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 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 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 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

 

How to be unsettled.

2 years in Dubai officially. Hi guys.

Honestly I should have been back to Canada now. Get back to a full time schedule and be making the dough. I'm not there yet and I don't know when I will be anymore. I love Dubai mostly because of my parents and a few good friends that keep me smiling here in the sun.

But every now and then I still have to scream into my pillow to figure out why I don't feel settled or "happy" just yet. Lots of screaming into pillows this past week. Lots of reading, music, yoga and time with myself. I can't put it into words but my appetite is gone and my body feels like its giving my mind the middle finger.

I need a distraction. Or a plan of action. God? Jesus? Anyone?