Nadira is a truly inspirational and knowledgeable teacher. Even one lesson with her leaves you feeling not only in awed, but incredibly energised and motivated. I remember my first lesson very clearly with Nadira; I came back less than 10 hours later for my second class, and have not stopped since. I regard myself exceptionally  lucky to have had the chance to develop my practice under Nadira’s guidance.

Nadira’s classes are run with an elegant simplicity and accomplished confidence. But make no mistake, as challenging as the classes are, I have seen Nadira able to teach not only the advanced students, but more importantly the ease to which Nadira can teach students with limitations and injuries. Slowly bringing the Ashtanga practice to those, in any other class, it might be unattainable.

Nadira has profound impact on all her students and I will always consider myself extremely fortunate that I found her class.

I first met Nadira in July 2015 when another yoga teacher with whom I’d been practicing with recommended that I try Ashtanga Yoga at the Art of Yoga studio on Upper East Coast Road. I had been practicing Bikram Yoga for almost 12 months but I was looking for a smaller, more intimate studio that was closer to home.
From my first session with Nadira I was hooked. We didn’t do what would be consider “much”, but rather Nadira explained the essence of “Mysore Ashtanga’ – how it is a self-practice which is led by  the right type of breathing, rather than just the asanas (postures). The fact that the practice is a “moving meditation” led by the breath rather than just copying poses (or trying to keep up with a teacher or fellow students) in a class.

I have had and continue to have trouble with my right knee, hip and ankle but Nadira has shown me the right way to modify some of the postures and in the last 14 months of practice I have progressed so much – not just in asana but also mentally with stress management by way of the breath. Sometimes I rush into the room after having dropped my 4 daughters at school, settling their arguments and not feeling like doing my practice at all. Nadira always reminds me about concentrating on the breath and letting the movements flow and before I know it I am calm and moving through my postures like nothing has happened.

I would say the best thing about practicing Mysore Ashtanga with Nadira is that I have learned that it is an ongoing practice and not a competition. There is no end date that I have to achieve a certain posture by. There is no one scoring me. Rather it is me and my teacher working together day by day which has brought me a calming inner peace.

What I really like about Nadira’s teaching is that you almost never feel lost with her. She would always guide you through a certain pose with her elaborate, clear and step by step instructions. She is a good observer and understands you from inside out. Therefore she would know where the obstructions to your practice are stemming from. Sometimes physical, sometimes mental…

As a teacher she is gentle and understanding. She carefully pushes you to your limits, doesn’t set obscure and unmanageable goals. When you need the encouragement, she is strict enough to make you get out of your comfort zone. Her lengthy verbal explanations are quite helpful to get a better insight in challenging poses. She is also very open minded and flexible in the sense that she would let you experiment and understand your body before you get the steps of a demanding pose and perfect it.  She would never dictate her own way and would listen to your appropriate suggestions.

If you are a person who doesn’t want to be disturbed on the mat with constant adjustments, Nadira would be the right instructor. She would give you space to grow by observing you carefully and only intervening at the right moment when you least expect it. For me, her clear and detailed instructions would ring in my ears long after the session has ended and serve as a reminder in my self practice at home.