A giggle, a bandaid, and a song.

The first time I tried hot yoga was about 20 years ago. Another educator at the school where I was working said I should go along with them. We went to the Inner Fire Yoga studio on University Avenue, which was called Bikram at the time, tucked behind where the Starbucks is now. 

We were partway through the standing series and I laughed out loud! I thought the combination of the heat and the poses seemed impossible at the time. I didn't leave the room, though I certainly didn't engage in a collaborative practice with my distracting giggles! I went on with my day, and realized, to my surprise, that my body felt different. It felt like I was floating, free, and connected. I went back the next day.

Though yoga “worked” for me, I always seemed to make it into a different task to do, rather than integrating it into my life as a practice. I had all the excuses in the world for why yoga became a bandaid in my life for many years: I was too busy, my back started hurting and then I would go, I started a family, I started a non-profit and grew 1,000,000 gray hairs and just as many wrinkles… 

Yoga, or anything to support holistic health, became something I would get to when I could. It was not clear to me how siloed my practices had become. I listened to my body as a separate message from my heart and mind, and I tended to listen to my mind the most. I wasn't accountable for my presence, or the energy I was bringing into the world.

With that same initial curiosity that led to my distracting yoga giggle, I started yoga again more regularly shortly before the pandemic. My family welcomed the space heaters and humidifiers as things shut down. It was comforting to hear Anne and Kerry and Katherine guide a close-quarters home practice. 

As soon as it was safe, I returned to practice within a community. The work of integration and support and service seemed to present itself in a way where I heard it more like a song I could join in singing.

I am grateful for Marit, Kerry, Anne, Jen, Lisa, Katherine, Dr. Ruddy, and everyone who has welcomed me as a hugely pregnant practitioner. I am grateful for Jen as she took the time to find modifications for me during this pregnancy. I am grateful for all of the Inner Fire Yoga team for braving the pandemic challenges along with the rest of our human family in Madison and beyond. I am grateful for half-tortoise pose and deep sleep. I am continually challenged by standing bow pose because it can feed my ego or it can show me a clearer relationship with the present moment. 

I am happy to share this experience with our community!

Ninety-five percent of my yoga practice has occurred in the rooms of Inner Fire Yoga. Seventeen years ago, my husband Michael finished his first 60-day hot yoga challenge to win a free month of yoga for a friend -- and that friend was me. I focused on Hot 90 classes at first, but now I mix and match Inner Fire Flow, Power Flow and Hot classes with a variety of teachers who have become near and dear to me.

Inner Fire Yoga is my “third place”, the place between home and work where I connect with teachers, other students, the wonderful managers (Hannah, Amelia, and of course Michael Hoefferle) and Inner Fire Yoga’s remarkable and resilient owner, Marit Sathrum. I’ve attended Inner Fire Yoga picnics, fundraisers, workshops, and Abundance Celebrations -- and every time I build more memories and friendships.

Although I could fill a google drive with all the ways in which yoga has added dimension and goodness to my life, I’ll focus on just one for now. One key benefit of yoga for me is contrast.

Yesterday, it was two degrees outside, but 105 in the hot yoga room. I had dry tight skin before class and sweating, porous skin afterwards. Nothing feels better than the contrast of a slow sip of cold water from a canteen during the transition from hot standing poses to floor poses.

I love the contrast of walking across the cool pigmented concrete at East in my bare feet, and then stepping onto warm cork tiles in the yoga room.

I especially welcome the calm, focused breathing in class in contrast to the often frenetic multitasking of my work day. My stiff shoulders and hips, locked up from hours of sitting at a computer, contrast with the deep stretches and fabulous contortions elicited through a thoughtful yoga sequence.

Being in my head most of the day, reading and writing and meeting-going, contrasts with being consciously in my body, feeling it move through space throughout class.

The unpredictability of my work days as a UW-Madison art education faculty member contrast with the grounding, predictable rituals I’ve established in my yoga practice, including rolling out my mat, putting my hair in a bun, and settling into a child’s pose until class begins, plus the sweet routine of popping a blue raspberry Jolly Rancher into my mouth as I walk out the door.

Inner Fire Yoga intersects with the ebb and flow of my days in many contrasting ways, and no amount of thanks I offer will be enough for the committed people who have kept it going, day in and day out, for me and for you.

I took my first yoga class in 2016 while finishing my senior year at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. It was in this class where I reached a new level of relaxation and clarity that was foreign yet intriguing to me. I can still remember lying in savasana and holding back the urge to laugh because I was so relaxed by the end of class. It was from that point on that I knew I wanted to continue practicing yoga.

I was drawn to Inner Fire Yoga (IFY) because I wanted exposure to the physical and mental benefits unique to hot yoga. Since committing to a regular hot yoga practice, I have a stronger mind-body connection and a greater sense of self. Hot yoga has been a fantastic outlet for me to shed the stresses of the day-to-day and helps me live with a mindset of gratitude. I love that each time I step on the mat at Inner Fire Yoga, I’m faced with new challenges to test myself. One thing is for certain: I always leave the studio feeling rejuvenated and open to what life has to offer me.

Thank you to all the Inner Fire Yoga teachers and members for welcoming me into this community. It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to practice at Inner Fire Yoga.

See you on the mat.

My yoga practice started in high school at LifeTime Fitness. Halfway through my first class, standing in a puddle of my own sweat on a borrowed mat, the instructor said, “Now that the warm-up is done, the real class can begin.” I was hooked. 

For a few hours each week, I wasn’t performing, seeking approval, or trying to imitate someone else; instead I was holding hands with strangers in boat pose, crashing down onto my mat out of an attempted head-stand, and in a clear, uncluttered mental space I hadn’t found anywhere else. 

The studio was a place where I could feel, explore, and appreciate the movements, shape, and expressions of my physical being independent of outside critique or commentary. Not only that, but practicing yoga filled a hole that competitive dance had left, where I could find a place to really test and push the limits of myself for myself, without the pressure and body-negativity that a lot of the dance world encompasses.

Since then I’ve been practicing yoga on and off for the past ten years. I found Inner Fire Yoga during my junior year of college. For one glorious semester, I woke up early two to three times a week to hit the studio before class, and ended some evenings with a cool, scented cotton ball from Kerry. 

Unfortunately, this leg of my practice ended abruptly when I was hit by a car on my bicycle.

Fast forward to 2021: My partner and I met Nhung (a fellow IFY Yogi), and before long, we tagged along for a class. On my mat again, I was back. 

I was overwhelmed with such mixed feelings: joy for returning to something I had forgotten how much I loved, regret for having waited so long, and then uncertainty at how much it would cost to return to a studio. 

Nhung had mentioned IFY looking for someone to help clean the studio, and after class I saw a similar sign in the locker room. After a chat with Amelia and a tour of the studio, I found myself with the opportunity to not only regularly practice yoga again but also give back to the community. 

Until a recent shoulder injury, I made a habit of going to Marit’s Tuesday evening Hot 75, Lisa’s Hot 90 on Saturday, as well as Hannah’s Power 60 followed by Jennifer’s Yin on Thursday with my partner.

I began my yoga journey as a child without even knowing. My parents "encouraged" me to go to Sunday school at my family's local Buddhist temple in Milwaukee, where I casually practiced meditation (and Vietnamese). It wasn't until after high school that I started to embrace my diverse upbringing, which also paved the way for me to explore yoga. I began by taking hatha yoga classes through the YMCA and the MKE REC center, rotating between long distance running and yoga.

In my 20's, there was a surge in Bikram yoga and studios popped up all over my hometown. I didn’t give into the hot yoga hype just yet; I was still chasing that runner’s high. (Unbeknownst to me, you can still get that high from doing yoga). After a tumultuous breakup (and a few ankle sprains), I found myself in a Milwaukee hot yoga studio with a friend who volunteered there. The movements were powerful, the heat felt familiar, the energy was freeing. As I laid in final savasana, in awe and in tears, I was ready to welcome yoga into my life. I hopped around studios in Milwaukee until moving to Madison in 2017. 

The first yoga studio I walked into was Inner Fire. My first class was with Karen Rigsby on Sunday evening at West. (Shout out to folks who know the one). It was the most packed class I had ever taken, every few feet occupied by a mat – sharing breath (pre-covid). My first thought was, "Will I be holding hands with my neighbor?" I spent the first 15-20 mins mindful of my surroundings, self conscious and in my head. Midway through my first warrior pose, I felt an energy shift from my own to a collective; calm, aligned, connected. I have been practicing at IFY ever since (and even completed IFY's 200 RYT Teacher Training Program). A big thanks to teachers Sandy Homburg and Hannah Moran for their support and encouragement to continue practicing on and off the mat.

I'm so very honored to be given the opportunity to share my yoga story and to be in a space filled with kind folks, reveling in the magic of yoga and the shared spirit of community. 

Hope to see you around.

It was my mother who introduced me to yoga. It happened when I was in high school. I was always scrambling to get my books and lunch ready before the bus pulled up to our little farm. I glimpsed her practicing every morning before I ran out the door. When I asked to join her she was open and welcoming, but I had to join on-time and be up early. The thought of losing that extra hour of sleep as a teenager was daunting but I’ve always loved a challenge. That began my practice and I’ve been getting on my mat as often as I can ever since; there have been yoga hiatuses, don’t misunderstand, but I always come back. 

I started yoga to increase my flexibility and mobility, what I didn’t expect to receive was the spiritual and mental health benefits. I did not know that my mother practiced yoga to fight her chronic depression. I did not know that moving our bodies through this ritual would take some of that pressure away. Yoga brings happiness into my life and beginning at Inner Fire allowed me to rekindle that happiness. 

 I began practicing at Inner Fire Yoga when my personal life was not so bright. I tried every class I could and fell in love with them all. I’m a competitive person, so yoga can seem like a paradoxical experience for me to push my body but simultaneously accept and love my body. The teachers give me permission to do this in every class, from the Hot Yoga series with Lisa Stefanik to the Slow Flow with Ken Kloes, I feel embraced and light as air. 

I’m honored to be a part of this beautiful community as a Karma Kleaner, I feel like I can give back the love I have received. I hope to see everyone in class, I’ll do my best to be early!

I first started at Inner Fire Yoga in the Winter of 2018. I decided to give yoga a try after two years of doing Muay Thai kickboxing and a little bit of Jiu-Jitsu. I thought it would be a great contrast to the cardio workouts I was receiving in Muay Thai and make me more flexible for Jiu-Jitsu. 

However, after the first class, I found it did something unrelated to just my body but my mind. It made me focus on my breath - something I had always had difficulty doing. For the first time, I could take a long deep breath and follow it through my entire body, giving a release that was complete. This release kept me coming back for more. 

I am originally from Baltimore. If anyone has ever been to Baltimore in the Summer they know it’s hot and humid around 90% humidity in July and Aug. The humidity and heat of the room made me feel like I was home and I found the heat gave this double Gemini, Sun, and Moon a tool I used to focus my very unfocused mind.

I discovered that with a little practice I had a still mind. This is why savasana became my favorite part of yoga class. It is because of Inner Fire Yoga that I discovered my connection with meditation. In 2019 I did my first 10-day Vipassana silent meditation retreat. Something I recommend to anyone interested in exploring meditation. The classes are offered all over the world and are completely free - they only ask for a small donation.

It feels great to be back on the mat and in a community again. As a single person and somewhat of a loner, the isolation from the pandemic was challenging. I feel so grateful to be able to go to a place that welcomes me every time I walk through the door. It has become my touchstone.

Since being back I have had several classes with over a handful of teachers and to be honest it would be impossible to pick a favorite. Each gives their own unique gift to each class I take. Whether it is a voice I know very well that carries me through each pose, or a new teacher who challenges me with a style I am not familiar with, but it was the challenge I needed that day to take me farther on my yoga/life journey. I could not ask for a better community to be a part of. 

Love and Gratitude,
Rae

My name is Jeffrey Pinchuk. I have been attempting to practice yoga for over 34 years. I took my first yoga class in college as an elective physical education course. I’ve tried many different types over several decades in spurts. In 2003 I had a son and put on quite a bit of compassion pregnancy pounds. Somehow I injured my lower back. I was diagnosed with a compressed disc and was having trouble standing for long or walking for long periods of time. 

In 2007 my neighbor told me they had tried Bikram Yoga not far from my house and really enjoyed it. I decided to give it a try and took to the system 26/2 with the heat right away. I decided to try a 30 day challenge and really liked the way that my body and spirit felt. Soon thereafter I tried a 60 day challenge and felt even better. 

Not long after that I decided I needed an everyday/life challenge because any day with at least one yoga practice is better than every day without any practice.

I work in healthcare. I am a traveler visiting Madison for five months. I have traveled many times in the past and no matter where I went I was able to find 26/2 in the heat and I felt like I was home. 

My sister-in-law told me to try inner fire when I came to Dane County. At first there was no yoga when I arrived and I had a month without any studios that were open. Then May 1st came and inner fire yoga opened on a limited basis. I signed up for daily classes. 

There was only one 90 minute class a week in the beginning, Dr. Ruddy, my favorite love-hate relationship I currently enjoy. Before too long there were 90 minute classes six days a week. I can always do a double on Saturday if I want to, I did two doubles on Memorial Day weekend for fun. 

I have had many wonderful teachers Jonathan, Sandy, Lisa, Li Li, Marit, Kerry and Katherine. Very strong and disciplined instructors all around. My favorite pose is probably locust and my nemesis/other favorite pose is head to knee.

For most human beings healthcare is a reactive type of medicine and wellness. To me yoga is proactive wellness and healthcare. I like to sweat out all the toxins from life and work on a daily basis. I also feel like daily practice is a good stress test for my cardiac function and performance. Practicing daily is a good cleanse/flush for my brain that gives me a longer fuse in life. 

I strongly believe Yoga is my personal fountain of youth keeping the aging process slower and preventing arthritis and stiffening of the vessel. Yoga is also a community of like-minded wellness practitioners that inspire me every practice. Yoga to me is the definition of self-care which is the manifestation of self-love! 

That is my story - see you on the mat.

In 2008, I joined a friend at an East side studio to do the Bikram series, the first yoga I had ever done. Walking in, it was a way to spend time with my friend. But for the next 90 minutes, I didn’t think about anything but those 26 postures. And walking out, I felt a high like none before.  

It was an unexpected discovery and an unlikely match. I had never liked heat, wasn’t graceful or coordinated. Exercise classes were too fast paced. But without regard for what I thought I knew about myself, I immediately searched for a hot yoga studio closer to where I lived at the time. I found IFY, and the trajectory of my life shifted. 

I practiced every chance I got. At a perfect pace, all that heat melted my outer shell, revealing the real me. I had changed. Of course, I can’t say I wasn’t warned. Early in my practice, I remember Dar touting the impact of Hot Yoga. After 10 classes, you’ll this. After 50, you’ll that, she said. “After 300 classes, you’ll get divorced.” I laughed. But she wasn’t far off...I was closer to 500 classes when I got divorced. And yoga helped me through it.

Yoga grew to be part of my identity and a trusted and wise friend. The off-the-mat benefits proved as powerful as the physical benefits. And IFY has been where the magic happens. When I moved to the East side in 2010, I tried other studios, but none compared - the teachers, the heat, the management, and the community are the best. IFY became my gym, my church, and my therapist (I was so grateful when IFY East opened!).

My practice will continue to be a major character in my life’s story. This I know. Because when I practice, I listen carefully, and so much of what the teachers say applies to both my yoga poses and my life. They say: There are no bonus points for going further. Know where you are and go there fully. They say: Don’t worry about falling out. No one gets it right. With your next breath, forgive yourself for everything. They say: Look in the mirror and smile; your best teacher is smiling back at you. They say: Everything is equal parts effort and compassion. And they say: All you have to do, my friends, is breathe.

Pictured is my dog, Hero (named for Reclining Hero pose), and me.

My yoga journey started about a year and a half ago in Charleston, South Carolina. I’d been interested in yoga for a while but didn’t know where to start, especially having bounced back and forth between the US and France and then living in a new city. I started by taking classes at the local gym and later joined Yoloha Yoga Factory in early 2020, practicing mostly hot power flow. When the pandemic hit, my practice became entirely online but getting on the mat kept me grounded, focused, and calm.

When I left my job in Charleston in July, I wasn’t sure what to do next but knew I wanted, and needed, to keep practicing. That’s when my close friend, Sara Meyers, told me about Inner Fire Yoga’s virtual membership. Actually, it was Sara who took me to my first yoga class in summer 2019: 75-minute Inner Fire Flow. From my parents’ porch in St. Louis, I started practicing nearly every day with Inner Fire, taking my first 26-and-2 class and religiously practicing yin on Sunday mornings. I fell in love with the discipline and challenge of the hot sequence and the revitalizing nature of yin. Being part of the community and starting most of my days with Inner Fire Yoga was so important to me during a difficult, transitional period.

Now, from my apartment in Chicago, I still practice about 5 times per week: from the archive on weekday mornings before work and live classes on the weekends. Being part of the virtual Inner Fire Yoga community for the past 9 months has been indescribably important to my well-being, my confidence, my strength, and my mental health. The variety of hot yoga, flow, and yin makes my weeks feel whole and balanced.

While I plan to join a studio here and get back in a hot room soon, I’ll keep practicing with Inner Fire Yoga virtually for as long as it’s available. Thank you to all of the teachers for your warmth, encouragement, and helpful tweaks. Practicing with you has been invaluable, even from far away. Inner Fire Yoga and the Madison community (I did both my bachelor’s and master’s at UW!) will always be so special to me. Thank you for welcoming me with open arms. See you on Zoom and hopefully in an in-person class in the future!

I had never done hot yoga before moving back to Madison a few years ago. I’d started vinyassa yoga in 1995 at the Park Slope Yoga Center in NYC with the amazing Robin Pickering, and then continued in Boston (fave teachers: Meredith Sills and Alex Bauermester). But I’ve never been much more than a twice-a-week yogi, and sometimes months or even years passed between classes.

I chose Inner Fire Yoga simply because it was close to my house. When I started I just skipped the traditional Hot classes. I think I’ve only done the sequence in a hot room twice! My favorite was Michael Pare’s yin class. This was where I finally understood what yin was all about.

The pandemic hit at the same time a very difficult event occurred in my personal life. It was too much, and I knew I had to do something. I had experienced the benefits of yoga at other rough points in my life, and when Inner Fire Yoga started offering online classes, I jumped in. I didn’t care what kind of yoga it was.

I started to love the predictability of the Hot sequence – at last, something that wasn’t going to change. The online classes were also so easy to attend – no need to find child care, no need to even get out of my pajamas! – that before long I had done 30 days in a row. Then almost 40. I started to feel much better – physically and emotionally. In fact, better than I had in years. Difficult stuff was still going on, in my own life and in the world around me – but now I often felt upbeat and positive anyway. And when I didn’t, I knew that I would feel better again eventually. I came to really appreciate the challenging emotions that can arise in a position like dragon or camel – that I could learn to recognize those feelings, make it through, and be okay afterwards.

In other words, taking that morning class was guaranteed to make my day better -- especially when I didn’t feel like it. Now I’m in an almost daily groove – the most yoga I’ve ever done in my life.

All the teachers at Inner Fire Yoga are great, but I want to especially recognize Michael Pare, Sandy Homburg, Marit Sathrum, and Kerry Helmer. You have no idea what your teaching has meant to me during the past year. I am so grateful.

The first yoga class I attended was an Ashtanga class, held in the basement of a university rec center in upstate New York. I remember appreciating the set sequence of poses, knowing what’s coming next. It was my first semester back following leave to tend to health challenges that had left me unable to continue studying or competing as a Division I athlete in track and cross-country. I was at a point in my life where nothing felt particularly good or satisfying, but some part within me recognized there was something significant about the practice.

I didn’t revisit the practice in earnest until after completing graduate school and moving to Madison to be a part of a biostatistics group at UW. Freed of coursework and exam preparation, evenings and weekends were open for self-reflection and experimentation. I explored a variety of vinyasa classes, completed a 200-hour teacher training at The Studio, and practiced at Bliss Flow for many years prior to its closing. I ended up at Inner Fire mostly by default; I do not drive and it was the only remaining studio within walking distance of my apartment. I wasn’t sure if the hot yoga would take. I’m glad it did! I grew to appreciate the warmth radiating from the floors, ceilings, and all the kind yogis around me. I recall in particular a few winter mornings when I managed to pull myself out of bed to go to Saturday 7am class, feeling strange and uncertain, unsure. I always left class without a doubt. I am alive. I am connected.

Over a year later, that sense of connection looks and feels very different. Shortly after lockdown, my group began working on its first COVID trial. My work hours increased significantly and I found myself grappling with how to manage my time. Unsure about the virtual yoga at first, I’ve come to appreciate it for what it is – the yoga that is available in this moment. An important part of the practice for me has been acknowledging what the virtual format leaves behind, while at the same time honoring what endures. Since I communicate with colleagues mostly via text throughout the day, a 5:30pm virtual class instructor’s voice is often the first live voice I am hearing that day. It has never been more evident to me the extent of perspective a single voice – or practice - can offer.

I started my yogic journey in Philadelphia. I was hired as a massage therapist for a chiropractor whose office was beneath a Bikram hot yoga studio. The chiropractor had a bartering system worked out with the yoga instructors where they would get free adjustments/massages in exchange for him and his staff getting to take free classes. I would see the yogis leaving class, euphoric and sweaty and I thought to myself that between my work schedule, rowing, commuter biking, and school, I didn’t have time for a 90-minute class where I would end up soaked and exhausted.

One day clients canceled and it was raining and I didn’t feel like riding home in a deluge so I went upstairs, borrowed a mat, and took a class. As the storm passed over downtown Philadelphia I found myself liberated in that 110-degree room with all those yogis and I fell in love with the challenge, the release, and the practice… all of it.

When I moved to Tallahassee for my Master's program at FSU, I lost my practice and my community. It was three years before I found both again here in Madison with Inner Fire Yoga. I started my classes with a friend at the campus studio. My first class, there was with Sandy in an evening class and with another storm in the background. It was a different kind of yoga, a gentle and contemplative one and it was exactly what I needed in the midst of a strenuous Doctorate program.

I stayed at the campus studio until the end of my degree at which time I moved to the west studio and expanded the variety of classes I took. In the spring of 2019, a cleaner position opened up and I applied for it. It seemed a great way to give back to the place that gives me so much. There is something cathartic about taking time after a class to clean and calm down and to know that I am passively helping someone else in having a great yoga experience.

With the pandemic, I did not attend the in-person classes that were briefly offered as my job at Whole Foods kept me occupied for 50-80 hours a week and I felt too germy from it and didn’t want to share any of that with my beloved community. I’ve been so very grateful for the streaming classes because after a day of constant moving and being in a retail setting it is nice to see people I recognize and be led away from my work stress and fears for family and friends and into some peace.

My schedule allows me to take a variety of classes, the most challenging of which is Michael Pare’s Yin Yoga class on Sunday mornings. Sitting still and being with myself has never been easy so I embrace my discomfort and allow the poses and my breath to work their magic. Dar’s classes are always brilliant and I get to see her cute puppies. When I am able to get to Julie’s classes, she always says exactly what I needed to hear.

Yoga at home has made me keenly aware of my balance issues - dancer pose on a mat on top of carpet is interesting and it makes me think my cat was a yogi in a previous life. She’s always so helpful and is the reason my camera is off. She likes to watch everyone else and stares directly into the video.

I am grateful for my practice but more grateful for you all in this community. Thank you for unknowingly helping me on my tough days, for providing me with a place to center and regroup, and for just being an amazing collection of people. Namaste.

Hello Yogis!
This is my journey...so far…

My yoga story started later in life. First I was a Wife, then Mother, then Educator, then Grandmother, and now Yoga Instructor. Of course there were side adventures along the way. Always being motivated by sports and feeling happy with accomplishment, still there was something missing. What was that something? How do I find it? Where do I look?

I first stepped onto a yoga mat eight years ago for the pure curiosity of what the practice is about. After the first class I was hooked. I didn't understand why, but I kept coming back, returning, knowing I was going to find that something. Shedding layers of old behaviors, thinking, and emotional baggage, the thing I was finding was myself. I found my breath. Inhaling the good, exhaling what I didn't need anymore. Relief. I discovered how to let go. Moving energy, not always being perfect, but challenging my mind body spirit to find myself.

In 2018 I took my new found love and was motivated to share what I found. I wanted to help others find their something. I wanted to help others find the magnificence of the practice. I became certified (200RYT) that year. Also Kids and Yin certified and have been teaching people 8 to 88 years of age. Kids, Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative, Seniors, Chair. All styles have helped me grow and help others grow.

Yin is my favorite. Learning the benefits of breath and how anatomy works in the poses. I love holding the poses and letting things evolve. Heart openers are one of the best feelings ever. I sampled several classes in the day at Inner Fire Yoga and now practice virtually everyday. It's something I look forward to. Every instructor has a style I can relate to. Every instructor helps me find my breath and leads me to that place where I feel what's happening inside. Marit, Sandy, Ally, Michael P, Kelly, Liz, to name a few.

And while we wait to practice together in the heat the virtual schedule offers so much for me and for our yoga community.

I have not met a lot of the Inner Fire folks in person but I feel connected. The virtual energy and passion are very strong and present. ❤ So glad for the opportunity to be with you and practice with you. Thank you.

How has yoga impacted my life? It might be easier to ask how has yoga not impacted my life. Yoga helps us connect to life because it helps us connect to our breath. When we are first born, we breathe. Before we die, we take our last breath. So, in coming into breath awareness, we connect to our life energy. I used to read stuff like what I just wrote and not get it. Now that I've been practicing yoga more consistently for 11 plus years, I can't not say it. 

I first came to yoga for the physical benefits. As a full-time working mother with two young boys at home, I had let my gym membership lapse and needed to find something again. I joined a local yoga studio in Middleton and then when it closed, I was adrift again. I found Inner Fire Yoga via a Groupon deal, and then I joined with a monthly membership, built a solid yoga practice and made friends with those who practiced on the mats beside me. 

Yoga helped me to listen to my inner wisdom. I “jumped off the ledge” so to speak and quit my full-time job to be at home with my boys. Then, in June of 2018, I took the summer intensive 200-hour RYT training through Inner Fire Yoga. I thought I knew a lot about yoga before, but I was humbled by realizing that what I saw on the mat in a class was just the tip of the yoga iceberg. 

Yoga is a continual practice to be the best version of ourselves in body, mind and spirit. I continue to stretch and expand my yoga practice. Lately I've been focusing on mindfulness practices and adapting mat yoga to the chair as I teach 30-minute lunchtime chair yoga at a local company. Yoga helps me to be a better parent, spouse, friend, daughter, etc. in that I can more easily stay fully present and be an observant witness with less judgment and more emotional balance. 

I have learned so much from Inner Fire Yoga teachers, and I also realize how much I am learning from the students who take my yoga classes. A little over a year ago, I injured my left foot playing volleyball. Having an injury that others couldn't see and yet affected my yoga practice was humbling in that I gained a deeper understanding of the need to give cues and modifications to better help students of all ability levels. I am grateful for all the teachers who helped me improve my alignment and to step outside of my comfort zone. I am grateful for yoga and for the Inner Fire Yoga family who create a welcoming and brave space to practice, learn and grow together. Namaste.

A couple of years ago I won an Inner Fire Yoga pass at a raffle, and my first reaction was disappointment: the cheese board would have been easier and more fun! Besides, the studio at the time was on the West side, and I was not going to drive 40 min for 60 min of exercise. When the new East Washington location opened a few months later, I was excited to finally use the only raffle ticket I have ever won, and to find out that Inner Fire Yoga was so worth the wait!

While I have enjoyed yoga for many years, practicing in the sauna-like temperatures and among so many dedicated yogis was a new discovery of exertion and celebration. The first visit won me over with the heat of the practice and the warmth of the community. The Inner Fire hot yoga sequence has become my favorite: I like the familiar repetition of the asanas, which invites inward focus and allows me to zero in on the precision of the moves rather than following new cues. Strange as it may sound, I have appreciated the online sessions for a similar reason: practice from home has made it easier to relax and to draw my attention to the postures and the breath. As much as I miss the community element of the practice – and oh, the heat! the heat! – I am appreciating the opportunity to slow down or speed up my yoga hour, to pause the recording and dedicate more time to “sticky” elements ….and, occasionally – just occasionally – to skip the back-strengthening sequence, or at least the full locust!

I am deeply grateful for the quick, competent and compassionate way in which Inner Fire Yoga has responded to the pandemic. There have been all kinds of safe and doable options, and right now I am liking the “on demand” yoga, which have helped me fit a regular yoga practice into a busy and not always predictable schedule. When I search the “on demand” archive for practice inspiration, I most often reach out to Marit’s classes for an added dose of joy and sunshine and to Michael Ward’s for his measured, precise and empowering guidance. But I absolutely appreciate all teachers, and I have learned something from each and every one of them. Deep gratitude to all of you for sharing your knowledge, and for helping me discover the points of my sit bones and the back ridges of my ears! Inner Fire Yoga has won me over and I can’t be happier.

Twenty years ago, on a cold winter’s day, in a tiny mountain town, with my best friend and a book, my yoga journey began! Yoga was a good fit for our Bohemian lifestyle, and a great supplement to our snowboarding adventures. My yoga library grew, and I spent many years on and off my mat learning from books. Pregnant, it was time to expand my yoga endeavors, and I began practicing with DVD videos. Adjusting to motherhood, I found my way to a yoga studio. Unfortunately, I moved soon after and my practice landed back at home. For me, yoga was solitary.

In 2015, I was working on my MFA art exhibition, teaching two sculpture classes, an only parent, and grieving the death of my soul mate. My stress levels and emotions were all over the place. I desperately needed to decompress. Yoga was calling! I walked to Inner Fire Yoga’s campus location and got a membership.

Joining Inner Fire is the best gift I have given myself. A regimented studio asana practice supported time for me, time to heal and time to grow in multi-faceted ways! Through the removal of metaphoric walls, I realized that yoga was not only a gateway to a healthier body, mind and soul. It is a lifestyle that cultivates a community of amazing individuals, willing to see beyond the self.

Then the pandemic...

At home, I was compelled to get on my mat. Spoiled by and reliant on studio classes, I was snobbing my options. At this point, meditation was my solitary discipline, not asana. Thankfully, Inner Fire Yoga Virtual began. Streaming live classes allows me to stay connected to the wonderful teachers and community I cherish. Scheduled classes keep me accountable to my practice, and offer a much-needed routine.

The tenacious condition of our current circumstances has sparked a deeper look within. Yoga supports adaptability during times of adversity by nurturing better alignment of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual self. Yoga fosters radical acceptance for where we are, gratitude for what we have, and a willingness to accept change with optimism.

Years ago, I returned to Madison in December after a three-month long bicycle trip down the Pacific coast. I was tired of biking, plus it was winter in Madison, so I was looking for something new to do. I had walked by the downtown Inner Fire Yoga location many times and decided to give it a try. I thought the instructors were excellent and always enjoyed the classes when I went, but I wasn’t that dedicated and only attended sporadically. Then one winter I injured my wrist while snowboarding, so downward dogs and planks were impossible, but I found out that Inner Fire Yoga’s west side location offered a Hot Yoga class with 26 poses that didn’t involve putting weight on my wrist.

My practice really took off when I started going to Hot classes at Inner Fire Yoga West. I liked the consistency and focus of the Hot classes, and the teachers were amazing. That summer I went to Karen Rigsby’s Hot classes every week, and slowly but surely started to figure out what I was supposed to be doing. For years, I had just been going through the motions, so a regular Hot practice helped me be intentional and pay attention to my mind and body. I’m not joking when I say it took me 300 yoga classes to figure out what I was supposed to be doing. And there is still so much to learn! So I think a big part of yoga is showing up.

Nowadays, I take all the classes offered by Inner Fire Yoga, and love them all. In winter 2020, I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher certification through Inner Fire Yoga. Teacher training was an unforgettable experience that helped me connect with other yogis and dive deeper into my practice. I now teach a weekly class at a local community center and enjoy the opportunity to share yoga with other people.

Lately I have been enjoying Inner Fire Yoga’s virtual and outdoor classes, which have been great options during the COVID pandemic. My yoga practice is probably the most consistent it’s ever been. My mom lives in Florida and got an Inner Fire Yoga virtual membership, so it was fun to be able to take classes together despite living in different states. I really miss going to the studio and can’t wait to go back, but learning to make time and space for yoga at home has been good for me too.

Yoga is a big part of my life now, so I’m glad that Inner Fire Yoga welcomed me in all those years ago, and I’m grateful for the amazing community of teachers and yogis at Inner Fire Yoga who have helped me and inspired me along the way.

I first came to Inner Fire Yoga by way of a Sculpt class. Prior to practicing yoga, cardio and strength training were my primary forms of exercise. I never felt entirely at home pumping iron or running on a machine, but yoga intimidated me. Sculpt seemed like a good intersection of old and new and it was all the push I needed to peek in further. I started off taking a lot of Hot and Inner Fire Flow classes. I enjoyed the rigor and repetition; it was encouraging to be able to assess my progression from class to class while building my basic foundational knowledge. Recently, I’ve pivoted toward taking more vinyasa-style flows for the exact opposite reason; I look forward to the varied and personal aspects of the Flow classes.

I’m currently working on my wide-legged forward-fold to headstand transition, entirely thanks to Julie coaching me through it for the first time virtually! I feel gifted beyond words for the teachers and staff at Inner Fire Yoga. I felt so welcomed and integrated into the community from the very beginning. Even with the switch to a virtual platform, the Inner Fire Yoga community and classes have been one of the greatest contributors to my health and safety during this crazy time.

Yoga has seeped so deeply into every crevice of my life. Without my knowing, yoga entered my life at a fruitful yet tumultuous time. I came to the practice expecting a new, exciting form of exercise but what yoga means to me now encompasses so much more than that. I returned to my practice of mindfulness and was reminded of my interest in the beyond and the unknown. Yoga and its consistent, ardent interest in cultivating the mind-body connection has filled in many of the cracks in my life that I had given up on filling.

One of the greatest things that ever happened to me was finding yoga and learning that turning things upside down is necessary for forward motion. I’m reading the yoga sutras and while many of the sutras seem complex or difficult to implement, one of my biggest takeaways has been that every day spent as a yogi, every moment spent meditating, every thought acknowledged and dislodged is another moment closer to peace, for ourselves and the community, even globally. I’m honored to be part of a community that is day in and day out putting in the work toward betterment and wholeness.

Kathy H | July 2020

Back in 2000, a friend of mine wanted me to join her in a yoga class. At the time I didn't understand what yoga could possibly do for me. I loved playing sports and working out, but yoga didn’t seem like something I would enjoy, so I passed. Big mistake!

From 1990 through 2013, we moved our family many times. It was always a challenge. During one of our final moves, stress got the best of me. I got shingles for the first time and it was a doozy, right on my forehead. I never experienced such pain. After the next year, shingles reared its ugly head again on my arm. It wasn’t until one more stressful time a few years later that I got Bell's Palsy, all because of stress! This was a wake up call. I needed to learn how to handle my emotions.

Fortunately for me, our daughter, Ally, found her yoga practice while attending UW-Madison. She went on to complete her teacher training through Inner Fire Yoga and started at the studio in 2013. It was then that I decided to finally try yoga. The Inner Fire Flow sequence and Yin classes got me hooked.

Yoga does everything for me! It gives me a new breath, a release, a healing, a power of health, a refreshed day, and an understanding of the strength in my mind, body, and soul.

I am so thankful for Inner Fire Yoga and all the yoga instructors, the staff, and the Inner Fire Yoga community. Everyone feels like family, full of life, love, and an appreciation for one another. Inner Fire Yoga is my peace, my “yoga island.” I get yoga and yoga got me finally!

Nature is in balance. We’re animals, we were meant to be outside. Yoga is a primary way to get out there.

I was introduced to yoga in 2005 by a hockey player I was dating in Boston. We savored hiking above the treeline and being physically active outdoors. To stay strong and flexible, he attended a Baron Baptiste studio (a hot power yoga similar to hot yoga) and suggested I try. I went with hesitation – it was yoga. Guys don’t do yoga.

The combination of heat, breath control, physical core work and a soft gaze were unlike any activity or sport I had experienced. Upon return to Madison I sought a place to continue my captivation. No Baptiste here, but Marit Sathrum had recently opened Madison’s first Hot studio. I eagerly attended.

Initially, I viewed Hot 90 as a purely physical practice – to round out hiking, biking, running, lifting and swimming. No other sport or physical activity provided the same combination of benefits or stretched and lengthened the body in ways it was meant to move.

But it has become more than a compliment to other physical activities.

It has provided the primary means to change my diet, lose weight, increase flexibility and gain strength. It increasingly calms the mind and restores the spirit, allowing me to navigate mid-life stress in a healthy way. And it makes me a better person for everyone in my life.

Because if you don’t take care of yourself off the mat, you won’t be your best on the mat. And vice versa.

I thank my teachers after class. What a selfless gesture – guiding us through a practice when you yourself could be on the mat. Kudos to you: Marit’s courage in taking the initial business risk and building this tremendous asset for Madison, Dar’s unending passion, Joan’s conviction, Karen’s physical knowledge, Katherine’s precision, Dr. Ruddy’s wisdom, Maira’s enthusiasm, Michael’s cadence, Hope’s grace and Sandy’s pure joy. Each of you is an invaluable asset to this studio, this practice and this community.

Which brings me full circle to hiking above the treeline. This practice keeps you strong and flexible, physically and emotionally balanced. All fundamental to fully experience life and the Great Outdoors. So get on the mat so you can get out there.

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” Anais Nin

I’ve been ruminating about not doing justice to Inner Fire Yoga when I had the chance to speak at the gathering last weekend [Inner Fire Yoga threw a party for students who took over 1000 classes].  As is my tendency, the words describing my feelings come to me after the fact.

An overwhelming aspect of my Inner Fire Yoga experience has been “connection”. Of course, connection to self is the practice of the postures. It’s the connection to others that has been especially remarkable. Over the last 15 years at Inner Fire Yoga I have reconnected with old friends and made new friends. I have met people whose talents are uncannily specific to my needs at the time. 

To give one example, shortly after my son was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease,  I learned that (off the mat) Tony D. [Former student of the month and also 1000+ classes at Inner Fire Yoga] is a kidney surgeon. He is now Ben’s doctor and has been an invaluable guide through this process.

In that same vein, two weeks ago I learned of another young man in his 20s, from Madison, and a skier/snowboarder who also moved to Utah (just like Ben).  He came home last summer and was diagnosed with ESRD. I’ve been thinking that it would be great to connect with his parents since the circumstances of our struggle are so similar. Who should I meet at the Inner Fire Yoga celebration last week, but the brave young man and his father! 

Coincidence---I think not. To me it feels like the  power of a ‘healing space’. I have both cried and smiled uncontrollably through classes. Honestly, I have learned enough from the excellent teaching at Inner Fire Yoga to carry me through a private home practice when necessary, but it is the connection to others that binds.

The art of the group practice reveals the science underlying the benefits of community.  A community for which you (Marit) have been the pillar. Thank you for your work and may your creative spirit continue on.

I found my way to Inner Fire Yoga when my brother, Karl, was home for Thanksgiving. I joined Karl for a yoga class instead of going to the gym that evening, and after that I was hooked. Three years later Inner Fire Yoga has become a part of my daily routine, and I am so much better for it. Yoga has changed my relationship with my mental health, the way I show up inside my body, and generally how I breathe during stressful situations. Because of yoga I am more gentle with myself and forgiving.

Celebrate when you arrive on your mat. You made time for yourself, and that prioritization should be commended. --- When you fall out of a pose, try to avoid criticism but instead experience joy in finding your edge. --- When your mind starts to drift outside of class, refocus on your hearing the sound of you own breath and that of your neighbor. Whatever it is will be there at the end of shavasana. --- The poses don’t get any easier, but with time, patience, and persistence the breath work does.

To the 6 am IFY community: I want you to know how thankful I am for our time together every morning. It is a joy to see all of you every day. You make space for me to show up as my true authentic self. I see how hard you all work, and your fortitude and resilience are inspiring. You all make me feel safe to try new things, and I feel accomplished before the day has truly started.

Tree is my favorite pose. It has beginner, intermediate, and advanced settings built right in. I like how expressive the branches can be. I wanted my bio photo to be me in tree pose, but 1000 takes later you instead get a family photo courtesy of the self-timer mode in front of our neighbor’s trees. Same same but different. Pictured: Regina, Mike, and Lady.

I began my yoga journey at the age of 16 with my father as a means of improving my martial arts practice at the time. I suffered quite a bit in the flexibility department and was dubbed the steel beam at the time. The two flowed together very well for me the emphasis on the breath, the degree of focus and the emphasis on improvement with practice in time with no set end. At the time there were few male practitioners in my area I remember constantly citing athletes that practiced yoga to prevent injury and gain flexibility to my classmates. Some years later a lot of life I found myself searching for a means to strengthen my body, calm my mind and that I wouldn’t have to force myself to do. Yoga for me fits the bill on all accounts and intertwined well with my meditation practice.

I began at Inner Fire Yoga in April of 2019 and have made it a personal goal to attend no less than 3 classes a week. I've experienced many benefits even immediately after each class. I’ve often felt the cold weather was more tolerable after practice as well as a strong sense of well being and ease. Also having a physical job on most days I find that yoga has released a lot of the strain and tension that has accumulated. I believe it has been a big part in keeping my body ready and full of energy for the things I want to do in life.

I would say that what draws me most to yoga is the psychological and spiritual aspects. It has taught me that there is no such thing as a perfect practice or a perfect life but all that is required of us is that we do our best in that moment and strive to move forward. I also get a great sense of freedom because all though we practice together each yogi’s practice is there’s own. Yoga emphasis community but also being your own unique best self.

My Inner Fire story began two years ago, with a new road bike. Fresh off my first RAGBRAI, I earned my first month of yoga for free through the Madison Bikes’ Bike Benefit Bingo. Before this, I had never considered yoga as something I would be interested in. I remember showing up to my first Power class thinking it would be a nice way to relax after a long ride -- I had no idea what I was in for! Despite that initial stumbling block, I soon learned to appreciate the mental and physical challenge of a vinyasa flow. One month turned into another, and then a regular membership. Since then, I have had an almost daily yoga practice for the past two years.

Practicing yoga has helped me so much to strengthen myself both physically and mentally. The strength I build on the mat, through the dynamic movements and focus on developing all muscle groups, I bring with me on my bike and my skis. Learning to concentrate on alignment as the basis of my practice has translated directly into improved posture and riding form. It’s such a powerful feeling to be able to accomplish goals I previously wouldn’t have considered myself capable of, like riding my fourth century or cutting almost two hours from my first Birkie time.

But most importantly, I have benefited immensely from the meditative aspect of my yoga practice. Through the guidance of Inner Fire’s amazing teachers, I have learned how to use my breath to find the connection between mind and body, and to know when I can use this to work deeper into poses, or when I need to take a step back and find a way to modify a pose to make it work better for me. Understanding how my strength and flexibility varies from day to day, and how to work with and appreciate what I can do in each moment, has taught me a lot of self-awareness and self-kindness, which I try my best to extend to my interactions with everyone around me.

Now, as I start the next step in my adventure at school here in Maine, I am so grateful for the strength and self-confidence I’ve built at Inner Fire, and all the benefits I get to take with me. As much as I miss classes with Linzie and Carly, I am so excited for whatever’s next!

People say that the universe works in mysterious ways but when you actually witness that magic unfurling it makes you step back in wonder. That’s the way I felt when I received my 3-month scholarship to the new Eastside Inner Fire Yoga location.

I had just turned 50 and visited my first chiropractor. Getting out of bed became a challenge and I was swirling in a mindset that assumed this was all part of the natural way, just a part of aging. I had gained weight and my usual sunny outlook began to dim.

Inner Fire Yoga East was a ray of light for me. Ten years earlier I was a member at Inner Fire Yoga West so I knew that I enjoyed it. I applied for the scholarship and was lucky enough to receive it starting in dreary March. I knew I needed to start slowly so I did a few Yin classes to check on my mental preparedness. I found that despite my newly acquired 50-something status I still had something very special--an inner fire. I still wanted to push myself and be better and reach for my boundaries.

Since then I’ve moved on to Power 60, Hot 60, Inner Fire Flow 60, and, occasionally often accidentally, Inner Fire Flow 75. These classes pushed me to the limits of my physical power but the satisfaction of having tried felt better than I could have imagined. More so, I was seeing results in my body. After the first month, I ended my chiropractor visits because my lower back pain was gone. I lost weight. I could touch my toes. My posture straightened out and I began to feel taller. I was coming home lighter after leaving it all in a pool of sweat on my mat at the studio.

This summer when my scholarship expired I knew I would renew as a full member. I love the peace of mind my yoga practice brings to my day and the self-confidence it has returned to me knowing that I am always capable of more. I’ve spent the summer running, biking, and scrambling rocks and I wasn’t doing that last year. I’m 50 and my fire still burns!

I started my daily yoga practice like many others, at an inflection point in life – personal and professional changes were afoot and I was getting ready to be an empty-nester. I’d already tried the stereotypical mid-life crisis activities; yes, I bought a convertible, started to ride motorcycles, and even raised urban chickens.

In January of 2019 I decided to pursue more mindfulness in my daily life and wanted to connect that mindfulness to movement in my body. Plus, I was cold (do you recall how cold last January was?). So, when I saw Inner Fire Yoga open on the East side I joined for a trial month and committed to daily practice. Since that time I have continued my daily yoga practice and have found that yoga helps me slow down - I do really try to focus on my breath but sometimes I have to wrangle my thoughts back to it like a champion border collie herding a flock of sheep on high doses of caffeine. Yoga also helps me increase my mental and physical flexibility - when unexpected things arise in my daily life now I think of them like tipping over in an asana – I tip, re-balance, and try again without holding on (too much) to what I was doing before. Yoga also helps strengthen me - I have muscles in my arms, who knew? Yoga has also helped me find greater balance. Existentially I am probably a bit more balanced - I was practically able to learn SUP in one session!

As you can probably tell, I approach yoga both with a reverence for the mindfulness it helps me cultivate and also with humor and joy – it’s fun. Part of what has been so enjoyable for me about Inner Fire Yoga is the teachers and staff. So, to close my profile, I give a shout out of thanks to my wonderful teachers: Ally, Jonathan, Georgia, Alexa, Sarah, Joan, and Tess as well as staff who have created such a welcoming vibe at the East side location: Hannah and Erik.

Denise:
Mother knows best – a yoga story. Strange introduction, I know, but my yoga journey started long before I knew what it meant to do yoga and why yoga would mean so much to me. It started with my mother – a yoga mat or some other yoga related supply would show up in the mail periodically with a note from my mom to take care of myself. The thing is, I didn’t pay attention at the time. I was too busy… The gentle messages continued, as did my frantic busy schedule, but the yoga was just an idea in my mom’s mind, not mine, yet…

Like many people I know, I turned to my yoga mat to heal an injury. Nothing I had tried worked so I thought, why not try yoga and to my surprise, the yoga worked. What I didn’t know at the time, but do now, is that the yoga was doing more than healing my body. It was healing my mind.

Early in my yoga practice, I was a bit promiscuous with the yoga studios I visited. If there was a good deal on passes, I bought them and attended the “good deal” studio until I found the next good deal. I continued on that path until I found Inner Fire. It was here that I learned that your mat meets you where you are, each and every day, bringing clarity and focus in the way you need it to that day, no exceptions. I was hooked. The teachers at Inner Fire are amazing, without exception. I learn something new and different every day, and everything about the studio feels right to me.

I proudly wear the beads I have earned for class attendance as a daily reminder of everything yoga has taught me, and will continue to teach me. I completely understand why my vibrant, 82-year-old mother continues to do yoga. In fact, I think I have become my mother, convincing my husband, Tim, of the importance of a regular yoga practice and bringing my early 20’s son and daughter along any time they are in town and can make the time for a yoga practice. With any luck, we will all be doing yoga at 82 as well – Mother really does know best.

Tim:
Denise began practicing yoga about a year before I started. While I was reluctant to try yoga at first, she convinced me to give it a shot, together with my family, over a Christmas holiday. I recall expecting some light exercise at a class called Hot 90, which was at another studio. I was shocked by how challenging the class was at 95° and how completely exhausted I was when the class ended. I continued at a few different studios for about a year, doing mostly Bikram yoga, as I found it really seemed to relieve some low back pain I had been experiencing for the last 10 years due to an active lifestyle and aged body.

Denise first discovered Inner Fire Flow and commented on how good the instructors were, but I was again reluctant as I had become accustomed to a few different instructors and classes at another studio. When I finally went to Inner Fire, I immediately understood what she meant, as I thought the cuing, guidance and commentary was better than I had ever experienced. I also discovered several different types of classes that seemed to complement the Bikram yoga I was mostly doing. I started doing Inner Fire Flow 75, Slow flow, Power flow as well as Yin yoga.

Really what has impressed me the most with Inner Fire Flow, after being there for many years now, is the community and diversity of instructors and students. I have practiced with many different instructors now and each provides a unique experience. If I want to have a really tough class, I know who will give me that. If I want some wise words, I know who will give me those. If I want a laugh, I know who will provide that. It is the instructors that make this studio such an accepting and encouraging space. I feel my practice has really advanced from their combined knowledge and caring. Due to their kindness, yoga is no longer a workout for me, but a lifestyle.

I took my first Inner Fire Yoga class back in 2007 as a high school senior. My mother was (and still is!) a regular at Inner Fire Yoga. I thought she had to be nuts for spending 90 minutes in a heated room moving through 26 poses. But let me just say, after my first class, I felt so “blissed out” that I couldn’t imagine doing anything else to better my mind and spirit. I was officially hooked.

That same year I went away to college in Boulder, CO. The first couple of months were a challenge, a big adjustment for me. I was the eldest sibling and the first to move away from home. I often felt home sick and overwhelmed with the amount of course work. I recall my mother telling me to “just get on your mat,” and that’s exactly what I would do.

Perhaps it was the warmth that reminded me of my mother and home, giving me comfort and familiarity,two gifts that the Inner Fire Yoga classes continue to give me today. By maintaining a steady yoga practice during those early adulthood years, I learned the importance of following the instruction of the teacher in the room, both physically and academically, while also making an effort to be still and listen to the teacher inside of me.

Today I’m back in Madison, WI practicing yoga regularly while I am still reminded of my mothers’ mantra in my head. This is especially true when I need to find reprieve from the outside world and to “just get on my mat”.

When I’m at Inner Fire Yoga taking a class, I’m always reminded to leave my day behind and not to think about what lies outside the studio doors. Each instructor reminds me how important it is to take time for myself. In turn, I am able to be more present and mindful in my loved one’s lives, as well as, in my everyday interactions with others. Inner Fire Yoga continues to give me the clarity, mindfulness and strength to enrich my own community. This is when the real work begins. This is the practice I strive for every time I take a yoga class at Inner Fire Yoga.

I relocated from Chicago to Madison with my husband and 2 children in 2010. I’ve been involved in many workout activities through the years, but for some reason had always been rather resistant to trying yoga. I knew many people who practiced yoga and was aware of its many physical and mental benefits. Perhaps it was just that, everyone was doing it and it seemed so trendy. At the time I came to Inner Fire I was committed to running regularly and had done a number of boot camp classes. I am an anxious person and have always used exercise as a way to manage my anxiety. While I was getting the physical exertion that I needed, it certainly helped to bring the anxiety down a few notches, I was lacking the more meditative piece. As a therapist I try to be open to all types of healing and self exploration, so I decided to see what yoga had to offer.

My first classes were Inner Fire Flow 75 with Sandy Homburg and Hot 90 with Kate Schmitz. Both Sandy and Kate were very patient and supportive. I had always struggled with balance and it was especially challenging and frustrating as I attempted to hold any of the poses on one leg. I soon added in Inner Fire Flow 75 with Hope Henley and Hot 90 with Dr. Ruddy. I enjoyed the Flow classes, but was more drawn towards the meditative nature of the Hot 90. Ironically the Hot 90 brought more attention to my balance and has made it necessary to embrace this challenge, rather than avoid it by choosing a class that would place less emphasis in this area. I love the way I feel after a Hot 90. I am more centered and have a calm energy the remainder of the day.

About 1 year ago I began bringing my 11-year-old son to classes. We started with Yin and Gentle Flow classes and eventually he also begin attending the Hot 60 and now attends at least one Hot 90 per week with me. A few months ago, my 9-year-old daughter also began coming to Inner Fire, attending Yin and Gentle classes. I love that both of my children enjoy the classes, instructors and the community. I feel that by exposing them to yoga, I am giving them a valuable tool as they move forward in their lives.

Hello! My name is Darvin Reilly and I am happy to say I have been a part of the Inner Fire Yoga community since January 2019! After moving back to Madison last year I knew I wanted to learn more about yoga and was lucky enough to have Inner Fire be right around the corner from my home. Not knowing what to expect my first class, I quickly learned I have really bad balance but I fell in love with the grounding feeling yoga brings to one’s mind. I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in Carly Lucas’ and Hope Henley’s morning Power Yoga classes, as they have greatly improved my range of motion and offer a moment of serenity in my otherwise chaotic day.

I look forward to improving my skills with Inner Fire Yoga and know that it will become a foundational aspect of my living a healthy and fit lifestyle. My goals for the future include being able to perform an inverted pose by the end of the year and to continue increasing overall mobility and stability. I can say with sincerity that yoga has been the best part of my 2019, and I’m happy to be a part of the Inner Fire community!

My name is Mayra Archilla-Barton. I live in Madison, although I am originally from Puerto Rico. Yes, I left the sandy beaches and 80-degree weather behind! My husband and two children and I go back when we can.

It was the summer of 2017 when I decided I wanted to add another workout activity that I had not tried before. I always heard about Yoga and its many benefits but never had tried it. I had not done so primarily because I had (notice the verb tense had!) a weak right shoulder and weaker right hip. I thought to myself, ‘how am I going to do those planks?’ At the time, my right shoulder hurt so badly at times that I could not lift a gallon of milk. Then my hip... There were times that I had to stop walking because of severe pain (just ask my daughter). I decided I was going to give Yoga a try. Of course, I wanted to try Hot Yoga first. So I did. Michael Ward was my first instructor at Inner Fire Yoga. He was very patient when instructing us how to do the poses. I am sure he saw I knew nothing about it and would say ‘what you are looking for in this pose is…’ That was my cue for adjusting. I made it through the class. The nausea and dizziness did not stop me from coming back for a second class, again with Michael. I felt so relaxed after each class. Something about a good sweating session works wonders. Then I decided to return on the 4th of July. This time I tried Inner Fire Flow 60 with Hope Henley. I remember starting the class on our backs and Hope welcoming everyone and saying ‘you just rushed to get here ….’ I immediately thought, ‘this woman must be psychic’. And I came back, this time Power 60 with Adrienne Leslie. I made it through this class as well. I must admit, I was so tired that day after class that I even took a nap. My right shoulder and hip hurt less. I kept coming back. I added Power 75 on Saturday and Power 60 on Sunday, both with Adrienne (yoga party anyone!?)

Then I discovered the 6am classes. Ken Kloes was my first 6am Power class on Mondays. Several times on Monday morning, when the alarm would go off, I would be tempted to not get up. However, Ken’s words ‘This is the best decision you made today, come here and take care of yourself’ motivated me to get up and to go my 6am class. Then I added 6am on Tuesday with Liz Preston, Inner Fire Flow 60. Her words of ‘no expectations, be present, take care of yourself’ inspired me to be in the moment and listen to my body, and breath for health. Then I decided to add Power 60 on Friday at 6am, also with Liz. Given my schedule, I end up traveling to Chicago once or twice per week. Even though I do not mind the drives as I listen to music and podcasts, my body does not agree with all the time in the car. Friday is the day when I say to myself ‘I am going to be re-aligned. So I need this class!’ Most recently I found a gem, Slow and Yin 75 with Michael Pare (love the humor!) Through Yoga, I have discovered how to listen to my body. I have gained strength and my right shoulder and hip are much healthier today.

Through my yoga practice I have learned to be more patient, calm and resilient. At Inner Fire Yoga I have found a wonderful community of teachers and friends. I am inspired by them all. When in class, I no longer think of the shape of my pose, but how my body reacts to alignment and self-care. Subsequently, the ‘shape’ follows. There are so many wonderful teachers at Inner Fire Yoga. I must admit, last summer, when the schedule changed and there were new teachers introduced, I was a bit hesitant to attend those classes because ‘it is not the same without ___’. I was proved wrong immediately. All ‘new’ teachers were great and that inspired me to add another challenge to my list. The challenge I am pursuing is to take a class with all teachers that teach at the West studio. Based on the pics on the wall at Inner Fire West there are 35 teachers, and I have taken classes with 25 thus far. 10 to go! They all inspire me to take care of myself every time I step onto the studio. Thank you to you all -- teachers and fellow yogi and yoginis for being such a welcoming and supportive community. Namaste.

I began my yoga practice in the early 90’s while living in San Francisco. Hot Yoga was all the rage at that time and I embarked on my journey practicing the 26 poses in a hot room in the Mission District. After spending 15 years in the Bay Area, it was time to relocate to Madison to raise my children and be closer to family. Shortly after arriving, I decided to revisit my practice and find a new yoga studio. In the spring of 2003, I ventured to the West side and found Inner Fire Yoga. Marit had just opened the studio a few months prior and with our San Francisco connection, we hit it off immediately. Over the next few years, I attended mostly Hot 90 classes, but eventually I took a break from yoga to be a full-time working mom.

Fast Forward to 2015: my son leaves for college and with only one child at home, I realize it’s time to take care of me again. I attended classes at a studio closer to home, but it never felt like the experience I had at Inner Fire Yoga. In 2016, I walked back through the doors (at the new location) and felt right at home. Ever since that day, my practice began evolving and I’ve never looked back. I love how the heat enhances flexibility and allows me to go deeper into poses. When I started practicing on a daily basis, I realized that it is really about connecting your mind, body, and soul with breath and movement. Stepping on to my mat has taught me mindfulness, patience and how to be my best self. It’s the work off my mat that has been greatly impacted over the last year. Yoga has forever changed me.

I am incredibly appreciative of this community, my fellow yogis and the incredible teachers that guide us every day. I am thankful for each and every teacher here, but I would like to identify some of my favs! Sweet Hope and her incredible smile - her classes fill me with energy and strength. Adrienne - her creative flows and incredible playlists keep me coming back for more each week! Karen - she gets my Inner Fire flowing! Sandy with her knowledge and magic oils - an incredible teacher to all of us! Julie - always creating a fun, yet powerful class! Liz and her 8-minute Flow for Joy starts my weekend out right!

My goal over the next few years is to complete teacher training for personal growth, strength and healing.

I began practicing yoga a few years ago when my older sister brought me to a yoga sculpt class in our hometown in Minnesota. When I started my third year as a student at UW-Madison, I sought out a studio where I could take a similar class and found my home at Inner Fire Yoga.

Although my yoga practice begin with weights and cardio, it has transformed into a diverse practice in which I incorporate flow and yin classes as well. During my time at Inner Fire Yoga, I’ve strengthened my practice by improving my balance, flexibility, and the use of my breath. I am most grateful for Inner Fire Yoga because it has helped me use my breath not only in the studio, but also in my daily life.

Since practicing at Inner Fire Yoga for over a year now, I truly have found my niche in yoga regarding my style, the classes I take, and the amazing yoga community. I look forward to taking Wesley’s Flow class on Campus every Tuesday to sing, chant, and breathe with my fellow yogis. I also try to take Tess’s Power Flow whenever I can.

Yoga has been an amazing way to challenge myself and my physical body. I am always looking to improve my postures and learn new poses. Lately I have enjoyed practicing my supported headstand and crow pose. I look forward to continuing my yoga practice at Inner Fire Yoga.

At a young age, I was diagnosed with five different anxiety disorders that caused my body to turn against itself. When I was 25, I fell on my tailbone and broke two vertebrae, putting me in a body cast for six months. It was after that incident that I was prompted to try yoga, but I was not quite ready. When I was 27, the effect of anxiety on my body forced me into the hospital after a doctor told me my brain was beginning to shut down and I was dying. I have always lived life thinking that if I give up, I automatically fail. But if I keep pushing, there’s a chance something miraculous will happen. And it did - I made it out of the hospital.

That was the turning point that convinced me to go to yoga. I was not committed to a practice at first, but I went once a week. It did not take long to realize that not only was I getting physically stronger, but more importantly my anxiety was becoming controlled. I started to sleep. I began to put on weight because my body stopped degrading itself. I was hooked and started to practice as often as I could. Fast forward to November 2017, I started to lose feeling in my legs. I was told I had a tethered spinal cord because of the fall I had long ago and I was going to be paralyzed if I did not have surgery to ‘try’ to fix it. The surgery was a success and my legs were saved, but I had a four-month recovery ahead of me, starting with simply trying to see.

By April 2018 I was up and moving and feeling pretty good, all things considered. I was terrified to try to come back to my mat. I just knew that I was going to have to start from zero and I already felt defeated. Then I came to Inner Fire Yoga. I don’t think I can put into words how welcoming the staff and teachers were. I’d cry during each class, and no one made a fuss. Everything hurt, but I was encouraged to go at my own pace, to take breaks, to be kind to my body. I love Power Flows even when I am at my weakest. That is the beauty of yoga, no matter how weak or strong you are, it’s accessible to you. Some classes I left feeling defeated or frustrated, but I came back to my mat. Today, I am stronger than I have ever been, especially in my core! I am still fighting Garudasana (Eagle Pose), but we all have that one pose! I wouldn’t have had the courage or the faith in myself to come back to my practice without the wonderful Inner Fire community. They make me smile just thinking about all of them. Yoga is magical. Yoga is healing. It requires patience, but it also teaches you patience. At least it has for me!

It was the advice of a trusted mentor that first brought yoga into my life. He believed I would benefit from the practice and he was right. I started yoga as a senior in college and continued it in graduate school. In the days before Inner Fire Yoga, I enjoyed practicing at a number of different studios in the area as well as at home – until an injured wrist left me unable to practice yoga.

It took me years to build the strength of my wrist back up. During this time, I focused on strength training and cardiovascular exercises. While I was (and still am) a happy gym rat, I started to realize that my wellness routine was not well balanced. I needed to find a way to add yoga back.

Enter Inner Fire Yoga. As someone who is perpetually cold, the combination of heat and yoga was doubly enticing. I loved it immediately and jumped right into practicing three times a week. The frequency slowly increased until I was practicing yoga almost daily, and sometimes even twice a day! Most days, you can find me in one of the 6am or other early-morning classes.

In a way, my yoga practice has now come full circle. It started with the desire for something intangible. Over time, it morphed to focus on the more physical aspects of the practice. At Inner Fire Yoga, I’m once more focusing on the more intangible and mindful aspects of yoga. Where I once gravitated toward the more vigorous and energetic classes – and while I still enjoy those classes – I now feel drawn to classes that let me spend a little more time present in my body in a way the faster classes don’t always allow.

Listening to the still and silent voice of my body has been difficult for me, but Inner Fire Yoga has helped me connect with myself in a way I didn’t believe possible. For me, there’s something uniquely special about this studio. It’s the instructors who both inspire me and push me to confront my weaknesses. It’s my fellow yogis and yoginis whose friendly faces make me look forward to classes. It’s the sense of shared community I get every time I walk through the door. My thanks to the myriad excellent teachers, the supportive classmates, and the safe, warm space that feels just like a second home.

I come to Inner Fire Yoga to relax…my shoulder. My spine and scapula don’t play nicely, so with stress and laptops, things get really tight. Sometimes I literally cannot breathe as deeply as I should; one side of my rib cage gets stuck! One doctor gave me muscle relaxants, another sent me to acupuncture, and my (terrific) PT has all kinds of exercises. Yoga is simple: breathe in and breathe out.

IFY has great teachers; I try to see Hope, Kate, Bonnie, Brenda, Megan, and Sandy (when I can! I get up early), but my schedule changes seasonally, so I’m never in one group all that long. Michael Pare’s classes are another treat. My favorite is Ally, especially in Yin; I try harder to make it to those sessions, nighttime or not, because I leave feeling great. The shared trait? Compassion. I can pull something in child’s pose. CHILD’S POSE! Makes me crazy. These teachers and others help me to listen to my body, so I don’t overdo it. The staff is kind, too: Michael, Sarah, & friends, thank you! It makes a difference.

There’s another reason that I value IFY: the students. I am not all that gregarious; it’s not about some kumbaya moment for me, although it’s great if other people like that. It’s hard to put into words, but I feel a general sense of resolve here…like we mean well for each other, friends or not. I respect that; honoring strangers means more, actually. I love that this community stretches those muscles, too, and especially that it’s tacit. That’s why I smile, in savasana, in the middle of class. Yes, the heat feels good. So does the atmosphere, and everyone helps to make it. Thank you, yes YOU, for your part in that!

I started practicing at Inner Fire Yoga last fall semester. What brought me to yoga was my chronic ankle pain. For years I’ve struggled with this pain and as a result I had to give up running. I was seeking a practice that could help me heal. After I took several classes, Inner Fire Yoga soon became the best therapy for me not only physically, but also mentally. Practicing yoga helped relieve my ankle pain and strengthen muscles surrounding my ankles and feet. Stress reduction was actually a bonus besides physical recovery. I was realizing that stress from intense school work disappeared once I was on my mat, and I felt energized after every yoga practice. I embraced the confidence and beauty that I felt in each yoga pose, which has become my own resolution to release myself from self-doubt.

Another thing that I am grateful for, is the Inner Fire Yoga community of amazing teachers and students. Yoga practice is bringing people together. I would probably never know that one of my favorite yoga teachers is my neighbor if I was never brought to Inner Fire Yoga. Yoga for me is a life-changing journey that I can’t wait to continue...

Inner Fire Yoga has been a retreat for our family this past year, a healing place to cultivate our health, and practice alongside one another. The studio is where we come to celebrate togetherness and teamwork that we carry over to our home life. Our family has seen twists and turns this past year and not only does this practice benefit us as a team, but is important to each of us as individuals to help us be the best that we can be. Diane finds happiness in her ability to feel strong and capable with a body that is aging with her years. Haley appreciates the opportunity to meditate and build her mental strength. Zoe, well don’t get her started. She can’t say enough great things about Inner Fire Yoga and the yoga practice. At the end of the day, we love to come together to nurture and show gratitude for ourselves and others around us. A huge shoutout to our fellow yogis and teachers who exist in this special community. We love and appreciate y’all!

“Get out of your head.” “Breathe.” I have heard these phrases many times since I took my first yoga class in 2012. I left that first class feeling physically invigorated and my mind was quiet for the first time in years, if not ever! Throughout undergrad I did more school than yoga, but then organic chemistry and physics rolled into my schedule and Sandy Homburg became my rock. Every weekend for months I drove back and forth from Ames, Iowa to attend her weekend classes. It was the only time during the week where I would finally breathe again. It is also where I would curse Ardha Chandrasana and wonder if I held my arms above my head for one more second would I ever regain feeling in them. I did. I made it through 10 credits of Physics and 8 credits of Organic Chemistry and I made it into Veterinary School, a year early nonetheless.

My yoga practice was strong going into Vet School, but I didn’t maintain it. The demands and expectations of the program took their toll on me. I was exhausted and stopped going to yoga. Then one day I stepped back onto my mat and I could breathe again. My brain stopped talking and air filled my lungs. I finally felt human again. Someone asked me why yoga has become so important to me and my answer was so easy: Yoga is my safe place and my respite.

The Inner Fire Yoga instructors have given me so many gifts: Bonnie finally gave me permission to follow my own breath and forgive myself. Georgia asked me if I could just breath through it. Zach’s Sunday classes mentally prepared me for the week to come. Sandy’s class is still a reason I would drive through blizzard and across a state line. Karen is my alignment coach. Ally’s yin classes leave me feeling open and Hope reminds me that each class is a gift. This studio, this community, and these teachers have been a gift that has gotten me through undergrad, Veterinary School and onto my next adventure.

I still remember pulling into Inner Fire Yoga for the first time. I was petrified. It was January 2012 and already dark as I was going to a late afternoon class. I got a parking spot right in front so I could see in the window. Talk about intimidating. For me. I was watching a class let out, everyone milling around in their yoga outfits smiling and talking and looking decades younger and more fit than me. As I sat there watching, 45 years old and equally that much overweight, I was beating myself up and bawling like a baby. I pulled it together and completed my first Inner Fire Flow class.

I had neglected myself and my health for basically my entire adult life. I became a single mom two weeks before high school graduation and still graduated Salutatorian and without much family support. I had to pass up a 4-year free ride to take a 2-year free ride to the community college instead. Going to college from 8am-3pm, working 3:30-11pm, then homework and a baby was my life for 2 solid years. Then I quit my job in my hometown of Freeport, IL, moved myself and daughter to Madison with no job, hoping for better opportunities. I lived with a friend briefly, found a job the first day I arrived and started the grind of being a single mother. I then married 4 years later and had another child, again putting my children, family and their needs before my own. I worked full-time and carried two part -time jobs for many years.

Then my youngest child graduated in 2010. I was now an empty nester. High blood pressure, 50+ lbs overweight, depressed with no self esteem or identity. I became a grandma in 2011 and had the opportunity to babysit full time, which I did, of course. In between, I shattered my ankle in 2015 and became full of metal. That was when I first heard the inner voice say “stop”. At this point I had an on-again, off-again practice until 2016 when my grandson started kindergarten.

It was time to put myself first. I started practicing regularly, almost daily. I slowly lost the weight, got my self esteem back, started finding and discovering myself. For the first time, it was about what I wanted, needed and I took a long, hard look at my life. A regular practice helped me make and follow through on some very tough decisions, the hardest time of my life to this point. But I survived, thrived and am the happiest I’ve ever been. You are never to old to make positive changes that will vastly improve your life. My practice continues to improve, not just in the asanas, but through breath, peace. My practice used to be just getting through, huffing and puffing...now it’s so much more. I keep getting stronger, mentally and physically. There’s still many shapes I cannot do, but I give it my all. I FINALLY figured out the chaturanga push-up just in the last two weeks and it has felt awesome. My self awareness continues to grow and improve; yoga will always be a part of my life and I can thank my practice for changing my life, for the better.

I came to Inner Fire Yoga  about a year and a half ago to impress a girl. I recall thinking, “Gee, it sure is hot in here, I should have brought more towels. And some water…”.  When the door to the studio flew open, it was not the girl, it was a man in his underpants (the girl never showed). He flipped on the lights and before he even spoke, the whole room full of half-naked people silently scuttled to their feet. This was Dr. Ruddy’s Sunday morning Hot practice.

The insight that day gave me has always stayed with me. To that point, my yoga practice was a lot of going through the motions. The heat, the discipline, and the focused energy in the room that morning put me into a meditative state where I could truly let go of the past and forget about the future. It was what I believe the mind-body connection in yoga is supposed to feel like.

I became hooked and diligently followed the hot practice.  I’ve since learned to diversify. There are so many incredible teachers that I know I will get what my body needs out of any class if I allow it.

Something I noticed recently is a testimonial to IFY; through almost every sequence, I have a fleeting thought of the teacher or fellow yogi that helped me really take the pose to the next level.  Hope will always be my Warrior 2, Adrienne my Happy Baby, Georgia my Crow, and Bonnie my Half Moon. There are more and the list continues to grow!

This whole yoga thing seems more a way of life, it is amazing the way a breathing practice with some movement can permeate every aspect of life in such a positive way.  I am very honored to share and make space with this Inner Fire Yoga community.

I started practicing at Inner Fire Yoga my junior year of college (January 2017). I was working a lot, my roommates were not back from winter break, and I decided it would be a good time to focus on my physical and mental health. When I first started yoga, I was very hesitant to fully extend in every pose and try new things. I allowed the fear of judgment to control my every move and stayed very quiet on my mat, constantly worrying about what the person next to me was thinking. My fear of being judged was not new to me, but it was further exacerbated on my mat with no friends, phone, or computer to hide behind. However, after just a few classes of Sculpt and Power Flow, I started to notice a dramatic difference in the way I perceived myself and those around me and I owe that to the instructors at Inner Fire Yoga. It was the welcoming and warm environment from each individual instructor that really allowed me to get over this trivial fear of being judged. This also allowed me to not judge others.

Inner Fire Yoga soon became my own kind of therapy. I lost my Dad to cancer my freshman year of college and ever since then, I have constantly been in my head; unable to be present, and overall confused. Yoga gave me a place to get rid of those bad, destructive thoughts and really embrace the beauty in being present and in the moment. It is so easy to live in the past when trying to remember my dad, or live in the future as I face such a pivotal time in my life, graduating from college. There is something to be said about people who are able to live in the now. Every class I am reminded by instructors to leave my week behind and not think about what I have to do after class. Each instructor reminds me how important it is to take the hour for myself. In taking just that hour each day for myself I am able to be more present in my friend’s and family’s lives as well as in my everyday interactions with people. Wow, I started Inner Fire Yoga because I received a cheap Groupon for a monthly trial and since then it has truly transformed my outlook on life. I am very grateful to instructors like Lizzie Ryan, Linzie Wildenauer, Kristin Haraldsdottir, Tess Kennedy, and Sarah Fink for changing the way I go about this world and practice.

I took my first yoga class on a Saturday morning in the summer of 2008. It was super challenging, hot, strenuous, and surprisingly fun. Over the past 10 years, I have practiced over a 1,000 times and the rewards are amazing. 

In the beginning, I encountered some immediate physical gratification from having a consistent yoga practice. During the first year of my practice, I lost 50 pounds. I experienced an increase in my energy, flexibility, and strength in a supportive and welcoming environment. My yoga practice has prepared me physically to enjoy and appreciate skiing, cycling, and running in my forties’ with few to no aches and pains. 

Over time, I began to see how yoga has impacted me mentally and emotionally. Five years ago, my family and I experienced some tremendous changes. Over the course of 18 months, my father, my grandmother, my uncle, my wife’s father, and my wife’s cousin all passed away. It was, and still is, challenging for me. My faith and my yoga practice provide me with the tools to keep a positive focus when facing adversity. This practice has brought mental clarity to my personal and professional life that has allowed me to slow down when necessary and speed up when appropriate. It is a true blessing to be able to practice this moving meditation. 

The Inner Fire Yoga community of amazing teachers and students is something that I am grateful for every day. And as many of you know my wife, Katherine Vieau, is an instructor at the studio. I thank and credit her for challenging me to go to my first yoga class, supporting my practice, and being an amazing teacher. Never stop practicing.

In 2010, I was looking for any workout that could fit into my work and family schedule and, by the way, that I actually enjoyed. A few women at work had been meeting for 6 am classes at Inner Fire Yoga and suggested it might be a good fit. So, I bribed a friend to go with you me to a 90-minute Hot class. I made it through, but it wasn't pretty. I talked to some of the other students afterward and they were so supportive. They suggested some other classes to try and supportive teachers, so I tried a power flow with Karen Erstad and I was hooked. Seven years later and 700 some odd classes later, yoga at Inner Fire plays a critical part in my life.

I have discovered that yoga has helped me manage both my physical and mental health. My husband and nine-year-old daughter ask me how my yoga was and tend to notice if I have missed a few days. Yoga and Inner Fire have been a key part of the highs and lows of my life over these years. I have cried through entire classes in challenging times and have felt the support from all the teachers and the entire community at IFY.

I have been able to block the classes I love into my calendar and have many times shared that my yoga class was the high of my day during the daily highs and lows discussion at the dinner table. Monday morning with Kate Schmitz ensures the start of a good week. Tuesday with Bonnie Raimey inspires me to get out there and kick butt. Wednesdays with Laine is known to a few of us as our "yoga therapy." Thursdays with Megan Cullen is wonderful and Friday Inner Fire Flow with Hope Henley is the perfect way to kickoff the weekend. Anything I can get with Karen Rigsby is a bonus!

I am so incredibly grateful for everything Inner Fire Yoga has given me. Learning how to breathe, making time for myself and most of all acknowledging that yoga is called a yoga practice, not a yoga perfect. Amazing. Knowing that I can keep evolving and not need to work to achieve a final destination has been a liberating approach to life in general. Thank you. Namaste.

In 2005 a girlfriend of mine introduced me to sushi and yoga, two things I have never tried or experienced before. Yoga is a quiet, contemplative activity and students are discouraged from talking throughout class. Going out to eat with friends is social, fun and engaging. My personality is outgoing and social and knew from the get-go yoga was not going to be my thing, but I gave it a go anyway.

I managed to not talk during my first yoga class and couldn't wait to say something when the 60-minute class was up, it was the longest time I have gone silent in a group setting. The morning after my first yoga class my body was sore in every nook and cranny and I could barely get out of bed. I still wasn't convinced if this yoga thing was for me, but my body and mind were calling me to yoga class the following weekend. 

My second, third and fourth yoga classes were different experiences as tears streamed down my face in frog pose and in savasana and it wasn't because they were physically painful poses for me, but because I was in pain emotionally. At the time I was going through a divorce and yoga was teaching me to breathe again, I was able to retrain my breath and let out massive sighs of relief and let go of all the crap in my life. Overtime yoga taught me to rest, take time for myself, and the value of balance on and off the mat.

With a regular practice at Inner Fire Yoga, I have made incredible lifelong friends that I am proud to call family. I get the best of both worlds at Inner Fire, my social fix pre-and-post class with friends at the studio and roll out my mat next to some of the most amazing, kind and friendly people. Sushi anyone?! 

Yoga is Home. 

My immediate response, when asked to be the student spotlight, was - absolutely not! Not because yoga and Inner Fire Yoga haven't positively impacted my life and health, but because I recently struggled with my dedicated yoga practice and even attempted to walk away from my mat permanently. Lightbulb - maybe others have doubts and struggle with their practice as well, so here is my story...

I lost a bet to a member of Inner Fire Yoga and the payout was taking a class with her. That's how I ended up in my first yoga class on a cold January morning back in 2009. Trainwreck would be the best way to describe my first class. I was turning 40, stressed out at work, overweight and evidently not in very great shape. I remember desperately trying to survive the class, trying not to pant, cry or knock anyone over. The remainder of the class has subsequently been blacked out of my memory. I left this first class a hot mess and collapsed in my car afterword, thankful that my debt had been paid and I didn't have to return and embarrass myself again. Low and behold, as I began pulling out of the parking lot I found myself calculating when I could return for my next class. I was completely and utterly hooked.

Seven months after practicing regularly life threw me a curveball. My youngest daughter had just left for college. I was dealing with an empty nest and some medical issues that had to be addressed. I felt great, had tons of energy and was in phenomenal shape thanks to my regular yoga practice. In October, I went to the hospital for some tests, fully expecting to get the dreaded phone call and cancer diagnosis based on my symptoms and medical history. I was not expecting to receive a call from my physician saying, "Congratulations you are healthy as a horse and pregnant." WHAT???!!! Ron and I had struggled with infertility for many years. It was our shameful secret and we had completely given up on having another child. Words cannot express my feelings upon receiving that call and I get all teary-eyed just thinking about it. Thanks to the support, encouragement and wonderful teachers at Inner Fire Yoga I kept up my regular yoga classes all the way up until my zen yoga baby, (Emma) was born. It was hands down, the easiest pregnancy and Emma was a sweet healthy baby. These rewards came from yoga. 

From that point forward I kept putting my mat down at Inner Fire Yoga, continuing to reap the mental and physical benefits of my regular practice thanks to the outstanding teachers and staff at IFY. The vibe of my tribe was awesome, family was fantastic, job was great, everything was good and life was on cruise control. 

Seven years after practicing regularly, life decided to throw another curveball. Hurricane Matthew hit Florida and the most divisive presidential election was underway. My family had to watch from thousands of miles away as our oldest daughter and grandson lost everything to this powerful storm. It was devastating and humbling to be so far away and unable to protect our family. For the first time in eight years I felt weak, my foundation was shaking and it was hard to find solace and strength in my yoga. During this same time, the D.C. political machine was in full swing and getting more hateful, violent and consuming with each passing day. I saw the kindest, most intelligent people I know become unrecognizable to me. I began avoiding, unfollowing, unfriending people to escape getting sucked into the negativity. Nothing felt safe or sacred anymore. It was everywhere and even showed up at yoga as well. My foundation crumbled and my yoga was broken. 

I decided to hit my 1,000-class mark and pull the plug on yoga altogether, maybe giving Zumba a try. So earlier this year I quietly hit the 1K goal, rolled up my mat and checked out of yoga. I found myself hitting the gym, running, biking, taking spin classes with the hopes of igniting another fire. I even cheated on IFY and tried another studio in town (gasp). These things couldn't hold a candle to one yoga class at Inner Fire Yoga. After a few months of pouting and boycotting my daughter told me I should get back to Inner Fire Yoga. This summer, with her voice in my head, I began my journey back to my mat and practice with a revived focus and outlook. My new goal is to forge a path forward together by recognizing, honoring and respecting the light in each other and finding something in common...even if it's just a great yoga class. 

So that's my story on finding yoga, losing yoga and coming back to my mat in the back row of the hot room at Inner Fire Yoga. This is where I share my space, practice and breath with new students, regular students and teachers watching our yoga stories unfold. 

As I push my way through my mid-forties, a life spent skateboarding and practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu combined with a detachment of observing the state my body was in, was catching up with me. After complaining to a good friend about chronic aches and pains he invited me to a Power Flow class at Inner Fire Yoga. That class simply re-engaged a yoga practice that had lain fallow since my mid-twenties. As I slowly started to address the aches and pains in my physical body on the mat, I began to realize that there were deeper issues that needed my attention. I began to address my lack of observing and caring for my physical self. Yoga taught me the importance of following the instruction of the teacher in the room, and more importantly, making an effort to be still and listen to the teacher inside of me. Those simple acts have made a profound impact. The last few months I have found myself drawn to the precision and cadence of the 26 and 2 Hot yoga classes. Recently my focus has been on the moments and space between the asanas; observing the impact that mindfulness in my practice on the mat, and how that affects the greater practice that is life. I am slowly learning that I have a choice and can choose to respond and not just react; both to the way I feel after standing bow (my personal nemesis pose) and to the things, large and small, that "trip my trigger" off the mat. I am deeply grateful for the community that is Inner Fire Yoga, to all those who practice and teach. It is a luxury to be able to practice alongside each of you. 

Jane: Rose and I took our first class at Inner Fire on January 1, 2012 as a New Year's Resolution to reduce stress and anxiety and we've been practicing regularly ever since. Our first class was a Hot Yoga class with Karen Rigsby and we both had to step out a few times because of nausea, but we persisted, finding our groove in the energetic and joyful 6:30pmPower Flow classes. In the past few years, I've gravitated toward mostly Inner Fire Flow classes. For me, this sequenced class is more meditative and the pace allows me to really settle into each pose. I feel calmer and stronger with each passing day. Steve started doing yoga a few years after we started. Whenever our schedules align - which is rare - we all three make it to the same class for what we call "family yoga". This summer, I completed the 200-hour summer intensive yoga teacher Training with Joan Bliefernicht. Wow. That experience really helped me deepen my practice even more. Among the many things I love about yoga is the way my practice keeps evolving. Inner Fire Yoga offers so many choices of classes, a variety of great teachers, and a dedicated community of yogis. With every class, I feel like I'm learning something new. I've started to practice six to seven times a week, mixing Inner Fire Flow and moderately paced Power Flow and it just never gets old! 

Rose: I started practicing at Inner Fire Yoga with my mom as a New Year's resolution nearly six years ago. After struggling with anxiety throughout high school and college, I turned to yoga to help cope with stress. I had taken sporadic yoga classes throughout Madison but had never found a studio, teacher, or community that felt comfortable. Although my first class at Inner Fire was tough -- I knew that something was different right away. Yoga at Inner Fire was not just about bending my body or reminding myself to breathe as my previous yoga experience was; this yoga felt like a full-body, soul-changing experience. Not only did I immediately fall in love with the enveloping heat in every class, but I felt welcomed into a community of teachers and yogis that I had never experienced before. Everyone was always so kind and welcoming and the wide variety of classes made it easy to add a regular yoga practice into my life. My practice continues to shift and change over the years. Some months I religiously attend evening Power Flow classes to get my heart rate up and other times I am more drawn to the quiet repetition of Inner Fire Flow. Regardless, through various job beginnings and endings, heartbreaking breakups, a grueling 2 years of graduate school, and overwhelming life milestones, Inner Fire Yoga has always been there, grounding my body and calming my mind. 

Steve: I'm a long-time runner and cyclist, and over the years my hips, lower back and legs were getting kind of tight and stiff. Jane once suggested that yoga would be helpful, but I did not like the yoga class that I tried somewhere - they were asking me to do things that my body just did not want to do. Jane and Rose had started practicing at Inner Fire Yoga and they loved it, so they suggested I give that a try, and it has been just right - the warm room, the choice of classes, the emphasis on doing what works for me and not having to force my body into some prescribed (and often painful) shape - it's just what I was looking for, and just what my aging body needs. 

My yoga practice has been my sanctuary and my center during a very chaotic time of my life. I began my practice as a way to counter balance weightlifting and running, but quickly found that a regular practice helped m

I started at Inner Fire in 2013 with a one month trial membership. I came with a friend from a workout class. We were curious. I had never practiced yoga and wasn't sure what a hot studio meant. My first ever yoga class was the Inner Fire Flow 75 with Dar. If you were there, I was the "you in the green top" and, needless to say, I learned quite a bit in that first class. I also learned to put my mat in the front of the room and, while focusing on the breath, I was also sending silent prayers for a periodic opening of the door. I went on to try and love more classes with Dar, and the rest of the amazing teachers. It did not take long and I was hooked: the heat, the breath, the postures, the balance, the alignment and, over time, the mindfulness of the practice. I wish I had known of this amazing life changing practice decades prior. And yet, it came upon me at just the right moment.  

I found yoga, or yoga found me, when I needed it most. Two years before I came to Inner Fire, my husband had died in a car accident. I was 4 months pregnant with our youngest daughter and had a three and one year old at home. Life as I knew it changed dramatically in a flash. When I discovered Inner Fire Yoga my daughters were 2, 4 and 6. Working to support us and solo parenting was hard; it still is. Enter yoga practice: A mindful practice, physically challenging and an incredible community of people -- life's burdens checked at the door and the luxury of time on my mat. Nothing else I had tried had quieted my mind and helped me regain focus, purpose and peace. I crave both the physical challenge and the mindfulness of the practice. Some days are more one than the other. It all keeps me coming back again and again. 

When not on my mat, I have a job I love -- overseeing the legal and government affairs for Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. I am proud to have my daughters see me passionate about a career I love and dedicated to a yoga practice I embrace in every way. Parenting, lawyering and lobbying are fantastically rewarding work, but also can be incredibly stressful. And so, I practice as regularly as possible. 

I come to Inner Fire to hear Hope say just the right things, in just the right voice and play all the right music; for Dar, Bonnie or Georgia to offer a jolt of empowerment; for Adrienne, Julie and Megan to encourage me to dig just a bit deeper -- in that way that nearly gets you to forgive the five more breaths in utkatasana. Lately, I have really taken to the beautiful physical and mindful learnings and challenge of Karen and Joan's practices. I show up and dedicate the 60 or 75 minutes to me first and then I smile to myself as I quietly dedicate my practice to my daughters. 

800 classes later and I am still up front just in case I can mindfully will the door to open for a moment. I practice regularly for me and for my daughters. I practice at Inner Fire Yoga for the amazing community of people who all seem to give out far, far more than they take. 

e be calmer, less reactive, and gentler. I take from my regular practice more than just physical strength, but the mental strength to let things be as they will be without pre-judgement. Inner Fire has been a home away from home.

I began practicing yoga nearly ten years ago in a tiny Iyengar studio on a whim with a friend. Since then I have practice yoga in four different countries, three languages and two main styles. I've found that despite the differences in form, the focus and clarity that a regular practice brings me has remained the same. Originally I started practicing just twice a week--as a supplement to other activities. Now I practice nearly every day and my other activities have become supplements to my yoga practice. When I find myself overwhelmed by my daily responsibilities I find myself returning to my breath to re-focus myself.

My yoga practice has been my sanctuary and my center during a very chaotic time of my life. I began my practice as a way to counter balance weightlifting and running, but quickly found that a regular practice helped me be calmer, less reactive, and gentler. I take from my regular practice more than just physical strength, but the mental strength to let things be as they will be without pre-judgement. Inner Fire has been a home away from home.

I began practicing yoga nearly ten years ago in a tiny Iyengar studio on a whim with a friend. Since then I have practice yoga in four different countries, three languages and two main styles. I've found that despite the differences in form, the focus and clarity that a regular practice brings me has remained the same. Originally I started practicing just twice a week--as a supplement to other activities. Now I practice nearly every day and my other activities have become supplements to my yoga practice. When I find myself overwhelmed by my daily responsibilities I find myself returning to my breath to re-focus myself.

Yoga has and will continue to save my life. Yoga is where I feel safe, free, back to my full self. Yoga is where I can set down the roles that I play the rest of the time. I can just "be" - I am fluid. Inner Fire Yoga is a community that offers sanctuary to me on a nearly daily basis. 

I have been practicing yoga for 13 years now. The last five years, I have been at Inner Fire Yoga and this is where my practice expanded into a lifestyle. For the first seven years of my practice, I practiced once or twice a week at the most. I still felt huge benefits of yoga, even practicing once in awhile (for those who practice once a week - it is still very worthwhile!). When I moved to Madison five years ago, I wonder what it might be like if I were to step up my yoga practice and make it more of a lifestyle than an occasional weekly class. I started going twice a week, then three times a week, then four times a week, then five times a week. Now my almost-daily practice sustains me. I am calmer and more flexible, on and off the mat. Off the mat, I am a professor at UW- Madison, a partner to my husband Mike, and a mom to two fabulous girls (ages 8 and 5). After making yoga a lifestyle, I am a better writer, thinker and teacher at work. At home, I am a better mom and a better partner (I have more energy and I am more peaceful and loving). My family sometimes sends me to yoga classes (they pack my mat and push me out the door sometimes) because they recognize that I am quite simply a better person when I come home.

What I love most about yoga is something I learned from one of my early teachers, Tataya Radtke. She said, "every day I remember, and every day I forget, and every day I remember." For me, yoga, on and off the mat, means that I may not always have every pose in a way that looks good in the mirror or to those around me, but if it feels good in my body it is the right pose for me. It may mean that some poses really don't fit my body very well and I may not ever present them in a way that looks very pretty. But regardless, when I step on the mat and I do yoga I am the expert of my body, I am the expert of my life, I find "The Person" who I have always been. That is all that matters. I challenge myself and try the poses that are difficult and I fall out of them, but it is not about the poses for me. It is about the daily practice of yoga-as-life, on and off the mat. And I am so grateful that Inner Fire Yoga has offered that to me. 

I can't believe it's been 8 years since I first walked into Inner Fire Yoga. I had recently moved to Madison and wanted something to get me exercising again. I figured yoga would help with the exercise and my golf game. I remember walking into the community hot yoga class and almost passing out. The room was packed and the temp was around 105. Even with the encouragement of the instructor, I needed to leave the room halfway through! Making sure that I was well hydrated for the next class, I somehow made it through a few more hot classes. Then I found out that there were more classes than the traditional hot classes and I took my first power flow class. After initially being concerned that I would be uncoordinated and inflexible, I fell in love with the class. Each instructor helped me learn more about each pose and with verbal cues and hands-on assists, I slowly became more adept at power flow. What's amazing about the classes is that I continue to learn. At first, all I wanted to do was to make it through the class without stopping. Then I wanted to power through each class. Then I slowly learned about the subtleties of each pose and the importance of breath and the interconnection between the two. I now take classes about 5 times a week and each class continues to be different. 

What is also amazing is the community of teachers and yogi at Inner Fire. Through my time at Inner Fire Yoga, I have had the pleasure of taking classes with many great instructors. There are too many to name, but each has provided me with insights into yoga and life in general. I've also have been inspired by many of the yogis in class. I'm always amazed at some of the more experienced and graceful practitioners as well as inspired by newer yogis progressing in their journey. Inner Fire Yoga has definitely changed my life for the positive and I plan on continuing practicing yoga for the rest of it. Unfortunately, although I have increased my flexibility, my golf game hasn't gotten any better.

I would never go to Inner Fire. It is too hot and too hard. Its teachers don't know what they are doing. It has an unfriendly atmosphere. They laugh at people like me, too old and too stiff. I can't take my phone into class. - Jim Doyle

APRIL FOOLS!! Two years ago Inner Fire Yoga's manager Michael Hoefferle wrote an April Fools' issue with a false student profile of me. Little did he know that I had actually been thinking of coming to Inner Fire for some time. Friends had been telling me what a good place it was and how it would help me. Like many men, I was intimidated. I didn't know how to get started. I thought I could never do it. So I took Michael's joke as a sign and a challenge and began coming to Inner Fire. I wish now that I had realized years earlier that there was no reason to be intimidated. Inner Fire met me at my beginner's level. 

I have now been practicing two or three times a week for two years. Under the patient tutelage of a great teacher Karen Rigsby, and the encouragement of those friends, I have slowly progressed from what I call "walrus yoga" to a slightly more elevated practice. I have realized all the benefits my friends told me about and more. Flexibility, strength, balance, breathing, endurance have vastly improved. Chronic lower back pain has largely disappeared. I have always been a pretty disciplined and determined person, and yoga has channeled those qualities in very positive direction. And it has certainly taught patience and humility. 

Like many others, I workout a lot. Yoga has become an integral part of my fitness program. I hear my yoga friends talk about how they find peace and relaxation in the practice. Frankly, while maybe I will get there someday, that's not me. I find the practice at Inner Fire with its heat and movement, to be a hard challenge and one that I appreciate more and more with each passing week.

In general, I've always had a hard time taking time for myself or my health. I used to scoff at the idea of hot yoga. I didn't understand why anyone would subject themselves to raised temperatures and exercise at the same time. A few years ago, my daughter convinced me to try an intro to yoga class one afternoon, "just to do something new together". Even though it was challenging, I left feeling calm and invigorated -- enough to try another class the next day! We started going a few times a week, and with each class, I gained a lot of confidence. Stress from my every day life melted away once I settled into a child's pose. 

When my daughter went back to school in the fall, I promised myself that I would try a heated class, worried that without a friend to go with, I'd again let life get in the way.I knew a new challenge is what I needed. I had heard about Inner Fire, and decided I would try at least one class. Stepping inside, I felt at home at once. The atmosphere was incredibly welcoming from the start. My first class, I had to leave my mat to avoid overexertion, but it led to the most amazing savasana. Even though it was hard, I kept coming back. I left each class extremely sweaty but satisfied, and each time, the poses got a little more manageable. I learned to leave my frustrations at the door and appreciate every breath from start to finish on my mat. Today, I love walking into class and catching up with the familiar faces around me. I notice my improved posture and a general inner calm I never had before. Thank you Inner Fire and the community of yogis for helping me help myself.

Hi there! I probably know many of you by face, if not by name, mostly just a quick "good morning", then onto my mat I go. Getting onto the mat and into the nice, warm room at Inner Fire Yoga is such a wonderful and peaceful place for me. It's in my nature to be constantly on the go; my partnership at Studio 924 Hair Designs (in my 28th year!), working full time and outside forces of great friends and family, all of which I love. I seem to never slow down, but coming to IFY, all the great unity with all of you and so many great teachers, the awesome warm space just fills me up with gratitude. Dedicating my practice every time to those that I can give strength and wellness to is profound, and it makes me forever thankful every single day. I can honestly say that I credit my yoga practice and dedication, on average five days a week, to the aforementioned.

Back in the mid 70's and moving to Madison, I joined Vic Tanny {any of you remember? :-)} aerobics and all the bright, funny, spandex. I was into aerobics, then I was onto the Princeton Club: swimming, body pump, and spinning, until one day (ten years ago), one of my spin Buddha's said "Janice, you have got to try this Bikram yoga thing." And so it began. (Thank you José.) In December of 2006 I joined Bikram of Madison (now IFY). I don't think I ever went back to the gym; the feeling of calmness and cleansing, flexibility, better posture, balance, strength, focus, more energy, (God forbid) lower stress, digestion, inner calmness, I could go on and on.

For years I practiced and practiced to get that pose, now I practice to keep the calm breath and just be. I feel it's always practice and I just love to see people of all ages and sizes join IFY, to reap the benefits of life that I feel. I've learned to appreciate so much, the boost of confidence and inner peace, we are all so different and so wonderful.

A huge thank you to Marit for the wonderful space and talented teachers (I love all the cues that get one into the poses). My favorites at this point are Inner Fire 75 and Hot, I love the heat and the pace. I think they both give one the chance to just be in every pose. Both are so detoxifying, while working different muscles. Hot pushes me, but yet calms me.

Life can be amazing, awful, painful, and then amazing again. Breathe in the amazing, hold in through the awful, then relax, and exhale. That's just living, soul healing, amazing and ordinary. Breathtakingly Beautiful.

May your head hang heavy, may your heart shine high.

During my freshman year of college, I broke myself. Physically, mentally, and spiritually. I allowed the state of my body - specifically, my back - to deteriorate to the point at which it could no longer support me, and rightly so. On New Year's Eve of 2014-15, it finally gave out. I spent the next three weeks writhing in agony, crippled by muscle spasms, scarcely able to pull myself out of the prison of my bed. I felt broken. Helpless. Hopeless. It felt like there was no end in sight. If this was to be the rest of my life, then it was not a life worth living. 

When I returned to school at the end of January, I knew that I had to make a change. My friend Chris brought me to my first yoga class, and for the first time in six months I felt GOOD. I felt in control of my back and my body, and not the other way around. I felt happy. I knew that I could never go back to the way things were. And so began a new chapter, wherein I made the enrichment of my mind, body, and spirit the center of my life. In September of 2015 I came to my first class at Inner Fire, and I haven't looked back. I hope one day to be an instructor, that I might facilitate the healing of those in dire need, as once I was. Thank you all so much for practicing alongside me each day. I look forward to seeing you in the New Year! Namaste.

I began a Yoga practice in 2009 while seeking relief from a chronic lower back pain coupled with 3-4 chiropractic visits per year. Working as construction pipe fitter for 15 years had taken its toll on my body.

I really loved the Hot practice but at that time, the Power classes moved too fast for me to keep up. This Hot practice fit me. I loved the complete body detox, peace, and calm I felt after each class. Thus began an on again/ off again practice for the next several years. 

Throughout the years I have always come back to Yoga. I feel so much better about life when I come to Inner Fire. The teachers, so many happy, uplifting Yogis, and the quality of the studio, keep me growing and healing.

This latest personal revolution cycle I have added many teachers and classes to my practice, including power flow. There has been so much improvement in my spirituality and my interactions with this world. I am much more present and focused in my daily activities. I have a much more positive outlook and intention and am happier and more content. I have also been feeling physically better than I have felt in many years. "Yoga fixes it". Whatever "it" is, bring it to the mat. I look forward to practicing with all the beautiful spirits here at Inner Fire and other studios around the world. I have not been back to the Chiropractor since 2009. I am very grateful to Yoga for this opportunity to share my story and the many other benefits that continue to reveal themselves.

Like most people, my yoga practice journey started as a means of physical stretching and stress reduction. Three years ago, as a new mother, I was not able to balance my roles as wife, mother, and student. I was also fighting both postpartum and my inherited tendency towards depression as I struggled with the shame and fear of not being good enough. It was my husband who suggested I practice yoga as a way of healing and intentional distraction. 

When I first stepped into Inner Fire Yoga, I felt there was something special about this studio. The heated room brought me a sense of warmth that reminded me of my hometown in China, and the collective practice reminded me I was not alone. After the first class of sweat, I felt rejuvenated and relieved. Since then I have been a regular practitioner at Inner Fire Yoga for the last three years. 

One thing that Inner Fire Yoga teachers have in common is their passion for teaching and heartfelt sharing of knowledge, both of which are the foundation of the great Inner Fire community. Because of their daily guidance, I started to realize yoga practice is equal parts physical and mental where my mind, postures, and concentration slowly come together. Instead of focusing on how the postures should be set up, I started to focus on my breathing; as a result, I slow down and can take a step back and reflect. Now I see that the yoga practice is an observation of life that helps me to accept myself not being perfect. I am becoming OK with wherever I am in my life because, life, like practicing yoga is not about reaching a destination, but more simply heading in the right direction. 

Thank you Inner Fire Yoga community and teachers, you help me to experience the physical, mental and spiritual benefits of yoga. I feel I have received new gifts of courage, compassion, and gratefulness. I feel calmer, more grounded and significantly less anxious. I have reconnected to my family and most importantly I feel truly comfortable with myself for the first time in my life. Thank you all.

I arrived at the studio for the first time in April of 2015 feeling broken and desperate for help. For years I've struggled with depression, anxiety, and body image issues, and I needed to heal from my stress, self-doubt, and past relationships. I'll never forget the relief and emotional release I felt after my first class.

I've been practicing regularly since September of 2015, and have since developed mental and physical balance, strength, patience, and discipline. The mind-body connection I tap into in my daily practice has positively affected my outlook in every area of my life. After I started practicing, I realized that caring too much about what other people think of me just isn't important, and criticizing myself for my shortcomings wouldn't get me anywhere. I stopped caring about the things that didn't matter - even things like the way my tummy folds over itself in a certain pose - that's my body twisting and releasing energy, that's me becoming stronger. I learned to do what feels good in my body and what's best for myself. 

I first started practicing yoga about a year and a half ago and it was the best decision I could have made for myself. I tried other forms of exercise at different gyms throughout the last ten years and not only did none of them stick, but I never really saw results. I would dread going to spinning or body pump classes and would constantly watch the clock excited for it to be over. I also tried out a few yoga classes at one of the big gyms in Madison and always wondered why I was not a fan. I now know that it was because it wasn't heated. I could never imagine going back to practicing yoga at a non-heated studio. When I discovered Inner Fire, I will admit the heat took some getting used to, but now I love it and wouldn't want it any other way. The instructors at Inner Fire are so great, and I honestly look forward to each and every class that I attend. I quickly discovered after joining Inner Fire that it became super easy to incorporate into my daily routine not only because of all the convenient times and class choices, but also because I know and can see how good it is for me. It's my must have thing. My thing that I HAVE to have in my life. 

For me, its also super fun to see my strength and flexibility increase as I get older. Is it weird to say that sometimes in class I impress myself? :) I get a little tickle of pride every time I do an arm balance, or a backbend. I'll secretly think to myself- 'I'm a 35 year old mom who can totally do a headstand. Yep. I'm slightly cool- if only to myself.' :) 

One huge thing that I've learned practicing yoga is the importance of breath and how it intertwines with mindfulness. This combo has carried over into my life in a huge way. I have learned throughout the last year and a half to be present in the moment, how to slow down, and how to be conscience and aware. This comes into play in a huge way in my job and with the time I spend with my husband and daughter. And I have Inner Fire to thank:)

[Ed. Note: Sarah takes many amazing pictures for us and is the co-owner and operator of Urban Anchor Photography.]

I first came to Inner Fire Yoga on the recommendation of a physical therapist after not having balance in my regular workout routine, and I have definitely found that here. Spending more time on my mat has taught me not to be frustrated with imperfection in my practice, but instead see it as unique expression and opportunity for growth. 

In living and traveling other places I have never been to a yoga studio with so many skilled teachers, I could easily name 7 or 8 favorites. It's truly amazing to go to any practice and know I am going to feel both challenged and refreshed. 

One of Inner Fire Yoga's greatest strengths is the community of friendship and encouragement here. I have met so many wonderful people that I love to practice alongside and have made Madison feel even more like home. Namaste yogis!

It has been over a decade since I walked into Inner Fire Yoga and had a life-changing experience...found one of the loves of my life...hot yoga. Here was a place where I could face myself head-on. The challenge of pushing & pulling, "dancing" with the forces of gravity, and having the heat to work in, were so incredible. I couldn't believe it! Having had a serious back situation, surgery, broken my 4th & 5th metatarsals, fractured my radius, a meniscus repair, over 120 stitches, nearly bleeding to death, an emergency hysterectomy, cancer, & other issues, I could & can fully participate! And I'm a grandmother, "Suesue", to boot!

It is awesome to be surrounded by such amazing fellow students, putting in such effort, focus, determination, breathing right through it. We often share experiences later of how we felt at the beginning of class, & the remarkable shift at the end. It has been a truly great way to begin the day, even at 6 am.
 

My heart goes out to the talented teachers, who often practice right along side of us, and offer their inventive cuing & inspiration, as we move & groove. Each teacher has a special way of creating a class that restores & motivates us to make this particular class our own, to modify or intensify, & that the body is new different every day. We get to listen to beautiful music playlists, and even teachers' peaceful singing right in the room.

What Inner Fire brings to the world is such a contrast & laboratory for life, so that you can practice your practice, & then find it easier to roll with the flow of the day, no matter what it brings you. I also love the way yoga opens up & heals the spine, helps with forward-head carriage, & revs up the core. It's quite amazing how strengthening & stretching these areas with the heat, has such influence on the body's posture. Love it!

It blends in so well with my own work as a Vitality Coach. I look at teach about the nervous system how to become more athletic & live a life of high quality. It is a study of that person's obstacles, physically, intellectually, spiritually, what they really want. Some of my students were diagnosed as autistic as children, and now are learning more about where they are in space & where their passions lie. Others want to create a more successful business or feel better in the work they do. It is quite something how some of the aspects of yoga fit in with studying you your possibility.

And all in all, Inner Fire makes me a better person, more loving, a better coach, more appreciative of the new day...more athletic, I am forever grateful. Thank you so very much to Marit, Michael, Kate, & all who make it such a wonderful place to practice hot yoga!

Sue recently started selling her energy bars at Inner Fire Yoga. They are so yummy! If you would like to learn more, check out this article Sue wrote about them.

I found Inner Fire Yoga at a very important point in my life and I am so thankful I did. To be honest it was a little bit of a fluke how I first began my practice here. I had recently moved from the far-east side into a new place with my fiancé. I am not new to the Madison area - I completed both my undergraduate and graduate education at UW (Go Badgers!) but it is definitely a different experience as a working professional. I was looking to get into a new exercise routine and was familiar with yoga (Mostly from Jillian Michaels DVD's which is SO embarrassing to admit). My best friend was visiting for the weekend and we were driving down University Avenue and she pointed out Inner Fire and asked if I had ever tried it. I signed up for the New Student Special that Monday and the rest is history! My first class was Power Flow with the lovely Miss Julie Logue and I thought I was going to die. *SPOILER ALERT* I did not die and was actually rather intrigued by the detoxification and total body workout I felt. Initially I became addicted the physical benefits - increased heart rate, sore muscles, extreme sweating, attempting new poses/balances, etc. Now I find myself looking forward to an occasional Slow Power class to wind down and concentrate more on my breathing and mind. 

Several months after joining Inner Fire Yoga my only sister was diagnosed with Lymphoma - the same type of cancer my mother passed away from when I was younger. To say that it was a shock to my system was an understatement. I attended my usual Power Flow with Julie that evening in silence and honestly cannot remember a single minute of practice. After a few days I felt comfortable opening up to my Inner Fire family about what was going on. They were attentive, supportive and genuinely concerned about what was going on. They surprised me with some wonderful gifts and continue to ask how she is doing with treatment today. I honestly don't know what I would have done without them and Inner Fire. My practice allowed me some time to simplify my world - just me, my mind, my body, my breath and my mat. I never struggle about what my dedication will be at the beginning of class. Yoga has helped me (a previously glass half-empty pessimist) to put out positivity, even in the seemingly worst circumstances and I am eternally grateful. That's not to say that my work is done. I will continue to work and confront the bodily and spiritual challenges that life brings. I am humbled every day by how much I still have to learn. As cliché as it sounds, "Life is a journey - Not a destination" and I am happy that Inner Fire and its wonderful community are with me on my journey!
Special thanks to my regular teachers Julie, Sandy and Adrienne!

Seven years ago, I was in a very intense space. I was raising three small children, I had started a new career as a counselor, my place of employment burned down (random, I know), and my beloved dog died. The inevitable stress turned me into a person I did not want to be. My usual calming routine of running that I had relied on for years was no longer providing the solace I needed, and my feelings of anxiety and depression were only made worse with daily aches and pains in my hips, knees and back. I had experimented with yoga a few years back and enjoyed it, but the thought of experiencing that same yoga in a heated room sounded perfect. I always loved running in high temperatures and thought hot yoga would be a lovely blend of silence and a physical challenge. With beach towel in hand, I showed up to a Community Class at Inner Fire on a Saturday, and am proud to say I stayed through the entire class. Shortly thereafter, I was a member and attending regularly.

Most days, I pick a class, find a spot under the heater, say a prayer, and breathe. I know my mind is elsewhere if I can't balance on one foot, and it still amazes me that focusing on my breath always brings me back to the present. I truly appreciate the teachers who encourage compassion and provide brilliant information about how creatively our bodies are made. And I have a special place in my heart for the teachers who offer me grace and a smile when I occasionally arrive late or leave early. I love the classes that are packed full of people - extra hot and humid. I appreciate the inspirational people of all ages who practice with me, particularly those who have lived longer than I, and those with the kinds of scars and tattoos that indicate a unique and possibly tough life. I love that my kids are impressed with my near 40-year-old splits and handstands, but am even happier that they see me take time for myself in a healthy way. There was a day when I received news that a client of mine had died. Filled with grief, I called my husband and said I needed yoga and, per usual, he said "go." Equipped with my 'just in case' yoga clothes in the car, I went to Inner Fire. As tears and sweat poured down my face, I felt so relieved and thankful to have a safe and effective space to step into and cope with my feelings.

Still, there are mornings I wake up with some anxiety about the day. The what-if's and to-do lists bring about a scatteredness that I sense will never go away. And yet, I feel confident that the heat burns off some of that extra angst and makes me a more "normal" person. I no longer use heating pads and ibuprofen, or beg for someone to massage the knots out of my back. I use the time on my mat to connect with my Faith, my values, and my feelings. And although I may never be the "calm" person I used to wish people would see me as, I will go through this life being the sensitive person I'm supposed to be. Full of feelings and intensity, and tearing up easily at all the brutiful (brutal and beautiful) life around me. Yoga at Inner Fire helped me accept that. Grateful, Lisa
 

I found Inner Fire Yoga when my daughter started taking lessons at 4 Lakes DrivingSchool next door. At that time I was in the process of looking for a yoga studio, so for a variety of reasons (convenience, need to heal some old injuries, attractive intro rate of $30 for the first month...maybe subconsciously I thought conscious breathing would help during our driving lessons on University avenue?), it seemed like a good time to get started.

Karen Erstad was my first instructor and I loved everything about her approach--verywelcoming, accessible, good cues on poses, not too much talking--but what she did say was a nice combination of humor and wisdom, and I always enjoyed her stories of how yoga connected to her everyday life.

In the beginning, some of the poses were, let's say, "aspirational", but I never felt like I didn't belong, and over the course of the last year I've tried most of the classes. I learn something worthwhile from every instructor. I guess I can call them all successes, if success is defined as survival with glacial progress, no significant injuries, and learning something about myself every day. My approach is Beginner's Mind meets Groundhog Day. Don't assume anything/start over every day, become a little more aware, and try to find some humor in the attempt. Keep breathing. I suppose I'd characterize my current state as "trying hard not to try too hard" and letting my breathing dictate how far a muscle will stretch, or how long a pose can last.

Yoga is one of my good habits, 3-5 times/week, usually Inner Fire Flow 75. It helps me have patience as I try to learn how to play the piano. My systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings are both 7 points lower than last year. Drinking lots of water keeps me regular and the intense sweating really helps my skin tone. Yoga helps me concentrate on just the present, losing the distracted parts of my mind and coming to my senses.  

When Erika approached me to be Inner Fire's February Yogi of the Month, I was excited, although I tried to keep my enthusiasm under wraps. Why I'm not sure! I guess I've been waiting to share my journey ever since I began to notice the inspiring stories of my fellow yogis on the plaques lining the walls of Inner Fire. When Erika, a former 5th grade student of mine from Shorewood Hills Elementary, asked, how could I resist?

At times, lying on my mat waiting for class to start, I'd practiced my "little speech." It always started, believe it or not, with "Yoga saved my life ..." It may sound like hyperbole, but starting yoga at Inner Fire saved me from something. From my undisciplined self? From my ageing self? From losing touch with myself? With yoga I felt centered and focused, and it allowed me to find resources within myself I didn't think I had.

Yet, it's been physically and mentally challenging. There have been times that I've turned left at the stoplight rather than right into the parking lot of Inner Fire. 'Not today,' I would say. Inevitably, I regretted those days but never a day I committed to my practice.

Initially, I treated hot yoga like a cardio workout! It reminded me of football two-days in high school; though I don't ever remember my high school coach shouting, "If you're too tired, just do child's pose, remember it's your practice." The physical aspect is still challenging: I may never "give my knee a little smooch," in Standing Split (though my Standing Moon pose has improved hundredfold). Now, however, the mental and spiritual aspects of yoga capture my imagination. When I dip into Warrior II, I feel it in my bones and muscles, in my mind and in my heart. At the end of the day, I own my yoga practice, and that knowledge or feeling brings with it a sense of personal satisfaction.

The fact that I can often find the reflection of my wife, Brenda, in the mirror at Inner Fire, practicing with me, winking or nodding in my direction, is especially gratifying. To the wonderful community of Inner Fire instructors, especially Karen, who share their positive energy with their yogis, thanks.

Admittedly, I did not fall in love with yoga after the first class. Saying that out loud makes me feel a little guilty. However, I have never cheated in this yoga relationship and always been with one yoga studio, Inner Fire Yoga of Madison. Several years ago, I purchased a 2 week package at the original, one-room, cozy, Inner Fire studio located at that time at the end of Blackhawk Ave near where I live, with the goal of trying 90 minutes of Bikram Hot Yoga. It was hard, nauseating, frustrating, disappointing, and simply, not possible. I quit without even finishing my 2 weeks and that was in the winter time when it was cold outside! My routine of running, biking, hiking, skiing, canoeing/kayaking, weight-lifting at the gym, and traveling continued; but, without yoga. 

Then, my sister-in-law, who I often went on trail runs with and who is 20 years younger than me, asked me to join her for a class at the new Inner Fire studio. Excited to tackle this challenge again, we stepped into another hot, nauseating, small room; however, my experience was different this time. I am not sure why: maybe I was more open, relaxed, focused, and positive, with a teacher that connected to me and awoke that curiosity. After that, I paid for a few classes before I really committed to the 90 day Hot Yoga challenge and completed it. That is the history of my yoga beginning and over 800 classes later, I am still hooked. 

Over the past years with a regular yoga practice, I can feel a transformation in that I am a better person to myself, family, friends, coworkers, and patients. For 16 years, I have been a small animal veterinarian (where I go by Dr. Laura Oxley) in a clinic environment, which can be very stressful with nervous, anxious pets and questioning, concerning owners; but, also frenetic staff that are working hard to please everyone, just like me. I enjoy what I do and am proud of the service I offer (at Healthy Pet Veterinary Clinic on the east side of Madison); however, I realize that I possess certain qualities NOW that I did not have before yoga. Patience, relaxation, acceptance, mindfulness, and awareness are all traits that I have garnered from practicing yoga. Primarily, I attend power flow and inner fire classes with some of my favorite teachers, Adrienne, Julie, Karen E. (hope she is doing well in Colorado), Georgia, and Sandra H; but, truthfully all of the teachers are unique, challenging, enjoyable, and offer me an opportunity to expand my yoga knowledge with each class. 

Although, it sounds like a cliche: Yoga has allowed me to explore myself, become empowered, confident, enjoy every day, and really understand what it means to be alive. There are days when I am tired, sore and just plain worn out; however, if I go to yoga I am able to leave all those negative feelings, thoughts, and pain behind. I still enjoy all those activities I mentioned above, except for a gym membership, and rejoice in the sense of community, self-worth, flexibility, and strength that Inner Fire Yoga offers. Thanks for being here and offering so much.

Tony D’Alessandro
November 2015

This photo, taken by Lauren Werner, which I call “Warrior 1 Triathlete,” displays the reasons I began my yoga practice at Inner Fire Yoga five years and nearly 900 classes ago. I will be honest, at first I focused only on the physical nature of yoga. I wanted to improve my triathlon performance by increasing strength, flexibility and balance. Inner Fire has more than delivered. This year I qualified for the half Ironman world championship in Austria and in 2014 I just missed qualifying for the full Ironman world championship in Kona, Hawaii. 

Depending on how I am feeling I will alternate my practice between power flow, inner fire flow and hot yoga classes. The variety of classes, instructors, students and yoga community at Inner Fire is unparalleled. Although I initially focused on the physicality of yoga, I have come to appreciate many other benefits. I have found myself becoming more mindful with a new sense of inner peace, equanimity, patience and tolerance.

While Inner Fire Yoga teacher Darlene Vanderhoop says I don’t have a Yin bone in my body, my future practice of yoga will be more restorative, adding a little Yin to my Yang. But first I have to qualify for Kona.

Lizzie Ryan
October 2015

I first began my yoga practice in January 2015 at Inner Fire Yoga. Deciding to begin a dedicated practice of yoga is certainly one of my greatest life decisions. I never would imagine that I would come this far since then or that yoga would become such a crucial and amazing part of my life! Before finding Inner Fire Yoga, I would practice yoga here and there, but never with the dedication that I do now. It was the heat, the tight-knit community and the welcoming teachers at Inner Fire that inspired me to stick with yoga as a daily practice. During my first class at Inner Fire, I knew I was hooked. Since then, it has certainly changed my life. I instantly began to feel the positive effects of yoga as soon as I began practicing. I quickly found increased flexibility, better balance and stress relief. However, the greatest benefits have taken more time. It has been a gradual process, but yoga has given me the gift of high self-confidence and increased mental clarity.

Throughout my journey, I have felt both my body and mind transform. It is a wonderful thing to one day find yourself in a pose that you never thought you would get, even the day before! I enjoy setting goals for myself through conquering poses; even the most basic poses can always be improved upon.

I use yoga as a way to find balance. If I am overflowing with energy and need a way to channel it, I choose a sculpt class. If I need rejuvenation — Power Flow, and for ultimate relaxation, Yin. Regardless of how I am feeling day to day, my day does not seem complete if yoga is not a part of it.

I am quite lucky to say I am now a part of the Inner Fire Team, working as a Sales Intern. I am thrilled to be working for a business that I have so much gratitude for.

Practicing yoga has taught me dedication in all aspects of my life — in fitness plans, in my studies at UW, in relationships with friends and family. I have had multiple friends tell me that ever since I began practicing that I radiate happiness. That is perhaps one of the greatest compliments I have received, and it’s certainly thanks to Inner Fire!

Eric Raimy
September 2015

I have been surrounded by Inner Fire Yoga for much longer than I have been practicing. I’m married to Bonnie and I have been privileged to watch her begin her practice, grow within her practice and become the excellent teacher that she is. In the meantime, I had taken a class once or twice a year for a while but never started a practice. In between having lower back issues and Bonnie telling me that I was beginning to be perpetually grumpy, I finally listened to her and began yoga last summer.

Starting a yoga practice for me began as a purely physical thing. Yoga is good for your lower back they said. Wow, it’s really hot in here, how am I not going to pass out? You want me to do what with my legs? Fortunately, I am fairly obstinate. I kept coming and kept listening to my excellent hot teachers: Hope Henley, Karen Rigsby, Lauren Werner and Dr. Ruddy.

Now that I have a regular practice, it is more about the meditative side. Yes, my lower back is better. I am more flexible and I can do that thing with my leg for the most part. There are still about four or five extra savasanas in my standing series. From the excellent teachers at Inner Fire Yoga, I learned that listening is about hearing the room, the ‘drop your hip’ instruction, the novel yogis, the experienced yogis and sometimes the music from the flow class next door. I find that the meditative side of my yoga practice has taught me to listen better to the world. I now hear new things all the time and that is why I continue my practice. I also laugh a lot more now. Namaste.

Judy Genin
August 2015

I first started my yoga practice over 10 years ago at the old studio, Bikram Yoga Madison on University Ave. I was overweight and was dealing with some health issues. I was soon hooked on the hot yoga and practiced, on average, five times a week. I loved it! I slowly lost the extra pounds and felt healthier than ever before. I went through the teacher training with Marit, Joan, and Karen Rigsby. I completed the training but never taught since I went back to school. I carried the knowledge and yoga principles over the past 10 years but rarely made it to the studio.

I recently retired after having spinal fusion surgery. I came back to Inner Fire Yoga shortly after my recovery from surgery. The regular practice has erased all back pain, and I feel like a new person. I so enjoy coming to the studio, and it warms my heart to just be around other yogis.

I decided in May that I wanted to share my practice of yoga with others and signed up for the Summer Intensive Teacher Training through the studio. I am starting my final week of training, and it has been the most rewarding experience I have ever had. The wealth of information from all the studio teachers has just made me want to know more and more. I am very excited to begin this new journey in my life and hope I can pass my love of yoga on to others as I continue my forever-evolving practice.

Jennifer Bosben
July 2015

The best way to start my little story of Inner Fire Yoga is with a huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to all of the wonderful teachers. Thank you, beautiful teachers, for your never-ending energy, patience, kindness, creativity, generosity and humor! Under the guidance and wisdom of these teachers, I’ve slowly morphed from a tippy, twitchy, flopping and dramatic running-from-the-room at triangle and, again at fixed-firm student, to someone who feels calm, centered, meditative and loves the heat.

I started attending hot yoga classes at Inner Fire Yoga in the spring of 2013. My lovely friend and yoga instructor, Hope, had been telling me to try out a class for a looooooong time. Hot yoga sounded not very appealing to me. My husband actually tried out Hope’s class first and came home telling me he KNEW I would love it. So, yes, I tried it, and yes m’am, I loved it. However, I was a big baby for many, many, many, months. I could not stay in that hot room, let alone focus in a pose. I was channeling my inner fainting goat. BUT, that Dr. Ruddy is pretty magical. During his 4pm Saturday sweat lodge I felt like he was talking to me when he said, “Don’t be so dramatic – it’s just yoga. It’s yoga practice, not yoga perfect.” Ah-ha. So I dropped my expectations (and tried hard to tackle and strangle to death my inner critic…still working on that) and began to focus inward and on my breath. Slowly things shifted and changed. Now Inner Fire Yoga is my sanctuary, my church, where I come to ground myself, wring the bad stuff out, and hopefully, connect to my fellow-yogis and all of humanity in a kinder, gentler way.

Kaitlyn Hetzel
June 2015

Once upon a time (2013) I began my yoga journey at Inner Fire Yoga. By no coincidence, my first class was taught by Ally Hrkac, a brand new yoga teacher and BFF (est. in 2008, in the Witte 606-A dorm­­­). It was in this first class where I found my second best friend, Savasana, and my new love of heated yoga.

Since then, I’ve learned I actually love the classes that push you hardest, like Sculpt or Julie Logue’s Power Flows. It’s typically my main source of exercise, especially in the winter months when I’m grumpy about how cold I am. It’s perfect for Wisconsin. In the summer of 2014, I was awarded with a scholarship to practice at Inner Fire Yoga (#ScholarshipAthlete). It was such a humbling experience for Inner Fire Yoga to allow me to practice, when financially I wasn’t able to sustain going to class as much as I wanted to. I will always be grateful to have received that opportunity. Today, I work at Inner Fire as a Yoga Advisor, checking fellow yogis into classes and snacking on the candy bowl.

I love yoga for a few reasons (none of which are chair pose, by the way). One of the main aspects I love about yoga is the sense of accomplishment after completing a class, learning a new pose, or balancing in half moon without falling on my neighbor. Some of these yoga moves can be pretty intense, and you feel so proud when you find yourself being able to do something you never could before. I think Inner Fire provides a good balance by encouraging you to “reach higher, burn brighter,” but if you’re not feelin’ so high ‘n’ bright today, that’s cool too. No one’s going to judge you. Your practice is your own, and you are the only judge of your progress.

I also love how yoga encourages you to ‘remove yourself’ from your day. It’s the only hour where I’m off the grid — no texting, sending emails, creeping on Facebook, or talking to Ally about her Tinder (don’t tell her I told you). It’s perfect for when you need to be alone with your thoughts and focus on yourself. At Inner Fire Yoga, you’re surrounded by people looking for that same escape from their day. You’re all in it (out of it?) together.

So, while I credit Ally for getting me started with yoga, it was Inner Fire Yoga and its community that kept me coming back after my first class. I really enjoy meeting everyone that’s a part of this community, and I’m so appreciative of everything they’ve taught me so far. I couldn’t imagine a better environment to grow in my yoga practice, and I’m so grateful that it’s been such a big part of my life.

Connie Bettin
May 2015

It’s simple, really. Inner Fire Yoga is my sanctuary. My get away from it all space. My time to breath, reflect, recharge, let go and grow. Like many, I ventured into yoga to lose those stubborn pounds that had become a permanent fixture over the years. I’d always been active and sporty, but time has a way of slowing the metabolism and storing extra layers like some ancient need to survive the coming of winter. Plus, I was nearing 50 and asked myself when exactly this journey into fitness was going to begin? I’d gone to the Bikram Studio on University years ago and learned it was now Inner Fire Yoga. So, off I went to a Saturday yoga class. Little did I know that both rooms would be filled to the brim with mats separated by mere inches. Trying to look like I knew what I was doing, I found a spot near the front. Not my game plan, but I told myself to enjoy and try not to fall over. And then it happened. Ninety glorious yoga minutes in a room full of sweaty yogis united by breath and movement. I felt fantastic! It wasn’t pretty, but who cared. I looked around a lot that morning for guidance and inspiration. Everyone seemed so happy. Happy to be at Inner Fire. Happy to be practicing yoga. Just, happy. It was a big yoga party and it was infectious. I fell in love with yoga that day and I knew I’d be back—695 more times to be exact. Now, I fully expected to reap the physical benefits of yoga and IFY did not disappoint. Crazy, challenging sequences (@Adrienne Leslie) have made me stronger and more flexible than ever before. I find myself in postures I never dreamed possible and the muffin top is (mostly) gone. What I did not expect, however, was the spiritual and emotional impact both on and off the mat.

For context, mine is a profession of service. I practiced and supervised clinical social work and family therapy for twenty-some years—guiding others toward change while seeing, feeling and absorbing the pain that is all too often the human experience. As a program manager for Dane County Human Services, I now run an AmeriCorps program with thirty-five millennials eager to serve their community. I teach, create systems, write grants, problem-solve and support members in any way possible so they in turn can help struggling students improve their educational outcomes. They’re amazing and make me proud every day. I love my work and have no regrets. But service professions take an emotional toll. They require giving of self until most days you’ve got nothing left to give yourself, let alone family or friends. So that magical Saturday years ago is when I found my respite. My sanctuary. A time to recharge and take care of myself. No phones, requests, problems to solve, issues to mend, needs to meet, just me and getting that leg up over my head or busting that arm balance for the first time. My time. My power. My peace. And it’s not just about that sacred time on the mat. It’s about the moments when an IFY teacher says something that resonates to your soul and changes you—fundamentally and completely. There was the time I walked into the studio righteously angered with a colleague in search of affirmation of my rightness. There was Julie at the desk greeting yogis as is her usual custom. Surely, Julie will affirm me. “Connie!! How’s it going?” I grumbled. She listened. As I’m walking to the changing room, she says, “…everyone’s a teacher.” Really?! I want sympathy and instead get some Zen side comment?!? Ok, whatever. But, “everyone’s a teacher, everyone’s a teacher” stayed with me through class.

What am I supposed to learn? What am I supposed to learn…about myself?! Hmmmm, got it. Yes, everyone, every moment, every event—hard or easy—teaches us something about ourselves. The frustration turned to contemplation. The need to be right turned to a desire to discover. I’m sure Julie does not remember this 30 second exchange, but it changed me and for that I’m grateful. Then there’s Dar. There isn’t a Darlene class where I don’t learn something about yoga, life, California, chakras, playfulness or myself—who knew my parents lived in my hips? Justin taught me that I can take yoga beyond what I thought possible and is just super cool. Recently, Hally started practice in Shavasana-who does that? BTW, I love Hally. She an advocate for justice, rides bikes for nachos, listens to Pat Benatar and writes the most hilarious, insightful yoga blog ever! So, while in Shavasana, she asks…”how do you feel about rest?” Rest? Well, I tend to fight it like I’m doing right now. This realization allowed me to let go in the moment and I’ve continued to ponder rest as something I need to embrace, not fight. And so the lessons go. It seems in every class, there’s a moment.

I fully recognized the profound impact yoga played in my life when I found myself taking deep, pranayama breath during the tough times. It now comes naturally. I hear Karen Erstad’s voice, “you are stronger than you know,” then take a deep, full breath and proceed to face with grace, calm and determination what life throws at me—and it’s thrown some curve balls, sinkers and high heat the past few years. But, everyone has something. I just hope they too find their way to a yoga mat for the respite and care it has brought to my life.

And so I bow to my IFY teachers and fellow yogis and say thank you and Namaste.

Joe Kolafa
March 2015

As a person who found a calling in very few sports growing up, discovering a passion for a physical practice like yoga in my 20’s was somewhat of a surprise. How gratifying that practice would become in my life was even more surprising to me. It was the physical aspects of the practice that initially spoke to me: the less haphazardly I found myself in the different poses, the more I found connection with the abilities of my body and my mind.

It should serve as testament to their wisdom that every Inner Fire Yoga instructor I’ve been privileged to take classes with has opened my eyes to wonderful new aspects of yoga. Teachers like Lanie McManus will always hold a special place in my heart for inviting me to explore a more healing, subtle body practice. They’ve led the life-affirming journey I’ve taken on my mat and empowered me to embrace change, love, and the purpose of it all.

I feel fortunate and grateful to share my practice with such a fun, dynamic community. I’m also continually inspired by the spirit of outreach at Inner Fire Yoga and would someday like to share the gifts I’ve received here with incarcerated and other traditionally underserved populations.

Arati Shrestha
March 2015

Yoga has been my life saver. Before yoga, I loved to do heavy work-outs as I was more conscious about my weight and building muscles. Weight lifting and running had always been my choice of exercise, but doing them repeatedly began to hurt my upper back. Ultimately, I lost hope in achieving a fit and active lifestyle. Not only that, but being a full-time hair stylist put a lot of pressure on my neck and shoulders. Finding my way to be healthy and active again, I decided to try yoga. I got a lot of feedback about yoga saying that my neck pain may get worse if it is not done properly, but after seeing the dedication from Gurus, all fears and pain were out the door. The Inner Fire Yoga instructors are so helpful with teaching me ways to cure my stress and pains. I have truly found my home. If I can’t make it to a class I feel like something is missing from my day. Sometimes after class it’s as if I am leaving my massage therapist appointment!

The instructors at Inner Fire Yoga are my motivators in life. They make me feel like I am being taken care of. I am also so glad I introduced yoga to my family. They have really enjoyed being part of the Inner Fire Yoga community and spreading the yogi love. All my favorite things are now in one place! My yoga and my family! Inner Fire Yoga is such a welcoming environment, filled with lovely people. I cherish every moment I spend there. My favorite part of yoga is the savasana at the end, accompanied with the beautiful songs and chants the instructors sing for us. I’ve found my home!

Bill Kokott
February 2015

Golf has always been a part of my life. After several years playing tournament golf on the North Florida PGA Tour and having competed in several PGA Tour events, my focus turned to teaching others to play the game. A student of mine was taking yoga classes and convinced me to try it. I came to Inner Fire Yoga to take the introductory month so I could tell my golf students that I was familiar with yoga and that it would be good for them. Well, that was over three years ago and yoga became a frequent practice for me.

I have benefitted greatly from the classes and workshops at Inner Fire, both professionally and personally. As a coach of the Men’s Golf team at Madison College, and instructor of junior golf in the First Tee program, much of the yoga wisdom has given me a new perspective. Such concepts as staying in the present, letting go of outcome, and not being afraid to fall, have their equivalents in golf too. Yoga has given me new insights, a different frame of reference, and respect for a student’s limitations. It has made me a more effective teacher and coach.

Swinging a golf club from the same side all my life and bending over a golf ball through many years of practice left me with muscle imbalances and occasional back problems. After a year practicing yoga and learning to love every twist and upward facing dog, the back pains have largely disappeared. I know flexibility has increased in some ways but those over use imbalances are still a work in progress. I attended a five-week Yoga Bootcamp instructed by Karen two years ago, and a component of the workshop was more mindful nutrition. We were asked to keep a daily journal of what we were eating and to attend a weekly meeting to discuss our findings. It also involved the difficult task avoiding fast food, but I have kept that as a rule of mine today. As a result I am about twelve pounds lighter and feel much better.

I am especially grateful and feel very fortunate to have had such a fine staff of instructors to learn from at Inner Fire Yoga. There is always a welcoming, positive, and encouraging environment in class. I also have come to appreciate how motivating the simple phrases heard in class are, like “stay with it,” “you can do it,” or just the word “nice”, when I so badly want to get out of pose. I truly enjoy coming to yoga and being part of a room full of people, each for their own reasons, trying to better themselves. It makes me feel that I am in the right place.

Allie Dienger
January 2015

When I first walked into Inner Fire Yoga I discovered a passion that had been in and out of hibernation. As a lifelong student committed to growth, yoga has been a mirror for me, a lens offering new perspectives. Throughout my practice, I am continually learning. I love the way a yoga class can call for a personal transformation, a personal shift to gratitude. Yoga serves as a constant reminder that we are all unique human beings meant to believe in miracles. I love walking through the door of Inner Fire Yoga because I so often feel that my whole being can exhale and just let life be. I do my best to show up as myself, unguarded, and ready to learn. Ready to breathe. Ready to sweat. But most of all, ready to smile.

Once I started on the yoga path, I wanted to share its abundance. Slums. Love. Poverty. Children. Sickness. Connection. Homelessness. I signed up to be a part of the Africa Yoga Project. Traveling to Kenya, Africa I completed my 200 RYT. Teacher Training at the Shine Center in Nairobi was where I learned to treasure life’s simply joys. I’ve been blessed with opportunities to teach yoga throughout Kenya’s slums, jails, community centers, and at a deaf school. These experiences taught me to expect the unexpected.

I am beyond grateful for the teachers at Inner Fire Yoga that have guided me, helped me clear my mind and embrace the present moment. Each teacher at Inner Fire Yoga has touched my heart in a unique way and inspired me to continue on this beautiful journey that began with one single step onto a mat.

Sue Massey
December 2014

I discovered Inner Fire Yoga a couple years ago. I am now a yogi lifer.

My practice is very personal. I love the flexible schedule at Inner Fire Yoga. It works really well with my crazy, busy calendar. Sometimes I feel like taking a Slow Flow class, and other times I am into a Power, Yin, or an Inner Fire Flow class. I love switching them up. I can dial-up the class depending upon where I am on that particular day. I love the variety of techniques taught by all of the teachers. It keeps class really interesting: there is something new to learn every day. I love the feeling of community at Inner Fire Yoga. For most of my life, I have battled an eating disorder. Inner Fire Yoga has helped me to release stress on my mat. It has felt like a healing miracle. I have never been so happy, so at peace within, so spiritually connected. In fact, I am so devoted to the Inner Fire Yoga community, I wrote about it in my recently released memoir, Letter From the Heart. Inner Fire Yoga will always hold a special place in my heart. The studio warms me through and through. And for a near non-sweater, nothing feels sweeter than to sweat in a yoga class.

Marisa Roembke
November 2014

I started doing Hot Yoga very intermittently 10 years ago. I can’t remember my initial interest, but was definitely drawn to the heat. I wish I had a story of spiritual enlightenment or an instant passion but I didn’t. Prior to the last year or so, I had never practiced yoga for more than a few months at a time for whatever reason; work, family, time. I have gone to different hot yoga studios in Madison, Tempe, AZ and San Luis Obispo, CA. We moved back to Madison in 2010 and I eventually found my way to Inner Fire Yoga. I started practicing at Inner Fire Yoga because it was convenient from work and home. I sit at a desk all day long and was searching for an activity that I could do regularly. I found was out of shape and stressed with work. I wasn’t finding the connection at the different gyms I was going to. I again started yoga intermittently, but with frequent excuses. Then I developed hip pain and was sent to physical therapy and soon I realized I could accomplish some of the same therapy through yoga. I knew I needed regular practice. I started going regularly, started feeling better and suddenly I was hooked. That was over a year ago and I have been committed ever since.

I started doing only Hot Yoga. My work and family schedules change often so I have the opportunity to benefit from different instructors. I love going to different instructors because I learn different things from their different cues. My greatest accomplishment is in Triangle Pose. I used to feel a sense of dread when it was time to do the pose. It is still a work in progress, but I have made great strides. My nemesis pose: Standing Head to Knee. I try to approach it head on. My favorite poses: Half Moon, Forward Fold and Tortoise. They just feel good. Standing Bow is the most beautiful pose and someday I will be able to hold it the entire time. I also love it whenever I get an assist in class.

I have recently started to incorporate Yin into my practice. I now want to step out of my comfort zone and try the Inner Fire Flow classes since it follows a set sequence and incorporates many of the classic Hot Yoga poses. I feel strong when I do yoga, I have increased confidence and a general sense of calm. It is not just the superior instructors at Inner Fire Yoga, but the welcoming community that make it such a great place. I’m always happy to see friendly faces in class that share the same passion as I do. I like that I can call myself a yogi.

Kate Mroczynski 
October 2014

I am honored to be chosen for the Inner Fire Yoga student spotlight. I started practicing yoga a year ago when a professor from my program challenged our class to make a lifestyle change. She wanted us to make a change in our life, big or small, and practice it every day for one month. This experience helped us gain perspective into how it might feel when we, as therapists, ask a client to make a change in their life. I am currently a student in the Master’s of Occupational Therapy program at UW-Madison. For those who have not heard of occupational therapy (OT) before, the profession helps people throughout the lifespan participate in meaningful occupations/activities that they need or want to do through various interventions. OT looks at individuals through a holistic lens; emphasizing wellness, prevention, and life balance. OTs can work in school settings, hospitals, or clinics and are usually on teams with physical therapists and speech and language pathologists.

Upon starting the OT program, I was feeling overwhelmed and experiencing a great deal of stress as our program began with an intensive anatomy course and cadaver lab. I attended UW-Madison as an undergraduate and was very familiar with the campus; however, I found it difficult to adjust to graduate life. I was not sleeping well at night and tried multiple relaxation techniques. I knew I needed to make a change in my life if I was going to successfully make it through the program. To be a successful therapist, I first had to balance my life before I could assist others. Inner Fire Yoga opened a campus location in the Lucky building around the same time my professor challenged us to make a lifestyle change. I did not know very much about hot yoga, however a couple of my friends practiced regularly and encouraged me to go. I decided to challenge myse lf to workout daily, but wanted to spice up my workout routine which consisted of the treadmill and elliptical. Inner Fire Yoga was the perfect alternative and with its $30 Intro Offer, this one month trial allowed my to try the studio without having to commit to a membership right away.

I was nervous for my first class as I walked in the heated room at campus and felt like I could barely breathe. I thought, “How am I going to workout, when I can barely just sit here?” I did not raise my hand when the instructor asked if it was anybody’s first class. I did not want to be judged by everyone else in the class who I was sure was extremely experienced. I thought, “Alright I can do this. I’ve played competitive sports my whole life. It’s go time.” My one goal was to not leave the room and I did not, so I was quite proud of myself. I have been hooked ever since that first class at the campus studio. The benefits I have gained from a regular practice have been abundant and my life has changed for the better in ways I could not have imagined. I love practicing yoga, not only for the physical workout, but also the spiritual aspect. When I practice for an hour a day, I feel like I can truly breathe and let go. All of the teachers at Inner Fire Yoga create a safe and welcoming environment where mistakes are accepted. I love to learn new things and I sincerely appreciate the supportive and encouraging atmosphere. Trying new arm balances is my absolute favorite and I have been working on perfecting my headstands. As a student in a professional graduate program, the level of academia and research can be intimidating. I find Inner Fire Yoga to be a place where I can escape the competition of academics and where I can calm my mind. I will graduate from my occupational therapy program in May, and hope to offer what I have learned at Inner Fire Yoga to clients who may have anxiety or need life balance. I plan on getting certified as a yoga instructor so I will be able to incorporate yoga and life balance into my career as an occupational therapist. If I can help one person feel more balanced in their life and find the same peace I have found through yoga, I will feel successful in my career and as a person.

Thank you Inner Fire Yoga staff and community!

Susan Conaway
September 2014

Wow! It is an honor and a privilege to open my heart in a different way to all of you at Inner Fire Yoga. You may not know me, but may have seen me in the yoga studio standing on my ‘sunshine’ mat, wearing my favorite purple top, and, most likely, in a hot spot as I begin my practice of the 26 postures. Depending on the day, I may be serious and quiet, smiley and inviting, high energy and sweating buckets, or simply open hearted and focused on my breath. Most of all, as I begin each class, I am grateful to be present among all of the amazing mentors who have guided and encouraged me to unfold a new path of self-healing and self-awareness: body, mind, and spirit.

I came to Inner Fire Yoga in May 2009. A friend wanted to celebrate my college graduation and the beginning of a new career with me. She thought we could begin our day with hot yoga, have lunch on Monroe street, and then browse some of the fun shops! That celebration was the beginning of this beautiful journey.

Inner Fire Yoga was recommended to me in 2007 by my naturopathic doctor (‘Dr. Jill’ in Janesville where I currently live and work). She had written a prescription for yoga to be a part of a suggested course of healing while I was working in a high stress management position, attending school and snacking on diet coke and jelly beans. She said, “Go to Marit’s Inner Fire Yoga studio on University Avenue. It will be your alchemy!”

Finally, with my friend, I showed up on my yoga mat. The heat was crazy! I looked at my friend and said, “I don’t think I’m going to be able to do this.” She replied, “Lay down on your mat and just breathe!” Dar was my teacher that day with her lovingly sarcastic welcome and beautiful smile. I had read her bio and was excited because our ages were just a few years apart. She had been instructing and practicing yoga for many years and was one of Bikram’s early students. I had a few concerns with that first yoga practice. I knew I was not ‘bendy,’ but felt comfortable knowing that this was a beginner’s class. It was a challenge to look into the mirrors for 90 minutes, but I knew that this could be a means to practice kindness to myself. Finally, after years of competitive athletics, my knees were in need of healing. This first hot yoga class was the beginning of a beautiful adventure for me.

After practicing hot yoga for five years at Inner Fire Yoga and traveling to various Bikram studios in my spare time, this journey has continued to unfold. To those that do not practice yoga, I tell them that I have lost body fat, improved how I feed my body, increased strength, increased flexibility, improved balance, decreased negative attitudes, increased kindness, and learned how to live a calm, low stress, and joyful life. To my fellow yogis and amazing instructors, I do not have to explain the benefits of a consistent yoga practice. We show up on our mats, breathe in harmony, and enjoy the playful present moment. YOGI’S JUST KNOW!

Shannon Smith
July 2014

Our family moved to Madison in August of 2009 and prior to that, I’m not sure if I’d ever even heard of Hot Yoga. My only exposure to yoga had been a DVD that someone suggested when I was nine months pregnant with our last child and miserable with back pain. The DVD started with Child’s Pose, so that’s as far as I got. It was pure bliss. I thought, why bother with all that stretchy nonsense? I’d found what I needed from that yoga stuff.   Fast forward about a year and one of my new Madison friends told me I should try hot yoga at Inner Fire Yoga. What she really meant to say was, “YOU NEED YOGA! YOU’RE DRIVING YOURSELF CRAZY!” When I asked exactly what hot yoga involved, she said “It’s yoga in a hot, humid room and it feels really good.” Well, I practically shouted, “No way!” as emphatically as only someone with naturally curly hair would understand. In my mind, yoga was only for little old ladies, celebrities and people too lazy to run, right? I had never been lazy a day in my life. For me, even from a young age, life was a flurry of constant movement. I was always trying to be the best student, then later, the best wife, mom, doctor, daughter, friend, cook and housekeeper and there was no time for laziness. At that time, our children were 2, 4, 6, and 7 and I was working hard to build up my new medical practice. I woke before dawn, not because of an alarm, but because my mind was in panic mode all the time: Don’t let up! Don’t relax! Keep moving forward! All of this fuss and energy really wasn’t quite as noble as it sounded. I had something to prove (to myself and anyone watching): that I could do it all and do it all well. Look at me! I’ve succeeded where those before me have failed! I felt that if I backed off, or eased up, everything would fall apart, so I kept moving and pushing and kept checking things off my endless list of thing to do. In truth, I was a hot mess. I had a lot of annoying headaches and muscle tension in my neck and was often short tempered, especially with my kids.   I’ve always been physically active however, aside from gymnastics when I was little, there was no exercise that I really loved. For me, exercise was always about losing weight or maintaining weight or doing penance for what I had just eaten. So on Thanksgiving Day of 2010, while visiting friends in Chicago, my husband suggested a hot yoga class. I wasn’t as quick to dismiss him because he’d said the magic words, ”You’ll burn a ton of calories” which was precisely what I needed to hear before I stuffed my gullet full of all of my favorite foods. Well, I didn’t die in the class, and that’s saying something. The studio was no Inner Fire Yoga, but it sure felt good to stretch my muscles that were tight from so many years of running, stair climbing, weight lifting and elliptical training.

I returned to Madison and went to a hot class (alone, so as not to embarrass myself) and tucked myself safely in the back of the room. I tried hard not to look at myself in the mirror and hoped no one else could see me either, with my loving bulges from my all my babies I was about as graceful as a Mack truck. I approached Hot Yoga with the same vigor I attack anything I really like and promptly did four days in a row which ended up with me in Urgent Care for IV fluids.

Trying to be a super mommy and wife, I naturally felt guilty for taking time away from my family, so the 6 a.m. classes became perfect for my sleepless schedule. I loved that I was briefly unreachable on my sacred little rectangular mat. There was no one to need me, to spill on me, to call me, text me, or mommy me. There I was with sweet David and his “ten points of pressure” and Ken who, in our home, became affectionately known as my “yoga husband” as he helped me to learn the basics and the lingo while gently erasing my skepticism about yoga.

I remember with vivid clarity being in Karen Erstad’s class for the first time. She had us do a straddle forward fold with our hands clasped behind our backs and she said to fold forward and “be gentle with yourself and let all of your burdens fall off your shoulders.” I immediately started to cry. That was the moment at which I began to “unravel” and gain insight into understanding that I was so busy taking care of everyone else, that I was chipping away at myself in the process. The concept of being gentle with oneself was completely foreign to me. Always pushing, working harder, never easing up, relentlessly people pleasing and hating my body: my healthy body that birthed four healthy, wonderful kids and had run a marathon! Who knew that along with gallons of sweat, I’d also shed some of the weight I was carrying on shoulders and heart? I started my yoga journey as a means to burn calories for goodness sake and instead, I learned about forgiveness and peace and breathing in life instead of check-boxing my way through it. In my adult life, I’ve always been very conscious of how lucky I am, but I am now so much more grateful for the moment, in the moment. When I stand in Tree Pose and I lift my arms and raise my gaze to the heavens, I say “Thank you for my life.” I’m keenly aware of the luxury of being able to practice yoga. I’m thankful that I have a loving and supportive husband and kids that celebrate my every new posture and arm balance. Thankful that I was born in this country with all of its riches and abundance. Life is good and I’m a better person because of all that I’ve learned on my mat. I’ve done enough yoga to know that the postures have very little to do with the magic of yoga. The magic that slowly and subtly creeps into every aspect of one’s life. It’s been a long process for me and though my life is certainly no less busy, it feels less crazy. I am stronger and healthier in my body and mind. I will never be a size 2, or 4, or 6 and I no longer care. I am no longer a people pleaser. When all is said and done, I want my husband and children to be proud of me and I want to be proud of the life I’ve lived.

I know that Inner Fire Yoga is a special place. My husband Jeremy knows it, too. When I was ranting and raving about how awful the winter was and how I was going to pack it up and move to Mexico, he smiled and said, “I know we’ll never leave here. You could never leave Inner Fire Yoga.” He’s right. He has been my single biggest supporter throughout my entire life and he has never once batted an eye about my time on my mat. I look forward to the day when we can practice together without having to get a babysitter! It used to take me a good thirty minutes to unwind when I went to class. Now, all I have to do is open the door, hear Julie’s laugh (unmistakable and straight from her soul) and I let go of the pressures of the day. Her music and jokes, challenging sequences and the lovely way she doesn’t take herself too seriously have me coming back again and again. I have to give a shout out to Hally, too. Her beautiful soul, grace, strength and amazing voice have moved me to tears more than a few times. I swear I’m going to show up one day in an “I heart Hally” t-shirt. Adrienne has inspired me to try Peacock Pose and is the single most radiant ray of sunshine I’ve ever met. Michael’s dry sense of humor is hilarious and I always leave his class having learned something new. Lanie is my fellow naturally curly haired yogi, I so enjoy her Saturday class. I love Karen E. in spite of horse pose. I love her words of wisdom and shared stories about motherhood. I thank Marit with all of the gratitude in my heart, for having the vision of Inner Fire Yoga and filling it with only the most outstanding teachers that I now call friends. A lot of people go through a mid-life crisis, but at 43, I feel like I’m just now hitting my stride and living my life the way I was meant to live it. With gratitude, peace, presence of mind and a little less coffee, than I had before. Namaste.

Karl Harter
June 2014

Most of my life I’ve been in pursuit of movement: basketball, baseball, football, running, rugby, biking. I was always in motion. Running became a passion for me. Wherever I was I ran: New Jersey, New Haven, New Glarus, New Orleans. I even ran a marathon in Yonkers, New York during the Summer of Sam. My wife Christina became my favorite running partner, but after two hip replacements my running days ended and we looked for another exercise activity we could do together.

She suggested yoga. I had just read an article on the Bikram Yoga craze and it sounded agonizingly fun. On a whim, we wandered into Inner Fire Yoga. Over the years I had dabbled in yoga, stumbling into a few asanas at the Mound Street Yoga Center in the late 70’s as a prelude to studying zen meditation. I was even fortunate enough to sneak into a couple classes taught by BKS Iyengar in Pune, India in 1986. I was intrigued, but never hooked. So I kept at my usual routine: running, playing basketball and lifting weights. I was happy, endorphin-enriched and oblivious! However, life pushes us in unexpected directions. Nicked and dented by a pernicious cancer, I was forced to confront my vulnerabilities and my mortality. I was forced to find new ways, or old ways, really, to keep my mind and body up to the tasks and the blessings that each day presents.

I came to Inner Fire Yoga in 2009 because of the heat. I stayed because of the people. Dar was the teacher that very first day, and, as we say in NJ where I grew up, she is a piece of work: a rambunctious yogi diva, wise and witty and maybe a little bit divine. It wasn’t just Dar though. When I undid my eyepatch and stood stiff as a car hood ornament on my mat (Dar’s words, not mine) nobody blinked or snickered, or maybe even noticed.

I was just another body slick with sweat, attempting the impossible, trying to do a perfect standing bow pose, Dandayamana Dhanurasana. In time I discovered that Inner Fire Yoga held more gems than just Darlene. I almost popped out of savasana and started dancing the frug the day Dr. Ruddy sang “Under the Boardwalk” at the end of class. With my third eye closed I can see beatific Amy R. filling the room with her infectious bliss and gentle prodding. The feisty, tough love Erinn who can’t hide that she cares, as she breaks out the birthday popsicle treats after class. Adrienne is all amped up, glissading between the mats on Sunday chanting to Shiva and Vishnu for divine permission to kick my sorry ass. Sage Lauren is always mixing dialogue with wonderful childhood stories, and Hope has her soft voice and kindness. Karen has her humor and her readings and talk of letting go.

It’s not just the teachers, it’s the yogis too. Like bad boy Randy who is mischief on a yoga mat; steady in his faith and the two minute shower. Mary diligently staking out her same holy spot with her mat and her perseverance, and Amy H. with her sparkly shoes and big heart, the guardian angel of the place. Ryel is so serene as she glides ho-hum into another perfect pose that will take me two lifetimes and comic book superhero powers to achieve. Then there’s Brooklyn Jenni with her headbands and that sly, “here we go again” smile, and old friend Richard who is steadfast in the corner. The crew at the counter are always chattering, nattering, and dispensing good vibes like bite-size candy.

Inner Fire is more than a place to practice yoga. Inner Fire is a community of people who care, who connect through the beauty of asana, through the dichotomy of movement and stillness, and the joy of pushing past pain to catch a glimpse of something inside. In the search for ourselves we find our commonality with others who strive as we strive. And so I practice the poses, I sweat and strive, but no one will ever accuse me of being a nascent yogi. When the teacher beckons our minds be quiet, devoid of thought, free of illusion, my brain is singing “London Calling” by the Clash. If you see someone dancing on his mat, it’s me. I’m the scruffy grey haired, one-eyed hippie stoner boy in the back row, wobbling, tilting, tottering my way through things I may never understand, like Dandayamana Dhanurasana.

The Tullis Family
May 2014

From left: Gavin, Tim, Paige, Mary.Tim Tullis

1. Who was the first to come to Inner Fire Yoga?
Wish I could say I thought of it, but Mary and Paige were the first to start yoga.
They talked so much about how they loved the poses and teachers that a few months later I gave it a try. Uncharacteristically of the two, I found that they weren’t exaggerating and soon I was totally hooked. Then, finally, after four years of listening to Mary, Paige and me talk about yoga and share poses and tips, Gavin gave it a try just a few months ago.

2. Has yoga changed you personally in any way, if so how? Yoga has definitely had a positive effect on my life. In short, I feel from both a mental and physical aspect, that it has made me a more balanced, agile and stronger person. Most importantly, yoga has taught me to strive to be in the moment, and when I can’t, then to breathe.

3. How has practicing together impacted your relationship with one another? We have always been a close family, and practicing yoga together has only made us more so. Yoga has been a great environment for us to watch and help each other experiment and take chances with new poses and ideas.

Favorite Pose: Crow into Handstand 

Gavin Tullis

1. How did each of you decide to try yoga at IFY? Despite the fact that my Mom, Dad, and sister practiced yoga at IFY and loved it, I stubbornly avoided trying it. It seemed like every week someone in my family tried to persuade me to come to a class. Each time I refused, until last November. The mix of cold weather, the fact that I was getting sick of my running/weight-lifting exercise routine, and my recent exploration with meditation finally convinced me to get over my fear of the unknown and come to a class. My first class was a Power Flow with Lanie and I was pretty much hooked from then on.

2. Has yoga changed you personally in any way, if so how? Yoga has changed me in several ways. After yoga, I feel more open and comfortable in my own skin. Sweating and struggling through difficult poses next to complete strangers has taught me to feel less self-conscious and afraid of failure. Moreover, yoga helps me become a calmer more mindful person. I am better at focusing and living in the moment, rather than getting run over by my own thoughts.

3. How has practicing together impacted your relationship with one another? I think practicing yoga with my family grounds me. I am lucky to have a close relationship with my parents and sister, but sometimes I take this relationship for granted. Doing yoga with them reminds me of how much my family supports me.

4. Has yoga helped you get through any difficult times? This might not seem like “difficult times” to most seasoned adults, but yoga has helped me deal with the anxiety and stress of being a recent college graduate. The mindfulness and breathing techniques of yoga have helped me view my challenges more positively. I actually credit yoga with reducing my anxiety when I interviewed for and started my first job!

Favorite Pose: Wheel

Paige Tullis

1. Has yoga changed you personally in any way, if so how? Yoga has taught me how to breathe through stressful situations. I’ve found it easier to roll with the punches of everyday life and stay patient.

2. How has practicing together impacted your relationship with one another? Practicing yoga at Inner Fire gives us more of an opportunity to spend time with each other at the end of the day. We all have rather different schedules, so it’s nice to be able to take a breather together.

3. Has yoga helped you get through any difficult times? I would just like to say that Inner Fire Yoga has given me a whole new community outside of school and home. It’s wonderful to have somewhere to go after school and unwind with a bunch of amazing and kind people.

Favorite Pose: Dancer’s Pose. 

Mary Tullis

1.Who was the first to come to Inner Fire Yoga and how did each of you decide to try yoga at IFY? Paige wanted to exercise with me but didn’t care for running which I was mostly doing at the time. I had experienced a few yoga classes through work, so I suggested we try yoga. When researching yoga classes, I came upon Inner Fire’s website. It seemed like a welcoming studio and more importantly the classes weren’t segregated by age. Paige, who was 13 at the time, and I were able to take classes together. After fumbling through our first few classes we were hooked on the yoga and Inner Fire’s amazing community and teachers

3. Has yoga changed you personally in any way, if so how? Yoga helps me manage my stress that I experience as a public school teacher. Also, it helps me put my stress in perspective and appreciate all the good things in my life!

4. How has practicing together impacted your relationship with one another? Practicing together, whether it’s just two of us or all of us, gives us the opportunity to be together more often. Plus it gives us a common interest to enjoy talking about.

5. Has yoga helped you get through any difficult times? I had a health scare a year before starting practice at Inner Fire Yoga. Yoga helped me move on and not dwell on the past.

Favorite Pose: Arm Balances especially Twisted Scissors!

Kim Groshek
April 2014

Compassion, love and honor. An Inner Fire Yogi since 2009, and with 7 U.S. marathons and 65 half marathons under her belt, Kim Groshek is one serious athlete. Those numbers pale in comparison to Kim’s dedication to yoga, she brings an equal amount of passion and enthusiasm to her yoga! Arriving at the studio 6 a.m. every morning, she is dedicated to taking care of her body. The healing aspect of yoga, she says, gives her balance.

She never really saw herself as a yogi, in fact, the way she saw it, everyone else who practiced yoga were strong, balanced, and at peace. She considered herself, as she says, “A klutz and not well balanced.” When she first started yoga she would position her mat in the farthest back corner of the room, she compared herself to less than a beginner with the other yogis in the room. She felt as if it were a struggle to do each pose. “Half the time I was holding my breath and trying so hard that I couldn’t enjoy it.” With the compassionate lessons from each teacher Kim’s yoga practice grew into a unruffled experience. The meditative quality of yoga and kind soft-hearted teachers at Inner Fire Yoga drew her to continue. Eventually, with daily practice, the focus on breath, meditation and strength came easier to her. She started lifting judgement and control and realized that not every yoga practice is going to be the same. It got easier. She knows now that each day she practices yoga it will be different and she is okay with that.

Kim arrives at yoga with a fresh set of eyes, honors her body, and loves herself without judgment or control. Instead she honors her body and brings compassion and love to the Inner Fire Yoga studio each day.

Bethany Allen
March 2014

A little over a year ago I was in search (once again) for something to help me deal with the stress and anxiety in my life that was all consuming. I had been introduced to yoga two and a half years before after losing my mother to cancer, and I had what I would call a, “weekend practice.” In the two years since first doing yoga I had sold my home, moved to Madison with my children, found myself in a job that left me very stressed and unhappy, I had gotten out of “yoga” shape, and to be honest I was very nervous about going back to Inner Fire feeling like a complete mess! I remembered that when I had practiced yoga in the past it was the one thing that had allowed me to escape whatever worries or concerns I was dealing with at the moment, if only for an hour. After weeks of persuading from my yoga teaching friend and neighbor, I decided that I would give it another go and sign up for the 30 day yoga special at Inner Fire Yoga. And so my journey began.

My first class back on the mat was rough. I was so concerned with how I looked and if I was doing the poses correctly. I left feeling like I had made a big mistake, as if yoga wasn’t for me. However, I’ve never been someone to give in so quickly, and since I had already paid for a month I wanted to get my money’s worth ( I’m a frugal mom of four) so I decided that I would go back the next day; in fact I would go every day for the entire month! It took me about two weeks to start to realize that things were changing with me. I was actually looking forward to going to yoga class and I really started to see some other changes in me, inside and out.

I have always had issues with insomnia and after just a couple of weeks of regular yoga practice I noticed I started to sleep better, it was deep sleep and I was waking up more refreshed than ever. I also started to notice that I wasn’t as stressed at work, the job was the same, but I was starting to be different. I was breathing deeper and learning to breathe through the stress instead of letting the stress literally take my breath away. With these seemingly small, but profound changes I decided to make a deal with myself, “Okay Bethany, if just a few weeks of doing yoga every day can make these kind of changes just imagine what doing yoga for an entire year could do!” Could I really do it? An entire year of yoga, every day, I would put my yoga practice a priority in my life and see where it could take me! My kids thought I was crazy (nothing new) but they also were very supportive and excited to see and experience the changes yoga brought to my life.

Three months into my journey I walked into a meeting at work and was told that my job was being eliminated. I was faced with yet another life changing event in my life. Unlike all the times before when life changing events had happened to me this time change was different. I had my moment of shock and awe, and I cried; but then something amazing happened, at least for me it was amazing…I MOVED ON! I let go and I moved on! This was huge in my world as I had never been able to let go and move on so easily with anything in my life. I knew at that moment that yoga had become my way of coping, of dealing with life. I had searched high and low for something to help me through those times in life that were challenging for me and I had finally found it in yoga!

Every day I made yoga a priority in my life and everyday my life got a little better; it’s still challenging, but those challenging moments were becoming easier and much more manageable for me. After months of power flow, slow flow and some yin I decided to take on the 30 Day Hot Yoga Challenge. I had not done hot yoga in three years and I thought I wasn’t where I needed to be physically, but guess what? I did that too! With the help of the other yogis in the challenge encouraging me, and the always super inspiring yoga teachers at Inner Fire Yoga I was able to complete the 30 Day Hot Yoga Challenge. On February 8th, 2014 I completed 365 classes in 365 days, every day (with the exception of the one day that mother nature forced Inner Fire Yoga to close its doors; and for anyone counting, don’t worry I doubled up a day during the hot challenge) one year of yoga done. Now my new challenge begins which is a lifetime of yoga, and I think, no, I know I can do this one!

I have learned a lot about yoga in the past year, but I have learned the most about myself. I continue my yoga practice with a four to five day a week practice, although I will admit that on the few days I am not at Inner Fire Yoga I miss my yoga family! I would like to thank everyone who encouraged me and supported me over the past year, especially my children, who are now practicing yoga with me. Namaste

In 2004 I followed my heart to Madison – my boyfriend of a few months got a job here and asked if I would move with him. I had just gotten really hooked on Bikram style yoga in Seattle, so I told him that as long as I could get a job and find a hot yoga studio, I’d move with him. I was so lucky when both transpired! On my first trip to Madison for a job interview, I also took a class at Inner Fire Yoga. It felt like home – so welcoming and warm. I’ve been coming ever since.

Despite my love of yoga, it hasn’t always been easy to commit to my practice. A busy schedule, my job, snow storms – all these things have challenged me over the years. I even participated in one of the yoga challenges and fell short by two classes. Then in 2012 I faced my biggest challenge. Both my dad and husband died – within four months of each other. It was devastating. My husband, the guy I had followed to Madison and eventually married, was only 38 when he died of cancer.

I was in shock for at least a year. I tried to do yoga, but I couldn’t focus. I felt too raw, too weak, and too tired to even drive myself to the studio. The best I could do was walk my dog (well, she walked me) and drag myself to work.

But slowly, as I started coming out of the fog, I knew I needed to get my strength back. And I started attending Inner Fire Yoga regularly. The more I went, the more I craved it, and the better I felt. My initial classes were so shaky. My muscles were weak, my heart was hurting, it was hard to concentrate, and I always ended up with tears streaming down my face. Thankfully, they mixed in with the sweat! But, on the inside, I knew what was happening. Yoga was helping me heal. It was strengthening me in more ways than just the physical. It was so comforting to come to a warm room, to hear the instructors talk about inner strength, to hear them talk about finding gratitude and compassion in every moment and about having unshakable courage. Their words encouraged me, and continue to encourage me every time I attend a class.

Much like yoga, moving through loss is a process that continues to challenge. It’s something that changes you forever, but you can learn to breathe into it, to move through the tough moments, to find stillness and balance in the storm, knowing that it won’t last forever.

I have always loved yoga, how it connects mind and body and soul; and how you never exhaust the possibilities to learn and grow – you just go deeper. Every teacher at Inner Fire Yoga is different, and I feel like I learn something in every single class. I have tried other studios, but keep coming back to the warmth, passion, and community of Inner Fire Yoga, and for that I am so grateful. And did I mention the candy bowl? I’m thankful for that, too!

Eric Anderson
January 2014

I started to look for a yoga studio in Madison a little over two years ago. After doing a few endurance runs and triathlons, I began to develop knee pain in my day-to-day life that wouldn’t seem to go away. Due to the knee pain, I cut out running and biking was never really my thing, so I decided I would swim and compliment that with some yoga. I had practiced yoga a few times before with my mom and sister, and the asana practice had resonated with me. My plan was to sample a bunch of the studios in Madison in order to find a place to practice regularly.

Well, my plan didn’t get very far. The first place I went to was Inner Fire Yoga, and I liked it from the beginning. The staff is very welcoming, and there is a great selection of classes led by amazing instructors in a heated studio! I was not so fond of the heated studio part in the beginning. It was a great practice in humility to pay for classes in which I would be in child’s pose for over half the class! But the energy in the classes kept me wanting more, and eventually I was able to actually stand in the standing series. After the first month, I knew I didn’t need to try any other studios, I had found my home.

I am grateful for all the teachers who have helped me develop a regular asana practice and a clearer mind. Also, thanks to all the other yogis who bring great energy to the classes and keep me wanting more!