk loudly. I curse a lot. I say sarcastic jokes. I can be demanding. My ‘no bullshit’ attitude sometimes makes people uncomfortable when I cut right to the chase. My fiery mouth can and does get me in trouble.
But the truth is, I’m just like you. Trying the best I fucking can to be a better person, to shed old layers and ancestral patterns that don’t serve me anymore. I won’t always get it right. But I’m giving everything I’ve got.
Under the rough exterior and the bred New Jersey attitude is a heart of gold. I KNOW WHO I AM. I have compassion for those around me. I am fair and I am kind, despite the fiery mouth. I’m the best sharer. What’s mine is yours, because what fun is having if you can’t share with the people you love, plus can’t take it with me when I go. I’m a warrior for myself and my people. I’ll go to battle for my tribe. I love deeply.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
With the pandemic, the wellness community has endured wild shifts and in fact continues to do so. I turned a room in my home into a hot yoga studio for a year while the entire city continued to remain shut down. I had to get creative when met in the face of challenge. I think the wellness industry is rapidly moving towards more and more events and experiences. People want connection in community. They want thoughtful yoga practices and thought-provoking workshops. People want fantastic food and intimate getaways. I see all kinds of retreats popping up and have been mentoring newer teachers who are learning how to build, create and curate their own events. We will continue to evolve like everything always does, and I will always be at the forefront of major trends and transformations.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://karijaffe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karijaffe/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kari.jaffe/
Image Credits:
@pogodavisuals @luismarianospindola @theprettycultivator
