Kamakura-City: December 6 – 8, 2019

Three day retreat in Kamakura-City.

These three pictures of Fuji San were taken from a moving train. When you see her for real, you understand why she has Goddess status.

Fuji San.

Fuji San.

Baradvajasana with my translator and friend, Kyoko Atsumi. When turning to the right, press the  right side waist in, toward the left side waist.

Jathara Parivatanasana, with knees bent. As you turn to the right, press the left shoulder to the floor. Pull the knees right up inder the right armpit, and at the same time, lengthen the front and inner groins away from you.

Jathara Parivatanasana, this time with a helper pressing the opposite shoulder. Observe, her hand is turned back away from my armpit.

Passasana. This student is moving her left side ribs and her abdomen to her right, while keeping her knees level with each other.

If your heels do not touch the floor, with the feet together, working with a slant board this is a good starting point for either Malasana, or Passasana.

To keep the front spine moving forward, rather than having the back rounding just above the lumbar, train your body, slowly over time, by practicing Janusirsasana with a chair. To bring awareness to the movement of the spine, and to prevent the body from sinking onto the right thigh, practice Janusirsasana with a chair and rolled blanket.

Parivritta Janusirsasana with a Chair. Move your left waist forward and roll your right side waist and ribs up and back.

A much revered healer.

Dessert.

With Kyoko, and on the extreme left and right, two of her students. And let me tell you, the best hair-cutters in the world are Japanese!

© 2020 Bobby Clennell.

Kobe: November 30 – December 2, 2020

Workshop at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Kobe, Japan.

 

I’m helping this student realign her elbows. Her carrying angle will hamper her efforts to lift all the way up through her shoulders and hips. When I remove my feet from her elbows, she has to move them back toward the wall herself. She also has to move her shoulders forward.

Gripping her hips firmly between my feet, I am rolling this student’s shoulders back.

Amit Pawar,  Prana Homoeopathy Yoga Center, Pune, shows us how its done! He instructs one of his teachers how to make a similar adjustment, but here he draws the upper torso forward as he moves the student’s shoulders back. She is less likely to jam her lumbar spine this way.

Roll your upper arms in and pull your arms back into the shoulder sockets as you allow your pelvis to slide down the wall.

Maintain the entire backs of the legs from pelvis to heels, parallel to the ceiling.

You get more leverage when your feet are against the wall, and you can hold onto some ropes. Press your feet into the wall and move your inner groins back.

Krounchasana. Stay toward the middle of the sit bones and raise the anterior spine.

Eka Pada Sirsasana. Keep your hips level with each other as you bring one of your legs forward and down.

Sarvangasana. To get a better, sharper grip, spread your fingers and thumbs, palms facing the floor, place them between two ribs, and lift!

In addition, clip the outer shoulderblades in and roll the outer, upper arms down.

 

© 2020 Bobby Clennell.

Retreat in Kamakura-City, Japan: December 6 – 9, 2018

Yoga retreat at Amrita Ofuna

To remove rigidity, we need fluid in the joints. The element of water is accessed through movement, which is associated with the element of air.

Fast jumping pranisizes the legs with the element of water. Your legs will not become strong. You will however, sharpen…

…the intelligence, especially if in a class the jumping sequence is not repeated…

…the same each time by the teacher.

When standing poses are practiced from Tadasana, the legs become pranisized with the element of earth and the legs become very strong.

I was much taken by this certified Iyengar Yoga teacher who attended my workshop.

She is over 8o years old.

Here she is in a very light looking Parivritta Sirsasana.

Her name: Naoko Itoh.

The enormous bronze Buddha is located on the grounds of the Kotoku-in temple in Kamakura City. The monument dates all the way back to 1252 and was originally gold-plated. The statue has stood in the open air since the temple building was destroyed in the tsunami of September 20, 1492, and only traces of gold-leaf remain around the ears.

© 2019 Bobby Clennell

Kobe, Japan: November 30 – December 3, 2018

Workshop at Iyengar Yoga Institute of Kobe

Urdhva Hastasana; but even with a block and a belt, the student cannot straighten her arms.

Another belt was added below the the first belt. Now she can extend her arms. This memory will help her straighten her arms without the belts later on.m

This student also has a carrying angle, where the elbow projects forward. By clasping the upper arms, revolving them in and raising them (and at the same time applying a little pressure on the elbow) alignment comes and the arms begin to feel peaceful.

Helping this student to ‘find’ her legs. By tipping the foot up, she will eventually be able to find her thigh muscles and straighten her leg.

To strengthen the mind, strengthen the legs.

To fully straighten the leg, and take the kneecap back into the joint practice Ardha Chandrasana with a block under the sole of the foot.

Diagonal Uttitha Trikonasana. Practicing the pose this way takes the pressure off the front leg so it’s helpful for those with hip problems. It also provides more opportunity to revolve the trunk toward the ceiling.

Raising the pelvis in this version of Viparita Dandasana stimulates the abdominal organs (which can wake up ovarian function).

Sirsasana; The belt gives a visual reference (to the observer) of the mid line. Here the student needs to take her buttocks forward.

Sarvangasana. That which is behind the mid line – move forward; that which is in front, move back.

Parsva Halasana. Keep the torso high. Keep walking the legs around to the side – aim to bring them level with the shoulders.

 

© 2019 Bobby Clennell

Kobe: November 29 – 30. 2017

Teachers workshop at Iyengar Yoga Institute of Kobe, Japan.

In order to accomidate a long spine, this student places her feet up on blocks.

Trying to convince this hyper flexible student that this is not the best way to proceed. Hit the inner thigh flesh back!

Ah! That’s better.

Pincha Mayorasana, Move the inner thighs back.

We had so much fun in this props class.

Pariankasana with a simhasana box.

Bringing circulation into an injured knee, without further aggrivating it.

Supta Virasana heals knees, but care has to be taken not to over bend it. Over time, decrease the height of the props.

Sirsasana with chair.

And did I tell you about the food?

Presentation…. 

…is…

…(almost)…

….everything. 

 

© 2018 Bobby Clennell.