Flying 'N ' Opening

Flying High with Pincha Mayurasana -Feather Peacock Pose 'N' Deep heart Opening with King Cobra Pose & King Pigeon on Weekend Vinyasa Flow;-

Amelia Tan shows another tricky variations of headstand with hands rested on shoulders

Instructing Melissa to soften the heart , keep the side body long, head up and keep the gaze forward before flying up

Melissa Ang , is always detemined to work on a new challenge !

No bad , Jacky , she got a good form of pincha ,progressing just need practicing !

New comer - Tey gives it a try

assisting Voon to Kick up in Pincha Mayurasana

Pincha Mayurasana! a lot coordination & balancing than arm work!!

Amelia Tan shows in a' Replica of Vincent Tam 's King Pigeon"

Working with Jacky Lim

Winnie Liew has super flexi back bone

Marilyn is attempting this tricky pose

Hip Openers!

The hip region is ' a common problematic zone' where the stagnant energy ' is easily being stuck if we do not anything to maintain the mobility. It is likely that the restriction in the range of the hip movements will affect the lower back and the knee as well . There are many connective tissues at every' crook and cranny' in the hip joints that we need to stretch it progressively . And the particular sequence of hip opener that is focused on every Mondays session helps remove layers of resistance and also improves the circulation or the Energy between the upper body and the lower body that you get greater freedom.

For Yin yoga , it has a series of floor work and it emphasizes the connective tissues of the hips , thighs , pelvis and the lower spine too

Like the Triangle pose - the gate opens the side torso and hips

Half Circle pose is a built-up pose how the wild thing feels like, with the integration of hips and Shoulder and legs

Half downward dog with single leg raised

The low Lunge releases tension & tightness in the lower back and thighs

Scissors leg floor twist

Side Sleeping Buddha Pose as Physiotherapy pose

in Yin Yoga , called the Cat pulling its Tails!!

Half Bhekasan ( half frog pose ) to release the front thigh and Hips Flexor

Salabasana ( locust pose ) helps strengthen the hips flexor

The Bridge is one of my favourite pose to open up the whole front body

Very Restorative & relaxing Reclined Bound Angle Pose with Supported , allows your body to receive the opening not only in the hip region but in the chest region as well

Get into the Groove 'N ' Get Growth in your practice 'w Workshop

The response for Vincent Tam 's 2 days workshop - Anusara Inspiring we host on 10th & 11th October , is quite promising and so far we have received a good numbers who sign up full workshops. For most participants are their first ever yoga workshop! with expectation!!!

Just a reminder that the closing date for early bird is on 21st Of September if you do not want to miss.

I will seize the opportunity to join any new branded yogas which offer the tempting & interesting 'new cool trick ' as they have synthesized the techniques and their perceptions of yoga philosophy in a systematic yet innovative approach through many years of the practice. for that reason ,i am sure you can definitely reap some essences out of the workshop they offer. That is why i kind'a push some of my regular students to join Vincent's workshop. i believe that it will help them grow at some extent.

Also I need to have a break to get a breath of fresh air after certain periods of teaching and i need to rewire my mind too for some new viewpoints. For this year i have done 2 good workshops in a row May & July and one more is on the way, Yin Yoga with the founder -Paul Grilley in Singapore from 25th to 29th this month. His theory & study does interest me and i am going to find out more soon. I would love to share with all of you , my students when i come back.

I had a chat with Vincent online the other day, and i requested him for a ' sneak preview ' of his list of workshops he will be hosting in 2010. I always have faith in his ability to put thing together in order. Alright, He will get my favorite teacher Martin Kirk- Anusara teacher back in Kuala Lumpur , along with other two Anusara Teachers Noah Maze & Desiree Rumbaugh ,Edward Clark and Kimberley Johnson. i could have joined Kimberley for her interesting course ( but time was limited ) - Rolfing is a new analytical technique for adjustment & bodywork. i hope i will not miss it next year. You can always check back in at Vincent's official website - www.vincenttamyoga.com for updates!

Photo Gallery

Amelia Tan practices an interesting variation of headstand with arms folded in front

Jeff practices an interesting variation of headstand with arms folded in front

Jeff working on the passive shoulder opening

Jeff twist himself in kneeling twist

Celine Hii working on Scorpion

Celine Hii in Mystery Arm Balance

Amelia Tan Shows different arm variation sage arm balancing

"Hall Of Fame "

His presence in the class has always been the focal point .And He is proud to be in the 'Hall of Fame' of OMPlace from the extraordinary ' members 'of the silver aged groups ( there are few quite good examples out there that will be posted later on ) He is a man of success , determined and good spirit that in part shows in his practice.

If you think you are too old to try yoga or you think you are too stiff to do yoga , then you might re think when you know more the fact about him. He is one more year to 60s, is that old enough?He still keeps his practice at an average of 3 to 4 times weekly if he is in town. is he still live & kicking?

He has been doing yoga with me for almost 2 years, that means he only started yoga at the age of 57, is that too old to learn? But he knows that he still needs a lot works and times to increase the overall flexibility though. I am happy with his progress so far by comparing the day one till to date. I can still remember that his tight hamstring could not keep his leg up at 90 degree angle when practicing supine hand to toe pose with belt. And also his torso was quite far away from the mat in standing forward bend. It seemed that every movement was a big challenge for him. furthermore ,he is so thin that i am afraid i might have snapped his bones ( joking ) whenever i give him an hand-on adjustment. But neither this ( stiffness & tightness ) discourage him nor the initial result put him off .

The condition now gets much better as a result. In a vinyasa class , he likes to play with this sequence - from a Bakasana ( crow pose ) , he will go into the inverted Crow or like a Tripod , then moves into the tripod headstand. He can jump out into Chaturanga from the Crow after releasing the sequence in a reversed order.

He is another headstand ' freak'. lately he is working on a new variation of headstand ,a version with a folded arms in front of the face. he does it amazing with his full concentration. i hope to see that he continues being an inspirational" figure " to others both inside and outside the class , especially to the young people at all times.

Front view of this variation of headstand with folded arms in the front

Side view of this variation of headstand with folded arms in the front

From Bakasana ( crow pose ) drop into an inverted crow

Legs Lift off from inverted crow ,and moves slowly up to Tripod headstand

moving into Tripod

"My Guru ,The Wall"

The Iyengar wall ( wall ropes ) as shown in the pictures at my friend Alex's- Gitayoga shala in Taiwan that i am planning to have it installed soon at my studio. She is in the midst of helping me to get all necessary components and parts. i will be seeing her in December this year.

I like Iyengar yoga and his genius techniques to make yoga asana accessible to anyone at all ages. Let see whatelse he thinks of Using Props :

BKS Iyengar believes that students who come to yoga late in life have the advantage of keeping themselves fit physically and mentally, using props. His experience has been that bolsters , chairs , back bending and other benches, wall ropes and other props are useful in old age, when people may not be able to do the posture independently. He believes that props free the older student from anxiety: Pratice on props leads one toward non-attachment of the body. The Brain calms down and sound sleep, a dream for many old people , comes naturally through the use of props.

In an early stage of my yoga practice ,I half agreed with the name of ' the queen of the asana ' for Sarvangasana - (shoulderstand), it was overrated . i did not see its beauty and its benefit till i met a taiwanese chiroprator with immense Iyengar yoga experience , TJ Pheng , at a meditation retreat in Thailand in 2007. He gave me a tutor after the retreat at the hotel room to solve my problem and a yoga tour in India at the same year to work with two senior Iyengar teachers - Louise from South Africa , who conducted session on a voluntery basis at LHA in Dharamasala and Usha Dewi at Omkaranda Ganga Sadan , an Iyengar Center in Rishikesh. Now , after experiencing with Iyengar techniques , i can do those tricky asanas like shoulderstand , backbending with ease.

Wall ropes , or i call it Iyengar wall at my good friend - Alex 's studio -Gitayoga, in Taiwan

Alex 's students hanging outside down with ropes , in Taiwan

Alex's students using the rope to do the shoulder opening, in Taiwan

opening , releasing standing wall mountain pose

Mrs Koo at 60s doing Ardha Chandrasana ( half moon ) balancing pose

Practicing High Lunge with the wall to coordinate the work of all target muscle groups work precisely

Man Wei shows in Ustrasana ( Camel pose ) , with the thigh against the wall

Morning session sometimes starts with the wall dog stretches to open up the body

"My Guru ,The Chair"

Years ago , BKS Iyengar wrote a famous article, " My Guru , the Wall" in which he explains how the wall can be the best teacher - in part because it does not lie. He like the wall that give excellent feedback about our posture both in daily life and when practicing yoga. The wall reminds us to lengthen and align the spine and also provides a convenient reminder not to slouch forward but to open our chest and lungs and breathe deeply.

Besides the wall , BKS Iyengar , has come out with many innovative ways to use different form of props like chairs , wall ropes , cushions and bolster & pillow.

The use of props facilitates imprinting of the correct action in the pose so that the student understands it when the prop has been removed. The benefit from practicing Asana is a big deal , so the student gets a taste of what it feels like to let go in a well supported pose, to relax and enjoy it. They works particularly well for people with chronic illness to practice without under strain and fatigue.

Amongst these variety of props , chair is my favorite to use , particularly i use it to work well with few senior private students. some students said that they just discover how useful and magical a chair can be. Then ,they will tell me " i am gonna to get one too and do at home"

In fact , you can always practice with other 'substitute props ' around your living space or the work space you can get. How about using the staircase hand railing , the low wall and even with the table or an office chair , anything can give you a firm and steady support, will work magic as a chair. Do enjoy your yoga asana practice to the full daily !!!

The shoulder opening on Monday sessions to open up the upper back for backbending, practising with elbow rested on the edge of the chair with a block holding in the hand. it is an excellent preparatory opening for Pincha Mayurasana ( feather Peacock Pose ) and also to bring awareness closely to the breathing

Another version of shoulder openner with chairs Eric and Jocelyn Song are working on

Modified Utthita Marichyasana I twist with the wall and the chair

Modified Utthita Marichyasana II twist with the wall and the chair, This version combines the stretch to the sidebody,enhance the length of the whole body from heel to the crown

Bharadvajasana ( simple twist )on the chair serves as a neutralizer before or after backbending

For inflexible people , is capable of doing this wonderful backbending with the support of a chair.the pose stretches away the stiffness & tension out of the whole body. it's one of my favorite poses to do daily

Eric , a well built guy finds ease in Backbending with the chair.

Kenny and Nicole in Urdhva Mukha Svanasana ( chair upward dog )

Angie in the supported Ustrasana ( the Camel ) pose, she is used to have difficulty of reaching her hands on heels

Calming Uttanasana ( standing forward bend ) with the chair

Le Na , BoaBoa practicing Adho Mukha Svanasana ( downward facing dog )