My meditation cushion smells like freedom. And America. Yep, I meditate naked and so should you. Allow me to elaborate.

First off, if you’re taking this literally I get it – it may be cold where you live. And yeah, there are some hygienic issues that probably have to be considered. Especially for those of you who sit on complex floral ecosystems rather than external devices that can get dirty without consequence.

But no matter what garb you feel the need to don during your moments of silent introspection, try to meditate naked: the benefits of a regular meditation practice are immeasurable — from a daily sense of peace to increased patience, to the truest form of self-knowledge. Your life will be infinitely better if you do. You know the benefits of working out on your body; meditation will provide the same benefits for your inner being. Need I say more? Get naked.

Naked of Judgment 

Of all judgment. About whether you’re meditating right or wrong. Or how you feel sitting here. Or if you look weird with your eyes closed or your hands folded in your lap. Or why your monkey mind won’t shut off. Self-judgment is a series of lies. No judgment allowed – not today.

Naked of Your Hopes, Desires, and Fears 

Be brave, sitting with yourself is scary. It is for me too. Meditation doesn’t care what you want, who you want to be, nor what you’re scared of. That which you don’t want to face in your inner life will march right up to the front row of your mind and start heckling you the moment you sit still. Let it. Meditation can give you everything need. But only by showing you what is standing in your way and making you workout through it. Or let it go. Funny how that works. Thank you meditation. Fuck you too.

Naked of Your Expectations 

Expect nothing as you’ll get absolutely nothing out of meditation. In fact, you will lose everything – self-judgment, fear, self-loathing, anxiety, depression, and more. You’ll chip away all of the useless baggage that you carry around on a daily basis. To meditate with the hope of gain is the to piss on a forest fire. You can do it, but I’d rather aim elsewhere.

Naked of Your Physical Limitations

Quadriplegics can meditate, so can spastic 7-year-olds, and so can you. You are not your body, although you have to live there. I am not my apartment even though I live there. Neither my body nor my apartment is who I am. Meditation will strip away the idea that you must identify yourself in the physical form. What better way to come to that understanding than in your birthday suit?

Naked of Your Pretension

You are nothing. And everything all at once. “The kingdom heaven is within us.” – Christianity. “It is impossible to find God outside of ourselves.” – Hindu Scriptures. “He who knows his own self, knows God” – Islam. All of the major religions can agree on something (other than reasons to kill each other). Meditation will open you up to your true self. The you that sits underneath your job, your relationships, your frustrations, your goals, and your misguided view that the external world is more important than what is happening on the inside of you.

Naked of Your Ego

Oh yeah, the part of you that is desperate to both run and fuck up your life at the same time. Meditation will slowly and painfully put your ego in its place – removing it from being in control of your life. When your heart and soul get to speak unimpeded by the misguided desires of your ego, your life will blossom in ways you could never imagine. Joy, satisfaction, and happiness are the soul’s desires and the ego’s nemesis. Meditate with the intention of specifically destroying your ego. Meditate and Destroy

Naked of Everything

At least once, with all requisite sanitary measures in place, get completely naked and find only your breath to clothe you. There’s a power in stripping bare, literally and figuratively. If only as an exercise in awareness of who you are at your core, give this a try. Ditch your clothes, your beanie, your jewelry, makeup, and anything else you use to cover who you are by yourself. Drop every idea you have for the day, for the week, for your life, and sit. Just sit. Breathe in the majesty that is your life, unfettered and unencumbered. Be exactly as you are if only for ten minutes. Feel the simplicity, power, and grace that fills you when everything else falls away and you get to just be. Breathe that. Experience it in places you don’t usually allow yourself to feel.

And then let it go.

One Day Stronger

Our inner lives are breathtakingly beautiful, more so than we can ever hope to realize with the limits of our human brains. So, let’s shut our brains off and get to what’s real – what lies within. Since some of the most memorable times in our lives occur sans clothing, how about you get naked and get your sweet ass on the cushion.

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