The Integral Anatomy Series (9 HR/CE)

Access Options

This 9 hr/CE version of the course includes the entire 4 feature length volumes of The Integral Anatomy Series, an assessment to reinforce the material, a PDF download of the Workshop Handbook, and Certificate of Completion for 9 hr/CE when finished. The Workshop Handbook is the textual accompaniment studied by thousands of somanauts as course support for the 6-Day Intensive Hands on Dissection Workshop. It is included here as an enrollment bonus. Enjoy!

The Integral Anatomy Series demonstrates the whole body, layer-by-layer, integral approach to anatomy as developed and taught by Gil Hedley, Ph.D., since 1994, and published on DVD between 2005 and 2009. On-camera dissection shot from the viewers' perspective enables a visual, dimensional grasp of the material with a transformational effect on one's perspective and touch.

On-Camera Dissection

15 HR

Course

Marathon (Level 3)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Describe both the limitations and usefulness of the onion tree model,
Describe the properties of skin, superficial fascia, deep fascia, and the muscle tissue layer,
Apply an understanding of the continuities, connections, and properties of these layers to the sensible application of bodywork or movement modalities,
Describe the relationship between the inflammatory response, movement dysfunction, and/or adhesions,
Describe the benefits as well as potential consequences of scar tissue,
Describe the continuities and relationships that exist between the psoas and the diaphragm,
Describe the relationship between the visceral and the parietal pericardium,
Describe how and why the metaphor of the heart as a mechanical pump may be limited,
Describe the role that fatty tissue plays in the visceral space, including as it relates to the heart, greater omentum, and kidneys.
Describe the properties of the mesentery and its role in health.

Keywords

onion tree, skin, superficial fascia, deep fascia, muscle tissue layer, inflammatory response, movement dysfunction, adhesions, scar tissue, psoas, diaphragm, heart, visceral space, greater omentum, kidneys, visceral pericardium, mechanical pericardium, mesentery, visceral space

Course Outline

How to Take This Course

Video: Vol. 1, Pt. 1: Dissection of Skin

Video: Vol. 1, Pt. 1: Dissection of Skin (Total Time: 33:18)

0:21 An Introduction to Gil, and to the course
0:36 What is Integral Anatomy, and how can dissection serve us?
2:37 A word about self-pacing through the course
3:12 Gil’s reasons for working with preserved tissue in this series
4:06 Acknowledgement of the gift of the donors and their families
5:04 Skin

5:06 Observing the skin, the first step in the dissection process
5:26 Cadaver as a model, not a person
6:14 Effect of the embalming process on the skin
7:27 Comparison of morphology in multiple cadavers
8:56 Visual observations of skin: scars from open heart surgery, variations in color, incision from embalming
10:39 Palpation, the second step in the dissection process
11:34 Differentiating, the third step in the dissection process
11:52 Making an incision to begin to differentiate the skin from the superficial fascia
14:13 Blood vessels visible in superficial fascia
15:03 Whole-body dissection of skin as a continuous layer
16:27 Reflecting the skin as the fourth step in the dissection process
16:41 Reflecting the entire anterior skin layer on a male form to reveal the superficial fascia layer in situ
17:58 Removal as the fifth layer in the dissection process, viewing forms with skin layer intact and with skin layer removed
18:45 Scalpels going dull during the differentiation of the skin as evidence of the intimate relationship of the skin to the deeper layers
20:25 Whole-body skin layer ex situ
21:07 Images of skin layer backlit, discussions of functions of skin and its permeability to light
23:20 Skin’s permeability to electromagnetic energy entering in and exiting out of the body
24:30 Looking closer at the patterning on the deep side of the skin
25:50 Thickness of skin at varying locations in the body
26:18 Patterning of superficial fascia as related to patterning of skin
27:45 Onion-Tree Model

29:00 Layers of onion as analogous to layers of the human form
29:09 Alternating layers of thin, membranous layers (e.g. skin) and thick, “fluffy” layers (e.g. superficial fascia)
30:38 Nerve tree
31:25 Heart tree

Video: Vol. 1, Pt. 2: Dissection of Superficial Fascia

Video: Vol. 2, Pt. 1: Dissection of Deep Fascia

Video: Vol. 2, Pt. 2: Dissection of Muscle

Video: Vol. 2, Pt. 2: Dissection of Muscle (Total Time: 1:11:17)

0:23 Continuity in the images of layers presented thus far in the series
0:52 Muscle as a whole-body layer
3:13 Differentiation of the trapezius

4:32 View of “fuzz”/filmy fascia deep to trapezius

5:43 Beginning to differentiate latissimus dorsi

7:20 Fascial, vascular, and nerve relationship between the muscle and the surrounding layers

10:28 First lamina of the deep cervical fascia visible between the upper trapezius and the sternocleidomastoid
13:27 What is it that creates muscle tonus?
16:45 Naming muscles and their attachments as missing the mark
17:18 Septa between muscles of the forearm

18:29 tendons of the wrist flexors becoming visible
19:15 Ulnar nerve
19:30 Closeup of ulnar artery
19:56 Median nerve

21:13 Musculature of the thigh, filmy fascia/fuzz between muscles

22:29 Removing intermediate tissues to create “independent” muscles
27:02 Muscle and superficial fascia as bulky, thicker layers, deep fascia and skin as thinner layers
27:22 Attachments of musculature of the thigh around the knee

28:17 Achilles tendon
28:32 Deep fascia/retinaculum of the ankle
29:08 Posterior tibial tendon
31:20 Differentiating gluteus maximus
31:58 Biceps femoris and vastus lateralis
33:47 Common tendon of long head of biceps and semitendinosus
36:05 Semimembranosus
37:14 Adipose deposition within hamstrings surrounding deep nerve tissue and vasculature
38:19 Sciatic nerve

39:42 Sciatic nerve dividing at posterior knee

40:36 Naming of muscles as rooted in historical preferences and anatomical convenience

40:36 Relationship between deltoid and pectoralis major
41:20 Relationship between pectoralis minor and coracobrachialis, and short head of the biceps
41:47 Relationship between semitendinosus and biceps femoris
42:31 Caution against attributing independent functionality to named muscles

43:40 Musculature of the posterior pelvis

43:40 Musculature of posterior thighs, pelvis, and buttocks without intermuscular fascia and adipose
44:20 Fully differentiating, reflecting, and removing gluteus maximus
48:03 Gluteus medius and tendons of deep lateral rotators
48:33 Reflection and removal of gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus to reveal piriformis and the sciatic nerve
49:11 Quadratus femoris and obturator externus
49:46 Ligamentous capsule of hip joint
50:00 Posterior surface of the obturator internus
50:47 Sacrospinous and sacrotuberous ligaments

52:21 Musculature of the abdomen

52:52 Differentiating the anterior rectus sheath
53:20 Anterior rectus sheath as tendon of external oblique
54:07 Creating the inguinal ligament
55:12 Pyramidalis
55:50 Continued dissection of intervening layers of filmy fascia between the layers of abdominal musculature
57:57 Cutting the tendon of the internal oblique to differentiate the lateral edge of rectus abdominis
59:07 Montage of abdomen in different stages of dissection, and discussion of touching anatomy with a clear intention

1:00:48 Relationship between muscle and bone

1:03:05 Periosteum

1:04:08 Montage of muscle groups ex situ
1:05:52 Viewing of the organ layer and of deeper musculature like that of the psoas reserved for following videos
1:07:34 Gratitude for gifts of this form
1:09:30 Copyright, dedication, and acknowledgements

Video: Vol. 3, Pt. 1: Dissection of Membranes and Diaphragm

Video: Vol. 3, Pt. 1: Dissection of Membranes and Diaphragm (Total Time: 53:11)

0:27 Intention of this part of the course, and of the layer-by-layer dissection
1:30 Gratitude to donors and their families
2:03 Review of onion-tree model, layers as present in the viscera
4:48 Explanation of the fibrous and membranous layers of the viscera

5:51 First, fibrous layer of viscera (e.g. dura, fibrous pericardium)
6:50 Membranous layer that doubles back on itself to form an inner, visceral layer and an outer, parietal layer

10:16 Exploring the thoracic viscera and diaphragm
- 13:42 Where the parietal pleura doubles back at the 12th rib
- 19:45 Diaphragmatic pleura
- 21:20 Joint of lobes of lung

10:46 Endothoracic fascia
11:39 Diagram of the fibrous and membranous layers of the thorax
12:10 Parietal pleura
15:20 Four named aspects of the parietal pleura; relationship of the pleura to the ribs, mediastinum, and diaphragm
17:48 Diaphragm visible deep to ribs
18:55 Diaphragm with ribs reflected
21:15 Lungs, posterior view
22:25 Looking at posterior view of diaphragm and orienting to posterior abdominal viscera
23:31 Montage of dissection of thorax from posterior, presented in reverse sequence (from viscera to skin)

24:00 Exploring the abdominal viscera

24:00 Montage of dissection of abdomen thus far (from skin to transversalis fascia)
24:39 Transversalis fascia as adherent to parietal peritoneum
26:10 Continuity of transversus abdominis with diaphragm
27:35 Deadhering the anterior parietal pleura from the endothoracic fascia
28:13 View of abdominal organs as “held” by the diaphragm in continuity with the peritoneum

28:49 Removing the rib cage, shoulder girdle and upper extremities as one
29:43 Inside the chest wall

29:46 Internal thoracic (mammary) artery and vein
30:10 Evidence of lung tissue that had adhered to the chest wall as a result of open heart surgery
30:41 Endothoracic fascia

31:34 Thoracic and abdominal viscera in situ with ribcage, shoulder girdle and upper extremities removed
31:55 Membranous layers of lungs

32:33 Parietal and visceral pleura adhered at left lung
35:02 Elasticity of lung tissue
35:36 Carbon deposition in the lymphatic vessels of the lung
35:54 Differentiating visceral pleura from parenchyma of lung
36:39 Comparing visceral pleura, parietal pleura, and parenchyma

38:13 Fibrous and membranous layers of abdominal viscera

39:58 Differentiating parietal peritoneum from transversalis fascia
43:01 Diaphragm differentiated from parietal peritoneum
43:28 Model illustration of the continuity of the diaphragm with the transversalis fascia
45:10 Model illustration of the dissection of the transversalis fascia and diaphragm away from the parietal peritoneum
46:37 Diaphragm as “pleuroperitoneal muscle”
47:47 Peeling the diaphragmatic pleura
48:18 Fiber direction of diaphragm shown as perpendicular to fiber direction of transversus abdominis
49:00 Differentiating the posterior parietal peritoneum from psoas major without disrupting the abdominal viscera
52:25 Connection between diaphragm and psoas

Video: Vol. 3, Pt. 2: Cardiac and Cranial Membranes (

Video: Vol. 3, Pt. 2: Cardiac and Cranial Membranes (Total Time: 1:00:03)

0:20 Beginning to explore the abdominal viscera
- 4:37 Greater omentum, motility and anatomy
- 7:10 Comparison with greater omentum of female form
- 8:19 Intestines
- 9:08 Gallbladder
- 9:19 Left lobe of liver and stomach
- 10:14 Transverse colon, small intestine, cecum, sigmoid colon

0:30 Entering the peritoneum
1:04 Serous membranes of the abdominal viscera
2:05 Vibrational tones of tissue layers
2:55 Peritoneal relationship with liver as ligamentous
4:17 Surface presentation of abdominal viscera
11:02 Visceral peritoneum of stomach

12:37 Exploring the membranous layers of the heart
- 16:07 Thymus as place where T cells mature

12:37 Blunt dissection of loose areolar fascia and mediastinal pleura from around pericardium
14:16 Enlarged heart
15:00 Thymus
17:20 Continued blunt dissection of pleura
18:02 Phrenic nerve
19:33 Definition of mediastinum
20:32 Explanation of layers of pericardium
21:35 Dissection of fibrous pericardium
23:37 Adhesions between layers of pericardial as an artifact of open heart surgery
24:42 Visceral pericardium and parietal pericardium
24:50 Parietal pericardium as naturally adherent to fibrous pericardium
26:18 Differentiating the parietal and fibrous pericardium from the heart and visceral pericardium
28:16 Continuity of the fibrous pericardium with the diaphragm
28:45 Healthy, sliding relationship between the parietal and visceral pericardium
29:08 The heart “center”
29:58 Differentiating the visceral pericardium from the heart center

31:13 Exploring the membranous layers of the central nervous system
- 31:47 Dura mater
- 32:15 Arachnoid
- 32:55 Pia mater
- 37:54 Superior sagittal sinus
- 39:37 Transverse sinus
- 41:11 Reflection of dura to reveal arachnoid and gyri
- 41:38 Contrast of meningeal dura with periosteal dura
- 42:16 Arachnoid granulations
- 43:14 Falx cerebri
- 43:50 Dura in situ
- 44:35 Tension in system as affecting dura and cranium
- 45:14 Differentiation of dura from cranium
- 45:46 Brief view of brain and spinal cord ex situ

31:25 Diagram of cranial membranes
34:30 Comparison of ribs and cranium as bony structures the surround deeper membranous layers
35:28 Sutures of cranium
36:36 Impressions of blood vessels of dura on deep side of cranium
37:36 Dissection of dura
46:00 Continuity of dura from brain to spinal cord
46:47 Effect of flexion and extension on dura
48:03 Arachnoid layer
50:05 Dissection of dura of spinal cord to reveal arachnoid and pia of spinal cord, as well as denticulate ligaments
51:10 Dorsal nerve roots
51:38 Cauda equina and filum terminale
52:18 Honoring and witnessing the brain and spinal cord ex situ
53:18 Review of the cranial membrane layers
53:55 Differentiating the arachnoid from the pia of the brain
55:16 Cross section of cerebellum with arachnoid intact
55:35 Cauda equina and conus medullaris

56:03 Closing, copyright, dedication, and acknowledgements

Video: Vol. 4, Pt. 1: Exploring Visceral Surfaces

Video: Vol. 4, Pt. 1: Exploring Visceral Surfaces (Total Time: 53:17)

0:19 Introduction and intention for this part of the series
1:04 Appreciation for donors and their families
1:28 Dissection of embalmed tissue vs. unpreserved tissue
2:38 Review of the Onion-Tree model, and review of previously dissected layers
4:19 Viscera as non-local phenomena
6:07 Evidence of abdominal herniation in layer of superficial fascia
7:06 Superficial fascia ex situ of unpreserved form
7:52 Deep fascia layer of unpreserved form
8:37 Curiosity around which layer is shaping any given form
10:25 Comparison of presenting shape of male and female form at deep fascia layer
12:22 Dissection of abdominal wall of unfixed form

12:22 Dissection of tendon of external oblique and anterior rectus sheath
13:54 Evidence of abdominal surgery at muscle layer
15:12 Parietal peritoneum

15:43 Tour of abdominal viscera in fixed male form (picking up where Vol. 3, Pt. 2 left off at 11:00)

16:29 Greater omentum
18:56 Splenic flexure of colon, and spleen
19:30 Splenogastric ligament
19:51 Stomach
21:09 Esophageal hiatus of diaphragm, and explanation of hiatal hernia
22:21 Sliding relationship of spleen and stomach
23:22 Size and position of stomach
24:27 Left triangular ligament, coronary ligament, and falciform ligament of the liver
26:15 Right triangular ligament of the liver
27:21 Review of ligaments of the liver
27:43 Size, position, and movement of liver
29:20 Gallbladder
29:52 Hepatoduodenal ligament and epiploic foramen
33:26 Lesser omentum

34:46 Liver in an unfixed form

36:13 Relationship between liver and diaphragm
37:05 Relationship between liver and kidney
37:54 Size and position of liver
38:15 Greater omentum adherent to liver in this form
38:44 Liver adherent to stomach in this form

39:59 Continued exploration of abdominal viscera of fixed form

40:03 Small intestines
41:23 “Bouquet” of small intestines and root of mesentery
41:48 Anatomy of the mesentery
43:49 Backlighting the mesentery to view its vasculature
47:31 Mesocolon and the root of the mesentery
48:55 Relationship of small intestines to lumbar spine and abdominal aorta
50:35 The “gut brain”/enteric nervous system
52:29 Reflections of the shape of the gut brain in nature

Video: Vol. 4, Pt. 2: Dissecting Viscera

Video: Vol. 4, Pt. 2: Dissecting Viscera (1:00:46)

0:19 Intraperitoneal portions of small intestine

00:28 Ileocecal valve
00:54 Duodenal jejunal junction

3:11 Retroperitoneal portion of small intestine

3:31 Duodenum

5:01 Pancreas
6:22 Superior mesenteric artery and portal vein
8:36 Large intestine
- 10:59 Epiploic appendages
- 11:08 Greater omentum

8:48 Ileocecal valve
9:00 Cecum
9:57 Ascending colon
10:15 Hepatic flexure
10:44 Transverse colon
11:40 Splenic flexure
12:08 Descending colon
12:33 Sigmoid colon
12:53 Quick rundown of all the geographical sections of the colon
13:34 Rectum

14:26 Intestines in the unfixed female form

14:39 Fatty deposition in this form present in mesocolon and mesentery
15:30 Fluid quality of the intestines
15:52 Evidence of surgical intervention
17:01 Ileocecal valve
17:31 Small intestine “bouquet”
18:00 Tracing the path of the large intestine
19:00 Example of undescended cecum and elongated appendix
19:51 Anatomical variations in individuals vs. generalizations of textbook anatomy

20:30 Kidneys
- 26:10 Inferior vena cava and abdominal aorta
- 26:30 Renal vein
- 26:48 Adrenal vein
- 28:12 Vasculature of peritoneum
- 31:09 Contrasting the surrounding layers of kidney with surrounding layers of heart
- 32:25 Reflecting the intestines to reveal the deep pelvic bowl
- 32:44 Surface presentation of uterus, uterine tubes, and ovaries
- 32:57 Closer view of left ovary and uterine tube
- 33:41 Uterus
- 34:01 Proximity of ovary to psoas
- 34:42 Ligaments of uterus
- 35:04 Position of uterus between bladder and rectum
- 35:43 Os of uterine tube
- 36:28 Round ligament of the uterus
- 37:10 Ovary as an abdominal organ
- 39:34 Closeup of ovary
- 41:28 Adhesions between parietal and visceral pleura
- 44:04 Mediastinal structures
- 46:03 Inflation of lungs
- 49:32 Opening the pericardial sac
- 51:18 The heart center
- 58:52 Closing, copyright, dedication, and acknowledgements

20:55 Retroperitoneal, subserosal fascia of kidney
22:31 Location of adrenal gland
23:20 Revealing the kidney in the renal capsule
24:04 Revealing the adrenal gland
25:04 Differentiating the renal capsule from the kidney
26:01 Vasculature of the kidneys and adrenals
26:59 Kidney bean!
27:18 Repeating the dissection with the second kidney
32:10 Reproductive organs of fixed form
36:10 Reproductive organs of unfixed form
41:03 Thoracic viscera in unfixed form

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