Doda Yoga

11/08/2025

Lately I’ve been coming back to the Five Ways to Wellbeing which was highlighted to me by the very talented Liz Murray, it is a gentle reminder that small things really do make a big difference.

They were developed by the New Economics Foundation as simple, research-backed actions to support everyday mental health and wellbeing. I love how they mirror what we explore together in class and out in the world.

🌿 Connect – With others, with nature, with yourself. A kind conversation after class can shift your whole day.

🧘‍♀ Be Active – Movement doesn’t have to be intense. A slow flow, a stretch, a walk, just keep moving in a way that feels good.

👀 Take Notice – Pause. Notice how your breath feels. The light through the trees. The sound of the birds. Presence is powerful.

📚 Keep Learning – Try something new, revisit something old with fresh eyes. Even falling out of a pose teaches us something.

💛 Give – Your time, your smile, your support. Every kind word, every gesture counts and the impact of your actions can create a ripple you'd never believe.

These five are gently woven into everything I share, from yoga sessions, sound baths to retreats.

Which one is calling to you this week? Whilst I maybe away, there is still many mindful ways to practice yoga.

With love,
Naomi✨

08/08/2025

🥰😍

https://www.icantherapycentre.co.uk/yoga-for-wellbeing/

The next free course starts in September

07/08/2025

✨ Pen to Heart ✨

Ever finish a yoga practice and feel something quietly shifting beneath the surface, a feeling, a thought, a truth ready to be heard?

Journalling is one of the most beautiful ways to meet yourself in those moments. In this week’s blog, I share how putting pen to paper can deepen your self-awareness, support your yoga journey, and help you integrate what arises on (and off) the mat. Plus, there’s a free journalling meditation waiting for you 💛

Take a quiet moment and have a read:
🖊️ https://www.dodayoga.co.uk/post/pen-to-heart-how-journaling-deepens-self-awareness-and-supports-your-yoga-practice

I publish a new blog every Thursday: thoughtful, grounded, and from the heart. I’d love to know what resonates with you.

Happy Thursday!

With love,
Naomi ✨

05/08/2025

Did you previously miss out on the Yoga for Wellbeing Course?

Well it is back and it is starting Tuesday 9th September, taking place at King Arthurs Way Hall from 9.15am to 11.15am, running for a 12-week programme until 9th December (minus 30th September and 21st October).

It is now enrolling new participants and it could be you!

These gentle group yoga sessions are designed for mental wellbeing.

Are you feeling anxious, low or stressed? Would you like to feel calmer, healthier and more in control? Yoga for Wellbeing could be just what you need.

This welcoming group programme, run by local charity Valley Leisure Ltd with support from Andover Mind and Andover PCN, offers weekly small group yoga sessions designed specifically for people living with anxiety, depression or low mood.

Sessions are led by a me and supported by wonderful volunteer peer supporters with lived experience of mental health challenges and familiarity with the Yoga for Wellbeing programme. Together, we have created a relaxed, safe and inclusive environment where you can move gently, breathe deeply, and feel better, physically and mentally.

Each session includes simple stretches, breathing techniques, time to relax, and optional refreshments. There’s no pressure and no experience needed. Just come as you are.

Here’s what previous participants have said:

“I love coming every week. It’s the only place I feel comfortable enough to be myself.”

“Yoga won’t cure your symptoms, but it gives you a break from them.”

“I’ve made new friends. I’ve started to feel like me again.”

Thanks to funding support, places are available free of charge with opportunity to give a voluntary donation.

👉 Learn more or register at: https://www.icantherapycentre.co.uk/yoga-for-wellbeing/
📞 Or call: 0300 373 1066
📧 Email: yogaforwellbeing@icanmovemore.co.uk

It might be the best first step you make towards a healthier you.

Naomi ✨

📸 Thanks to Chelsea Valley Leisure Marketing Manager for the pictures and for the willing participants that allowed these photos to be taken.

04/08/2025

The more I accept myself, the more I notice something powerful happening in my yoga classes…

People are showing up differently, and I couldn’t be more proud.
They’re lying calm and relaxed in savasana for a full hour.
They’re turning up in jeans or clothes that suit their bodies.
They’re skipping asanas, adapting shapes, listening to their bodies.

And instead of striving or performing, they’re honouring themselves. That’s not a lack of effort, that’s inner wisdom.

Some might see this as breaking the “rules” of yoga.
But I see growth.
I see courage.
I see the real yoga showing up, in all its forms.

I’m so proud to witness the differences:
🌀 In asana — soft, strong, messy, true
🌀 In each person — bringing their whole self
🌀 In how people meet themselves on the mat — with honesty and care

This didn’t happen by accident. I’ve done my own work to allow this, to unhook from others’ expectations and stay true to the space I want to hold.

And it’s working.
People feel safe.
People feel seen.
And I couldn’t ask for more than that.

Thank you for trusting me, and showing up as yourselves💛

With love,
Naomi ✨

31/07/2025

Hello Wonderful Chair Yoga ladies and gents.

Wow, what a fabulous term it’s been! I just wanted to say a big, heartfelt THANK YOU for bringing your energy, laughter, and open hearts to our chair yoga sessions. I’ve genuinely loved every single class, you really are all magic! The giggles, the stories, the deep breaths, and the moments of stillness we’ve shared together have meant the world to me.

You make our sessions little pockets of joy and connection, and I’m so grateful to each of you for being part of it.

I’m thrilled to say our new term with starts on Thursday 4th September at 1415 and there are just 3 spaces left (last time I checked!) so if you’d like to join us again (or know someone who needs a boost of fun, movement and wellbeing in their life), now’s the time!

Until then, keep moving, keep smiling, and keep shining, I can’t wait to see you again soon, have a fabulous summer whatever it is you are doing 😉

With love and laughter,
Naomi ✨

31/07/2025

Did you know that increasing your steps from 0 to 7,000 can massively reduce your health risks, even if you never hit 10,000? 🚶‍♀️

Movement doesn’t have to mean gym workouts. Walking, gardening, DIY, and yoga all count. But is yoga “real” exercise?

In my latest blog, I explore that question: plus what the NHS recommends for activity, and why I believe yoga offers something far beyond a workout.

✨ Read it here: https://www.dodayoga.co.uk/post/is-yoga-really-exercise-where-it-fits-in-an-active-life

With love,
Naomi ✨

29/07/2025

🌿 Moving Your Body, Recharging Your Soul 🏞️

This weekend, I climbed Pen y Fan, Corn Du, Cribyn, and Fan y Big, four incredible peaks in the Brecon Beacons. Sitting here with a heart full, I’m reminded how powerful it is to move your body in nature.

There’s something magical about feeling your breath sync with the rhythm of the earth beneath your feet. Every step, every incline, every pause to look around brings you closer to yourself. The hills demand your presence, and in return, they offer perspective, peace, and a deep sense of vitality.

Movement doesn’t have to be fast. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be yours. Whether you’re walking, stretching, climbing, or simply sitting and taking it all in, you’re reconnecting.

Here’s to the wild spaces that remind us we are strong, small, connected, and alive. I never take movement for granted and you shouldn’t too.

Have a fantastic day.

With love,
Naomi ✨

28/07/2025

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟

I’m absolutely thrilled to share that Doda Yoga has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Business in the Community Award at this year’s Test Valley Business Awards alongside some other local businesses Collecteebles and

This award celebrates businesses that make a meaningful difference to their local community, and I’m honoured that our work in wellbeing, accessibility, and connection through yoga has been recognised in this way.

From community partnerships with Valley Leisure and I Can Therapy Centre and donation-based events to creating safe, inclusive spaces for people from all walks of life. Every step has been about showing up with heart, and this nomination means the world, but I am in no doubt that this award, even the nomination is far greater than Doda Yoga alone. 💛

Thank you to everyone who has supported this journey! I see you, and I’m so grateful.

With love,
Naomi ✨

🎉 Business in the Community Finalists Revealed!

We’re delighted to announce the three finalists for the Business in the Community, sponsored by Barratt David Wilson Homes Southampton at this year’s Test Valley Business Awards!

👏 Congratulations to:
🔹 Burgers He Wrote
🔹 Collecteebles
🔹 Doda Yoga

Thank you to everyone who entered – the standard was incredible this year. We can’t wait to celebrate with all our finalists soon.

👉 See all the finalists here: https://www.tvbawards.org.uk

25/07/2025

🔩 The start to my weekend… 🪛

Flat-pack chaos, mystery screws, and an instruction manual that’s already testing my patience 😂

So grateful for my yoga practice, being able to crouch, sit cross-legged, twist, and reach comfortably makes DIY so much easier (and a little less sweary).

Flexibility, patience, and breath, not just for the mat! 🧘‍♀️✨

Happy weekend everyone, whatever you’re up to, may it be grounded, joyful, and (hopefully) involve fewer Allen keys than mine 😅

With love,
Naomi ✨

24/07/2025

🧠 Science-Backed

Did you know the number of breaths you take could be linked to how long you live?

Slower breathing = calmer body = longer life.

My new blog explores the connection between breath, mental health, stress, and lifespan, with a little help from a very wise tortoise. 🐢

➡️ Click to read: https://www.dodayoga.co.uk/post/why-every-yoga-class-starts-with-the-breath

With love,
Naomi ✨

22/07/2025

✨ New Year, New Root ✨

A Reflective Retreat Day to Ground, Reset & Begin Again

🗓️ Saturday 10th January 2025
📍Durley, near Wi******er
🕰️ 1230 - 1730 | Limited spaces

Step into the new year with presence, purpose, and peace.

Join me for a beautifully held day of gentle yoga, reflective journaling, grounding breathwork, restorative rest and sound healing all inside a fire-warmed tipi in the heart of winter.

This is your invitation to slow down, reset, and reconnect with what really matters surrounded by fairy lights and a circle of like-hearted souls.

🌿 Slow flow yoga
🔥 Intention-setting & ritual
📝 Reflective journaling
💤 Restorative yoga & sound bath
💫 A small gift to take home

This retreat offers time to breathe deeply and root into the year ahead from a place of clarity and calm.

✨ All levels welcome
✨ Cosy, luxurious space

📩 Book online https://www.dodayoga.co.uk/service-page/rooted-a-new-year-day-retreat?category=d498a632-1eed-4053-9d37-3ed75aaf3afb&referral=service_list_widget to reserve your place (a few spaces have already been snapped up 🙏)

With love,
Naomi✨