I was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. After graduating from university, I started practicing hot yoga for weight loss in 2007. I felt good after the classes, and somehow, I became addicted to it. My yoga journey began from this experience. When I got married and left my job, I decided to learn how to teach yoga. After completing my Yoga Teacher Training, I started practicing Ashtanga yoga under the influence of my teacher. I have been deeply influenced by senior Ashtanga yoga teachers such as Chuck Miller and Nancy Gilgoff. They were my teacher’s teachers, and I attended their workshops, trainings, and Mysore sessions in Japan, and sometimes abroad. Their teachings have provided me with insights into how to approach practice and life, and have instilled in me a sense of love and compassion.

Since I started practicing Ashtanga Yoga in 2014, this method has become part of my life. At first, I focused mainly on asanas. I loved moving a lot and challenging myself with difficult postures. But gradually, this practice shifted my focus from asanas to understanding my body and mind. I feel that this practice mirrors life itself—there are waves of good and bad times, and it teaches us how to deal with difficulties and what happens in our minds. Ashtanga Yoga has given me not only physical strength but also mental stability.

During my practice, I encountered numerous injuries and experienced pain, which prompted me to explore how to use my body without causing further harm. I asked myself, "What is the core? What is a functional body? What is the connection between our body and mind?" I am still searching for these answers.

I would like to share my experience and what I have learned—and continue to learn—to help others understand how to use their bodies. I decided to join Mysore Breathing Room in 2023 because Sita, too, studied under Chuck Miller. When I met her, I was drawn to her enthusiasm for teaching, her vast knowledge, and her compassion and personality. I also love Hula, a traditional Hawaiian dance, which I have been learning for more than 10 years. On weekends, I enjoy playing golf (though I’m not a great player).

Before I came to Merlion Island, I grew up in the lush, green heart of the Mekong River delta. My childhood was shaped by quiet riverside towns, long sun-drenched days in rice fields, and the fruit gardens at my grandparents’ countryside home. Those memories are still vivid, and they’ve left me with a deep love for nature—one I now express through gardening.

I often say I have a “greedy heart”—I fall in love easily with the beauty around me. Art, culture, craftsmanship, even the smallest details—they all speak to me. I find joy in creating with my hands: embroidery, knitting, crocheting, decoupage, gardening, cooking. These aren’t just hobbies—they’re ways I connect with myself and show love to the people I care about.

My perfect day starts with an early morning Ashtanga practice. Since 2019, this daily discipline has grounded me. The breath-led flow of postures gives me structure, strength, and clarity. It’s not just physical—it’s mental and emotional too. Over time, yoga has opened my heart and deepened my sense of purpose.

At the Shala where I practise, I also tend a small garden. Yoga has sparked my interest in herbalism and healthy food science, so growing herbs feels like a natural extension of my practice. I love using them to nourish myself and others.

As I’ve gone deeper into yoga, I’ve come to appreciate the philosophy behind it—the wisdom that goes beyond the mat. In 2022, I completed my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training. I’m grateful to learn from teachers like Shosita Chia, who guides me daily, and Chuck Miller, whose insights have shaped how I teach and practise.

I believe in the body’s ability to heal itself, especially when we live in rhythm with nature. My classes blend movement with philosophy, offering space for reflection and connection. I try to create a warm, welcoming environment where students feel safe to explore, listen to their bodies, and grow at their own pace.

If you join me on the mat—whether you’re new to yoga or have been practising for years—I hope you’ll leave feeling more peaceful, strong, and in tune with yourself.

Hello! I’m Ginger, originally from China and a mother of two lovely daughters. Three years ago, I relocated to Singapore with my husband and family. Transitioning from a working mom to a full-time mom while nurturing my yoga practice has become essential for me, helping me find balance amidst the beautiful chaos of family and work life. I began practicing Hatha yoga ten years ago, shortly after my second child was born.

Two years later, I accidentally discovered Ashtanga yoga by walking into the wrong class, and I’ve been devoted to it ever since. I am incredibly grateful for the guidance and support from my Ashtanga teacher, Tarik Thami. His compassion inspires me to be a better person. My first Ashtanga teacher, Jason Chow, created a supportive and humorous atmosphere that felt like home. Currently, I’m continuing my Ashtanga advanced series practice with our Teacher Sita at Mysore Breathing Room in Singapore.

Yoga has transformed my approach to challenges and resilience, teaching me to pause and breathe before reacting—“Breathe before moving, feel before thinking” is my mantra. This practice allows me to face difficulties with a calm mind and an open heart, providing a safe space to explore my inner self while strengthening both body and mind. What I love about yoga is that progress doesn’t have to happen every day. It’s about self-acceptance, both on and off the mat.

The Ashtanga community has showered me with love and support, and I’m eager to pay that positivity forward. In my spare time, I enjoy painting, crafting, photography, and interior design, volunteering as well as creating lasting memories with my family. Panda breeder is one of my dream job and designing beautiful spaces and art pieces are my second goal.

Adriel is the Operations Manager of MBR and assists with matters behind the scenes. A yoga practitioner by necessity, he relies on the mindfulness aspect of yoga to stay present and grounded, and the asana aspect to keep his body well enough to sit for extended periods.

He began practicing yoga in college and came to appreciate its indispensable nature after entering the legal profession. This realization led him to another calling, which resulted in yearly sojourns to the epi-center of yoga—India. Over the past decades, he has received instruction in pranayama from B.N.S. Iyengar and was initiated into the path of bhakti by Santosh Kumar (disciple of B.K.S. Iyengar) of Yogadarshanam. In India, he has studied with Bharath Shetty (disciple of B.K.S. Iyengar) and completed the Prana Vashya sequence and advanced back-bending course with Vinay Kumar, among others. His first formal studies of the Yoga Sutras were under Professor Nagaraja Rao of the Oriental Research Institute in Mysore. Adriel, an E-RYT-500 since 2015, also holds certifications in Ayurvedic Medicine and Marma Therapy, under Dr. K.S. Chitralekha.

His practice deepened significantly after meeting Sita in 2014, when he began apprenticing in the traditional manner of instruction to be an Ashtanga teacher. Despite attending, subsequently assisting, and thereafter conducting, 200/300/500hr teacher trainings, he sought to take things to new heights, and embracing the Mysore method, he has not looked back. In his last trip to Mysore, he studied with Sharath Jois. His travels to Mysore involve receiving tutelage in Advaita Vedanta from Arvind Parre, a well-known scholar in Karnataka.

During his tertiary education, Adriel’s insatiable thirst for knowledge led him to explore a broad range of disciplines such as criminology, economics, game theory, psychological science, law, and statistics. After completing two degrees (B.Com, LL.B.) and earning numerous mentions on the Dean’s List in psychological science, he felt his formal education was sufficient and transitioned to self-directed continuing education. His current focus is on methods to maximize human potential by incorporating spirituality into understanding subconscious and unconscious processes in the human mind. This research interest stems from his belief that the true inner psyche can only be comprehended by integrating wisdom from ancient texts with research from psychological science especially drawing from insights from the humanistic approach.

Previously a traveling teacher, which included opening a modest 12 villa yoga resort in Ubud ,the aftermath of the pandemic has tamed his travel bug to a degree. Currently, he conducts mindfulness sessions online for students around the world. Presently, he mainly commutes between Thailand and Singapore. In Thailand, he works in a residential mental health treatment centre, offering mindfulness sessions and yoga classes.

Mindfulness Sessions (in-person, online): He adopts a firm but compassionate approach in his sessions and, as a realist, only accepts students who are ready to receive instruction and are able to concretely demonstrate a willingness to implement meaningful changes in their lives.

15 Mar 2025 update: Adriel is currently not taking on any new students online or in person. However, expressions of interest for June 2025 onwards will be considered. Kindly write to him at adriel.ho@pm.me.