Barbara’s Blog
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,...
Spring
As winter draws to a close we look forward to spring in anticipation of new beginnings, growth, and renewal. Spring flowers are starting to colour the landscape and the days are drawing out, revitalising our energy and creating a natural desire for a fresh, clean...
Masala Chai
I fell in love with masala chai when I visited India in 2006. In earlier visits, I hadn't been tempted but watching the chai wallahs prepare the chai in their own spectacular way, sparked my curiosity, and after my first cup, I was hooked. Masala means a blend of...
Training to be a Yoga Teacher with Svastha Yoga Aotearoa
Training to be a qualified 200-hour yoga teacher is different at Svastha Yoga. Like many training programs, ours takes place over six months, on a part-time basis. But what you’ll learn and who you’ll learn it from is unlike the training elsewhere. Here are a handful...
Autumn
Autumn, my favourite time of the year. It is a time of transition; leaves are changing colour and falling from the trees, the temperature is changing and the air is becoming crisper; there is a whole new crop of fruits and vegetables that are available, inviting us to...
Mindful Breathing
On average we take approximately 23,000 breaths per day, some people a little less, some people more. Either way that's a lot of breaths and mostly, we give them little thought. Yet, breathing is fundamental to life and to our health. The functioning of every system...
Finding Calm in Uncertainty
What a surreal and uncertain time we find ourselves in! Uncertainty is challenging for all of us, it can play havoc with our mental state and create fear and anxiety. It's times like these that we need to pay close attention to not only our physical health and follow...
Nāḍīśodhana Prānāyāma: Alternate Nostril Breathing
Very simply put, the word prānāyāma refers to breathing practices that play a very important role in yoga – helping to steady our minds in preparation for effective practice of meditation. But even if meditation is not a goal for you, practising pranayama brings many...
Time for a Pick-Me-Up
It's that time of year again, when coughs & colds rear their ugly heads. Often making us just a little under the weather, not quite bad enough to head off to our beds but enough to be annoying. I have always had a tendency to get sniffy at this time of year but I...
Yoga Therapy – Guided Self-care
Yoga therapy is growing in popularity worldwide. More and more research is being carried out, proving the benefits and health professionals are beginning to recognise yoga therapy as complementary to modern health care. Yet there does remain some confusion about what...
