He has traveled to India four times to study under the legendary Yogacharya BKS Iyengar — founder of the yoga style.

At his studio in Golden, Leeby has helped patients overcome pains without the need for surgery.

"Christian's style of teaching yoga is truly unique," said student Jonathan Sprague. "His motivation in the classroom coupled with a deep understanding of yoga allow him to use yoga as a healing art."

Iyengar yoga is known for using props, such as belts and blocks, as aids to perform various postures, called asanas. It is a form of Hatha Yoga, which focuses on structural alignment and aims to unite the body, mind and emotions.

The first time Leeby practiced Iyengar, he described himself as a "90-pound weakling who could have been blown away."

To his disbelief, he held a front bend for 20 minutes.

"I started getting into my body for the first time ever," Leeby said.

"I really liked the spiritual tradition of yoga."

Soon, he began attending massage school in Santa Fe.

He learned myofascial release, which is a mixture of massage technique and stretching. The therapy releases tension from the fibrous bands of connective tissue called fascia, which tailors to individuals with poor posture, physical injuries and emotional stress.

That led Leeby to study the related Rolf Integration, which focuses on alignment and facsia release. In 1991, Leeby graduated from The Guild For Structural Integration in Boulder.

He, himself, suffered from lower back and hunched shoulders from climbing and belaying.

"Your pain becomes your teacher," Leeby said.

Iyengar yoga has helped him medicate his own pain along with his clients' since Leeby began teaching in Golden in 2001.

Sprague suffered from back problems, which visits to his family doctor and chiropractor could only provide short-term relief.

With Leeby's yoga and Rolf Integration — a massage technique that focuses on the over all body alignment by freeing fascia or connective tissue — Sprague's pain dissipated.

"Christian corrected my back problems — something I never thought would be possible," Sprague said.

Cathy Lewis began seeing Leeby last August.

"My doctor suggested that I go to yoga for relaxation exercises," she said.

Lewis suffered from fibromyalgia, had two back surgeries and experienced a "foot drop" where she was unable to raise her left foot at the ankle.

Through poses and hip stretches, Leeby released her pereneal nerve, and she no longer must use a brace, she said.

"I was so amazed at his professionalism, his attention to detail. It was the most positive experience I've ever had," Lewis said.

Kit Cohan had a similar occurrence.

She has been attending Leeby's classes for six years while recovering from arthroscopic surgery on both my knees.

"I was unhappy with the slow progress I was making with conventional physical therapy. Christian showed me how to modify poses during my recovery period until I was able to practice at the same level as the rest of the class," Cohan said. "I truly felt after my surgeries that I would never again have a full range of motion or pain-free function."

Now she can do that and more — including skiing and mountain biking.

Cohan also has noticed how habitual yoga can provide relief from daily stressors.

"To me, Iyengar yoga requires as much personal discipline as that required to study a martial art and is every bit as challenging physically and mentally," she said.

"And the personal rewards have been outstanding."

Iyengar yoga continues to reward Leeby, especially his time spent in Pune, India.

"Going to India is definitely like going right to the source," Leeby said. "India is the land of devotion — all you have to do is get on that continent and things will start happening."

He studied under BKS Iyengar and his family.

"It's so cool to be alive in (BKS Iyengar's) lifetime. The stuff he does, no one knows how he does it — it's all nuts and bolts to him.

"Being around him and his classes is just the best instruction that someone in my eyes can find," Leeby said. "You've never worked so hard when you're in his classes. When you concentrate like that, there's a stillness that comes to the mind."