Teacher Feature: Melody Tse

YAMA Foundation brings yoga, art, and meditation to Hong Kong’s most vulnerable populations.  Our work relies on the dedication of a team of specially-qualified and gifted teachers to deliver accessible wellbeing programmes to communities in need.

Volunteer writer (and recent 200H teacher training graduate) Alanna Sethi met up with YAMA teacher Melody Tse over Zoom, to talk about yoga and Melody’s work with YAMA.

AS: Thanks for taking the time to connect today, Melody!  Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what yoga means to you?

MT: Hi, Alanna – great to meet you!  I would definitely say yoga and meditation form a core part of who I am and what I love. I have scoliosis, and yoga has really helped with relaxing my body and improving my physical health and wellbeing.

AS: That’s really interesting, Melody – that yoga can benefit people with scoliosis!  Could you share with us what your personal yoga practice looks like?

MT: Whenever I have time, I do my own Hatha Yoga practice, following the Sivananda yoga lineage. It’s a sequence of 12 yoga poses which I find really benefits my body.

I also have a regular mindfulness practice. I like to do this in a group so, every week, on Thursday mornings, I join a two-hour mindfulness group. Usually we’ll do a seated meditation, walking meditation, body scan, and book sharing. 

AS: Who would have thought that even experienced teachers like to join group practice!  How did your yoga and meditation journey begin then? And how do you feel yoga and meditation have influenced your life?

MT: My yoga journey started over eight years ago while I was at university.  My roommate told me about a new yoga studio and we decided to take a trial class together. We ended up taking seven classes every week! After a while, I noticed my body felt so much better.  All my exhaustion and body tension seemed to just disappear and I definitely saw increased mobility – especially when I practised the same pose, over and over again. I also noticed some other changes – for example, I found I was able to respond to negative situations in more healthy ways, and I found acceptance. 

Around two and a half years ago, I began my mindfulness practice when I met my teacher Swami Sitaramananda. After my first training with her in Chengdu, my teacher told me that I would need to continue practising meditation after I returned home. So when I came back to Hong Kong, I Google-searched “mindfulness practice” and found a group from the Plum Village lineage.  Now, it’s become a weekly practice group where we meditate together.
I have also developed a daily practice whenever I’m on the move, and out and about during the day, which has just been very relaxing and revitalizing during busy times. 

AS: How did you hear about YAMA Foundation? 

MT: After coming back to Hong Kong, I had been teaching yoga for a year or two.  One day, I saw a Facebook post by Margaret Chung of BEYOND Foundation.  Margaret is a teacher at Pure Yoga, whom I really respect. Her post was asking for yoga teachers to volunteer on a weekl basis, to help children with special needs. So I signed up!

Later on, I met Hersha, who was teaching the programme together with Margaret.  Turns out Hersha was the Founder of YAMA Foundation, and good friends with Margaret. That’s how I was introduced to YAMA.  

AS: Wow, what a small world we live in!  So what inspired you to work for YAMA?

MT: Before working with YAMA Foundation, I had been teaching yoga for a while, mostly to adults. Often parents would join my classes with their kids. I noticed that the kids often were on a different learning curve from their parents – and of course their bodies were also different. 

I feel like kids these days definitely need yoga. They are constantly on their phones and laptops, especially with online classes during the pandemic.  This makes them hunch their shoulders and round their backs, which can cause discomfort later on. I also noticed some kids struggling with anger management, so I wanted to learn more so I could better support their needs.

For a while, I wanted to learn how to teach Yoga for Kids, although I couldn’t find a learning style that I liked until I found Yoga for the Special Child through YAMA Foundation – which felt perfect for me.

AS: So, what classes do you teach for YAMA?

MT: Before COVID, I used to teach yoga at the Tai Lam women’s prison, but that programme has been suspended.  These days, I teach a lot of 1-to-1 yoga therapy classes for children with special needs.  These are kids with autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, etcetera. Some have physical disabilities and are confined to wheelchairs…. I also teach some of YAMA’s group classes for kids, at The Nesbitt Centre and Watchdog.

AS: Sounds like some really lucky kids have you for a teacher, Melody – what you do sounds really admirable!  Now is there that comes to mind that you really respect or admire?

MT: Everyone!  I would definitely say that there is always something I can learn from each student. 

AS: And do you think everyone can do yoga and meditation. 

MT: Everyone can practise asanas, or yoga postures – they just need someone to guide them, to prevent injuries from occurring, or to share modifications to make the pose more comfortable as each body is so different.

I definitely think that everyone with everyday mental health stress can benefit from meditation – even two year-olds!  In fact, some kids may even find meditation easier than adults!

Meditation can be difficult for some people living with mental health challenges as they might be triggered during meditation. But while it’s not easy, this doesn’t mean that they can’t do it. I might suggest first focusing on the asana practice, as it supports a stable foundation from which to process any emotional trauma. 

AS: That’s really insightful, Melody – thank you for sharing that.  Now, just to wrap up, what would you say to someone who thinks they “can’t" do yoga or meditation?

MT: Each body is different. Some people practice many years, whereas for others, this may only be their first time. There will be variations for everyone. We don’t have to compete with others. When you’re on your mat, this is the world of you. This mat is your world only, where you can choose to be at peace, and where you can choose your own pace, for your own practice.