Fernandina Beach, Florida

Weekend workshop at Community Yoga on Amelia Island.

This is an effective way to help a student (level 2 and up) open the hip joints.

Here you see a common problem in Parsvottanasana: the front leg side trunk sinks onto the front leg.

To give the student a tactile reminder of how to level the hips bones: a rolled blanket is placed between the front leg thigh and the sinking pelvis. The hips are now parellel and the spine straight.

Parsvottanasana, touch the forhead to the shin bone. Be on the inner edge of the front foot and the outer edge of the back. Pull back through the front leg sit bone.

Eka Pada Sirsasana

In Parsvaika Pada Sirsasana keep the left and right hip bones level with each other. Bring the down leg side waist forward (to the front). Hit the inner lifted knee back.

Wide Leg Janu Sirsasana with chair.

Free Standing (away from the wall) Chair Shoulderstand. Grip the chair legs tightly. Resist the strong pull of the legs: roll the shoulders down and under – bring the front of the shoulder to the floor. To maintan the sternum bone in an upright position, firm the back ribs toward the chest.

©2015 Bobby Clennell.

Amman, Jordan

Workshop at Inta Ana Studio in Jabal Al Weibdeh, Amman.

On the first day I taught the standing poses. We started with Prasarita Padottanasana to prepare the legs for the strong work to come.

On the second day, we did back bends. To mobilize the upper back, curve it over the chair rest. For stability, keep your heels pressed against the front legs of the chair. Walk your hands down the wall. Lift the pelvis.

Urdhva Dhanurasana with hands on blocks. As you push up into the pose, keep your feet parellel. Women in particular, as your hips are wider and heavier than men’s, be sure to lift the pelvis (taking the tops of the shins to the wall).

Recovery, (legs apart) Uttanasana. Touch your hands to the floor. Relax the abdomen. allow your lower back to broaden.

Petra

We walked through many of these gigantic and ancient rock formations to get into the ancient city of Petra.

Camels outsides the Treasury.

A very friendly kitten, the same color as the sand.

Turkish-stlye coffee – very strong. I couldn’t find a capucino anywhere in Petra.

These two Bedouin women were running the coffee shop. Dig the eyebrows.

The world’s biggest sand castle?

© 2015 Bobby Clennell