13 April 2021

by Alistair Thomson. 

This article, written by our very own KZNNA Yoga Instructor, is a super overview of what Yoga is, and insight into why so many people are discovering that cloths-free Yoga may just be Naturism’s best kept secret. – Ed
Yoga means union. It is derived from Sanskrit “yuj” which means to join. The union of the mind and body for spiritual awakening or raising of the Kundalini.
The full observation of yoga is the yogic lifestyle where the physical yoga postures (asana’s) form only 1 out of 8 parts to living an ancient, scientific lifestyle for enlightenment.


One of the greatest gifts yoga bestows is presence. The ability to bring your thinking and feeling into the here and now.
When we speak of nude yoga, we usually only refer to the physical practice, unless you are a naturist yogi, who also observes the other aspects. The practice of nude yoga is argued by some as being the ancient way, whether true or not, the fact remains that is does deepen your body awareness which serves to enhance the mind body union or integration which is the meaning of the word yoga.


You feel a sense of freedom as the restriction from clothing is removed. You feel your body in its natural form and your practice is simplified to you, your mat and your yoga. Allowing true connection within yourself, observing the thoughts, emotions and reactions that surface during your session.
The basic idea of enlightenment starts with setting boundaries through adoption of universal and personal moral codes. These form as the anchors or reference points by which we live our lives, make our decisions and aspire to embody completely. These are known as the Yama’s (Universal) and Niyama’s (Personal) and are the first 2 steps of the Yogic Lifestyle.

Asana or posture practice – what we usually think of as yoga is Step 3. This is where we learn to control our bodies. To know your world, you must first know yourself. Our asana practice allows, fitness, strength, flexibility, balance, peace, creativity, playfulness, responsibility and maturity. This extends beyond our postures on the yoga mat and into our daily lives. We find ourselves, calmer, more patient and relaxed, able to adapt to shifting circumstances and endure more hardships. Asana or yoga is not a destination but a lifestyle choice, as we are always able to learn more, go further or modify as we need to.

One of the greatest gifts yoga bestows is presence. The ability to bring your thinking and feeling into the here and now. Not being caught up in the future by creating expectations which are fictional or by comparing yourself to anything in your past or to anyone around you. It helps you accept you for you. It relieves stress as the presence of minds starts to strip away anxiety and depression. You learn how to release tension in your body which is the thing that causes all disease or dis-ease.

Step 4 or Pranayama (The Science of Breath Control) helps us with this immensely. Yoga is a combination and synchronisation of breath and movement. Learning how to do this correctly becomes one of your most powerful tools in your yoga practice. Something which I feel is best experienced than described because to attempt a description would be to rob the reader of the true greatness of this experience. This precious moment, right now, as you read this, is our most holy gift. Breath control allows access to this gift.