AntiGravity yoga, hot yoga, and AcroYoga are just a few trends in the yoga world that have gained in popularity over the last few years. In addition, many of us have heard of partner yoga, yoga for Christians, and yoga for inflexible men, or at least read about yoga for menopause, yoga for PMS and yoga for arthritis. When we see someone in great shape, we might commonly say they have nice yoga arms, yoga abs, and the ever-so-popular yoga butt, as these are touted in modern day as beneficial side effects of this great practice.
As time goes on, revolutionary developments in yoga try to take hold and attempt to stand the test of time. Now, not only can you be an inflexible Christian male in a hot yoga class flaunting your nice yoga butt, you can do it in the buff. That is right. Welcome to naked yoga, the latest craze in the yoga industry that’s out in the open and has absolutely nothing to hide.
According to Dee Dussault, the naked yoga instructor at Follow Your Bliss in Toronto, Canada, nude yoga classes take place in a dimly lit room so students can feel comfortable shedding their clothes. Dussault said she encourages her students to close their eyes and focus on themselves, rather than the other people in class. No kidding. We wouldn’t want to let an exposed yoga butt that’s high up in downward dog distract us from inner peace.
Devout followers of nude yoga say practicing yoga in the nude has helped them face their fears and insecurities about their body image. Jennifer Kries, creator of Yoga Undressed, a series of naked yoga DVDs, said students learn how to release their negative body image issues and gain a greater acceptance of their bodies while practicing yoga when naked.
Some feel just as intimidated in a yoga class where people are fully clothed, as the need for comparison is often too big of a temptation to dismiss. We might find that we judge a person by the clothes they wear, whether they are in fancy yoga pants or sporting plain black leggings, but how are we really going to feel if we see someone break into a backbend without any clothes on at all?
With the latest sex scandals in yoga resurrected by Anusara founder John Friend and the recently plugged sex cult origins of yoga as per New York Times writer William Broad, maybe now is not the time to be advancing toward a naked yoga trend. It is one thing to adore the artistic beauty of Kathryn Budig’s nude yoga ads for ToeSox, but I don’t think the modern yoga world is quite ready for a naked yoga revolution.
Also Read: