Today's Thought (Bobby Clennell)

Bobby Clennell: Light on Yoga and Perpetual Beginnings

Bobby's Early Days
My path to yoga was an indirect one. I was born and raised in London. I graduated from the London School of Fashion in 1961 and later, completed a two year graduate course in illustration and graphic design at St. Martins School of Art. I spent several years as a dress designer, before in 1973 starting, starting a career in cartoon animation which was to last twenty years.

In 1973, I also discovered yoga. By then I had met and married my husband, Lindsey, and we had two children, Miles and Jake. Lindsey and I attended our first Iyengar yoga class at the suggestion of a friend. It was a pivotal moment for both of us. For me it relieved the stress and insecurity that I often experienced as a young woman. It also connected me to Indian culture, which for some inexplicable reason I had felt drawn to as a child. Perhaps it was my grandmother's wonderfully illustrated books on India that had influenced me. It wasn't until much later that I became aware of my families long involvement with India, and that my father was born there.

Bobby's Introduction to India
In 1975, when Jake was 5 and Miles was 10, our family visited Pune where Lindsey and I studied with the Iyengars. We have made 14 subsequent trips to date, but that initial visit is the one that springs to mind first whenever I think of Pune. The colors, sounds, smells, and tastes of India made a lasting impression. Most important, the impact of Mr. Iyengar's teaching was profound and enduring. I had never met a teacher who demanded - and received - such undivided attention. When he teaches, his eyes are everywhere. In class, one must be completely present, and participate fully. Of course, it is integral to the Iyengar yoga teaching to be fully awake and focused, both in class as well as in life, and to have the utmost respect for the practice. To this day Lindsey and I are still committed to the Iyengar method.

We were certified to teach yoga in 1977. That same year, I taught my first yoga class at the Covent Garden Community Center in London.

A word from Bryan:
Bobby is in Pune, India right now, but when she returns, we get to talk about her practice and why the world continues benefiting from one of the most ancient forms of inner-telepathy there is. Stay tuned for an enlightening conversation!

Use this link to stay up-to-date regarding all Making It All Click-Visionary Series Interviews!