Naked yoga in Kelowna, B.C., promotes accepting bodies as they are
Suzie Doratti says practising without clothes can help women shed self-consciousness about bodies
Naked yoga — where participants bare it all for their practice — is gaining traction in Kelowna, B.C., with classes aimed at helping women accept their bodies for what they are.
"The general overwhelming intention is to try to integrate the entire body to allow yourself to breathe in and become one and not reject different body parts because they are aesthetically not pleasing to you," said instructor Suzie Doratti, who also works as a (clothed) real estate agent.
"You carry a lot of baggage and opinions about certain body parts and I think the smoothing over of all of those edges and allowing yourself to just feel like a complete being that's vibrant in every cell and tissue and organ and accept all of it for what it is."
The classes, which are held at different studios around Kelowna, are women-only and are done by candlelight with the mirrors blocked out.
Doratti said participants usually start off self-conscious, but get more comfortable as the class goes on.
"That's probably my favourite part of the class, is that shift from nervousness to power," she said.
CBC producer Gillianne Richards tried out one of Doratti's classes. To hear how it went, listen to the audio labelled: Naked yoga gains traction in Kelowna.
With files from Gillianne Richards.