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Liformers are a bunch of dedicated, joyful go-getters who inspire us daily with their creativity, honesty, and love of yoga. Our "Meet the Liformer" series gives you the chance to get to know them a little better, find out how they practice, and catch their enthusiasm.
Nina Monobe teaches a wide variety of yoga and fitness classes, including Vinyasa, Yang Yin, Yin, Power Yoga, HIIT Yoga, Yoga with Weights, and Yoga Dance, as well as HIIT and indoor cycling. A lover of movement and community, she believes yoga is for everyone, and there is always one type of yoga made for you to fall in love with. Find Nina on Instagram, her NinaYogaNow YouTube Channel, and her in-person and online classes at onelifefitness.com.
Where are you from/where do you live?
I’m proudly born and raised in Brazil and have been in the USA since 2014.
How did yoga come into your life?
Yoga came unexpectedly. I had just moved to the USA, trying to adjust to this new culture, alone, while also recovering from a knee injury that took me out of running competitions. I found myself trying different group fitness classes, and one of them was yoga.
When did you realize you were hooked on yoga?
There’s love at first sight, and there is love at first challenge. I am a very competitive person by nature, and I remember how challenging yoga was for me in every single pose I tried. Watching way older people practicing with such ease opened my eyes about how much I was missing, and I didn’t know it. The challenge hooked me, but it was the calming light feeling that kept me coming back.
Why do you practice?
My practice is my prayer. My mat is my temple. My practice can change every day, sometimes slow, graceful, gentle, and sometimes more powerful, flowy, creative. But it does not matter how it looks or what path I take, I truly believe that moving is honoring our body; it’s showing gratitude for what has been given to us. Every time I can step on my mat is an opportunity to show gratitude, to be thankful, and, for me, that is the path of finding happiness and contentment.
Why do you teach?
Interestingly, I started teaching where I first found yoga. People saw my progress from not being able to fold or squat properly to achieving advanced poses. They felt inspired, which also inspired me to guide them. Inspiring people to move, to try new things, to feel better is my reason to keep teaching. If I can get one person a day falling in love with exercising, my day feels complete.
Tell us about your yoga community.
I have a very diverse yoga community, from seniors to athletes, from beginners to advanced yogis, from all backgrounds, and from all over the world. But what we all have in common that brings us together is our desire to stay healthy and feel good in our own bodies. I really hope my community knows how much they inspire me with their own journeys and struggles. Every accomplishment, every achievement they make, I take as mine too. I’m so very happy for each one of them who crossed my life.
What’s your favourite yoga pose?
Pigeon Pose and all its variations, from sleeping to flying! It always helps me release tension from mind and body.
What’s your motto?
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
What are you reading?
Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder. An adorable story of a girl learning about critical thinking and big philosophers from our history.
What’s in your smoothie?
Passion fruit and/or mango!
You’ve decided to cash in your frequent flier miles. Where are you heading?
Home! Brazil! There’s nothing like being home! The tropical weather, our diversity, our colorful environment, our warm, friendly and laidback culture.
At the airport, you realize you’ve forgotten the most crucial thing. What is it?
Don’t judge, my phone! I’m terrible at remembering other people’s phone numbers and incredibly bad about directions. Without my phone, I feel lost in the jungle!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Professional equestrian. I always loved horses. But since it wasn’t accepted as a “real job” growing up, I became a veterinarian to stay close to horses and animals.
What’s your favourite Liforme Mat?
Hands down, Tropical Paradise! If that is not Brazil all over, from colors to animals, I don’t know what it is. That mat is my home!
Aside from yoga, what do you love to do?
Traveling! Learning about new cultures, being inspired by our history, and all the beauty of nature, so different and so special in every corner!
Ask yourself one question.
Sometimes I find myself asking “what if.”
Now answer it.
What if I had stayed in Brazil. What if I had kids. What if, what if… how life would have been. Every time the question comes out of curiosity, and every time it brings me a sense that I am right where I want to be, and I’m grateful for the path life has given me. It is normal to question our decisions; the older we get, the more we wonder. But I truly believe if we chase our dreams, even if the plans fall apart, there will never be regrets. I came here chasing a dream. My original plan fell apart, but from that, I started chasing other dreams, and I will never stop dreaming. My advice to you is to be a dream-chaser.
