Welcome to YOGADEVON

Winter 2024

Winter arrives between the wind rising and deep stillness of night time falling over the earth: in soft folds of grey and silver sky, leaves returning in a spiralling dance of chaos to find earth; and silence freezing the bare soil.

Our practice turns inwards to find the source of light shining inside us: to feel the warmth of our heart spring flowing beneath the surface freeze. Here, we find life at source; nourishing our reserves, and deepening reflection and insight of how beautiful this fragile life is that we tread between sky and earth.

The new year beckons us forwards with the promise of fresh intentions of self-love, wellness, hope, and nurture. Setting commitment to start or deepen your yoga practice can become like a bell ringing, waking up mind, body and spirit, strengthening you from the inside out: shifting energy, perspective and understanding to open intuitive flow, build flexibility, strength and focus and know the reflection in mind, spirit and body – awakening joy in creating this life afresh, this day, this moment. Knowing freedom.

May winter time light up a heart spring of inner light, joy and ease to guide you through these cold wintery days. I look forward to sharing yoga with you in 2025!

Metta

Naomi x

Current Class times

Mindful yoga classes to explore, stretch, open, strengthen and deepen understanding of mind, body, emotion, flow and stillness

Online live Monday morning heart flow, 0900-1000. You’ll also receive a weekly recording of the class, along with practice notes.
Tuesday morning, 0930-1030, Shirwell village hall, £10 drop in.
Wednesday morning, 0945-1045, Tarka Clinic, Barnstaple, £9 per class in a block of sessions.
Wednesday evenings, 1800-1900, Tarka Clinic, Barnstaple, £9 per class in a block of sessions.

Follow the ‘yoga’ link above to find out more about classes.

A bit about Naomi

A Yoga, Mindfulness, and Meditation teacher for over 25 years, living in North Devon.  Naomi teaches mindful yoga flow as well as healing arts sessions in Yin yoga, chakra dancing, breathwork, chi gung, and bioenergetic flow amongst other things. Yoga sessions will guide you to enjoy the practice of opening, releasing, relaxing, breathing, strengthening, stretching, and understanding more about the incredible  ‘you-ness’ of being you. These simple, yet profound life tools also open up greater awareness, compassion, and gratitude for the incredible gift of being alive, on this beautiful planet. My teaching practice is also infused by my holistic bodywork experience, and Usui Reiki Mastership, which give me an ever-changing understanding of our energetic relationship to mind, body, spirit, and universe.

Yoga Classes

My yoga classes are welcoming, friendly, inclusive, and down-to-earth – I teach people from all walks of life, without any aspirations of creating a perfect body, whatever that may be! All shapes, sizes, ages, and starting points are welcome: wobbly, unfit, stiff, and creaky parts included!

This is a safe, compassionate space in which everyone is accepted as they are. Coming to a yoga class will help your body to become more strong, balanced and flexible for sure – one of the wonderful benefits. Yet yoga, breathwork, and meditation can also transform your perception, insight and understanding of being alive, connecting you to the heart’s boundless love, awareness and freedom.  As such, yoga is a healing art practice that brings freedom and wellness in its wake, on many levels. All I ask is that you come with an open heart and mind, standing on your yoga mat as if it were the first time.

My teaching is infused with nature’s rhythm, guided by daily meditation, regular silent retreats, and exploration of mindful Hatha and Vinyasa flow, Yin and Anusara yoga on my mat, and anchored in the Mahasi Forest School of Buddhism, the foundation of my life practice. Teaching with compassion, fun and individual attention, I hope to inspire you to develop an authentic, individual yoga practice that works for you. I would love your yoga practice to give you boundless potential to enjoy a life of harmony, grace and joy during the short time we have together on this beautiful planet.

My YogaDevon website gives information about the various yoga, mindfulness and wellbeing sessions I currently facilitate, including weekly classes, workshops, retreats, and complementary therapies in Barnstaple and across North Devon.

Look above for more information about my current Yoga classes in Barnstaple.

Complementary Therapies

At YogaDevon, Naomi offers complementary therapies including aromatherapy, holistic massage, reflexology, Indian Head Massage and Reiki and chakra/energy balancing. These can be a powerful catalyst to support you on your journey of self-healing, inner growth and wellness.

Workshops

I also facilitate Saturday morning yoga workshops at YogaDevon each month throughout the year in Barnstaple and across North Devon. These are lovely informal gatherings to deepen and explore your practice: mindfulness, meditation, chi gung, hatha flow and heart vinyasa flow, yin, yoga nidra and restorative yoga, breath work and relaxation sessions to develop and integrate different aspects of yoga and mindfulness practice into your daily life off a mat. Vegan chai tea and cakes are always included!

I also run Usui Reiki attunements, chakra and subtle energy, and holistic therapy workshops throughout the year.

Please look at the YogaDevon workshop page or contact me for more information.

Published Books: The Mindful Mother

The author of ‘The Mindful Mother: a Practical and Spiritual Guide to Enjoying Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond with Mindfulness,’ published by Watkins Publishing (2015), available at Amazon and Waterstones.

‘The Mindful Mother’ offers simple insightful guidance and inspiration to support you through pregnancy, labour and into early motherhood. Through meditation and self-awareness techniques using Buddhist and yoga practices, you can cultivate a mindfulness practice through the joys and challenges of becoming a mother. For women who want to understand the paradox of ‘I really love my baby and family but….” and consciously enjoy growing into mothering life.

Reviews:

This is a book I highly recommend to mothers and mothers-to-be. It is like an insightful friend who understands deeply what becoming and being a mother really means. — Janet Balaskas, Founder of Active Birth 

Naomi’s book is inspiring and encouraging, realistic and open-hearted. She addresses the deep challenges and joys of mothering from a truly profound perspective and her book will be of huge benefit to any woman who ever pauses to think about just what we are trying to do when we mother our children. –Uma Thuli Dinsmore, Founder of the Womb Yoga Movement

An essential guide every woman will benefit from reading, as she moves on her journey through pregnancy and into motherhood. It will encourage and empower you to think about your new role as a mother in a unique, more mindful way, and the part you play in the glorious process of creation as you bring new life into the world. –Tara Lee, leading pregnancy and postnatal teacher, The Life Centre, London

A book you will keep referring to help inspire a spiritual mindful practice in the day-to-day of motherhood.  A book full of gems and aha moments using simple and helpful tools and practices to keep you connected to yourself while looking after your family. –Nadia Narain, Head of Pregnancy Yoga, Triyoga, London