Naked yoga is the practice of yoga without clothes. The practice is gaining popularity, notably in western societies that have more familiarity with social nudity. While many practice naked yoga at home, there are a growing number of group classes.
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History
In the West since the 1960s, naked yoga practice has been incorporated in progressive settings for well-being, such as at the Esalen Institute in California, as depicted in the 1968 film Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. Other films with notable segments include The Harrad Experiment and Naked Yoga, (1974). In New York City in 1998, an American going by the name Jayadev started a group called "Midnight Yoga for Men" where participants practiced "naked before the infinite" in the style of the sadhus. This spawned a plethora of imitators. Many of these male-only naked yoga groups have been associated with the gay community, though often not intentionally.
Meredith Medland made Naked Yoga world famous at One Taste Urban Retreat Center. Meredith Medland is the founder of Naked Yoga – incorporating high level hands on healing/energetic surgery, intuitive body work, vipasanna practice and sensuality to create as she describes it, "a sacred space where groups of people experienced highly transformational experiencing while tapping into their multi-dimensional energies". She is currently living in Santa Barbara, CA teaching "Sexy and Spirited" at the Santa Barbara Athletic Club.