Weekly Classes

  • Gentle Hatha slow flow

    For beginners, agile agers and mindful movers

    Monday 10.10am - 11.25am (75 mins) St. John’s ARC, Market Street, Old Harlow, Essex CM17 0AJ

    Fridays 10am - 11 .15am (75 mins) High Wych Memorial Hall, High Wych, Sawbridgeworth, Herts CM21 0HZ

    Prices - classes are in blocks or courses of 4-6 weeks. Price is £12 per class bookable by the block.

    Drop-in at High Wych £14.50 subject to availability. Contact me to book.

  • Chair Yoga

    For seniors and anyone managing chronic illness or dealing with pain or fatigue.

    These classes are formed of 2 parts with approximately 50 mins of yoga postures, breathing and relaxation; followed by Sangha (community) time with tea or coffee and a chat.

    Mondays 11.45am and 1.05pm St. John’s ARC, Market Street, Old Harlow, Essex CM17 0AJ.

    Fridays 11.45am

    High Wych Memorial Hall, High Wych, Sawbridgeworth, Herts CM21 0HZ

    Price is £9 per class bookable by the block.

    Classes are in blocks or courses of 4-6 weeks.

  • Yoga Fusion

    An integration of energy building styles of yoga with slower more relaxing styles. A satisfying and well thought through practice to deliver a balanced and beneficial experience. 75 minutes of strength and movement merged with deeper felt more meditative holds. A special emphasis on a restorative focussed relaxation completes your practice.

    Mondays 5.30pm - 6.45pm ( 75 mins) Church House, 1 Vantorts Road, Sawbridgeworth, Herts CM21 9AB

    Price - classes are in blocks or courses of 4-6 weeks. Price is £12.50 per class bookable by the block.

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1. Yoga makes you feel better

You will always feel better after a yoga class - it's a simple as that - but it's important to choose the right class, and to pick the right class you need to know a bit about yoga. Pick a class for your level and approach it with an open mind and you will feel better, different, more open, present and happier. My Introduction to Yoga course will include aspects of different yoga styles to start your yoga journey.

2. Yoga makes your body stronger, more supple and healthy

Practicing yoga over time increases our flexibility, mobility and range of movement. We become more aware of our posture, our strength increases, and our balance improves. Hatha is at the root of most styles of yoga and provides the full range of benefits, however the amount of strength, flexibility and suppleness will depend upon the style of yoga you choose. 

 3. Yoga helps you quieten your mind and to feel calm  

By focusing attention on the alignment of the pose, timing the movement with the breath, or practicing breathwork or mediation techniques, we help to keep your mind on what's happening now. Practicing mindfully helps us to stop thinking about other things and concentrate on being present in our practice. It is a great way to get out of your head and into your body. 

 4. Yoga helps you to stay focused

Because your mind will be quieter and clutter-free it is easier to direct your energy to where you want it to go. Yoga helps us to be able to focus on something and concentrate.  Dharana or concentration practice trains the mind to become aware and present and research has shown that after a yoga class you are generally better able to focus your mental resources, process information more accurately.  https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/mobility-fitness/yoga-for-concentration-cognition-and-memory/

7 reasons to start your yoga practice

5. Yoga helps you to accept whatever life brings

Life experiences are not always positive, difficult things happen to all of us and cause us pain. Yoga has taught me that everything changes and that the painful things in life come and go. I have leaned into my yoga at challenging times of my life and have found it to be a source of strength, stability and support, helping me stay present and positive.

 6. Yoga helps you to make better choices

A regular yoga practice will make you more aware of how things influence you and more able to make positive choices for yourself. For example, you are likely to find you naturally want to choose foods which support your health and yoga practice. You may find yourself having more strength to move away from negative situations, and from friends from whom you feel negative energy, and towards friends who have a positive influence. 

 7. Yoga makes you more aware

Yoga helps you become more aware of who you are, to know, accept and love yourself unconditionally. You will become more aware of what is good for you, what you really want and what is important to you. Self-awareness is one of the characteristics of Emotional Intelligence and an important factor in achieving success in different areas of your life.

Booking and cancellation policy

There are 2 options for booking and payment:

  • by the course where individual classes are £12 for Hatha Slow Flow, £12.50 for Hatha with Yin, and £9 for Chair yoga classes, with full payment at the beginning of the course or the point at which the course is joined. Students who have booked the course take priority for spaces

  • on a drop-in basis for Hatha Slow Flow classes at High Wych where classes are £14.50. Drop-in classes must be booked in advance, are subject to a space being available, and at least 24hrs notice of cancellation is required or the full fee is payable. I am currently unable to offer drop-in at the ARC due to venue capacity relative to venue hire costs

  • ARC Hatha Slow Flow or Sawbridgeworth Hatha with Yin students having booked a course and unable to attend a class may attend the Hatha Slow Flow class at High Wych that week instead, subject to spaces being available and must be pre-booked

  • bookings are non-refundable. This is mainly due to venue costs, insurance and other overheads

  • please contact me if you are experiencing financial difficulty to discuss how we can enable you to continue to come to class

  • payment either by cash or by bank transfer

More about yoga with Barbara

What is yoga?

Yoga is a mind and body practice which is likely to have originated in India many years ago. It involves movement, meditation, and breathing techniques to promote mental, physical and emotional well-being. The ancient philosophy of yoga is about connecting the mind, body and spirit.

Do I have to be flexible to do yoga?

No you don’t have to be flexible to do yoga. Everybody is different. Some people are more flexible than others. Your flexibility will develop over time.

My balance is awful. Is a yoga class right for me?

One of the reasons we practice yoga is to improve our balance. Balance can be influenced by many things – how tired you feel, your leg strength, or your concentration. With practice your balance will improve over time.

I’ve got a bad back. Can I still do yoga?

I ask all students to advise me of their medical conditions, and I will offer modifications to allow you to practice safely. I will tell you if you are not advised to attempt a pose.

What do I do if I can’t do a pose?

I will see that you are having difficulty and will offer you a modified version of the pose.

What if everybody is really good at all the poses and I can’t do them. Will I look foolish?

Yoga is not a performance sport and there is no competition in a yoga class. Everybody is unique with different limb length, degree of wear and tear on the joints, and different lifestyles. In yoga we are aware of our own range of movement and work with that.

 What should I wear to a yoga class?

Anything loose or stretchy which allows you to move freely and be comfortable is fine for your yoga practice. Anything very loose may get in your way when working on the poses, but your clothing doesn’t have to be skin-tight either.

Do I need to bring a yoga mat or my own props?

Bring a light blanket to keep warm during the relaxation, and to act as padding for some of the poses. If you have your own mat and prefer to use that then bring it along, otherwise I have mats and the props you are likely to need.

How much and when should I eat before a yoga class?

Avoid a full meal for 2 hrs before your practice. A light snack is fine but you may feel uncomfortable in some of the poses if your stomach is still full.

 What type of yoga should I start with?

Start with a class suitable for beginners. I teach yoga which is suitable for all levels of ability particularly beginners. It is always beneficial to revisit the basics and most poses have variations which present greater challenge.