Ninie Ahmad: Off her yoga mat.

Her daily AFFIRMATIONS of staying optimistic especially when she's (upside) down.

Archive for the ‘Yoga 101’ Category

Yoga 101: Anusara VS Ashtanga Yoga

with one comment

Well.. if you have to ask me what’s the difference between Anusara and Ashtanga,
I bet you also don’t know that,

  • Vegan is NOT the short form for vegetarian. All vegans are vegetarians but not every vegetarian is vegan.
  • Pescetarians though (muggles that eat only vegetables and seafood), ARE vegetarians.
  • Briohny Kate-Smyth from this most watched yoga YouTube ever

used to be a mega Thai teen popstar in Thailand, check these out!

Have a good weekend!

Yoga 101: It is possible to learn yoga without having a yoga teacher?

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A couple of days ago, a Twitter follower Mentioned to me an important question about learning yoga and below is my answer.

My class at Balispirit Festival 2010

Hi Izwan,

Thank you for having me in mind to answer such an interesting question.

To answer, ’should we really engage a yoga teacher to learn yoga?’:
In my humble opinion - YES.

On the physical aspect of yoga asanas (poses),
unless you really know what you are doing in terms of

  • alignment
  • readiness
  • safety,

going to a yoga class and learning yoga from a reputable and experienced teacher (I choose to use the these two words to describe a good teacher instead of ‘certified’. Almost everyone I know now goes for yoga teacher training course after only practicing for a couple of years or even months..) IS THE ONLY WAY to know that you are doing it right, safely and that ensures you will get the benefits of the poses, instead of injury, ego and arrogance. If it’s all about acrobatics, showing off and competing one’s physical ability, we could all go take up breakdancing and gymnastics, right?

On personal development’s growth (since yoga is not all physical, you do know it involves black magic and religions too right? Kidding..), again, a yoga teacher (instead of ‘yoga instructor / personal trainer’) is important as yoga is a technology of happiness and the only workout that you can do for as long as you are still breathing - you’d want to have some inspirations of ‘walking and talking’ yoga teachers that also reflect yoga (healthy, kind, humble, non-violent, loving) even when they are not on their yoga mats.

This YouTube of Dharma Mittra, one of my yoga teachers that influenced a lot of my teaching, eating and lifestyle in the recent years, speaks for me.

There is this saying that I love repeating,
‘When the student is ready, the teacher appears.’

If you feel like you are looking for a teacher, I’d like to believe that it’s your subconscious’ intelligence signalling that you are ready ;)

To start, (from Upward’s Yoga FAQ page) open your heart to trying different yoga styles until you find the one (or two) that suits your liking and the yoga teacher(s) that can guide as they inspire you.

All the best!

“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” ~BUDDHA

without comments

For those of you who have been e-mailing / leaving me comments on how does one start practicing Ashtanga before becoming a superhuman, this workshop organized by Upward conducted by a KPAJI Level 2 Ashtanga teacher is the perfect beginning for you!

An FB event has been created for the workshop, do RSVP your attendance if you are interested and read through on how to make payment to confirm your participation.

INTRODUCTION TO ASHTANGA VINYASA YOGA WORKSHOPS
WITH ELIZABETH DEROW (KPJAYI LEVEL 2 TEACHER) | 10 & 11 Dec 2023 at UPWARD

Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is deemed the most physical yoga practice and it is said that anyone who can finish Second / Intermediate Series is to have the fitness level (strength, flexibility, control, stamina, balance, poise) of an Olympic gymnast.

Elizabeth Derow (UK) has been practising Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga since 1997. She was given Sri K Pattabhi Jois’s blessing to teach in 2004 and is authorized to teach First / Primary and Second / Intermediate Series by KPJAYI, Mysore.

WORKSHOP I: SATURDAY | 10 DECEMBER 2023 | 11.00am – 01.30noon (2 1⁄2 hours)
Introduction to Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga [Intensive I]: FUNDAMENTALS OF BREATH, ‘BANDHA’ & ‘DRISHTI’

Participants will be introduced to some of the background and theory around the practice followed by the fundamentals of breath, bandha & dristi and exploration of the Primary Series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Workshop will wrap with guided relaxation after which participants will learn some simple pranayama techniques (the art of breath control).

WORKSHOP II: SUNDAY | 11 DECEMBER 2023 | 3.00pm – 5.30pm (2 1⁄2 hours)
Introduction to Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga [Intensive II]: THE PRIMARY SERIES

Building on Intensive I’s foundations, participants will continue their exploration of the Primary Series, a powerful healing tool called Yoga Chikitsa in Sanskrit (or ‘yoga therapy’). Workshop will conclude as Saturday, with some pranayama techniques after relaxation.

LEVEL / PRE-REQUISITE:

- Beginners to Intermediate
- Proficiency of Sun Salutation A & Sun Salutation B required
- A couple of Intro to Ashtanga classes at Upward before the workshop(s) is encouraged.
- Recommended reading links on Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga:

  1. http://www.ashtanga.com/html/AYarticle.html
  2. http://kinoyoga.com/about/
  3. http://ninieahmad.com/2011/04/06/i-do-yoga-not-because-i-am-flexible-strong-and-balanced-but-yoga-makes-me-flexible-strong-and-balanced-inside-out/

PRICE:

RM120 per workshop or RM200 for both workshops.
(RM20-off for valid monthly membership. T & C)

NOTES:

1. Participants are welcome to attend only one of the two classes, but if at all possible - it is advised that they attend both.
2. Maximum 25 participants. Space will be reserved only to those who have paid in full amount.
3. Manduka BlackPRO mat is provided to all participants by Upward, simply bring your own mat towel or rent a Manduka eQua Towel from Upward for RM5 a day.

TO RSVP:

Write in to [email protected] or register at UPWARD | Saujana Resort.
Walk-in for payment is only entertained 30 minutes before first class, in between of the first and second class and 30 minutes after the last class. Click HERE for info on Upward’s class schedule.

Confirmation is only granted once full payment have been received. Strictly no refund but attendance is transferable at your own discretion.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Ashtanga Primary Series preview with my inspiration and virtual teacher, Kino MacGregor

I appreciate your generousity and energy to spread and share light on this workshop to your friends and family. Hope to see you at the workshop!

“Practice, practice, practice and all is coming.”
~SHRI K. PATTHABI JOIS (1915 - 2009)

Yoga How-To: Headstand Dharma-Mittra-Style

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Headstand (Sirsasana) is not dubbed the ‘King of Yoga Poses’ for nothing.

Its benefits include

    • restoring postion of vital organs by reversing gravity
    • puts spine into correct alignment
    • promotes hair growth by increasing circulating to scalp
    • improves quality of sleep and
    • improves brain function (intelligence & memory)
    • improves many ailments namely nervousness, tension, fatigue, sleeplessness, dullness, fear, poor blood circulation, bad memory, asthma, headaches, constipation, congested throat, liver or spleen or female disorders, the initial stages of eye and nose troubles - and general lack of energy, vitality or self confidence

Yes - your doctor might not be happy and hey, no magic wrist bands needed ;)

And believe it or not, headstand is not even half as hard as it seems.

Photo by Cris Chen, special appearance Atilia

Contrary to people’s misconceptions, headstand does not require flexibility and years of practice at all - just confidence mostly. Really.

If you think and can visualize you are going to stand on your head upside down - you will.

If you second guess yourself and think you are going to fall before you even try - you will fall, guaranteed.

Yes, there are hundred other yoga poses that are impossible-looking yet I used to always wonder how in this world can Sri Dharma Mittra, stand on his head like this..


Times Square, NYC


Westminster, London


Location unknown

YOGA (Yoga Journal publication)

Dharma Mittra images are from Google Image search

With constant (if not daily!) Ashtanga Second Series practice that requires Seven Headstands Of Ashtanga,
I figured impossible is nothing, really..

Here is how I did the Unsupported Headstand or I’d like to call it - Headstand Dharma Mittra Style.

Step 1 - Tuck in your shirt to avoid shirt-in-your-face situation.
But in my case, more of to avoid unsightly boobs-to-my-chin photo moment.

Step 2 - Yes, stand on your head (maybe I’ll come back with another entry on how)
with Mukta Hasta Sirsasana C from Ashtanga Second Series variation

Step 3 - Get your photographer ready (with super fast shutter speed)
and VOILA - look ma, no hands!

But of course to try to Headstand Dharma Mittra style,
yoga-ta be really comfortable and confident standing on your head first.
How to start?

Just get on the mat - visualize, be optimistic, practice and you’ll stand on your head + look 10 years younger before you even know it.

And don’t forget to invest some time in Child Pose (Balasana) with the same amount of time you spent upside down just so that our inversions come with benefits - not injury nor arrogance.


Photo by Cris Chen

Love and heads up.

Article: Is Yoga a threat to Islam?

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by Iyan Nurmansyah from The Jakarta Post

Photo by Napie Moksin

When a Malaysian friend told me that Malaysia’s National Fatwa Council had declared that “yoga is forbidden for Muslims”, I honestly thought he was joking. It was, therefore, surreal for me to see this topic being discussed in the editorial section of this paper.

However, I then began to question whether I and many of my Muslims friend had become closeted Hindus after practicing yoga for years.

As an enthusiast of Ashtanga Yoga, I wondered which part of it has caused some kind of irritation to these ulemas.

If we translate plainly, Surya Namaskara, which is central to the practice of ashtanga yoga, means Sun Salutation. To claim that performing this movement indicates that a Muslim yoga practitioner worships Surya/Ravi (the Sun God), instead of Allah is an insult to our intelligence.

While performing this movement, practitioners concentrate on their bodily movements and breathing. No yoga instructor is trying to corrupt the Muslim practitioner’s mind by suggesting we chant something like “let us pray to the Sun God, and may He give us health and wealth” or something similar.

The very reason why many have argued that yoga is an exercise, which can give us peace of mind, is not because the Sun God plays its trick (or responds), but because during the whole process we concentrate solely on our breathing and the flexibility of our body.

Unlike many competitive sports in which we have to focus not only on ourselves, but also on how to defeat our opponents, yoga is extremely noncompetitive. Practitioners only have to pose and move according to their own bodily ability and flexibility. They do not need to worry whether someone next to them is fitter and suppler.

In a life where most of us are conditioned that it is important to be number one and to be the best whether we admit it or not (i.e. being the best student, having the best job, adhering to the best religion on earth, living in the best country of the world or whatever), practicing yoga is a kind of bliss.

At least for a while, yoga practitioners only focus on how precious their body, mind and breathing are. There is no need to feel that we have to win, to defeat or to be much better than everybody around us.

It is true that there is a part in the exercise in which practitioners chant a mantra. For example, in the yoga class that I sometimes attend, we chant Mantra Mangala.

However, it is wrong to simply translate the Mantra Mangala as a chant directed to Mangala (Mars/the God of War). Instead of throwing accusations that this sort of chanting could potentially make Muslims question their faith, we should actually focus on the content of the chanting itself.

More or less, the chanting includes words such as “may there be peace on earth; may all human beings be prosperous and live in harmony; may the welfare of all people be protected” and so on.

This is a universal message that I believe people from all religions — be they Muslims, Hindus, Christians or Buddhists — are familiar with. If one refuses to see this chanting as something which has a universal value, at least chanting that is better than rehearsing words which would potentially lead people to attack others who do not share their beliefs.

The universality of yoga can also be seen by the variety of participants who join the classes. In my own experience, it is hardly that yoga classes are dominated by Hindus as some rather foolishly think. In fact, there are always people from widely different cultural and religious backgrounds in these classes.

The funny thing is that yoga is actually a heritage of our ancestors. It has gained a remarkable international reputation due to its universal appeal and message. Indonesians should actually feel closer to it, instead of treating it as some kind of alien exercise that can corrupt our minds.

It is not my place to criticize the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for debating the practice of yoga. However, it is appropriate to question whether this move will even further distance many Muslims from others. Another question is of course whether some actually regard the essence of universality itself a threat against the exclusivity of their faith.

(En)lighten up.

Written by Ninie

August 2nd, 2010 at 2:29 pm

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