About Navina
Evidence-based education. Attention to detail. Sharing the power of touch.
Navina was created from a simple idea: that great manual therapy education should be grounded in deep attention, supported by actual evidence, and centred on customisation for individuals rather than memorisation of sequences.
We then built a training and retreat centre in the heart of the Costa Rican rainforest, where the vision expanded into one of connection with both one another and the natural world around us (two things that are often deeply understated in modern life). Immersed in nature, we’re simultaneously building more meaningful relationships, and reconnecting with the world around us in ways most people haven’t in generations.
Whether you’re joining us for professional training, online learning, or a retreat experience in Costa Rica, our aim is the same – to create meaningful experiences and genuine connection with others and with nature.
Our Philosophy
Connection with nature
Not just the nature around us, but also the nature within us. Our deepest biology as it relates to both touch and the natural world we’re part of.
Exploration
Infinite nuance is only available through deep attention to detail. This applies to manual therapy and the way we engage with the world around us.
continuous learning
Not in the overwhelming way – in the way that inspires openness to exploration and experience through curiosity and questioning.
At Navina, we understand that touch is our first and most fundamental language. Through evidence-based education, respect for traditional practices, and a spirit of curiosity, we guide students to develop not only practical skills, but also a deeper understanding of themselves and the people they work with. Our retreat centre in the Costa Rican rainforest is not only a great home for our coursework, it’s also a space for connection and the facilitation of meaningful experiences immersed in nature.
Meet the team:
Drew Hume, founder
My work sits at the intersection of human biology, touch, movement, and education. Through Navina, I teach Thai massage, anatomy and physiology, and evidence-based approaches to manual therapy, with the aim of helping practitioners build confidence through an understanding of the underlying biology rather than memorisation of sequences.
Over the years, I’ve become increasingly interested in a broader question: what role does touch play in human health and connection? That curiosity has shaped the way I teach, encouraging students to look beyond techniques and explore the biological, social, and cultural significance of touch. My hope is that, through better education, we can contribute to a more touch-literate society – one where compassionate, informed touch is understood as an important part of what makes us human.
This philosophy became the foundation of the Navina curriculum. Rather than teaching fixed routines, our programs encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and adaptability. Alongside practical skills, we explore anatomy and physiology, communication, body mechanics, and the creation of safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environments.
I hold a Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Biology and have completed extensive training in Thai massage and manual therapy. Today, my greatest enjoyment comes from continuing to learn alongside our community – whether that’s in the classroom, online, or at our retreat centre in the Costa Rican rainforest.
I don’t believe great practitioners are defined by how many techniques they know, but by their ability to observe, think critically, adapt, and connect with the people in front of them. That’s the philosophy that continues to guide both my own learning and everything we teach at Navina.
Why Costa Rica?
When we imagined what learning could look like, we knew we wanted more than a typical classroom. Even in the early days of the development of the curriculum, even before the school really existed, part of the vision was to bring people together in some kind of forest on the side of a mountain.
We wanted a place where people could slow down, step outside their everyday routines, and immerse themselves in an environment that encourages curiosity and a deep connection with nature. That’s what led us to eventually create our training and retreat centre in the heart of the Costa Rican rainforest.
Here, learning extends beyond scheduled sessions. Shared meals, forest walks, waterfalls, wildlife, and conversations beneath the trees become part of the experience. The environment becomes part of the learning experience. Whether you’re here to study Thai massage, attend a retreat, or simply reconnect with nature, the rainforest has a way of reminding us to pay attention – to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us. In manual therapy, just as in the rainforest, there are truly infinite levels of detail to “see” when you hone your ability to pay close attention.
What makes us different?
Evidence-based
An approach that actually leverages an understanding of modern research on manual therapy, pain science and rehabilitation.
touch biology first
Our Haptic sense is our first sense to develop – learn of its biological importance before learning techniques.
anatomy & physiology
Fundamental to meaningful bodywork is a commitment to expanding your understanding of the body and how it functions.
understanding education
When a curriculum is designed with an understanding of learning principles, students leave with greater confidence, and heightened skill.
small groups
We always limit spaces to ensure more personalised learning experiences with greater support and more detailed feedback.
international community
Learning doesn’t end when a course finishes. Through continued learning and ongoing mentorship, connection and support is always available.
Our vision
The more we (collectively and individually) learn, the more we realise how much there is still to explore. That’s one of the things we love most about this work.
New research continues to deepen our understanding of the human body and with it, our implementation of the work evolves. The longer you steep in this practice (with attention), the more you realize the worlds of nuance that exist where you once couldn’t sense the feedback of the tissues.
We hope that Navina becomes more than just somewhere you take a course. We hope it becomes part of your ongoing learning and continued exploration – something that we will also continue to participate in and share over time.
Whether that happens in the physical classroom, in online spaces like the Massage Club, or beneath the trees of the Costa Rican rainforest, we’re excited to share this path with you.
Where will your journey begin?
However you found us, we hope this is just the beginning.
Explore our training pathways, continue learning online, or experience the rainforest retreat centre where so much of our philosophy can be felt. Come along and explore what makes us human.