Most people think of yoga as something you do for balance, to improve your flexibility and strength and all that is true – yoga certainly helps with this, as well as toning your muscles. It’s more about breathe than anything else and being present with your breathe.
Photo credit: Naked Yoga London
Yoga can also help your mind and your spirit. There are many ways to deal with depression and fear and as someone who has been battling depression for awhile, I have been looking into meditation and yoga. I have been recommended various meditation centres in Poland, Germany and India and have tried yoga in India before on my travels but never wrote about it.
Doing yoga in Vagator, Goa, India
The idea of a pure yoga session in London, completely naked seemed interesting so I booked a session with Veronika who offers yoga in the nude, during my last trip to England. She practices Hatha Yoga., which she feels is the best form of Yoga for beginners — the exercises she does with people are gentle and non aggressive.
Photo from Nude with Veronika
It is held in a secret location which you find out once you book a session and pay in advance. Czech-born Veronika gets her kit off very easily and you should feel comfortable straight away. As I have been naked many times, on my travels in a number of different cultures, I have never been shy about it. I’ve been naked in Antarctica in front of my shipmates in the cold waters at Whaler’s Bay, on a night of snow diving and partying in Jarvenpaa and in downtown Munich at the nudist park. The list goes on. Pants off I said, “let’s try nude yoga.”
The yoga room
In the yoga room, there are two green mats. You start off by losing your clothes and sitting in a yoga position on the mat and then move onto warm up exercises, stretching muscles and taking in the relaxing meditative music. The focus is on breathing first and foremost and thereafter balancing and classic yoga moves.
Remember I’m new to this and not a serious yogi as I decided to try it out to deal with my depression. During our session, I mirror each move that Veronika makes and explains. All parts of the body are fully stretched and utilized during each session.
Doing naked yoga in London, England
It’s an experience of renewal in a way where you put aside your inhibitions and focus on your breathe and your body — and being present of course. Afterwards, I took a shower and headed back into the open London air, feeling fresh and calm after the one hour session. Veronika provides a very confident, comfortable and memorable yoga experience. Here are some more photos of Veronika, taken by a professional photographer.
Getting Naked Again: Nude Yoga With Veronika in London, England
Getting Naked Again: Nude Yoga With Veronika in London, England
Getting Naked Again: Nude Yoga With Veronika in London, England
DETAILS:
Yoga with Veronica
http://www.veronikayoga.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/VeronicaYogaUK
0773 904 9707
Jonny Blair is a self confessed traveling nomad who founded and blogs at Don’t Stop Living. He sees every day as an adventure. Since leaving behind his home town of Bangor in Northern Ireland ten years ago he has traveled to all seven continents, working his way through various jobs and funding it all with hard work and an appetite for travel. Don’t Stop Living, a lifestyle of travel’ contains over 1,000 stories and tips from his journeys round the globe. He wants to show others how easy it is to travel the world, give them some ideas and encourage them to do the same but most of all he aims to constantly live a lifestyle of travel. He is currently based in Hong Kong and on Twitter @jonnyblair.
