Naked Yoga: A Spiritual Healing Practice
In this age of cell phones and screens, we are abundantly busy. We’re constantly thinking, planning, worrying, wondering, and analyzing. And, for most of us, we’ve become disconnected from our bodies. Instead of feeling at home within this physical form, instead of feeling the creativity, grace, and wonder that comes from exploring all the magic that this human vessel is capable of, we’re wrapped up in a whirlwind of thoughts — and, often, those thoughts are anxious ones.
Thankfully, the practice of yoga has been exploding in popularity as a kind of corrective to this troubling situation. However, most normative ways of practicing yoga only skim the surface of how powerful this healing art can truly be.
A way to go deeper into our yoga practice is to strip off our clothes and become naked — both physically and emotionally. By standing on our mat in bare flesh we symbolically say to the Universe: “I’m here. I’m open. I’m ready to heal.”
The practice of Naked Yoga is something that is rarely discussed in our normative society (we have lots of taboos against nudity), but, in truth, it’s a practice that’s as ancient as the most ancient of yogis, who once (and still do) wander India wearing nothing at all but sacred ash. These illuminated beings believe that the clothes we wear and our material property can often be a huge distraction. By roaming the streets of India completely naked — no shoes, no possessions, nothing — these brave yogis tune into their spiritual nature; they tune into that eternal place that not even death can touch. By becoming totally naked, literally and symbolically, they become innocent. They become unchained to the worries of this world and are free to immerse themselves in contemplation of their Divine Nature. (For more information about the fascinating world of naked yogis, I highly recommend the documentary Naga: The Eternal Yogi.)
In this modern era, we can emulate these brave souls in the privacy of our own living rooms. And, what’s more, we can actually take our spiritual journey even deeper than the yogis of India. We can go beyond their wisdom.
How do we do that, you ask? Well, it’s simple. We can actively celebrate and love our physical bodies! (The downside to the naked yogi path as it’s often practiced in India is that they try to denigrate their bodies in an attempt to “transcend” this Earth and ascend to heavenly planes. Ultimately, in their zest to become super spiritual, they are ashamed of being a human being.) Indeed, what’s really, really exciting about this current era on Earth is that we have the privilege of not only tuning into the wisdom of ages past, we have the privilege of benefitting from the paths that others have forged before us…but now we also have new insights flooding into our Souls — wisdom that reaches beyond what the ancients knew.
In this current paradigm upon Planet Earth, we humans are awakening to the fact that the highest form of spirituality is actually embodied living. Not only can we choose to be nakedly vulnerable in our emotions as well as cultivate thoughts that are authentic, joyful, and deeply fulfilling, but we can also bring light and love to our physical form. We can do all of this!!! We can invite total Wholeness. By celebrating our bodies as the temples that they truly are, we affirm that being a human being is indeed a beautiful thing. We don’t have to be ashamed of being human. We don’t have to dislike being in form. We can love and gratefully worship this body, this blood, these hands and feet — right now.
This is what it means to be Whole.
Indeed, the fact that we are a Soul occupying a manifest form is not something to be bemoaned or escaped or transcended. Instead, we humans are learning that the Soul is not merely ‘occupying’ a physical form…rather, the Soul and the physical form are ONE. There is no separation.
The practice of Naked Yoga has been one of the most transformative tools of my healing journey thus far. As a person who had PTSD & chronic illness for most of my life, and who many times came close to death through immune system failure or ideations of suicide, I have often struggled to tolerate, let alone appreciate, being in this physical body. I can honestly say that embracing and loving my body has been the biggest challenge of my life.
After my spiritual awakening in 2010, when I spontaneously fell into a state of ecstasy and peace during a guided meditation with spiritual teacher Paul Lowe, so many insights came flooding in. I began to remember my past lives. I began to remember the moment when my Soul actively chose to take birth as a human being. There was a reason I was here! All of this was not some crazy mistake! I wasn’t being punished for some past karma and I wasn’t being tested by God. No! I was here on a mission, a mission of Love and Light.
As these things became clear to me, I realized how disconnected from my body I’d become. I realized how crucial it was for me to reconnect. There was a no more important task, in fact.
Even to this day, with all the healing that I’ve done, I still feel an enormous amount of relief every time I practice Naked Yoga. The healing goes a little deeper each time. When I roll out my mat, strip down to the barest me and breathe, I feel more fully myself. More fully Whole. It feels like: “Ah, yes, it’s good that I’m a human being. I’m glad to be here.”
I invite you to try it for yourself. The following are seven steps for venturing into the brave world of Naked Yoga. Have fun with this, friends! Feel free to skip any steps that don’t fully resonate with you and be sure to add your own flavor, your own creative flourishes.
I suggest giving yourself at least 20 minutes for each practice session. With just a dash of bravery, I guarantee that you’ll be in awe of the deep sense of peace, gratitude, and relief that you’ll feel by the end of the session.
1. Find a comfortable, warm, private space in which to practice. This may be your bedroom or a cozy nook in your home. Turn off your phone & limit distractions.
2. The most profound way to practice is with the backdrop of silence (no music). This quiet space will allow you to hear your breath, hear your body move (all the wonderful snaps, crackles, and pops!), and really focus your attention on hearing yourself say your affirmations.
3. As you disrobe, be aware of the parts of your body that feel awkward or that make you cringe. Do you dislike seeing your bare thighs? Do you feel weird when your breasts are hanging free? Does it feel awkward to take off your socks? Simply be aware of the parts that elicit some kind of aversive reaction. Don’t judge yourself for having those reactions: simply be aware of those reactions. Observe.
4. Stretch your body. Bend it into shapes that feel pleasing to you. When practicing Naked Yoga, there is no need to follow any specific postures if you do not feel like it. Move intuitively on the mat. Don’t worry about doing traditional poses. Just move and be. Let your intuitive wisdom kick in. Find what feels good for you.
5. As you move and stretch, alternating between movement and stillness, gaze at your various body parts and actively celebrate them and thank them. You can do this either internally or aloud. Here’s some examples to get you started:
a. Thank you, dear legs, for being so strong and carrying me through my day!
b. Thank you, wonderful arms, for being so flexible!
c. Thank you, sweet hands, for this amazing grip!
d. I appreciate you, dear yoni, for allowing me to feel pleasure and helping me to rebirth love into the world.
e. I am so grateful to you, darling neck, for helping me to view the world from so many different angles.
f. Fingers, you’re awesome! I love how you can feel so much!
g. Feet, you’re so amazing! Thank you for moving me through life!
h. Belly, thank you for digesting my food and giving me energy.
i. Sweet breasts, you are the perfect shape for me. Thanks for your beauty.
6. Take note of how it feels easy to affirm certain body parts and how it feels a bit (or a lot!) more challenging to affirm other parts. As you come back to the mat day after day, be open to challenging yourself. Keep working on celebrating the parts of you that you perceive as ugly, weak, ill, or tired. Even if the affirmations feel untrue as you say them, keep saying them. In time, your heart will open to the magic of this practice and the affirmations will begin to effortlessly flow to ALL your parts.
7. After twenty minutes or when your practice feels complete, raise your palms together (anjali mudra) up to your third eye, which is located between your eyebrows. Thank yourself and the Universe for gifting you with this healing art. Congratulate yourself on a job well done.
