The Day Impossible Is Nothing, Really

Dear Diary,

Every year, I set a realistic target for myself
to achieve a couple of almost-impossible yoga poses (asanas).

2006

Peacock Pose (Mayurasana)










Photo by Joe Low







Wide-Legged Headstand (Hanumasana in Sirsasana)




















2007

Unsupported Scorpion Pose (Vrkchikasana I)





















Photo by Tom Hayton




Side Plank Split (Hanumasana in Vasisthtasana)





















Photo by Tom Hayton from PRANAmag April 2008
















Photo by Napie




2008

Unsupported Feather Peacock Pose (Pincha Mayurasana)





















Photo by Anna-Rina





Unsupported Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana)




















Photo by Joe Low





Yesterday, out of nowhere
(perhaps the motivation and desperation that it was the last day of June),
I managed to stand - or, literally.. the complete opposite of stand in this pose:

Unsupported Headstand (Niralamba Sirsasana)

























that is one of the two poses I aim to accomplish this year.


Thank you God Almighty
for lending me the strength to carry my entire body weight on my head,
for awarding me the confidence to believe that I am ready to do it,
AND
for the enlightenment that I don't need a designer handbag, a flashy car or someone else
to validate and complete my purpose of living another year in Your blessing.


Having a million ringgit, a hundred LVs and a trophy husband DO NOT COMPARE with
getting to stand on my hands seconds longer than the last time I attempted,
getting to stretch an inch further than the record I set the last time I tried AND
getting every muscle in my body to realize every instruction my mind can think of.

'When we can be thankful of the free things we already have,
then life will be simpler as we won't be asking for things we can live without.'


I have six months to work on this other pose.

























I am wishing my body and my spine:
all the best, W-E CAN!

The Day I'm Going To Kame Hame Ha with Dragonball Evolution

Dear Diary,

I just have to do this -

Show off my never-before-shared-here power that
I can actually make fireballs as I exhale and I concentrate hard enough
in these yoga poses

Vrksasana (Tree Pose)

























Tiriang Muttkhottasana (Intense Backbend Stretch)


















and one more, this time around out in bright daylight
di bawah tiang lampu Son Goku


























just to win myself tickets two tickets to watch premiere screening of Dragonball Evolution
courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Malaysia brought to Glitterati bloggers by Nuffnang.

Woi, Dragonball tu.
PREMIERE lagi!

I had never missed
(following, borrowing and reading it
with and from my cousins, Diah and Nabil)
any issue of the little comicbooks
so I wouldn't miss this premiere for the the world!

I'd fake 10 more fireballs if I have to,
I'd make 100 splits if I have to,
I'd break 1000 spines if you want me to.

If you want me to.










So Nuffnang,
now you know I am a Super Saiyan (super flexible + super short + super bullshitter)
and to spare your staffs (I know where your office is) from being pretzeled into tiny little dragonballs,
just give this yoga instructor the tickets already!

The Day I Extend My Hair, My Eyelash and My Grateful List

Dear Diary,

Yes, I wish to extend my Senarai Kesyukuran (Grateful List)
on my Ninie Ahmad's (Photos & Photographers, Camera & Cameramen) Grateful List today
after her grateful list on her Batmobile and unfortunate accident last week.

• I am grateful I have and have had Malaysia's best (and most photographed) photographers as current my housemate and previous housemate (yes, you and you; Anna-Rina and Tom Hayton, I am so grateful I found you) so I never ran out of anyone to shoot me whenever I feel cute, vain or simply bored in the house

• I am grateful I have been contacted and had the privilege to have been photographed by some of Malaysia's finest and most amazing photographers (of course housemates included, not because we live together but simply because they ARE Malaysia's bests!) at Malaysia's tallest and most eventful events

by Ted Adnan, December 2008

by Tom Hayton, Yoga Conference Malaysia 2007

by Anna-Rina, KLCC

by Joe Potatoe, 2006

by Cris Chen, 2006

by Napie, January 2009

• I am grateful that I am a (visible, yes make piah fun of it but I am having fun and making money out of it) YOGA INSTRUCTOR blessed with flexibility, strength and errr, good angles
  

• or else there is NO WAY I would have graced countless local magazines as I am soooo not a fashion model, I am not an entertainment celebrity, I am not political worthy and I am soooo not a commercial let alone a cover material

• I am grateful Supertall never minds being in photos with me and that given a good camera in hand, he even takes supercool pictures!

by Supertall, F1 Singapore 2008

• I am grateful that my own lil' point-and-shoot has this supercool function to capture only a selected accent of colour

And I am actually actually most grateful
(dan timbul kesedaran untuk sambung senarai kesyukuran kategori ini)
this very hour

• for I actually and accidentally LEFT BEHIND my new IXUS at Delicious, Bangsar ViIIage like, six hours ago! Only realized it after I paid for my drink at nextdoor Starbucks Bangsar Village. I practically ran in my mini dress and heels back to Delicious only to find my camera, still waiting for me underneath the multiple hues of blue cushions I sat on (and took pictures of my food on) for a good three hours before! THANK GOD!!!

Alhamdulillah,
alhamdulillah,
alhamdulillah.


Nevertheless, like any other human being that can never be content,
if I can have one wish for this Photos & Photographers, Camera & Cameramen list
(and having watched one too every America's Next Top Model),





















I wish I wish I wish to be photographed in 'Y o g a C o u t u r e' in the nearest time
of which I'll be posing

• in either complicated designer dresses, miles of ribbons or endless heels,

• in my yoga moves BUT with intended crooked postures, with intentional unaligned poses (that Iyengar people would sue me for)

• with front fanned big hair, dramatic make-up, temporary body art

by any (errrrrrrr, of the mentioned?) photographers
with out-of-the-world ideas,
blasting lighting equipments,
golden umbrellas,
infinity backdrop et all,
any takers?

Kalau ada, alhamdulillah.
I couldn't be more grateful.


And I have a personal target
to be on the cover of SHAPE Malaysia, this year or next
and if it's not too ambitious, to also be on the cover of Yoga Journal in years to come.
Insyaallah.

If the dream is big enough, the facts don't count.

The Day I Had Climbed A Mountain for Yoga and Ted Adnan

Dear Diary,

I went (or if 'hiked' is a better word) an extra mile yesterday
for the love of yoga and for the itch to capture beautiful yoga poses in photos
by agreeing to pose for Malaysia's Sifu of Photography Lighting - Ted Adnan.

"But for you and yoga, we are taking and shooting on a different level today.
Tengok The Fountain tak malam semalam, that Space Fairy Yogi?"

Errrrr, tak. Malam semalam tengok Titanic.
Serious ke ada?

Boy, if only I had taken his 'different level' literally yesterday.
For the location of the shoot (terpaksa dirahsiakan) was above sea level!

Of all the shoots I've done,
tidak pernah sebegini memenatkan
loooooong before the shoot even took place.
















Sebelum memanjat, sebelum make-up,
rambut gulung-gulung masih steady.




















"Nampak macammmmmmm dekat puncak tu."


















"This hair is killing me."


















"Supertall (yang tukang ambik gambar),
are we there YET?"


















"Sayang, kita panjat setinggi ni ke? WOW!
Kalau jatuh, tak kelakar kan?"





After 30 minutes of rest and make-up time,













































































































Much thanks to Ted and FIVE of his crews (oh, I never felt more important)
that were very professional, very assisting, very fun,
I can easily say the shoot was a success.

I have not seen the post-processing pictures yet
but having seen those taken by Supertall (terima kasih, Sayang) out of my digicam habuk,
I know it was worth every step I climbed.

That said, of course I can't wait for Ted's set of pictures from our shoot.
Oh, and our confirmed next photoshoot involving yoga underwater.
I can imagine....
(Kesejukan dan kelemasan.
Titanic punya pasal lah ni)

Saper buat mekap dan rambut?
Cantik ke?
Sendirian berhad ye, terima kasih.
Tak mampu nak hire make-up artist yang sanggup panjat gunung, woo..

The Day We Deserve This Celebration

Dear All,

This photo of The Yoga Instructor is property of The Yoga Ink Sdn Bhd
for Be Yoga Sanctuary [Photographer: Potatoe, location: Rimba Kiara, TTDI ]




















"Di pagi raya tak buat yoga,
berhenti sekejap melipat badan,
The Yoga Instructor ucapkan Selamat Hari Raya,
terkasar bahasa harap maafkan."

Selamat hari raya to everyone who's celebrating!
Don't forget to give and forgive in every way we can.