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from Sensi New England September 2021

THE SCENE

Enlightened Ink

Colorado yoga teacher and spiritual guide Bri Leonard found a way to love her body through her tattoos.

TEXT DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

Leonard swears by the work of her artist Danny Boy at Landmark Tattoo (landmarktattooing.com) in Denver. “He's a kind, warm, talented soul,” she says. “That place feels like home.” “I am someone who comes from trauma and humble beginnings,” says Colorado-based yoga teacher and tarot reader Bri Leonard, whose body is a canvas of tattoos: a dagger down her chest, a fortune teller on her arm, a scorpion on her back. “Yoga and occult practices have saved my life and given me tools to face the challenges of this world.” She cultivates a practice that is beautiful and powerful both physically and emotionally. Her classes combine creative, challenging movement on the mat with deep introspection (and the occasional dose of Prince or classic metal in the music mix).

Through a podcast and members-only classes with Healing House (healinghousepodcast.com), which she co-founded, Leonard encourages students to dig into the past and shuck off the pain and negativity that keeps them from personal evolution. “Our goal with Healing House is to give back and support anyone on the path to holistic healing— with a little touch of humor and magic,” she says.

Leonard’s tattoos are an important part of her identity and ground her in her teaching. “They have helped me love my body,” she says. “Before I started getting tattooed, I never liked what I saw in the mirror. I felt like a visitor in my own body. As my collection of art began to grow, I noticed an evolution in my self-perception. I began to feel strong, confi dent, like me.”