I am not a naked person. By naked person, Im talking about the Italian friend you had in elementary school whose dad used to answer the door without underwear on. Or the Marxist freegan you dated sophomore year of college who referred to things like pillows as societal constructs. Or the life coach/bartender/video artist your brother dated, who called herself Nectar and had an Egon Schiele portrait on her back, even though she didnt know how to spell Egon Schiele. Im talking about people who, for whatever reason, regardless of the time or place or circumstances, are always totally down to drop trou and party.

I am not one of these people, and I never have been. I did not grow up in a naked house, I didnt have naked parents, and Ive always felt somewhat squeamish about the human body in its natural form. To paraphrase a line from a Seinfeld episode, when people say theyre not ashamed of their bodies, I always think, regardless of what they look like, Thats your problem. Maybe you should be.

So when I heard about Bold and Naked, a yoga studio in New Yorks Chelsea where people practice naked yoga, I had two thoughts. The first was: OMG that sounds horrifying. Dont people know that downward dog is the leading cause of fart induction in the United States? Why would anyone subject themselves to this? Im surprised the propulsion of peoples naked farts hasnt caused the building to detach itself from its foundation and float away into the abyss, never to be seen or heard from again. And my second thought was: OMG I totally have to do this.

The ancient practice of naked yoga (sanskrit nagna yoga) has been around for centuries: In the 1960s, it popped up on various communes, and in recent years naked yoga classes have popped up in the crunchier corners of the United States, like San Francisco and Tempe, Ariz. Yet if you look up naked yoga online, the practice seems to be more aligned with erotic titillation than yogic principles of self-realization, with videos popping up of lithe, big-breasted women undulating to synthesized bass grooves.

On its website, Bold and Naked, which co-founders Monika Werner and Joschi Schwartz founded eight years ago, is adamant in insisting that naked yoga is not supposed to be erotic. While many equate being naked with sex, this couldnt be further from the truth in a naked yoga class, the FAQ section of the website states. Its about being comfortable in your own skin and the amazing confidence that comes with it. Its about knowing, accepting and loving yourself at your core.

Now, I dont accept or love myself, at my core or otherwise. But I do know myself pretty well, and I figured that despite its message of empowerment and self-love, Id probably dismiss Bold and Naked as crunchy granola hipster nonsense, an excuse for 60-something retirees with ponytails to come get an eyeful of a 20-something ladies 32C chakras. Yet despite my reservations, I signed up.

I showed up to a Thursday evening naked yoga womens class (as a Bold and Naked first-timer, I was warned against signing up for the coed class, which is more rigorous than the single-sex classes; as a yoga beginner with the flexibility of an antique oak armoire, I was more than happy to err on the side of caution). With its vaulted ceilings, wooden floors and lavender-and-black walls, the Bold and Naked studio was upscale and inviting; it looked a bit more like a hair salon or a high-end boudoir than a yoga studio.

There were only two other people in my class: Bold and Naked Studio co-owner Monika Werner, a tall and curvaceous German woman with cropped red hair, and Elizabeth (name changed), a pale, oval-faced woman in her early 30s who worked in higher ed. Monika explained that due to the amount of press coverage Bold and Naked had received in the past few weeks, theyd had to change the schedule around, which had resulted in this class being unusually small.

After Monika and B&N co-owner Joschi Schwarz made me sign a waiver and grilled me on my yoga experience I thought theyd be impressed when I told them I did the P90X yoga DVD a few times a week, but they just seemed bemused Monika led Elizabeth and me upstairs to another studio. Before we took our clothes off, we chatted for a bit, and she asked us why we had decided to take the course.

Im a very shy person and I figured doing something like this would help me get rid of my inhibitions and feel more comfortable in my own body, Elizabeth said.

See more here:
I loved naked yoga: Maybe I am a naked person!