How to give em June.

And again. It's June! 

The air is perfect only by the beach. 

The summer adventures lurk near.

15 days of yoga done, 45 to go!

The laptop is dead.

Books from now until September. Anyone have recommendations?

How to be best friends.

One of my bestests from university days came to visit me in Dubai. I've had many visitors in the past, but this is the first real one for me.

Dubai is so appealing to the untrained eye. I can easily see me frolicking here until I see Carlyn get approached by a man in a white kandoora at the end of the night. It's all fun and games until someone takes you seriously.

On top of going down the tourist route, I gave Car a trip to the yoga room. Joumana led a level 1 class and Carlyn tried yoga for the first time ever. As a dancer and an athlete,  she found the ashtanga sequence challenging in a good way. I hope she gets into ashtanga when she gets back home! It was great to have her energy around me for a week.

And for me? Back to meditating about life, some serious prayer and a 60 day yoga challenge. Considering that I'm feeling super alone at home after my brother and bestie gone within a day of each other,  I neeeeed some self love.

Next post will give deeeeets. Ashtanga to a new level. It's on.

How to watch a movie

I just got home from watching The Great Gatsby. An extra extra extra special occasion because it will mark the first time I've been to the movies with him. Ever.

Great movie. Surely edited out nudity by the government. But hey, at least I got to watch a movie holding hands with the man I adore. Wait..... no. I didn't.  

Check out the grump. Lol. xo

*sings* will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful?

How to #fortlom.

HOW is it MAY!?!??! Well, I posted only once in April, but I hope May will bring better updates.

This is what I did last night. #FORTLOM (for the love of music). Check 'em out

Always a special night. Shout out to +abbo abbondandolo +Nishanth Merwin +Adetokunboh Adeniyi

Throwback from FORTLOM LAST YEAR! Missed you Rosh..

How to never give up but always let go.

Prarista Pachottanasana A or Wide legged forward bend. One of my favourite poses. This is not one of those things that just happen one day. I am just plain grateful for what I CAN do rather than where I want to be. Today, I slept in and skipped morning Mysore practice to make up for a shitty night and a weird weekend. Sometimes having a "life" is overrated. Everytime I feel like I don't go out enough or party or "relax" with a drink or two, I need to remind myself that it is so superficial. This weekend was one of those reminders. And I love my no-life life. 

Give and give and expect nothing back. Practice non-attachment. 

 "abhyasa vairagyabhyam tat nirodhah"

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras 1.12

How to Easter

Happy Easter everyone!  I just had a wickedly good lunch and dessert. I'm now giving up sugar for a month.

This is what I have been working on for the past couple weeks.

And just like that; Welcome to April.

How to meet Edris - "The warehouse gym"

I would be really hyped to type this out if I was still into the gym scene. But here it goes anyways:

I've been dedicating an hour or more of my day to my yoga practice every morning in JLT. Yesterday, I grabbed some coconut water after practice and strolled over to check out some paint supplies in a warehouse/industrial part of town (Al Quoz). That's when I met Edris.

Edris saw me eyeing out the new shiny black exterior of a warehouse with the words "The warehouse gym". Intrigued and curious, I did what you are not supposed to do as a single woman in an industrial area .... stroll in with wide eyes. I knew my bf would be like "wtf", but I was already in too deep when I was instagramming the interior graffiti art. Sorry boo.

Back to Edris; He is the owner of the warehouse gym on Umm Sequim road and he gave me a full tour of the still raw facilities. The concept is to have the industrial feel, the raw energy, the salty sweat, in a couture environment. Let me make that clearer - Everything is designer. The tiles, the equipment, the mirrors, the showers, the art, the concepts. Everything.

The layout is excellent - 2 huge studio spaces overlooking a massive floor of gym. The floor contains a space for cardio, olympic weight training, standard weight machines, a full crossfit fit out, free training space and an MMA style cage. What more do you need right?

Actually, wait, I don't need any of that. I have a mat, running shoes and the will power of 3 nuns. I can't believe I used to be into lifting and high intensity training. BUT if that's your thing - check out this space. Edris has passion and I have his number if you want it.

They open in May-ish.

How to Mysore

Started a new Mysore practice at Yoga Room. They say "a lazy practice is better than none at all".

It's been phenomenal!  Nea is absolutely amazing and she completely makes you feel at ease. The goal is to get to practice 6 days a week.

If you have never done a mysore style class: It's basically the ashtanga sequence done at your own pace alongside several others on their mats. A self practice on steroids. The energy is amaze.

I have a very cool new project coming up and I just wrapped up my first ever student piano recital. March has been good so far!

My friend Aya captured this in my favourite vintage denim shorts. 

How to lose yourself in a book

I read. I never really write about it or talk about it unless it really speaks to me. Shantaram is hands down one of the best stories I have ever read. Up in the ranks of Khaled Hosseini - Gregory David Roberts is SO bad ass.

I found myself wanting to tweet every line of the book. So hard not to!

The last page of the book has these gorgeous words.

"For this is what we do. Put one foot forward and then the other. Lift our eyes to the snarl and smile of the world once more. Think. Act. Feel. Add our little consequence to the tides of good and evil that flood and drain the world. Drag our shadowed crosses into the hope of another night. Push our brave hearts into the promise of a new day. With love: the passionate search for truth other than our own. With longing: the pure, ineffable yearning to be saved. For so long as fate keeps waiting, we live on. God help us. God forgive us. We live on."

And my favourite line from the book:

"We Are Made Out of Stars, You and I"

how to OMMMMM

I bought a Groupon deal for 20 hot yoga sessions with a friend of mine. She has been on a quest to lose weight / get fit even though she is probably less than 90pounds (40kgs). Though I've dabbled in hot yoga before and not really loved it, I took this as a challenge to add to my Ashtanga practice and support a friend.

Yesterday was our first session at Fitness 4 Life in Dubai Silicon Oasis. I got through the 90 minutes session in a 40 degree room with ease. I even surprised myself when I wished it was a little more challenging.

This, my friends, is what Ashtanga does to you. This was my defining moment realizing that the Ashtanga practice is one of the most challenging and energized of them all. Hot yoga, Power yoga, Vinyasa flow, 90 minutes, nothing can wear me out like the primary series with all those vinyasas.

This past weekend, I was surrounded by fellow fit Ashtangis at a workshop at Yoga Room Dubai. The bodies that have been trained by this practice are truly refined and I can't wait to get older for this one reason. You see Mark Darby (probably in his early 70s) bringing his elbows to the floor in Uttanasana and it's so exciting!

When Darby lets out his "ommmm" at the beginning and end of a led class, the deepness of the sound resonates through your entire body and mind. I challenge you not to love Ashtanga.

Darby and his wife Joanne examine our Urdhva Dhanurasanas after giving us some helpful adjustments/ tips.

Like, Really. "How to hinge at your hips"

All of us AFTER the last day of back-bending. Spot me :)

 You can find more photos here.

A HUGE thank you to Joumana. She flew in the Darbys from Montreal for us!! Founder of Yoga Room, my light into Ashtanga and a good friend. Love you! 

xoxo

How to be a wuss.

I didn't have the keys to the apartment, and I needed to use the washroom. Typical.

I decided to shorten my wait and just use the washroom by the gym on the first floor. It was usually open and since there wouldn't be any people using it at this time, it would be convenient. I swung my car door open and headed to the elevators.

I saw him look at me as I walked by, and just as the elevator door closed, I caught a glimpse of his stare again. He was the building's security guard, a new guy, I don't know him very well. He was an old Indian/Pakistani/Bengali guy, probably in his mid 50s with bad posture. I hoped it was just a watchful stare, but I had bigger worries - like getting to the damn washroom. Quick.

From a blurry memory of a summer day there, I kind of remembered the way to go. I heard the elevator doors close behind me and the hallway was dark. I ran to the washroom and suddenly heard footsteps as I was about to finish up. Shit. I prayed it wasn't him.

He was standing at the entrance to the washroom, blocking my way out as I washed my hands. Fuck!

"Madam, who are you here for?"
my friend lives here, sorry, just needed to use the washroom and I didnt want to wait.

"I've seen you here before..."
Yes, my friend lives here.

"Are you African?"
No

"But your friend is African?"
.....I'm Indian.

I suddenly see him coming toward me. My heart had already left the building. I'm shaking. "I have to go" and I tried to dodge him. He grabbed my waist. I pushed him. He grabbed my hand and I pushed him harder.

"I'm Indian too" he said. "Are you sure your friend is just a friend?....not just a friend correct?"

"Leave me alone" I pushed him again and tried to get past him. It wasnt a physical struggle, but I was scared in retrospect. I didn't want to touch him. Not even slap him. I just wanted to leave. I start heading back to the elevators. He starts pleading. He grabbed my hair and I started to get louder, push harder, walk faster.

"Hey, I'll pay you, I have money" he yelled at me.

At this point I was visibly shaking and he was backing off. I figured he could hear the people in the elevator and that he would back off. He did.

I got into an elevator filled with about 6 people who seemed like they were leaving a party. I got out one floor below and ran back in disbelief..

I am safe. Nothing happened. But my mind won't stop replaying the fear. I just feel weak and stupid.


Note: This happened to me yesterday. What was I wearing? Who was I waiting for? Where was I? What time was it?. These are questions I do not feel like answering, because it should not matter. The incident went unreported (Can you guess why?).

How to bring in 2013.

Have you ever watched someone lose their health? It's the most heartbreaking feeling. My Grandma (Dama) has to be one of the strongest women on this earth to be able to take care of my ageing grandpa the way she does.

 I don't have much more to say in this post. I have been thinking a lot about my grandparents since I spent New Year's with them. It was a short, beautiful, bittersweet trip to Chennai. And it was the first time I bawled my eyes out when I had to leave.

Here are a few moments...



Mahabilpuram. This is an ancient rock formation at the southern tip of Madras and its absolutely gorgeous. Beaches for days!

This is a super old photo of my Grandma's side of the family. My grandmum and dad are the couple in the top left corner of the photo. My dad and his siblings are sitting in the bottom row (Second one from the left is Dad). Hilarious. I know....

 

This is kulfi (ice cream) in a clay pot. The pot has a lot of frost in this photo... the contents are basically creamy crack.

 

These hands were once so strong. They held me up and held me strong. They held me in a warm embrace everytime I saw him.

These hands are those of the only Grandfather I know.


Happy New Year everybody!

Here's to another year trying to make it.

xo