Yogis Uncovered | Steph Returns
In this edition of Yogis Uncovered, we catch up with the radiant and adventurous Steph! A yoga teacher with over a decade of practice, Steph opens up about her love for travel, her journey to self-love through naked yoga, and how she became a beacon of confidence and grace both on and off the mat. From vibrant sunsets in Tucson to life-changing trips to Japan and Oaxaca, she shares her inspiring story and tips for embracing your body and deepening your yoga practice.
“The most important thing is to love yourself first because finding validation from people is never a really great option.”
Hello, I am Steph. I have been practicing yoga for over 10 years now. I would consider myself to be a frolicking earth fairy. I love being outdoors and I currently live in Los Angeles, California. I’m originally from Tucson, Arizona.
What was it like growing up there?
Growing up in Arizona was awesome. It was really hot, but I spent so much of my time swimming. I was a competitive swimmer from the time I was 10 years old. I played a lot of soccer, spent a lot of time outdoors, and spent a lot of time with my family. I have an older brother and older sister, so it was a fun time. [One] of my favorite things about Arizona and growing up in Tucson was the monsoon season during the summer. I have super fond memories of watching all of the thunderstorms. I also love all of the sunrises and sunsets out there. They’re so gorgeous, like the most vibrant oranges and pinks ever. And there’s actually really good food and coffee out there as well. So I just kind of eat my way through the city.
How many times have you worked with TNY?
It’s been so many that I don’t even know the answer to that. I would say maybe this is my sixth or seventh time. But I’ve filmed countless programs with True Naked Yoga and I love it. They’re like my fam now.
What have you been up to since the last time you filmed with us?
I’ve just been traveling a lot. I went to Japan for 21 days and that was so epic. I definitely fell in love with that country. I’ve been doing a ton of yoga. I go to my yoga studio almost every single day and I also work there a couple times a week just helping out behind the desk and cleaning the hot room, so it’s really nice to be around that community. I also got a new tattoo that I’ve wanted for like 10 years. I’ve had the idea in my head for so long and I traveled all the way down to Oaxaca, Mexico to go get it. It’s very near and dear to my heart.
Do you have a favorite program that you’ve done with TNY?
I want to say that my favorite one was probably the Ashtanga series because I just don’t get to practice Ashtanga a lot, but I love it so much, and it was actually the practice that really helped me tap into my breathing and understand how important breathing is in yoga. I was so tired after that day. It was insane, but so much fun.
You have a pretty advanced yoga practice – how long did it take you to get there?
Well, like I said, I’ve been practicing for over a decade now. And when I first started yoga, I really wasn’t that flexible. I want to say that it took me probably around a year to a year and a half of avid practicing to really see a difference in my flexibility and to be able to get deeper into certain poses, and to feel really comfortable in those poses. The consistency has been huge. I pretty much practice yoga every day.
How did you become so comfortable being nude in front of other people?
My comfort level with nudity has been kind of a journey. I think nudity wasn’t something that my parents really talked to me about but they were open about it. So growing up I have memories of playing in my backyard running through the sprinklers naked, playing on the slip and slide naked. Nudity wasn’t something that was shamed in my house. It wasn’t until I got into art nude modeling that I [started] expressing myself in my body and feeling really comfortable being naked. Now I just freaking love being nude and I have a whole group of friends that are totally chill being naked together.
What advice would you give others who are looking to be more comfortable naked?
I think being comfortable starts with self-love, and I think that the most important thing is to love yourself first because like finding validation from [other] people is never a really great option. Once we cultivate more self-love, we’re able to find more confidence in our bodies. Naked yoga is such a perfect [place] to start because you start to get used to feeling your body and you start to cultivate a lot of gratitude for what your body is capable of doing. I just love what True Naked Yoga is doing. I think it’s really important for us to normalize nudity and for people to feel comfortable in their bodies and just explore the inner workings in their mind through these different physical modalities like yoga.
*this interview has been edited for brevity and clarity