"The decision to relax rather than to grip, even in the face of impatience or fear, is a conscious and brave choice."                 -- B.K.S. Iyengar

Greetings all,  

 Last month, i embarked on an inner and outer journey that was one of most incredible experiences of my life.  For six days, eight hours a day, along with 25 or so other anatomy geeks, i dissected a cadaver. 

Our team of eight named her Gisele, she had been 79 years old, she was very tall and very thin and really didn't look 79 even as she lay in the lab on a cold steel table filled with embalming fluid. 

What initially attracted me to Iyengar yoga 15 years ago was their focus and precision with respect to the human body. I was experiencing anatomy from inside to the outside.  For the next six days I would study Gisele's anatomy from outside to the inside.

My first thought seeing this body was how it didn't scare me or repulse me.  It intrigued me.  I wondered about this beautiful being that had so generously donated her body so that our small team could deepen our knowledge.  Our teacher, Gil asked us to stand her up and meet her eye to eye.  He encouraged us to touch her and feel her.  When i felt the top of her head, i felt the enormity of the task before me.  When i held her head it did not feel dead or lifeless.  It just felt like someone's head.  As a yoga teacher i am constantly adjusting people's heads when they lay down and yet here, on the cadaver table, I confronted what remains of us when we transition from animate to inanimate.  I had no idea the treasures that lay just below the skin.

Old sayings bantered in my head.  "Beauty is only skin deep."  After day one i realized yes beauty is only skin deep AND What lies below is EVEN MORE exquisite. T

he human body was the most amazing place i have ever visited.

If you are interested in finding out about the cadaver labs, go to http://www.gilhedley.com

 I'm off to New York City next weekend to teach at the Yoga Journal Conference.  If you can't come to NY, below are a list of my workshops.  Keep in mind, February 2012, i will be teaching a FIVE day training to train others to teach women about the pelvic floor.  The five day training will be held at Yoga View in Chicago.

Please join me at Namaste Grand Lake on Lake Shore Avenue.  My Wednesday class is at 9am and my Thursday evening class is at 6pm.   

Be well, Leslie         

Pelvic Floor(unless noted)Workshops 2011     

 May 7 - Valley Yoga, Visalia, CA  sold out 

May 13 - 16 -

YOGA JOURNAL CONFERENCE, NEW YORK CITY  

May 22 - Fourth Street Yoga, Berkeley CA    JUST ADDED 

June 4/5 - Yoga and Movement, Walnut Creek, CA  

June 18 - Akasha Yoga, Crystal Lake, IL 

June 25/26 - Yoga Center of Minneapolis, MN  

July 9/10 - Lulu Bandhas, Ojai, CA

July 16 - Turtle Island Yoga,  San Anselmo, CA

July 24 - Ner Shalom, Sebastopol, CA

July 30 - Sunshine Yoga, Orland Park, IL