Community
Yoga Scholarships
This section covers information about Yoga Scholarships only.
For information on our Teacher Training Scholarships, please see the Teacher Training page.
About
Our scholarship program was initiated as a result of a generous donation by a dedicated Inner Fire Yoga member with the request that the fund be used to help a student who would otherwise not be able to afford to practice yoga at Inner Fire Yoga. Inner Fire Yoga now continues to support this with biannual awards of 3-month unlimited scholarships.
Nomination Deadlines:
Scholarship nomination deadlines are March 1 and September 1 every year. Recipients are selected and notified within a few days of each deadline.
How often are scholarships awarded?
Every six months we will award two 3-month scholarships at each studio, for a total of four recipients in March and four recipients in September.
How do I nominate someone?
You can nominate yourself! Or, if you know someone who would greatly benefit from a regular yoga practice at Inner Fire Yoga but would otherwise not be able to afford a membership, use the button below to nominate them. We ask that the person you nominate should know in advance that you are nominating them, that the person has agreed to participate in the scholarship program, and that they will be expected to practice a minimum of 3 times per week during the scholarship term (3 months). We ask that you qualify these facts in the nomination.
Jamie Perez Inner Fire Yoga Scholarship
With the support of Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (or DAiS), we are now offering an additional category of Yoga Scholarships intended for survivors of domestic abuse. These scholarships are generously sponsored by Inner Fire Yogi Jamie Perez. They will be awarded separately and in addition to Inner Fire Yoga’s biannual community scholarships. There are no formal deadlines to apply — scholarships will be awarded as applications come in until all scholarship funds have been allocated. For more information or to apply for a Jamie Perez Inner Fire Yoga Scholarship, click here.
How are recipients chosen?
Our management team, comprised of Marit Sathrum (Yoga Teacher and Owner), Hannah Moran (Director of Marketing and Operations and Yoga Teacher) and Lisa Millman (Assistant Studio Manager), will review the scholarship nominations and reward the scholarships to the applicants we deem to be most qualified.
In a conscious effort to diversify our yoga community, special consideration will be given to members of BIPOC communities or other minority groups.
The recipient of the scholarship will be anonymous to our community: we will not publish the name of the scholarship winner, but we may publish the scholarship recipient’s testimonials (anonymously, unless otherwise specified by the recipient).
What are the expectations of recipients?
There are two simple expectations of yoga scholarship recipients. First, the recipient must have a genuine need for financial aid. Inner Fire Yoga’s scholarship funds are limited and intended for those who wish to be dedicated to their yoga practice, but lack the financial means to join a studio community.
Second, the recipient must agree to practice a minimum of 3x/week for the duration of the scholarship term. Exceptions can be made for periods of travel and unforeseen circumstances preventing attendance, such as illness or family emergencies. If the recipient falls below the 3x/week threshold barring any emergency or travel, Inner Fire Yoga reserves the right to revoke the scholarship and award it to another recipient who will be dedicated to their yoga practice.
You Can Contribute!
You can help a person who truly “needs” yoga but is unable to pay for membership, someone who will experience the beautiful and transforming benefits of a regular heated-yoga practice, the same that you have, by donating to the “Inner Fire Yoga Community Scholarship Fund” at anytime! Simply email us at info@innerfireyoga.com and tell us that you’d like to make a donation to the Inner Fire Yoga Community Scholarship Fund. These donations will fund the bi-annual 3-month scholarships that we award to our community members.
Giving
$133,293
The amount Inner Fire Yoga’s community has raised to date for charity! Since the beginning in 2002, we have taken very seriously our values of compassion and kindness and our mission to bring well being to our wider community.
Local Fundraisers
Is your local organization raising money for a great cause? We love donating yoga passes to silent auctions and raffles! Reach out to info@innerfireyoga.com to inquire.
Personal Revolutions are Inner Fire Yoga's seasonal yoga challenges. They are held throughout the year to motivate students to pursue a frequent, dedicated yoga practice and feel the amazing benefits that go along with it. Those who complete the challenges win a prize and make it into our Personal Revolution Hall of Fame!
Stay subscribed to our emails or follow us on social media to be notified when our next Personal Revolution is announced!
Student Spotlights
“Over the past two years, yoga has become an important part of my daily routine. It has not only been a great tool to work out my daily aches and pains – but has helped me feel more grounded and calm. I’m amazed at how embracing the simple connection between breath and movement through practice has improved my mental health and allowed me to feel more present and relaxed…”
“My friend Dan invited me to a slow flow class and I was instantly hooked. I could not get to the front desk fast enough to sign my name on the dotted line to become a member of inner fire Yoga. One of the best decisions of my entire life.”
“Yoga is the only workout I've found that I can stick to with discipline. It has helped me gain confidence and discover a strength I didn't know I had.”
“My yoga journey really started to change last winter when I was chosen for one of the scholarships. Others saw the potential yogi in me and this gift gave me the confidence to see and feel it for myself. The studio became my second home where I felt part of a team, which I really missed. There were more smiles, more laughter, and a longing to see my new friends in class.”
“This community has been here for me in my darkest times (embryo) and have celebrated me in my highest moments (dancer pose). I thank myself for showing up, and my yoga community for welcoming me with loving arms.”
“I inevitably found my way to Inner Fire Yoga. I was drawn to the promise of the heat and to the discipline of the Original Hot series. I like its constancy and the way my body and mind feel so integrated afterwards. Inner Fire Flow classes are also a valued, routine part of my practice. I find great benefit in the coherence of the classic postures as they are laid out in the sequence.”
“My exploration of yoga led me to Inner Fire Yoga, where I found a supportive community and a space to deepen my practice. The studio became a sanctuary where I could nurture my body, mind, and spirit, further reinforcing my commitment to sobriety and holistic well-being.”
“Inner Fire Yoga has strengthened me from the inside out, and I continue to feel mentally and physically stronger after each class.”
“If I had to sum up my yoga story in just one sentence, it would be this: Inner Fire Yoga is my “second” home.
Everyone is fighting his or her own battle. Be kind, be present, practice yoga, and just breathe.”
“Around a year ago, my partner introduced me to Hot Yoga, and I instantly knew it was something I would deeply enjoy. As a facilitator, I highly value the opportunity to learn from a diverse range of teachers, and this practice has allowed me to be on the opposite side and be guided through the different yoga poses.”
“When I was able to return to a consistent practice at Inner Fire Yoga in May of this past year, it was like I’d remembered something about being alive in my own body. Truly it has reminded me how important it is to regularly move and breathe with other nervous systems, as Dr. Ruddy might say.”
“Coming to Inner Fire is a breath of fresh air! After a work day, I appreciate being welcomed, cared for, and connected to staff, teachers, and fellow yogis at the studio. I don’t have to provide for anyone; I get to receive!”
“When I had to step away from soccer during college, due to a health concern, yoga was there for me. I get excited to try out new yoga studios when I’m traveling and have practiced at some pretty cool places, but Inner Fire Yoga feels special to me.”
“Yoga is such a different kind of challenge than what I’m used to compared to wrestling. It has really taught me how to truly be present and to just focus on my breathing. Yoga makes my body feel so much better and it forces me to work on patience, balance, and strength which are super important the older I get.”
“I was first brought to yoga because I was an athlete in high school and wanted to balance out my movement with flexibility and avoid injury. During college I found yoga again as a means to build strength and then finally found yoga a third time in my late twenties after being diagnosed with chronic pain and fatigue. It was then that I understood yoga’s real purpose in my life.”
“Yoga helps me to keep calm as a teacher by day, and to be a more patient, centered and strong mother. It has allowed me to show up to a fresh start each morning when working with children in trauma who need me to help guide them as they learn and grow.”
“Yoga has given me the opportunity to really reflect on my body and how it feels. It's been really nice to be active in a safe environment where I don't feel judged for not being able to do the absolute max.”
“Yoga helped me develop the habit of relaxing into my innate tranquility within, no matter what chaos was swirling around outside.”
“My favorite is 90-minute sessions as they give me a second chance every other minute for every single asana. I can be more generous and gracious to myself. I can be more playful by being fierce and calm at the same time. I can focus on great effort in asana and completely surrender in savasana. I am learning how to live a life through yoga, reconciling a million things through my breathing.”
I moved back to Madison after a few years and found Inner Fire Yoga, and I’ve never been happier. I spent 12 years in the infantry, so I had a lot of joint and back pain. Thanks to Inner Fire Yoga and the great classes here lead by people like Karen Rigsby, that pain is virtually gone.
Next month will be a year since my first class and I can't imagine ever stopping. I'm glad I finally signed up for a class after only driving by the studio - it was a good reminder to take a leap and try something new!
It was love at first sweat! I love the heat (being a SoCal girl) and the way the class forces me to be present, mindful, and in tune with my body. So far, I’ve gone to over 50 classes in a little over three months, and I’ve loved every one!
Once I became a member, I tried out lots of classes and realized there were many classes I liked, which inspired me to go to yoga several times a week. I’m stronger, calmer, more patient and grounded (on the good days!) because of my yoga practice. I’m also virtually pain-free.
Establishing my yoga practice was the first step towards choosing things that give my life more purpose and intention. I have the utmost gratitude for Marit and the Inner Fire Yoga community for helping me find my path.
Being active has always been an important part of my life. In high school, I played tennis competitively and would practice nearly every day after school. Once I was in college and had less time for tennis, I started taking cardio-focused group fitness classes, like Zumba and HIIT, at our student rec center. I felt like I needed something high energy with a competitive component to maintain my attention and get a good workout.
While completing my first year of law school, I neglected to find time to take care of my mental and physical wellness. This spring, I decided to tackle both through yoga! As a busybody, I thought that I would be bored and under-stimulated by yoga. I now know that yoga is very stimulating, and continues to challenge me every time I practice.
I started practicing a few years ago in graduate school at the University of Illinois when I saw a flyer for weekly free yoga in my office. I had been experiencing repetitive stress injuries from years of running, so it was a convenient way to recover and remain active. I was surprised at my lack of strength and mobility in areas I had overlooked while running competitively.
Thank you for pointing the Student Spotlight almost 200 miles northwest of Madison! My name is Kaia Simon, my pronouns are she/her, and I live in Eau Claire, WI where I am an Assistant Professor of English at UW-Eau Claire.
In 2018 my life had very little structure. I was finishing a graduate program and a dissertation, confronted with days, weeks, and months of nothing but writing and far too much time to think. It was draining and disorienting.
Inner Fire Yoga Blog
In our latest blog, we explore some of the most common myths in the yoga world and thoroughly debunk them! Learn what yoga is really about, and what it’s really NOT about :)
“Ever had a really rough week – sleeping poorly, too much on the plate at work, eating whatever you can grab between appointments – and just felt entirely out of sorts by the end of it? Thankfully, there is lots of research demonstrating the powerful effects of breathing practice and yoga specifically on reducing stress and the fallout from stress on our personal ecosystem.”
“I’m officially a debut novelist, and I have all of you to thank. I came to Inner Fire fifteen years ago with tight hip flexors and a need to try something new. After one grueling class where I ignored the advice to start gently, I was laying sweaty on my mat, staring at the ceiling and wondering if I would die, when I realized a yoga studio would be a great place for a murder…”
If you’re newer to the practice of Yoga, there might be some words thrown around during class that sound like the teacher is speaking a different language… That’s because they are :) The ancient language of Yoga is called Sanskrit and we still use it today.
This blog breaks 10 common Sanskrit terms so you can focus less on trying to understand what the teacher is saying during class, and more on your moving meditation.
Have you taken the Skillpower Quiz yet? If not, it’s a must! This short, super fun personality quiz will reveal your Yogi archetype, and give you curated tips for boosting your willpower on the mat 💪
In our latest blog, IFY Teacher Victoria Andrews sheds some light on the chakras: what they are, what they represent, and how we can connect with them through our yoga practice.
“The journey of a Yogi through their life-long yoga practice has some striking similarities to what a hero experiences in any traditional heroic tale!
In reality, the yoga practice itself is an incredibly personal one. Individuals experience yoga differently, as our bodies and minds operate under unique circumstances from one another. When we zoom out and look at the overall journey of practicing yoga throughout our lives, we may recognize certain similarities and shared experiences.”
When I first considered the title of this post, I thought, ‘Absolutely. Yoga and giving are naturally intertwined. A teacher giving their time and energy to their classes and yogis give themselves time on their mat to breathe and heal. The reciprocal exchange of energies during class, in my experience, is electric and addictive. The yoga practice ultimately allows every being in the room the opportunity to connect, share their light with the world, grow, and heal.
Practicing mindfulness might be easier than you think… Read our latest blog to find out just how easy it can be to integrate mindfulness into your everyday life!
5 Tips for Success in your Personal Revolution 💪
Read our latest blog by Hannah Moran for some tips and tricks to be successful as you pursue a regular, disciplined yoga practice this Winter! ❄️
“Yoga is profound, it is deep, it strengthens, it adds flexibility, it’s life’s breath. I’ve learned that when we are on the mat, we are communicating without saying a word…”