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As a Yoga Therapist, you might be surprised at how often digestion comes up in conversation. Not because I ask directly. (Although recently I said, “How have you been?” and a client gave me a funny look, they thought I’d asked, “Have you been?”). The reason it comes up so often isn’t a coincidence. It’s all down to the gut–brain connection. Our brain and digestive system are constantly communicating through a network of nerves, including the vagus nerve, which is a key pathwa

It may sound a little over the top, but planting spring bulbs in the garden of our new home over two years ago, daffodils and tulips tucked quietly beneath the soil, was one of the best investments I’ve ever made in myself. © Naomi Hurst 2026 Every year since, they’ve come back. No fanfare. No effort required from the current version of me. Just colour, life, and a gentle reminder that lighter days are coming. I invest in myself in lots of ways. Courses. Movement. Time. Energ

When I first started working in corporate, I was fortunate to have some remarkable mentors, people who shaped me into the professional I am today. The lessons I learned from them are ones I carry with me, and I know they will stay with me for a lifetime. I remember vividly being told by someone I deeply respected to read The Energy Bus. At first, I glanced at the synopsis and thought, this seems almost religious. I was surprised that this was the book recommended to me. But a

Two months into my word of the year: FUN and already it has taught me so much. I didn’t choose fun lightly. It wasn’t about being silly for the sake of it or avoiding responsibility. It was a conscious decision to invite more lightness into a life that already holds depth, care, and meaning. And what I’m discovering is this: fun doesn’t dilute those things. It enhances them. I laugh more and I make more mistakes. I laugh much more often now. And interestingly, I also make mor

As a dyslexic yoga teacher, I try to be very intentional with the language I use. Words have the power to guide the body, spark curiosity, or help us feel something in a completely new way. Sometimes that means adding unusual phrases into a class, like the time I said, “If you don’t feel a sausage in your body, try xxx” and I couldn’t help but grin at myself. Language in yoga is meant to evolve, just as our practice does. I have have mentioned before I often avoid using asana

When we think of yoga asanas, we often imagine straight lines: stretching arms up, lengthening the spine, or grounding through the legs. But beneath those lines is another pattern of movement: the spiral. Spiralling actions run through the whole body, from the twist of our muscles and fascia to the natural curves of the spine. When we tune into these spirals, our practice becomes safer, stronger, and more fluid. A spiral is a gentle, rotational movement. Think of wringing out

I am so far removed from the no pain no gain community now that when I hear someone say it there is an immediate internal response within me. Not judgement, but awareness. That phrase carries a whole belief system with it, one that suggests effort must hurt, progress must be uncomfortable, and that listening to the body is somehow a weakness. Over time, through my own experience and through working with others, I have come to see how limited and, in many cases, harmful that m

As I approach 40 this year, I’ve been thinking a lot about fun. Not the fleeting kind that slips through your fingers between work, chores, and family responsibilities, but the kind that makes you laugh until your cheeks ache, leaves you breathless in the best way, and reminds you there is life beyond running a business, managing a household, and caring for a small family. For most of my adult life, I’ve been focused on getting things done, study, work, family, responsibiliti

Last week, I was in a hurry, getting a hot drink to go before my yoga class, when a man in the coffee shop complimented me and then invited me to sit with him in the window. There was a kindness in his smile, a quiet curiosity in his eyes, and whilst I couldn't accept the offer to sit with him, I decided to stay and talk to him for about ten minutes. He didn’t tell me he had dementia, but I recognised it in the way he repeated his stories, sometimes seemed momentarily lost, a

In today’s fast-paced working world, stress has become something of a badge of honour. Long hours, back-to-back meetings, skipping lunch, and multitasking are often worn with pride. But what if real productivity and genuine wellbeing, could be found in slowing down, breathing deeply, and changing just one small thing? As someone who left a corporate career in finance and IT, I know first-hand how easy it is to fall into patterns that don’t serve us. I also know how hard it ca

When I laced up my trainers and started running again, I thought the hardest part would be actually getting out the door. And in many ways, it was! But what I quickly realised is that what you do after a run is just as important as the run itself. Stretching might feel like an “extra” when you’re short on time, but for runners, especially beginners or those returning after a break, it’s a key part of keeping the body happy and injury-free. Running is repetitive. Every stride

Noise-cancelling headphones have become a popular way to create calm in busy environments. They can block out traffic, chatter, or background noise at work, offering a pocket of peace in an often overwhelming world. While many people enjoy them, some notice an odd sensation in their ears a feeling of pressure, fullness, or even dizziness. These headphones work by using tiny microphones to pick up background sounds and then producing “anti-noise” to cancel them out. Some model

Have you ever noticed how some people remain completely unflustered, even when chaos erupts around them? Meanwhile, you might feel your heart racing, palms sweating, or mind spiralling over the smallest thing. Why does stress hit some harder than others? The answer isn’t just personality, it’s biology. Our nervous system, the body’s control centre for stress and relaxation, plays a huge role in how we respond to life’s pressures. The autonomic nervous system regulates process

Over the past few months, I’ve noticed something really lovely happening, familiar faces returning to class after time away. Some haven’t been for a few months, others a couple of years, and one or two haven’t stepped onto their mat (with me) for almost two years. Each time someone walks through the door again, there’s a sense of warmth and reconnection. It’s not just about coming back to yoga; it’s about coming home to yourself. And every single time, I welcome people back w

Over the years of teaching yoga, I’ve noticed a pattern that might surprise some people: the students who stick with a practice, who truly make it a habit are usually the ones who show up for themselves. Not for a friend; not because someone else invited them, but because they decided it was important for them. I don’t offer “bring a friend for free” or “half-price for your buddy” deals. And let me be clear, this isn’t because I don’t like friends or because community isn’t v

There’s a moment many of us know well: when you finally stop. When the rush eases, the noise quiets, and your body gets even the smallest chance to soften. It might happen in a yoga class, on your mat at home, in the car after a long day, or the second your head touches the pillow. And in that moment, something inside you almost whispers: Oh. Here I am. For so long, you may have been moving through life on that familiar, invisible tension. The tight breath you didn’t notice.

Lately, I’ve noticed something beautiful happening. In the simplest of moments, waiting in a queue, walking, browsing in a shop: I’m finding myself really connecting with strangers. A shared smile. A genuine “how are you?” that lingers a little longer. Eye contact that actually meets rather than passes by. It feels as though people are craving connection again: real, human connection. In a world that often moves too quickly, where we can spend hours scrolling yet feel lonelie

When people hear the word yoga, some many picture a bendy person in leggings doing impressive poses on a mat. While Asanas (or postures - see my other blog post on this) are part of yoga, they represent just a tiny fraction of a much deeper, more ancient healing system. Yoga Therapy invites us to go beyond the surface, to explore healing not just in the body, but in the mind, heart, breath, and spirit. So, what is Yoga Therapy? And how is it different from a typical yoga cla

When a client recently asked me if mindfulness is the same as mindlessness, I had to pause. At first, the word “mindlessness” made me think of an empty, vacant mind, almost a void. But that’s not what mindfulness is about. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Mindfulness is not asking us to shut off or erase our thoughts. Instead, it’s about paying attention with awareness, to notice the present moment without judgment. And while I’m now fortunate to sometimes touch that quiet,