The Very, Very Scientific Benefits Of Naked Yoga

At first glance, the idea of naked yoga may either intrigue or repulse you — or maybe you’re one of those people who is so easy-going that you see being naked as a nothing out of the ordinary and anyone who doesn’t think so is square, etc., etc.

But no matter how you feel about it, you might be curious to know if there are any, ahem, health benefits related to this, uh, naked yoga people keep talking about.

Don’t worry. I’ll gladly answer the questions your “friend” wanted you to ask me:

While being naked around other yogis might sound more anxiety-inducing than stress-reliving, those who’ve done it say it can boost self-confidence and help people to accept and celebrate their bodies.

So: Body positive? Check. Slightly terrifying? Check.

Some might feel self-conscious at first, but Phoenix has seen participants undergo a metamorphosis of sorts, a change only made possible by baring it all, she said.

“A new reality is created in the first 15 minutes of class – a reality where people can be naked and practice yoga in the room, and it’s ok,” Phoenix said. “Nobody’s going to point and laugh,” she said.

“In that first 15 minutes, I would say most people go through a transformation of holding that new reality really solidly, and that makes other things possible,” including confronting their fears about their new experience, Phoenix said.

According to the article, most people are initially attracted to the title of “naked yoga” partially because, well, most people are not used to sitting in a yoga class where they can see everyone’s junk, but also because it offers a chance for people to “lay down their armor” and rediscover their own bodies without being tied to the medieval chains that are flared yoga pants:

“[There’s] a level of living with your body your whole life and then really, truly seeing it for the first time,” she said.

And if you happen — just HAPPEN — to find that you’ve spent the first few minutes of the class focusing on something other than your breathing, consider it a fine time to remember that nobody’s perfect.