#igniteyourinnerflame
#befreerevolution
#befree
Our Yoga Family
Aiyanna Espinoza
(she/her) I believe that our darkest, most challenging experiences are what initiate us into our sacred fulfillment. My spiritual journey started with sitting with my shadows and finally allowing myself to face and feel all that I was avoiding. It took so much patience, gentleness, surrender, shedding, and acceptance to get to where I am now. My wounds awakened the path back to my soul.
Healing my divine feminine, ancestral wounds, and breaking generational curses has been beyond rewarding and transformative. I want to help people enjoy a life they don’t have to run from. To hold them during their unraveling on the journey back home to themselves.
It would be an honor to remind others of their divinity, magic, & strength. Creating a safe space for them to step into their power and truth.
I’ve done shadow work for a few years now and I’m a Reiki Master. I’m very excited to do more of that work and continue on this path of growth.
I am currently leading Ecstatic Dance every other Monday night! Dance has been the biggest medicine for me on my journey. It connects mean to my body, my ancestors, my divine feminine/masculine, and allows me to alchemize my wounds with creative self-expression. To be able to hold that kind of space for others, to be present with exactly who and where they are, is my greatest honor.
Outside of be free I work as a tattoo artist and hope to one day incorporate Reiki into that workspace to make it a sacred ceremony. I love hiking, spending time with mama earth, making art, breathwork, reading my cards, fire flow, & singing.
You are the medicine.
Here’s to being warriors of love & light in this life and the next!
~ Aiyanna
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Find Aiyanna :: Mondays 7:15pm
Alexandra Jenkins
(she/her) Hi Friends! I am Alex. Yoga to me is nourishment. It is a practice that meets us, no matter where we are, and gives us time and space to experience who are.
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My classes are an invitation to experience movement, breath, sensation, and stillness. I teach Slow Flow on Thursdays at 4pm, and a Restorative Class Sundays at 6pm. These classes both emphasize slowing down and getting out of the vibration of hustle and grind. I weave together traditional yoga asana with somatic movement that supports the nervous system in release and relaxation.
When I am not teaching or practicing yoga, I am at home with my 2 boys and husband, or out at the barn with my horse Peanut. I love the outdoors and singing with my ukulele.
Find Alexandra :: Thurs. 4pm, e/o Sunday 6pm
Alisha Johnson
(she/her) I am a Certified Yoga Teacher through Melanie's Root to Rise Program since July of 2018, CrossFit Level 1 Trainer since July of 2019, and most recently USA Weightlifting Level 1 Certified since August of 2019. I was born and raised in Northern California surrounded by redwoods and the beautiful Pacific coast and moved to Fort Collins in 2013 to complete my Bachelors in Sociology and Human Development and Family Studies at CSU. I am currently enrolled in the Graduate School of Social Work Program at the University of Denver with a concentration in Health and Wellness.
The purpose of yoga to me is to leave the ego and transcend into a state of curiosity and exploration through incorporating the breath with movement. My passion is helping guide others towards a healthy and holistic lifestyle through the breath and functional movement.
For all my offerings:
Alisha is currently out for the summer on Maternity Leave. Her 3 classes are being covered:
Tues 5:30pm w/ Jo, Thurs 9am w/ Emma, & Sunday 10am w/ Madison
Bianca (Bee) Myers
Meet (Bee) Bianca! She began her yoga journey about 15 years ago, just after moving to Northern Colorado. In 2015, she took a leap and signed up for her 200HR teacher training. She figured if nothing else she would walk away from the experience with a deeper understanding of her personal practice. What she got was a healing journey that transformed the very essence of her being-YOGA.
Sharing the ART of YOGA felt natural to her. Bianca shares a practice that is built from the ground up, designed to move through your body in such a way that you are given the opportunity to connect energetically and physically, pausing before you press forward. As she continues to grow and learn from those, she surrounds herself with her practice and teachings are ever evolving.
Through conscious breath and mindful movement, balance is possible amidst the chaos of life. When we give ourselves a chance to pause, breathe and open-up energetically, our thoughts began to slip away only to be replaced with a deep connection to our physical being.
In her spare time Bianca enjoys basking in the Colorado sunshine. Anything from hiking, to biking, to paddle boarding, to painting or crafting. Mostly whatever allows her to tap into her childlike nature!
Find Bee: Sat 7am
Celia Avens
Celia (she/her), after a life long yoga journey received her CYT-200 from Om Ananda in 2021. An avid lover of the Moon, games, and ceremony, she built from her passions and now leads Full Moon Circles, Drum Circles, and a number of different yin and flow classes.
Currently in training for Breathwork Facilitation, and Cacao Ceremony Facilitation; she brings a loving, playful, magick-inspired, laugh-filled class each, and every, time. Come for a blend community building - belly laughs - dynamic flows - and all out bliss !
Find Celia: Tues 7pm
Emma Horne
(She/her) Over two decades ago, I received the gift of a Reiki course as a birthday gift. This auspicious present marked the beginning of a profound journey, sparking my exploration into self-study and various natural holistic healing systems. Driven by an insatiable curiosity for all things spiritual, I embarked on a quest to heal both myself and others.
My quest led me to diverse corners of the world, where I immersed myself in the teachings of exceptional mentors, delving into ancient healing traditions such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Massage, and Shamanism. In 2023, I further enriched my expertise by completing a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with Root to Rise, rounding out the spectrum of services I offer.
Passionate about empowering others with simple tools for healing and balance, I firmly believe in the innate power and wisdom within each individual to facilitate their own healing journey. My mission is to ignite the spark within others, fostering health, happiness, and harmony in their lives.
As part of my commitment to healing, I operate from The Be Free Healing Center as an Ayurvedic Consultation and Therapist, providing a range of over 10 Ayurvedic Treatments. Additionally, I am the founder of Ahimsa Herbals, a line of Ayurvedic-inspired skin and body care products designed to elevate your vibration through the use of natural and organic products.
My dharma, or life's purpose, is centered around love, teaching, assistance, and guidance, aiming to tap into our inherent healing abilities. Consider me your greatest cheerleader, dedicated to supporting you on your transformative journey towards well-being.
Find Emma: Thurs 10:30am
Jayu Das
Jayu started playing drums and percussion in middle school around the age of 12, which set him on a lifelong musical journey which has since included learning several other instruments as well as developing his skills as a singer. In 2020 he did his 200hr Hatha Yoga Teacher Training at Shoshoni Ashram and Yoga Retreat in Rollinsville, CO, and upon completion he returned to Vail, CO where he began teaching Yoga and as well as embarked upon his first foray into Sound Healing at a local Yoga and Massage studio. The following year during COVID lockdown, Jayu returned to the ashram where he lived for most of 2021, fully diving into the spiritual practices and yogic lifestyle there. During this time John developed an even deeper understanding of the healing power of sound and music, and has since shifted his focus as a musician towards sharing that healing energy with others through sound healing and devotional singing.
Find Jayu : Fri 7:30am
Jeana Pimentel
Jeana (she/her), admittedly, does not remember the first yoga class that she attended in her early 20’s. What she does remember, however, is the remarkable sense of calm and release that she experienced. Needless to say, yoga has been a defining element in her life ever since. Her practice has seen her through every season of life from wildly pregnant to new-mom depleted and all the years that have passed since then. It continues to be her go to as she grows through a whole new season of midlife and all the changes that accompany it. She is deeply grateful to all the teachers that have touched her life through this practice, and she is also grateful for the inner teacher that she found while cultivating her own practice. Beyond all else, yoga has brought her a true sense of connection with, and grace for, her whole self. Jeana’s deepest hope as a teacher is that her students feel nourished, connected, and immersed in self-love and gratitude for their beautiful selves during class and beyond. She completed her 200hr training in 2023 at Be Free! Along with being a yoga lover, she is a mom to four awesome beings and a wife to an amazing guy who she still loves to laugh with. Outside of yoga, the things that feed her soul include: writing, reading, creative endeavors of all kinds, cooking big meals with her family, quiet mornings, gardens, and being outside.
Find Jeana: Tues 6:30am
Jillian Bieritz
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(she/her) Jillian’s love and connection to nature brought her and her family from the Chicagoland area, to Fort Collins in 2015. She has been a truth seeker for as long as she can remember and has expressed herself artistically from an early age, with music and dance being huge influential forms of creative expression, luminating her spiritual path.
When Jillian was introduced to yoga in 2012, she was unaware of how deeply it would transform her life. She stepped to the mat in search of a spiritual connection, and what she found was more powerful than she ever imagined. Within a short amount of time she was called to dive deeper into the sacred practice of yoga. In 2015, Jillian received her 200-hr Hatha Yoga Certification upon completion of a one-on-one yoga teacher training apprenticeship with Meggan Riley Yoga.
Jillian has an intuitive understanding of the ancient wisdom offered through the scientific system of yoga. Her deep love of astrology, organic movement, and the studies of Earth Medicine, inspire her teachings. She is dedicated to teaching yoga from the heart, while bringing a soulful connection to mind, body and spirit. She is passionate about holding a sacred container for students to (re)connect with themselves in an authentic way. Forever a student, Jillian is eternally grateful for the wisdom and guidance that has been offered by her teachers.
When off the mat you can find Jillian, her husband Blake, their son Grey and soulful dog Raven, focusing their energy on experiencing all that Colorado has to offer, and growing spiritually through spontaneous adventure, and a willingness to do the unexpected.
Find Jillian: Wed 9am &Fridays at Noon
Kari Grady Grossman
(she/her) Kari has been teaching Kundalini Yoga since 2016, and has been training in the 1,000 hour Kundalini Yoga Therapy program since 2019. She is a Reiki master, paddleboard yoga instructor, Ancestral Healing trainee and co-owner of Happy Lucky’s Teahouse in Fort Collins with her husband George. Before turning her life to the healing arts, she worked as an international development specialist in rural Cambodia, wrote two books about Cambodia and traveled as a science and adventure writer for The Discovery Channel online. She and George have two children, Grady and Shanti, adopted from Cambodia and India respectively.
Find Kari :: Mondays 5:30pm
Kat Davis
(she/her) You could call me a former-mermaid, a hug-giver, a lover of the moon & all things sparkly. My path has long been one of curiosity & learning about the body. Dance, Martial Arts, SCUBA Instructor, Massage Therapy & Reiki training plus a lot of self-study all lead me to Yoga. Yoga felt like coming home; like medicine for my body (chronic back pain), mind (depression & anxiety) & Spirit. I felt called to pay it forward, to help others shed the programming & rediscover Self. May 2015, I completed my training with Perennial Yoga in Madison, WI & received the Yoga Alliance RYT 200 certification.
Life moves at a hectic pace, so I teach what I practice - slow & gentle vinyasa, mindful movements that (re)connect body with breath; Yin, Restorative & Yoga Nidra to rest & recharge. My classes are infused with the magic of the elements, nature, sound & Reiki – laughter is also welcome!
It is my intention & deep honor to create & hold a safe space for students to find their own Light, strength & grace – both on & off the mat. Together, we create a container for discovery, release & connections. I truly believe we can change the world, one breath at a time.
Outside of the studio, exploring & photographing nature has become a passion. Creating art & jewelry infused with intention also bring me joy!
Find Kat :: Mon 12pm, Thurs 7pm, & Fridays 9am
KC Trujillo
(she/her). I graduated from Melanie’s Root to Rise YTT in 2022, and am currently in the Be Free Breathwork certification program at BFHC.
My love for embodiment practices was discovered while on a quest to find healing for my nervous system. Yoga, breathwork, and dance helped bring me back to the wisdom of my body. Gratefully, I received much more than that! Through these practices I found connection, creativity, and deepened my relationship with spirit and the natural world.
I have a passion for cultivating community, and a deep desire to support others in their journey to wholeness as so many have supported me.
Ecstatic dance has changed my life, and I am honored to facilitate this practice every other Monday at Be Free. You can also find me at the studio holding sound healing and cacao ceremonies with my best friend Jayu.
When I’m not on the dance floor or the mat, I enjoy learning about music, exploring nature, and bringing as much adventure as possible into this beautiful gift of life!
Find KC :: Mondays 7:15pm
Kristen Yarmey
(she/her) Kristen Yarmey is a 200hr Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT), reiki master, Integrated Energy Therapy (IET) practitioner, and ordained minister in the Madonna Interfaith Community. Seeking relief from anxiety and depression, she began practicing yoga after realizing how disconnected she was from her own body. As a former academic, both yoga and energy healing have been significant tools in her journey from living from the head to living to the heart. Her classes emphasize body awareness and the connections between movement, breath, emotion, and energy. She teaches kundalini, vinyasa, slow flow, yin, and restorative yoga. For more : www.kristenyarmey.net
Find Kristen :: Wednesdays 7pm,
Madison Annette
Madison Annette (she/her) is passionate about movement as an outlet for creative expression and connection to oneself. She finds profound union with herself through many modalities of movement, particularly with yoga. After years of dedication to her self practice, she answered a soul calling by travelling to Rishikesh, India. Through immersion in the wisdom and energy of this sacred practice, she deepened her knowledge and commitment to being a lifelong yogini by receiving her first teacher training of 200 hours. Now she guides others in their own exploration of self unity through a loving approach that aims to help fellow students find freedom, harmony, and peace within their own being and oneness with the world around them. In her classes you can expect a mix of guided and free form movement, pranayama, meditation, and use of nervous system somatic techniques.
Find Madison :: Fri 4pm
Melanie Lighthouser
(she/her) Melanie began her yoga journey in her early twenties and received her 200hr certification from The Asheville Yoga Center in 2004. Her teaching and body knowledge is deeply connected to her 17yrs of doing massage therapy, as well as the Shamanic Breathwork training she received in her late twenties.
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Melanie describes her yoga style as "deep breath slow flow". She feels most passionately about creating a space where her students can connect deeply with their breath and, through that connection, realign their bodies from the inside out. Her classes offer a well-rounded re-balance of the physical, mental, and emotional bodies.
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Melanie is the co-owner of Be Free, lead instructor for Root to Rise 200hr Yoga Teacher Training, and the co-leader of Breathe, the Be Free Breathwork certification program at BFHC!
Find Melanie :: Mon 9am, Wed 5:30pm
Michael Palser
(he/his) I am a Master Instructor for Animal Flow, and a certified Master PT. I love the human body, and I have been training for over 25 years. My athletic background led me into the world of fitness. Starting with sports performance and body transformation, I fell in love with helping people!
This led me to seeking new forms of movement, including yoga, pilates, cycling, rowing, Muay Thai kickboxing and all group activities.
I love to cook, and I am a singer who loves to play the guitar, and ALL music! These are both of my love languages and they both help me transcend. After a retreat on an Native American reservation in Arizona, I discovered the necessity for emotional and spiritual work in my life. Without it, I am not complete…
I will forever be learning, growing, and revealing new layers. This is me, and what I am here to give.
Find Michael :: Tues 9am, & Thurs 5:30pm
Patti Shaffer-Sterns
(she/her) From the time you meet Patti she makes you feel like you have known her for years. She has a warm and nurturing presence in an out of the yoga room. Patti’s classes are dynamic. She has a unique gift for reading her students so you can be sure that no class will be the same. She will challenge you, but at the same time nurture your soul and spirit with her knowledge and passion for all things yoga. Patti’s students often refer to her as the “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Effect” Teacher. This means that as you begin a class with Patti you will get lost in your own practice, she will help you let go and be present on your mat. However, somewhere through the middle of class you will start to feel Tapas (internal heat and discipline) from your practice, and at this point you will start to sweat and wonder how someone who is so nurturing can sneak and instill such a wonderful sense of change in your yoga practice on and off the mat. Her students are her passion. She will always put them first. Patti first discovered her love of Yoga back in the early 90’s through dvds and a home practice. She completed her 200 hour certification in 2009. Since that time Patti continues build upon her expansive knowledge of yoga, through workshops, literature, conferences as well as her own personal practice.
Find Patti: Wed 12pm
Vajra Yogini
(she/her) I have been studying and practicing yoga asana for nearly 25 years, and as a life-long musician I've dedicated 20 years to the practices of nada yoga, mantra and bhakti yoga (the yoga of sound, chanting, and devotion). In 2005 I became certified to teach yoga by Stephanie Keach at Asheville Yoga Center (Asheville, NC). Starting in 2005 right up to the present, I've completed over 600 hours of training with Tias Little (Prajna Yoga, Santa Fe NM). I served as lead teacher and co-director of a number of 200-hour level YTTs between 2011 and 2014 for a yoga school my husband, Surdas, and I co-founded.
Some of the things that inspire me are the ancient teachings of yoga, Eastern wisdom and philosophy, ancient and modern mysticism, music from all over the globe, the wonders of the plant kingdom and the natural world, cooking, playing ukulele and singing, being *bonus-mom* to a lively 4 year old boy, and quietude whenever I can find it.
I'm looking forward to sharing with you the sustaining and deeply nourishing practices of yoga that I have learned and integrated into my life over the last quarter century!