It's January, which means you're still honoring those New Years
resolutions: you might call your parents more, you maybe bought a class
pass that you're absolutely going to use this time around and perhaps you're drinking more water.
That's
all well and good, but you're probably not doing these things in the
nude, and that's a big problem. Why? Because, as it turns out, there are
a whole host of benefits to being in your birthday suit.
Joschi Schwarz and Monica Werner, co-owners of Bold & Naked
yoga studio in New York and authors of Bold & Naked - Let Your Body Talk, tell us what's to gain from taking it all off.
Is it really that good for you to get naked?
There
are a plethora of reasons why stripping down is the way forward, not
the least of which is the immense impact on your self-esteem. Having a
positive and realistic body image and implementing body acceptance into
our life are key parts of self-esteem. Being naked gives you a concept
of what a real body looks like, not heavily-photoshopped or filtered,
but a fine-tuned machine. Naked Yoga will give you the opportunity to
learn how to embrace yourself and leave feelings of shame and
embarrassment about your body as well as yourself as a person behind,
allowing you a child-like loss of inhibition.
The clothes that we
wear subconsciously create insecurities about ourselves and build an
inability to accept and love each other just the way we are. It is also
impossible to appreciate the beauty of nature if we're not able to pay
full attention, and we cannot pay full attention if we are still
attached to mundane things. To get in touch with nature, we must get in
touch with our human nature. When we are naked and accepting, equality
blossoms. A university study in Florida concluded that out of 384
participants students who were pro-nudity were significantly more
accepting of other religious beliefs as well as sexual orientation when
compared to students who were anti-nudity. They also showed much less
prejudice towards people who are ethnically dissimilar. When we strip
away everything that is restraining us and present ourselves fully to
the world, the feeling of freedom will be like a warm embrace.
Should I be nervous?
We were able to attract a
fantastic group of regular Naked Yoga students who created a
non-judgmental community who embraces new students with open arms and
makes them feel welcome in an instant when they may be a little nervous
trying Naked Yoga for the first time.
Is naked yoga just another "wellness trend?"
I
think wellness is a detrimental part of a healthy lifestyle in our
fast-paced world. We need to make exercise and wellness part of our
daily routine, not just for the physical benefits that we are all aware
off, but also the psychological, emotional and mental benefits it can
provide. Research shows that physical activity has a hugely positive
impact on the brain and with more stress than ever before, working out
can help calm us down and give us the energy to tackle the challenges of
our hectic daily lives.
How can I live a healthier life in 2018?
Exercise
daily, eat a healthy, nutrient-dense diet, meditate and make time for
'Me' time on a regular basis to recharge your energy and have a healthy
work-life balance. Get off your gadgets on a regular basis and make time
for face-to-face interactions to build a strong support system.
Purchase Bold & Naked - Let Your Body Talk here, and go and check out their sessions and services here.
Photo via Getty
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