FAQs
Why naked yoga for men?
Nakedness is beautiful, sensuous, nurturing, joyous and fun. One of the core concepts of yoga is self-acceptance. What better way to connect with, accept and even celebrate our own bodies than to be nude?
Nudity awakens the senses, enabling us to fully experience and enjoy our physicality: things such as the delicacy of the air moving over our skin and the deep strength and muscular engagement of a full stretch… and so much more.
Modern culture tends to disconnect us from our bodies. Practising yoga without clothes is one way to counter that. When we are invited to be aware of our bodies, it’s very often in a negative, self-critical way. There’s a pervading message that our bodies are not, and never will be, good enough. Naked yoga strips that away, simply and directly.
Many people find it very liberating to do yoga with no clothing, both psychologically and, because they don’t have to twitch at riding up hemlines or chafing seams, practically. It has also suggested that the outfits produced by many of the fashionable yoga labels are just as sexually revealing and provocative as nudity, if not more so.
The ancient yogis did their yoga bare.
Calvin and Hobbes cartoon by Bill Watterson
Can I wear my pants?
No. It’s naked or nothing. It’s one of those “just jump in” things. Many students say they forget about the nakedness very quickly and it just comes to feel natural. They wonder why they worried about it.
What if I get a stiffie?
What if you sneeze or hiccup or blink? These are all natural things that our bodies do. Erections are part of being a man. They’re not offensive or shameful and need not be hidden. If it happens, enjoy the energy and carry on with the yoga. The ancient philosophies and spiritualities eastern cultures, which have strong links with yoga, recognise and celebrate our sexual drive as an important life force.
Is this tantric yoga/tantra?
Yes, it is, but tantra is a difficult concept that weaves together body, sexuality, spirit and soul. Its roots are as long, deep and noble as yoga’s but in recent years the meaning of the word has morphed and, sadly, it is often now used as a synonym for sex and to imbue events and practises with a salaciousness that only really serves to cynically increase sales. So, if you’re looking for an orgy, you need to look somewhere else.
Why should I choose Altogether Yoga and not one of the other naked yoga classes in London?
Value for money: Most naked yoga teachers ask for £18-20 per class (pay at the door).
The length of the class varies radically, though, from 60 minutes to 75 minutes to something between and often those times incorporate the times in which students arrive and undress at the start and re-dress at the end, so the duration of the yoga session is somewhat reduced.
With Altogether Yoga, for £18 you get a class lasting a full 90 minutes… and the venues are booked for an extra 30 minutes, to give you unhurried time before class to arrive and undress, and after to get dressed.
Frequent and flexible: Altogether Yoga hosts several classes each week (Tuesdays online, Wednesdays in Vauxhall, Thursdays in Islington) , so students can more easily fit their yoga round the demands of their lives.
The content within Altogether Yoga classes also varies, so you can tailor your practice to your experience level, needs and preferences.
Some yoga teachers just offer the same practice in every session. Altogether Yoga classes are never the same two sessions running.
Are you inclusive?
Yes. Everyone who identifies as male and is comfortable in their skin is welcome at Altogether Yoga classes. We don’t exclude men because of their
- age (we can’t teach under-18s for obvious reasons)
- body shape
- fitness level
- sexuality (gay, bi, straight or pan is fine)
Yes, we do exclude women, but only because we’ve tried running mixed/co-ed classes and too few women have participated to make them viable. More often than not any women that do take part are very much outnumbered by men.
In general, we would ask someone not to attend classes only because we believe it would be unsafe or unhealthy for them to participate.
What do I need for a class?
- A yoga mat.
- A small bottle of water (you can refill at the venue).
- A towel (to use during the class. Unfortunately, our venues do not have showers).
You can buy a (washed) second-hand mat and carrier/bag from me for £15. Please email me in advance of the class if you want to buy one.
If you prefer to source a mat yourself be sure to get what’s known as a “sticky” mat as other “exercise” mats do not have the right sort of non-slip texture. They are available pretty widely, on the internet or from stores such as Argos.
Safety first: A yoga mat is designed to help you avoid slipping. A large towel or sarong or something similar increases the chances of you slipping, so won’t do as an alternative.
What happens after class?
This is is not a grind them in and out, commercialised yoga group with empty catchphrases and mission statements. It about friendship and connection, and so has a strong social programme too.
Will you flood my social media with pictures of you showing off?
No. This is about you, not about me (Nickles). I aim to keep you informed of what’s going on within the group and things you might like to take part in without being overly intrusive. You can see what I look like on the pages of this website (and in class) but I’m sure you don’t feel the need to be constantly bombarded with images of me, dubious daily/weekly photo challenges and “inspirational” progress reports on “my journey with yoga”.
Twitter: @altogetherYandT
Instagram: @modestyoga
Can I trust you?
Yes. What you see on these pages is, to the very best of my ability, honest and truthful. I try hard not to create false impressions. If you spot an inaccuracy, please send me an email at altogether.yoga@gmail.com to let us know.