Traci Joy (TJ) Burleigh is a long-time yogi, yoga therapist, and teacher, certified at the highest level through Yoga Alliance (E-RYT). She is a Vipassana practitioner, Ayurvedic consultant, medical herbalist, ritualist and bodyworker. TJ owns and operates “Arts of Flesh”, in San Francisco CA, enriching people’s lives through her attentive presence, intuitive insight, technical skill, bold encouragement, humor and radical embodiment.

TJ began her life-long love affair with the body, spirited movement and inspired attention as a young child. Growing up as an artist, inspired by the natural world, she was also a gymnast, soccer player, swimmer and long distance runner. She spent many hours playing her edges creatively, honing her mind and exploring what was possible in her body when everything came together just so and an ecstatic state resulted.

Traci studied art and science in high school and college while recovering from several years over indulgence and health issues. She worked as a ceremonial fibre artist in her 20’s, while studying alternative medicine, herbalism, nutrition and shamanism. She stumbled into yoga in 1993 and this is her primary practice today. The uniting of her body with mindfulness, and spirited movement based in health and peace, felt like home and she used the practice to recover from injuries and stress. She formed the company “Moonthyme Herbals” in 1995 and specialized in herbs for women’s health, while also working as a handweaver, producing customized ceremonial garb on the west coast of Oregon. Looking for sunnier climate, she found an innovative art community in Mendocino Co in 1997 and relocated. Loving the emphasis on health, alternative power, local commerce, fresh organic food, she has been a Bay area resident ever since.

In 1999, Traci began to pursue yoga full time. She has since logged over 3,500 professional study hours with some of the world’s most influential somatic, yoga / mindfulness, and natural medicine pioneers, including Mary Paffard, Angela Farmer, Jack Kornfield, Dr Vasant Lad, Dr. Ron Harwin, Practichi Mathur, Robert Svoboda, Ajahn Amaro, BKS Iyengar, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Marion Rosen, Judith Aston, Rodney Yee, Richard Rosen, Dr. David Frawley, and Judith Lasater. She has also been very influenced by Alice Walker, Noah Levine, LaSara Firefox, Fakir Musafar, Lawrence Banghart, Mustaq Ali, Lawrence Kampf and most recently, Scott Blossom. Her beloved, Carey Rockland and their fur family impress her daily in the delicate nature of it all.

Traci has earned many credentials in health and wellness, including certification at the highest level in yoga, and is a certified teacher trainer. Tibetan, Wiccan, Native American shamanic rites, Nordic and Celtic magickal traditions, in addition to Buddhist Vipassana meditation and medical training have formally influenced her style. Her experience participating, creating and leading ritual for the last 15 years has brought a wealth of insight and enthusiasm for using our bodies to evolve. “When we are comfortable in our own skin, power and peace flourish!”

Traci offers calming, inspiring, innovative artistic wellness: radical, self-sustaining wellness. She aspires to use everything within reach to bring healing to self / community / world. To this end, her practice is made up of full body exploration in a range of forms: Yoga, moving meditation, Ayurveda, western herbalism, visual art, writing, dancing, ritualized body rites, magick, mindful sexuality, hands on body/energy work, nutrition and a general practice of compassion, self care and reflection - personally and communally. TJ formed Arts of Flesh to incorporate all these modalities. To her, these arts are an obvious alchemy of practice and dedication to unearthing the wisdom and realization that dwell within our hearts, hands, minds; our integrated being-ness.

TJ’s experience of yoga is unbranded and inimitable. She brings a passion for anatomy, breath, biomechanics, feeling great, poetry, and permission to her teaching. She teaches at UCSF, SF General Hospital, and privately in the Bay Area, Mendocino Co, Los Angeles, Mexico, Cuba, Spain, England, etc. TJ is certified at the highest level with Yoga Alliance, E-RYT and is a member of IAYT. She is on the faculty of Yoga Mendocino, where she has trained teachers since 2005.

Thank you for sharing in commitment to heal through our unique visions and cooperation. May you always walk true to your heart and resplendent in fleshed contentment.