Wellness Hot Yoga

Jeni Ogilvy

Bikram Yoga Instructor

Meet Jeni – Bikram Yoga Instructor

For Jeni, yoga is more than just a personal practice—it’s a family affair. She and her daughter Ashley are both Bikram yoga teachers, while her husband Mike and her two other daughters are dedicated practitioners. Ironically, Jeni was the most reluctant to step into the hot room. Ashley had been urging her to try a class, but the idea of the heat felt unbearable. She resisted—until Ashley was away at teacher training. That’s when Jeni finally took her first class.

A Humbling First Experience

It was humbling. She realized just how much strength and flexibility she had lost over the years. She sat down through most of the class, struggling but determined. Afterward, she called Ashley from the car and cried—not because of the difficulty, but because she was proud of herself. Still, she wasn’t sure she would go back.

Healing Through Bikram Yoga

But something changed. After that first class, she simply felt better. The only thing she had done differently was go to yoga. So, she returned. At the time, Jeni was suffering from chronic back pain and plantar fasciitis, relying on cortisone shots, painkillers, and muscle relaxants to get through her days. The class was tough, but she stuck with it. Within three weeks of regular practice, her plantar fasciitis was gone, her back pain disappeared, and she was able to stop taking all her medication.

From Student to Teacher

Seeing the incredible transformation in her mother, Ashley encouraged Jeni to take the next step: teacher training. Jeni was hesitant—she never saw herself as a teacher and had a deep fear of public speaking. But she pushed past her comfort zone and completed training in the fall of 2012. It changed everything. She overcame her fears and discovered a deep love for teaching.

A Teacher with a Unique Style

Jeni is the teacher that other teachers love to take class from. When asked what makes her classes special, she says, “I speak softly, and in my mind, the dialogue is like music—it has a melodic flow.” Her favorite part of teaching is watching students walk into the room carrying physical or emotional pain and leave feeling lighter, just as she once did. “That’s the goal,” she says. “For me, teaching gives the same experience as practicing—I always leave class feeling better than when I arrived.”

Life Beyond Yoga

Beyond yoga, Jeni has a passion for cooking. She loves reading cookbooks and learning about different cultures through their food. She also enjoys traveling and cherishes time with her grandchildren.