Ritual Hot Yoga

Address: 3640 South Highland Drive

Telephone: 801-935-0110

Website: ritualhotyoga.com

District: Millcreek

 

“I love connecting with people. I love doing yoga. I just did not love selling something I did not believe in.” That realization stayed with Emily Lam long before she ever imagined owning Ritual Hot Yoga. It followed her from her early years outside Sacramento, through college at UC Santa Barbara, and into the world of tech sales in San Francisco, where she spent her days building relationships and learning what mattered most to people. But something was missing.

As a child, Emily had already begun to understand where she felt most at home. Life inside her house could be difficult, and she often found comfort elsewhere. She leaned toward movement, routines, and being in places that felt steady and separate. She found herself gravitating toward ballet studios and the mountains - spaces that offered a sense of ease. “I spent a lot of time outside the house. Those places felt more like home.”

That idea stayed with her. After moving to Salt Lake City in 2022 for a tech job, Emily quickly realized what she needed most. “I was just missing the presence of the yoga studio.” In San Francisco, she had connected deeply with a style of yoga that felt different - more immersive, more music-driven, more alive. When the owner began expanding Ritual Hot Yoga as a franchise, she saw an opportunity to bring that experience to Salt Lake.

Lindsey Kaalberg, the founder of Ritual Hot Yoga, built the concept around a clear observation - most people had to move between multiple classes to experience the full benefits of yoga. A meditation class for stillness. A high-energy class for movement. Something else entirely for music and rhythm. She saw an opportunity to bring those elements together into one cohesive experience. The result is a structured class format that offers consistency from studio to studio, while still allowing each teacher’s personality to come through. The first location opened in San Francisco, with expansion following into Chicago and the Midwest, and more recently into franchising.

“They opened their first franchise location, and I thought, can I be second?” Emily left tech in early 2023 and began building what would become Ritual Hot Yoga in Salt Lake City. The process was not straightforward. The first location she pursued initially turned her away. Months later, it came back around. “It ended up being the perfect space.”

The studio opened in February 2025. From the moment you walk in, it feels warm and inviting. A lounge area with couches and coffee. No need to bring anything - mats and towels are provided. It is designed to feel easy.

The practice blends energy and stillness. The more active classes are set to music - R&B, hip hop, EDM - with movement that feels rhythmic and engaging. The slower classes offer the opposite, with longer holds, candlelight, and a quieter pace.

In their thirty-minute red light yin classes, fresh music is paired with red light therapy yoga mats to deepen relaxation and create an immersive experience. The gentle light is designed to support collagen, enhance melatonin, and ease tension, giving people a chance to simply lie back and settle into the moment.

Another room holds twenty-four students, creating a more personal experience. The temperature is set to ninety-eight degrees using infrared dry heat, allowing the body to warm gradually. “You build the heat through the movement.”

What has grown around the studio is a steady and welcoming community. People come for different reasons - movement, atmosphere, connection - and often find more than they expected. “It is really about meeting people where they are,” Emily says. “Some days you want connection. Some days you need something more grounding. We get to watch people grow every day. It becomes a little community. That is the part that feels the most meaningful.”

At its core, the space reflects what Emily had been searching for all along - a place that is approachable and supportive, no matter where someone is starting. “People see yoga and feel intimidated, but this is really about having fun, being creative, and getting to know yourself. It should feel like something you are doing for you.”