Serenity Studio

Yoga Instructors

Vishnu	Les	Sita

'An ounce of practice is worth a ton of theory'  - Swami Sivananda

Sita (Leah Michelsen)

Sita is a classically trained Hatha Yoga instructor who studies Yoga in the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Organization. Her classes offer traditional Hatha Yoga asanas (poses) and pranayama (breathing exercises) to develop a healthy body and mind. Her teachings emphasize the 5 points of Sivananda Yoga: proper exercise, proper breathing, proper diet, proper relaxation and positive thinking and meditation.

Sita trained at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in Nassau, Bahamas, and spent several years as a staff member there, teaching Yoga at the Retreat and at the exclusive Ocean Club resort.  She also taught Hatha Yoga classes at the Holistic Movement Center on California's lovely Central Coast, in Morro Bay. She enjoys teaching to all levels of students, from beginners to advanced, as well as private, one-on-one instruction.

Originally from Southern Indiana, she is happy to now call Chicago home!

Vishnu (Jorge Espinel)

A teacher in the Sivananda Yoga tradition, Vishnu enjoys bringing the teachings of Yoga to all, especially those students who don't think Yoga is for them.

Classically trained in the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Organization, he has built his repertoire of specialized teaching skills through courses like Advanced Teacher Training, Anatomy of Hatha Yoga, Yoga for Children and Yoga of the Heart, for cancer and cardiac patients and students with mobility challenges.

Vishnu studied and taught at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in Nassau, Bahamas, where he was a senior staff member for over 4 years. He has also taught and worked at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch in upstate New York. He enjoys giving individual and customized Yoga instruction both in group classes & private lessons.

Born and raised in Colombia, Vishnu has spent many years in various parts of the United States, including St. Louis, New York, and now Chicago.

Les Plewa

Les Plewa was born and raised in Chicago.  He teaches traditional hatha yoga based on the Sivananda sequence. In addition, he practices yoga in his daily living, following the five points of yoga established by Swami Vishnu-devananda: proper exercise(asanas), proper breathing, proper relaxation, proper diet, and positive thinking/meditation.