Today we’d like to introduce you to Nina.
Hi Nina, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in Mississippi, but always felt different. My dad was from India, my mom from Indiana, and my twin sister and I traveled to India often as kids. Spirituality was a big part of both sides of our family: I watched my Indian grandmother do a puja daily, and my American grandma read her Bible each morning. We were vegetarian, my American mom wore Indian clothes, and we stayed active in the local Indian community. But I often felt like an outsider in the deep South.
I went to NYU my freshman and sophomore years of college and met close friends from LA—I always knew I wanted to live in California. At NYU, I began studying South Asian studies and religion, which helped me reconnect with my heritage. I later transferred to Davidson College during a hard time, and found solace in religious studies, focusing on Hinduism and Buddhism. I began practicing yoga and meditating regularly.
Though I was uncertain of what was next after college, I applied to graduate schools and accepted a scholarship for a master’s in conflict resolution at Georgetown. I spent a decade in D.C., working in politics and communications—first on Capitol Hill, then as a speechwriter, and eventually as a presidential appointee in the Biden-Harris administration. I traveled the world and built a career, but wanted to also pursue my passions of yoga and spirituality.
Over time, especially after moving to LA with my now-husband, I leaned deeper into yoga. I completed a kundalini yoga training in India, started teaching classes in Santa Monica, and even led sessions at corporate events. I realized I was ready for a major shift. Much of my past career had been ego-driven. What I really craved was rest, presence, and a return to feminine energy. After getting married and returning to LA after a six-month stint in D.C., I knew I was ready to focus on healing—and start a family.
I got pregnant on our honeymoon at age 35, and that same week, I found myself at three sound baths. I was deeply drawn to the state of rest and receptivity that I found during sound baths. It was so different from the fast-paced, masculine energy I had operated in for so long. I had already started working on my yoga business, but decided to focus more on prenatal and postpartum healing. That’s how The Ananda Method was born: a space for sound healing, kundalini yoga, and connection. “Ananda” means bliss in Sanskrit, and is also an ode to my maiden name, Anand—meaning happiness in Hindi.
My mom had a challenging birth with my twin sister and I. Learning more about how birth experiences impact babies emotionally and psychologically helped me and my sister make sense of some lifelong patterns. My mom is a wonderful mother—it wasn’t her fault. But so much of birth is out of our control, and I believe women deserve to feel supported and empowered through it. I want to help women rewrite their own birth stories, reconnect to their bliss, and bring joyful, grounded babies into the world—ultimately contributing to a more peaceful society.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think many people turn to spirituality as a way to overcome challenges. My sister and I have always had perfectionist tendencies and she developed an eating disorder in middle school. That was a difficult time for our family, but it also brought us closer together. Later, in college, I personally faced struggles with body image and controlling behaviors around food and exercise—challenges that ultimately led me to spirituality and a deeper sense of trust.
Though I’ve had a pretty healthy relationship with food for the past 15 years, being pregnant has deepened my trust in my body in a whole new way. It’s been incredibly healing. I’ve started to trust life more broadly, too. I’ve struggled with anxiety at times, and yoga—especially kundalini yoga—was a powerful tool for healing.
My relationship with my husband has also been deeply healing. I’ve realized that perfection is never the point, especially in love. He’s helped me learn how to truly love myself. I’ve also experienced a few job transitions that, while challenging, were ultimately lessons in surrender and helped guide me to the path I’m on now.
These experiences have taught me to stop gripping so tightly to outcomes and to trust the flow of life. That’s what I hope to offer to women (and men) that I work with: support in finding their own trust, healing, and inner wisdom.
As you know, we’re big fans of The Ananda Method. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I specialize in pre- and postnatal sound healing and yoga for women. My mission is to guide others towards greater peace, so that they can discover their truth and their happiness, the essence of who they really are.
My work comes from years of experience with my own healing processes, attending women’s circles, multiple yoga trainings, coaching, therapy and deep exploration of psychology and spirituality.
Through The Ananda Method, I offer a unique blend of sound therapy, breathwork, visualization and gentle movements that prepare women for pregnancy, help women who are currently pregnant, and also empower women who are postpartum. I really believe that the woman’s experience in pregnancy and birth deeply impacts the child’s emotional state. If we are cultivating a blissful and peaceful life throughout pregnancy, our children will experience less anxiety. Emotions are natural and are constantly in flux.
My goal is for clients to make peace with their emotions rather than push them away. The Ananda Method aims to empower women so that they can return to their peace, even when life is challenging or overwhelming. I am available on ClassPass and offer 1:1s as well as group classes, both in person and virtual. In the coming years, I plan to expand with retreats, trainings, and partnerships with doulas, doctors, and pre/post-natal brands.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Openness. I’ve always been pretty open to trying new things, meeting new people, going to new places. I believe trusting and being open to what the universe has in store for you is what leads you on your path. Sometimes it’s hard and we often want to control, but for me, trusting my intuition and being open to new opportunities usually leads me in the right direction.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ninanassiri.com
- Instagram: @theanandamethod
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanandamethod
- Other: https://classpass.com/studios/the-ananda-method-santa-monica
Image Credits
Brando Conklin
