move well | breathe well | live well
Barbara’s Blog
Warrior 2 (Vīrabhadrāsana 2)
Warrior 2 is the second āsana in a series of three standing poses that embody the mythic warrior Vīrabhadra from ancient Vedic texts. Warrior 2 is a core standing āsana that requires seamless coordination of the entire body, highlighting the harmonious balance between...
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Along with bridge and chair pose, cobra is another āsana that I teach in just about every class and practice myself daily. It is one of the best postures for improving back strength, and with many ways of changing the position of the hands and arms it can be...
Warrior 1 (Vīrabhadrāsana)
Warrior 1 is the first āsana in a series of three standing poses that embody the mythic warrior Vīrabhadra from ancient Vedic texts. This core standing pose is commonly included in the western expression of sun salutations and vinyasa flow practices. Providing both...
Transitioning to Winter
With the days getting shorter and temperatures dropping, we are reminded that winter will soon be here. The colder weather can exacerbate certain health conditions like asthma and arthritis and increase the risk of catching the flu or other respiratory infections. But...
Slowing Down & Taking Time to Pause
In today's fast-paced life, its common to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tasks we have to accomplish on a daily basis. With constant demands, endless to-do lists, and the pressure to achieve, we often find ourselves rushing from one task to another, barely...
Understanding the Difference Between Yoga Therapy & Yoga
Yoga has gained immense popularity worldwide as a holistic practice that promotes physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. It originated in ancient India and has evolved over thousands of years, encompassing various styles, techniques, and philosophies. In recent...
Chair Pose (Ardha Utkaṭāsana)
Chair pose is one of the most beneficial postures for helping us to maintain the strength and joint stability that we need for many daily life activities - walking up stairs, tramping, bending to pick up items and of course, getting up and down from a chair, to name a...
Anjali Mudra
Anjali mudra is a specific placement of the hands at the heart centre (hṛdayam) signifying our potential for and intention to progress towards spiritual awakening. The heart space here, is not the location of the physical heart, it is the space within the centre of...
Bridge Pose (Dvipādapīṭham)
Anyone who attends my classes or teacher training will know that bridge pose is included in almost every practice I teach, and with good reason. Bridge pose is a simple yet versatile backbend that can be practised in various ways, and offers a range of experiences...
Summer
As we move into late spring, we enter the season, known by Ayurveda, as the pitta season, which continues throughout the hot months of summer and into early autumn. The qualities of pitta are light, hot, sharp, and mobile; we see these qualities manifest as longer,...