Meet the Owner of OmKai
Hi, my name is Kaitlin Mueller and I am the owner of OmKai Yoga.
Here’s a short questionnaire based off of the questions I received through social media to get to know me a little better.
1. How long have you been teaching yoga?
I have been teaching yoga for almost 10 years now. I got my 200 hr. certification from Corepower Yoga and went through their sculpt teacher training as well. I have taught several different types of yoga: vinyasa, sculpt, paddleboard yoga, surfset, and animal yoga.
2. What inspired you to start doing yoga?
I have been practicing yoga on and off since I was in middle school. At first, it was something that looked like fun for my friend and I. We went and bought our own mats at TJ Max and followed a yoga DVD that we bought. Yoga became great compliment to soccer and track when I was in high school. I went through yoga dry spell in college and then found yoga again 2 years after college. It was a great way to de-stress and have some me-time. Shortly after I signed up for yoga teacher training! My practice now is more short yoga sessions that I sprinkle in throughout my day.
3. How did you come up with the name OmKai for your company?
My original company name was actually AspenKai, inspired by my two nieces. The name consisted of their middle names. But I got so many calls asking if I was in Aspen, CO so I had to change it. It eventually evolved into OmKai yoga which I think is the perfect name. Om is the all encompassing cosmic vibration of the universe. It is used at the beginning of many mantras. Kai means ocean in Hawaiian. I love the metaphor of the ocean tide. J.V. Manning said, “I realized that life often mimics the ocean. A constant ebb and flow. High tides and low. We are made to live all of it.”
4. What inspired animal yoga?
I loved seeing all the social media posts of people practicing yoga with their animals on their mat with them. My past co-worker was a foster for Bounce Animal Rescue and all of the social media posts and her foster puppies inspired the idea of Puppy Yoga. Goat Yoga was already starting to be a trend when I decided I wanted to figure out how to have a goat yoga class. It’s been really great to find amazing partnerships with rescues in Fort Collins and Barnyard Buddies in Fort Collins. Animals bring so much joy and unpredictability to your yoga practice. I love being able to help socialize the animals and support non-profits. Goat yoga is unique since it’s on this beautiful farm in Loveland. The moment you step onto the farm there is such a different feeling, life slows down and makes it easy for you to be present.
5. Is OmKai your full-time career?
I actually have two career paths. Teaching yoga and OmKai is one but then I am also a full-time graphic designer here in Fort Collins. I think my two career paths really meld together nicely. They both feed off of creativity. I love being able to use my design in my yoga company. It’s really helped evolve my yoga company.