Kat graduated from the 200-Hour Bonfire Hot Yoga Apprenticeship Program in June of 2022, focusing on the 26 & 2 Hot Yoga Series.  She is grateful for the guided assistance & training received from her Mentor & Teacher, Seth Brown.  His wisdom, flexibility, & patience helped Kat to fulfil this dream of earning her teaching certification.  

Kat, originally from The Columbia River Gorge area, has been on stage in the performing arts since the age of 5. She has traveled to the East Coast to receive a Bachelor's Degree in Music & she then performed in New York City for several years before moving back to the Northwest to start a family & raise two sons. 

Practicing Hot Yoga & Vinyasa has been part of Kat's routine since 2011. While in teacher training, she enjoyed studying the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, delving into the ethical practices of Yoga (Yamas & Niyamas book by Deborah Adele) & continuing to find peace & harmony through daily yoga practice in the Hot Room.  She would like to thank Isabel Falcon for helping her find joy & sobriety through Sound Healings & Kundalini yoga practice over the last few years.

Kat loves her life in Portland & is grateful for her musical duo with her husband.  Kat's two sons have given her experience in teaching life lessons. She taught & organized their elementary school art program & enjoyed many years of volunteering for school events.  Kat is grateful for so much support from her entire family, three fur-babies, & extended family at the yoga studio. 

At the age of 28, Ben started his path to yoga humbly — at a community center in East Mesa, AZ, where the average age was 70.  But the slow pace and accessible postures of the 60 minute community center vinyasa class were just what it took for him to get started and begin to find his practice.  His best friend introduced Ben to the 26 & 2 series a couple years later, and he was hooked.  Though he’s tried many variations and styles of yoga in the ensuing 20 years, the 26 & 2 series has remained home.  Wanting to deepen his practice and hopefully help others find their way to their own practice, Ben completed the 26 & 2 teacher training at Bonfire Yoga in 2022.  His intent is to provide a welcoming, challenging, consistent practice to all who show up.  His motto in the room is that the only mandatory actions are to arrive, and to continue breathing, everything else is optional.    

I've been a yoga teacher for 3 years and a practicing yoga student for 12.  Yoga is my medicine for mind/body & overall health.  I love the Hot room and having fun with my students.  I also like to push students just a little bit out of their comfort zones...lovingly of course :)

I think all yoga is good yoga and just showing up to practice is all it takes to get stronger.  Just keep practicing and you will notice the benefits. 

When I'm not in the yoga room, I'm running my independent Interior Design Business:  Sofie D Designs. I named my business after my 2 children, Sofia & Drew.  They're both are in their '20s and living their best lives.  

I also spend a fair amount of time hanging out with my Portuguese Water Dog, Coco.  I'm training her to be a therapy dog so that one day she will be my yoga sidekick.  My hope is that together we will bring joy to those we cross paths with.

Namaste friends-  Hope to see you on the mat!

I learned about ‘hot yoga’ in 2005 through an acquaintance.  I decided to give it a try, and I was immediately ‘addicted!’  It was not easy, but it felt so good to be working my entire body, mind and soul all at the same time. I attend classes as often as I could, not only for my physical health, but my mental health as well. I have such a passion for the practice that becoming a teacher has always been a goal for me. 

In 2021, I completed a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Bonfire Hot Yoga with Emily and Seth and now I’m here to spread the ‘yoga love’ that I have for this practice. I hope to see you on the mat soon!

I was first introduced to yoga in the mid 90's when the costume designer at Willamette University saw a need and generously taught an unofficial vinyasa class to stressed out students.  Years later I took up long distance running and needed something to help with muscle cramps.  As I ran past the yoga studio I remembered those beautiful classes and decided to try yoga again.  I was immediately hooked. 

Eleven years later, a 200 hour YTT in Vinyasa flow at Pure 8, a Ghosh apprenticeship with Seth Brown and a Yin teacher course at Bonfire Hot Yoga all under my belt, yoga has become an integral part of maintaining and increasing my health.

The more I practice yoga, the more it becomes an essential part of my spiritual practice, too.  The study of yoga helps me dive deep into all aspects of my humanity, which only serves to increase my understanding of the divine. I hope to offer the opportunity for that discovery to others as well. 

In addition to yoga practitioner, I'm a wife, a homeschool mom, and a pastor at Hillsdale Community Church.

Yoga has had a transformational influence on my life. After years of practice, I decided to teach, and received my teaching certificate from Bonfire Hot Yoga in June 2021. I’ve been enjoying teaching ever since.

I discovered yoga through a friend, and found the practice calming and tranquil amongst all of life’s stresses. On top of peace of mind, practicing yoga helped with my sciatic back pain. Painkillers and traditional physical therapy were not working for me. It was only through practicing yoga that I was able to live without pain. I faithfully practiced for 10 years. 

Eventually, I fell out of practice when I was balancing two jobs and raising 4 children as a single parent. Without my yoga practice, I felt lost. Each day felt like a potential breakdown was around the corner. I’m so grateful that I managed to make space for yoga once again, and I quickly rediscovered how meaningful yoga is for me. My passion hasn’t died down since. 

With my yoga practice, I feel grounded, energized, and calm. Yoga has trained me to stay focused, and pay attention to detail. With every pose, my focus is on my arms, legs, spine, and neck stacking in correct alignment. The mindfulness prevents my thoughts from wandering off. Having space to meditate, and concentrate on my mind and body, makes me feel peace, love, and joy.

The most rewarding part of being a teacher is that I have to be a good student first. I’ve learned how to cultivate my heart to have patience, love, and compassion. I stay mindful of what I say, my body language, and strive to be a good role model and symbol in front of the classroom. Even when I’m not teaching or in front of my students, I still remind myself to be conscientious of my practice, and how I carry myself.

Becoming an instructor has expanded my knowledge of yoga’s history, symbology, and the roots of the practice, further than when I was just a student. Knowing how much yoga has benefited me, how healing it’s been for me physically and emotionally, makes me feel more connected to my higher- self. The more I practice yoga the more longing I have to explore my spirituality.

Apart from yoga, I love hiking in the woods, traveling, and spending time with my grandkids.

Angee Franzen began teaching power vinyasa in 2012, completing her first 200hr Yoga Teacher Training with Core Power in NW Portland. Angee continued to study the philosophy, science of movement and the social implications of living an Intentional life at The Bhakti Movement center. In 2015 Angee discovered Radiant Body Yoga with Kia Miller. Radiant Body Yoga holds the principles of Ashtanga Yoga with the wisdom of Kundalini Yoga. After studying in India in 2016 and 2017 with Kia Miller Angee received her 300hr teaching certification. In 2017 Angee completed a Trauma Informed training with Living Yoga. She volunteers at MacLaren youth correctional facility monthly. In 2019 Angee completed her Kundalini Level 1 teacher training in Bali. Angee loves to teach Yin Yoga, Meditation as well as Restorative Somatic Yoga. Angee has been living sober for 20 years and raising 3 sons with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

I started my Journey in Yoga almost 9 years ago and transformed my self and my life.

I practice and teach both Hatha and Kundalini Yoga. I see my Hatha practice as daily maintenance a great way to work out kinks in my body, get grounded and calm. My Kundalini practice is a place of transformation. The kriyas and meditations are much more specific than your regular flow class, much like an Iyengar or Ghosh practice, but rather than focusing on physical alignment, the kriyas are a specific set of exercises that generate energy, organize that energy and deliver you to a specific energetic state particularly one of greater awareness.

Also within the practice are built-in moments of stillness where we sit quietly and awaken to our Self. The breathwork within the kriyas is so powerful that it starts to strip away the layers that veil our consciousness, and in the sweet moments between poses we can sense the fullness of who we are. The kriyas work on strengthening your nervous system, balancing your glandular system, purifying the body and calming the mind.

I have practiced kriyas that have left me blissed out, high and filled with a sense of connection and joy, and others that have provoked and confronted me to the very core of who I am, both physically and mentally. I have learned to stay present and accept pleasure and pain as part of the same journey to health and balance. Our ego naturally leans towards pleasure and comfort. It takes concerted effort and discipline to begin to release the ego’s grip on our consciousness. This effort is the work required to begin to access the truth of who we are, to create a strong connection to our Soul and therefore our Soul’s work on this planet. It is where we start to make great strides toward living as an enlightened being.

Before practicing Kundalini Yoga, I had done some meditation, but it had always been elusive for me. Meditations within Kundalini Yoga are multifaceted. You can do the simplest forms, such as breath awareness or simple mantra, or explore more elaborate meditations where there is a specific breath, mantra and mudra that all work together to balance different aspects of the mind and body. When practiced for 40–120 days, the result is pure magic.

It’s my personal belief that everyone's yoga journey begins with their first breath, arriving at body, or perhaps even before then. When one becomes aware they are on this path it’s simply a matter of time & perseverance.

Around 2003 I stepped into what I knew as my first yoga class. I was recovering from a traumatic brain surgery that left me chronically disabled - I was 14 years old at the time. It was not hot yoga, but a style based in energy work similar to Kundalini or Qi Gong. It was my first experience in what I knew then as yoga, & had tremendous effects on my physical recovery & depression. Later, in 2008 I would begin my hot yoga practice with Bikram yoga, this time I was 19 & mostly recovered from my surgeries with the exception of chronic nerve damage. I always enjoyed being physical & competitive, & at that first class I knew this was going to change my life.

After about 7 years of practice I found myself going through yet another brain surgery in 2013 - this was to be my 3rd operation. Previously I worked in the trades as a metal fabricator & welder, however this last surgery would usher me into my new occupation as a yoga teacher. In 2014 I arrived at my first yoga training. I completed Bikram’s nine week teacher training, spending the next year after that traveling & teaching around the world & across the USA. My training did not stop there, & since then I have trained under Bernie Clark, Sarah Powers, Esak Garcia, & senior teachers of S.N Goenka (Vipassana) & Richard Miller (iRest). I've also done other 200hr YTT’s in person & online as continuing education. My training hours exceeded over 1000, &, since 2014 my teaching hours exceed 5,000.

This is all to say, teaching is my life's passion. It is not a job or a duty. But a privilege & an honor for which I am grateful.

Premila Singh originally from Fiji Islands, now residing in Beaverton Oregon, started her yoga journey on Thursday July 29th 2021. She practiced her first Hatha Yoga class at Bonfire Hot Yoga Studio in Beaverton Oregon.

She was happily motivated to keep practicing and becoming a better yogi, so she kept stepping back on her mat as often as possible. The more she practiced the more she felt positive changes in her strength and flexibility.

Sunday June 26th 2022 Premila Singh completed her 200-HOUR 26 AND 2 TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM, at BONFIRE HOT YOGA STUDIO, in Beaverton Oregon. 

She is very grateful for the guided assistance and training received by Emily Cawley Feldman and Seth Brown. Their wisdom, knowledge, flexibility, patience and love for yoga has motivated me to share yoga practice with the community.

As a Financial Professional her passion is to assist clients with their needs and teaching yoga will add value to my passion.

"Please come join me on the mat! Namaste."

Bonfire Hot Yoga is a community-oriented studio rooted in the lineage of Bishnu Charan Ghosh. We offer a range of classes in many styles for those who want to cultivate good health and a positive life-style by practicing yoga.