Is this what people would think of me in a studio setting? Would they see my body the same way I see it? Naked yoga allows you to see your body in its truest form. I was less concerned with how it felt to perform these movements without the restriction of clothing, and more interested in how my body looked performing them.
I was hyper-aware of the curve of my stomach sucking in and out during a series of cat-cows, the size of my thighs as I swung my right leg over my left for a supine spinal twist.
I felt connected to my body, but not exactly on a deeper level. My concerns flip-flopped between whether or not I was performing each pose correctly, how I looked doing them, and shooing my cat away from the blinds so she wouldn't poke her head through and simultaneously give my neighbors a show. I'll admit that the first few days of my naked practice were awkward, and I judged myself pretty harshly.
Your mind will be free to focus on the amazing, powerful, and graceful things your body can do. Your attention won't stray to the sometimes unflattering way tight-fitting clothes can cause rolls, leading you to become distracted by negative body image thoughts. She tells Elite Daily, You can keep your focus on alignment, breath, and movement, instead of interrupting your flow by having to adjust your sports bra or hoist up your leggings. Seeing your naked body flow through a yoga sequence is definitely vulnerable, but also incredibly rewarding.Īccording to Rebecca Weible, founder of Yo Yoga!, "doing yoga naked gives your body total freedom to move without being restricted, squeezed, or tangled up by clothes." Though I didn't need to use the camera in my experiment, I found that watching my naked body - in addition to feeling my naked body go through the motions - added more value. each morning, retreated to the living room, closed the blinds, stripped down to nothing, and set my camera down in front of me. I committed to following the first week of Bad Yogi founder Erin Motz's official yoga challenge. I woke up at 7 a.m. So, while I decided to keep my undies on, I also decided to turn my camera on, too.
I've been in recovery for about three years now, but still, body image dysmorphia is a battle I continue to fight. I was uncomfortable, and it would only get worse from there, leading to a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa during my college years. Then, in high school, I became hyper-aware of my hourglass figure and high cheekbones as I tried to maneuver my shape into the cute outfits made for magazine cutouts. I never thought of myself as a chunky kid, but when I was just 9 years old, I recognized that the round shape of my body was different from the skinny build of my ballerina best friend. I am, and always have been, my own worst critic. I made the impulsive decision at the very last second to slip my underwear back on and continue topless. And sometimes, I struggle to think happy thoughts when it comes to my own body.Ĭonfession time: The first day of my experiment wasn't totally executed in the nude. It's part physical, part mental, and all vulnerable, because you're not just forming your limbs into a triangle or opening your chest and finding your heart center you're getting to know your body and mind on a deeper level that requires your undivided attention and acceptance.
Once you've settled into any given posture, all that's left is balance, breath, and your thoughts. And, as a beginner, even a simple child's pose can feel a little daunting. Every yoga practice is a completely personal experience, concerning only your body, your mind, and the energy flowing between the two. To quote the ancient Indian text The Bhagavad Gita, yoga “is the journey of self, through the self, to the self.” So, it doesn't matter if you choose to flow on your living room rug or in a guided class in a yoga studio.
I committed to five days on the mat, clad only in my birthday suit, and completed my experiment with a newfound sense of gratitude.
To celebrate National Yoga Month and take my practice one giant step further, I set out to learn how to do yoga naked without passing judgment on my outer shell. It's been a long time since I've endured a panic attack as intense as that one, but I continue my yoga practice as a way of sustaining a healthy relationship with my physical body, as well as the mixed emotions of love and resentment I sometimes feel toward it. My yoga journey began promptly after a panic attack landed me in my doctor's office with EKG chords spread out on my chest like a dartboard. Every yogi has a reason for why they started practicing, and why they continue.