Whenever I tell someone new that I teach Clothing Optional Yoga, I tend to get one of two reactions. The first one is usually akin to horror that people take off their clothes to practice yoga. The second one is curiosity.
If I get the first reaction, I let it go and move on to something else. But if I get the second one, I smile and start talking!
So why Nude Yoga? As the instructor, I love that I can clearly see the muscles working in my students' bodies and can see if they have the correct alignment. As a practitioner, it is all about freedom. No more getting suffocated by a t-shirt falling over my face. No more worrying if I have the right pants on for the practice.
Stripping off your clothes makes you more vulnerable, but it is also a way to strip off some of the layers we hide behind. Your clothing choices say a lot about who you think you are or what image you want to project. Take away the clothes, and you are just another student!
So what's the difference between "Clothing Optional" and "Nude" yoga? With the first, you wear as much or as little clothing as you feel comfortable wearing. It is always interesting when a new student joins the class and keeps on their clothing when most
other students are nude. They either end up taking off some or all of their clothes, or they feel awkward and don't come back. In a "Nude" yoga class, no one is wearing any clothes, period. I like offering both so that people can find the practice that fits them the best.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your yoga mat, take off your clothes, and enjoy a yoga practice with the air caressing your skin!