Ninie Ahmad: Off her yoga mat.

I have evidence that I’d be the perfect travel-size yoga teacher

Ahhhhh, I am so proud of my husband!
Did you hear him advising our friend,
“Bend your knees (before lifting anything light or heavy from the floor)”?

I love hearing my words from my yoga classes being repeated by my husband.
Well, except the times when I complain to him that Canada is too cold and he replies with,
“Anything that doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger if not more patient, remember?” )

Now if you can pretend that you didn’t hear anything about robbing some banks..

This cute song from a Malaysian sweetheart makes me wanna get on my mat and just ‘fall all over’ for 4-minutes!

P.S. Jatuh means ‘falling’ in my beautiful language, in case some of my readers didn’t get me

Everytime I travel especially to North America,
I would not miss a chance to visit other yoga studios, take a break from teaching everyday
and usually learn so much more just by being just another student in other teachers’ class.

Dharma Mittra’s Master Practice class, NYC

Upward kitten in front of Downward Dog by the beach, Toronto

With Tara Stiles at her Strala, Broadway NYC

Ashtanga Yoga Centre of Toronto (AYCT)

During my visit to Toronto a couple of weeks ago,
I met David Robson of Ashtanga Yoga Centre of Toronto (AYCT) at his centre.

I was at AYCT for just one Mysore class on the first day of Hari Raya morning but David’s teaching and moving Ashtangi persona left me YouTube-ing for more!

Tell me if you are not moved by this..

David Robson’s LIVING THE PRACTICE

David Robson’s LEARN TO FLOAT

Thanks to David, watching his YouTubes AND floating are now my husband & I’s favourite new pastime replacing marathons of Mad Men and Entourage.

Also thanks to David, for the inspiration and realization that:
to be a walking example and ‘living the practice’,
I have to do my Ashtanga practice earlier than my students.

Well, maybe not every 3am for now, but 4.30 in the morning – almost every day for sure.

Love and Toronto light.

As many (or errr.. all?) of you might have heard from a little bird tweeting around,
I have recently launched my new baby called

inspired by my favourite yoga studios in NYC.

The idea of bringing home pieces of New York City’s best yoga studios and teachings came to me during my first ‘fashionable spiritual journey’ to NYC last year.

In NYC, I experienced some of the most challenging, heart-opening and humbling classes I have ever been to. In some of my favourites (namely Dharma Mittra Yoga Centre, Kula Yoga Project, Laughing Lotus and Strala) I noticed how the yoga classes I learned most from – are eco-friendly, not mirrored and less fancy compared to the studios I have taught at in Asia.

I realized how the students (and yours truly) in the non-mirrored yoga class align ourselves with how we feel within instead of what we see in the mirror; reflection of doubt, judgment, distraction and competition.

I also feel that the simpler interior of the yoga studios in NYC is more organic to the core of yoga fundamental as having more ‘things’ around us while we practice will distract us from valuing yoga’s most important essence (breaths, sensation, contentment) and most likely will lead us to feeling attached to worldly possessions and wanting more material entities that we do not necessarily have to accumulate.

Today marks our tenth day of opening and we have received nothing but amazing vibes and positive responses from aspiring yogis all around that have visited our humble little space.

For class schedule, fees and location, do check out

http://upwardyoga.com

.   .   .   .

With lotus feet and open heart, I am proud to announce – Upward offers the most affordable and flexible yoga class in town.

At ONLY RM30 PER CLASS (all classes are at least 75 minutes in duration to give longer time for relaxation and healing process to happen in Savasana) and with NO CONTRACT and NO REGISTRATION FEE, we strive on giving you a space to practice yoga beyond the poses.

Can’t wait to see most of you at Upward and I’m going to leave you with a little something that my little brother helped shoot and I edited myself.

See you in Downward at Upward real soon!

Quoting LA arm-balancing rockstar, Kathryn Budig

“You could call me a bit of a frequent flyer.”

Eka Pada Koundiyasana I

Being a ‘frequent flyer’ myself (when we say fly, we really mean flying like ‘look ma, no feet!’) and recently married to an expat in Malaysia, I am really fortunate to get to follow my dearest husband to and forth Toronto – Kuala Lumpur once in every couple of months.

Although getting the best of Canada’s summer and winter is beyond fun, long-haul flights can drain me and ’cause misery to many.

Flights from KL to Toronto can take up to 36 HOURS door-to-door trip and I fully credit yoga stretches, twists and breathing technique for making me not loathe flying as much.

To other frequent flyers, I’m delighted to share how these simple stretches and twists (they take less than 10 minutes!) help me stay fresh onboard.

Pretty simple right?
Do it within 30 minutes of take-off and 30 minutes before landing.
Feel free to repeat as many times as you wish or hold poses for 10 or 15 breaths instead for longer flights.

Footnotes (since I can’t be really verbal on flight):

• stretches and twists help circulate blood flow to avoid (or to the least – reduce) cramps
• deep breathing helps send oxygen to numbing parts of the body and brain to avoid fatigue (and bonus point, you’d look fresh as ever as you touch down – ready to take over the world!)

Isn’t yoga simply amazing..

Also remember to

• drink gallons of water before and during the flight. Avoid coffee and alcohol at all cost as they dehydrate you and make you frequent going to the washroom (which is not the most enjoyable experience and space 10,000 feet above the ground)
• wear comfy clothes (I find yoga outfits especially anything with Lululemon’s Luon® fabric with has four-way stretch freedom makes the most comfortable flight staple). Oh, and nothing’s more comfortable than sportsbra when I am traveling..

To be updated with my latest Yoga How-To videos, Like me on FB!
My yoga videos (and photos!) will be uploaded there
days before I share them here

Have fun stretching while you are flying
(can anyone let me know if this sequence would work on Air Asia seats as well?)
and safe flight to your next destination.

Up(ward ) In The Air!