Ninie Ahmad: Off her yoga mat.

I wish I have the answer to this..

I also know

• half a dozen female Malaysian celebrities in their mid-30s who chain smoke, drink Coke like water and party everyday like it’s Saturday, yet they still look younger than me
• my mom at 54 (and with seven children and does not exercise) looks younger than some of my seniors who were former athletes from my boarding school
• my dad at 57 (and only eats free-range eggs and has not eaten chicken or anything canned for as long as I could remember) looks younger than Rosyam Nor who is only 45. And errr, in fact I think my dad actually looks a lot like Rosyam Nor Rosyam Nor looks like my dad, a lot..

The Ahmads

I don’t know about looking younger but I do know that the oldest Malaysian is a vegetarian (and THAT I don’t want to look like Nigella Lawson in her swimming suit).

.  .  .  .  .

I can only speak for myself and look up to vegetarian yoga teachers being masters to their own body at their 70’s and 90’s with no health issues and rocking arm balancing like there’s no tomorrow.

93-years-old Tao Porchon-Lynch

73-years-old Dharma Mittra

I keep doing what I have been doing and I keep eating (or not) what I have (and not) been eating as
when I grow up, I want to be and look just like them.

Love and long life (to all humans and animals).

Another awesome perk of being a yoga ‘person’ is,
your husband and in-laws just seem to know exactly what to stuff in your Christmas stocking!

For Christmas 2011, my ’stocking’ looked like this

Among the things I found in my stocking for Christmas were

organic (and fat-free!) Yogi Chips

organic chocolate bars

organic toothpaste and socks (rock!)

a table calendar

enlightening books

another Power-Y tank (hooray to NOT having to wear bra to yoga anymore!)

..and this beyond cute water bottle!

See, I’m not that complicated a girl.

Give me

• anything Lululemon organic
• paraben-free cleansers and BPA-free bottles
• not fur coats and not leather bags (yes, I only carry cheap handbags..)
• non-genetically modifed (GMO) fruits and colouring free snacks (without corn syrup please!)

and I am one happy Ninie

See you back at Upward this week!
Love and light.

(NOTE: This is not an advertorial)

If it’s not obvious enough, evidently I am not one of those pure yogis who support the boycott of Lululemon for their ‘Designed In Vancouver, Made In China‘ frenzy (if you live in Asia like me, are you really going to tell me you won’t buy your clothes / furniture just because they are made in China?), their absurdly priced yoga pants (yes, they do cost more than most of my miserable and poorly sized jeans..) and the recent Lululemon murder.

I used to be sponsored by a major sports brand for five years until 2010 and this much I know,

• nothing ever fits me like all Lulus do (yoga tops and pants in glove-fit US size 2 [XXS] = genius!)
• most of their clothes are designed FOR yoga (don’t stink in Ashtanga, don’t ride down in Headstands, no cameltoe in Camel Pose..)
• their shopping bags (sleep on the lead hype already!) make the best grocery bag ever! No contest.
• WORD: reversible pants.
• EVERYONE could learn a thing or two from their manifesto (above title is one of my favourites). Peeps who keep complaining and finding flaws in everyone and everything (Lululemon applies) might want to check and reflect on their self-image #justsaying

And hell HELLO, they make the most wicked ads ever!

I think I’m guilty for 50% of the Shits Yogis Say here..
(Although I’m sure if you asked my husband and my students,
they will say I’m guilty for 95% of them )

As long as they don’t start making Wunder Under in leather, I’m sticking to being a lululemming for now (errr, actually I kind of have to.. Got one too many new tanks and crops from my husband for Christmas) 

Love and happy new year!

I might not be six feet tall (or FIVE feet tall for that matter)..

..but I have, sort of.. exceptional balance (just because my center of gravity is lower? Or just because..) so that’s alright

I might not believe in Santa

..but I do believe that the Universe will works its way (in ways our wisdom might not ever understand) to send us what we desire and deserve if only we wish and believe hard enough.

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas (if you do celebrate) and
let’s visualize a new year full of opportunities and endless possibilities.

Love and light from a beautiful island far far far away!

It feels like yesterday I got married.

Exactly one year ago,
we started off 11 December 2010 with a short Ashtanga practice at sunrise,

Upward dog

Heels over head

..a couple of hours before they pronounced us man and wife.

Above photos by Pretty Peektures

.   .   .   .   .

Yesterday, we celebrated 11 December 2011, 365 days of being married
by hosting an Ashtanga workshop until sunset at Upward, our pride and joy

..and surprised each other by accidentally getting the very same 1-Year Anniversary card for each other.

If that’s not MFEO, I don’t know what else is.

Yoga brought us together and this much I know,
it is yoga that is going to keep us happy and healthy together.
God willing, forever.