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Yoga involves meditation wherein the eyes of the yoga practitioner are closed. Thus, it makes sense that the attire one wears in a yoga class is of minimal importance, except that it should be clothing that would allow movement.

However, like massage, it is best done with no clothing, believes the owner of the Bold & Naked Yoga studio in New York which just opened its doors to female yoga practitioners in January. The studio has been holding no-clothes yoga session for men only the past seven years.

Joschi Schwarz, co-owner of the studio, told Well + Good that by offering naked yoga sessions, there would be no need for a lot of money such as for buying $98 Lululemon yoga pants.

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Not even a cloth headband would be allowed participants. The studio explained in its Web site: "All participants must be naked in order to keep everyone on the same level and equal ... That's what naked yoga is all about."

It added practicing yoga in your birthday suit frees a person from negative feelings about his or her body and allows him or her to be more accepting and attain a deeper connection with himself or herself and the world around him or her.

The studio allows members to touch one another during their nude yoga sessions, but it should be non-sexual. Those who violate this rule would be thrown out of the class.

Mr Schwarz admits there are instances when the members have a hard on, which he said is rare but is considered a natural phenomenon and nothing to be embarrassed. "It will pass quickly," he added.

Mr Schwarz, who co-owns the studio with Monika Werner, said that are both Europeans so they have liberal attitudes toward nakedness. He admitted he was a bit scared of how New Yorkers would react to nude yoga sessions but is hopeful that "New York is coming with us. I hope they will realize how cool and freeing and liberating it can really be."

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