Last Updated on October 17, 2023
We are delighted to be able to present an interview with Doria from doriayoga.com in this post.
In the first article in our ‘Body Freedom and Positivity Series‘, we want to showcase the work of Doria and the journey she has been on, as she has inspired hundreds of people to start their own journey towards body freedom and having body confidence.
Can you explain a little about yourself and about your own journey
Years ago I was diagnosed with stage 3 cervical cancer.
I was in a bubble, no sounds, no voices around, I couldn’t hear anything. In my head, it wasn’t even real.
For the following months, I spent my life between home and the Hospital. Surgeries, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and all the side effects that come with it were part of my daily routine.
I still remember sitting in that chair at Ealing Hospital holding the results in my hands and not feeling anything.
After my treatments, I was looking for some gentle rehabilitation. I attended my first yoga class at the Macmillan Centre in Charing Cross Hospital.
I fell in love with this discipline and 4 years later I flew to Goa in India to embark on my Yoga teacher training. I wanted to become a Yoga teacher.
As a result of the cancer treatment, I became infertile.
Whilst I have never felt particularly maternal, it was good to know that the option to become a mother was available to me.
Having this option taken away as a result of the treatment I undertook was difficult to deal with.
Not being able to conceive left me feeling like I was not ‘woman enough’ and punishing myself for being ‘incomplete’.
Discovering yoga helped me to re-evaluate this negative perception of myself.
I practiced yoga for the first time at a Festival in Nevada (Burning Man) and it felt so liberating that I wanted to share the experience with everyone.
In that moment I had no barriers, no inhibitions and no restrictions.
This freedom I felt is what I had been missing. It was a world with open-minded people, no economic or social barriers, a judgment-free and safe space for vulnerable people to express themselves.
Naked yoga finally taught me to accept my body and accept myself exactly how I am today, with all my imperfections. It’s about knowing, accepting and loving yourself at your core.
Yoga is a tool we can use on our road to self-acceptance. Just being naked can make us feel vulnerable, not to mention the core pain that ‘comes up’ when we practice Yoga.
By facing these vulnerabilities with this brave and bold approach to Yoga, we become more grounded and comfortable with ourselves.
As I struggled for many years to accept my own body I’m now helping people to feel confident in their own skin.
I am passionate about working with women that don’t feel comfortable showing their bodies, or who have experienced Cancer, Anorexia, Bulimia. Helping these women to accept and love their bodies is a privilege.
The greatest reward for me is seeing the change I’m making in their lives and how confident they become. I feel my purpose in life is to free the world from body shame and to remove the negative connotations of the word nudity.
THIS IS WHY I TEACH NAKED YOGA.
How Can Naked Yoga Benefit Those Who Attend Your Classes
Naked yoga will help you to appreciate your body exactly how it is, it’s all about body image and body positivity. Practicing will teach you its freedom in its purest form.
You will build self-confidence and self-acceptance. You will be more aware of your body and your muscles.
Yoga helps to improve body image and reduces anxiety. Practicing also frees you from negative feelings about your body and allows you to be more accepting and more deeply connected with yourself and the world around you.
Yoga helps you discover an entirely new way of looking at your own body. It teaches you to embrace your imperfections in a way other exercise classes don’t.
Also, the more you see yourself naked the more and easily you will accept what you see (yourself).
What Type/s of Yoga Do You Teach and What are the Key Benefits?
I do teach Vinyasa Yoga (When you mindfully practice Vinyasa Yoga, a dynamic practice, it allows you to shun the static thoughts running through your mind).
Yin Yoga (in Yin yoga, we target the deep connective tissues of the body – the ligaments, joints, bones, and deep fascia networks.
A Yin class usually consists of a series of passive floor poses held for up to 5 minutes or more, which mainly work the lower part of the body – the hips, pelvis, inner thighs, and lower spine. These areas are especially rich in connective tissues).
Mandala yoga (When we practice a Mandala Vinyasa Flow sequence, we make a circle or travel 360 degrees around the mat.
This practice, praised for its health and relaxation benefits, intends to align and calm your body, while synchronizing your breath.
Mandala yoga can also increase your stamina and flexibility while improving your coordination and balance.
I understand you do workshops abroad also. Can you tell us more about these trips?
With my “Private Retreat Formula” people are free to choose who would they like to spend their retreat with, their family, friends, loved ones or colleagues.
This is not a public retreat where they will join other people, It’s their retreat, they choose the location, the dates and their company. 😊
Think 2 Naked Yoga sessions per day, private pool, plant-based menu cooked by our private chef, and the opportunity to book relaxing treatments and to explore the island.
This retreat is only open to a small group of people but to all levels of yoga practice. You don’t have to be highly experienced to join, as I will guide you through every practice with personalized advice.
What is your one piece of advice for anyone who is looking to gain body confidence?
You have to spend time naked, more time you spend naked more benefits you will get. Seeing your own true body will help you to accept it and feel it as a natural thing.
There is nothing wrong with nudity, we were born nude. Own your body and be happy with it, you have only one and you should take care of it without relating it with shame.
How can people contact you or learn about your classes and workshops?
The best way to contact me is via email at namaste@doriayoga.com or check my website www.doriayoga.com
YouTube “Doriayoga”.
Your final thoughts?
Embrace and love your body, it’s the most amazing thing you will ever own.
