First, add navy beans to a pot and boil 10 minutes.
While beans are boiling, mince the garlic, dice the onion, slice the celery, and slice the carrots into thin rounds.
Add olive oil, garlic, onion, celery, and carrots to a large slow cooker.
Drain the beans and sort through them, and remove any debris or stones.
Quickly rinse the beans and add them to the slow cooker, along with the bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, paprika, and some freshly cracked pepper and ham bone or ham hocks.
Add six cups of water to the slow cooker. Stir carefully to combine the ingredients.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours on low or on high for 4-5 hours.
After 8 hours, stir the soup and mash the beans slightly just to thicken up the soup to your desired consistency.
Add salt starting with just a ½ teaspoon at a time. I used about 1½ teaspoon total, but keep tasting and adding more, ½ teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the level you prefer.