Bear Naked Yoga by Hien Pham
on 12/10/2024 at 12:02 am- Adventures »
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Hien Pham tries out Naked Yoga in today’s comic, sharing with us something amazing. This isn’t just about shedding clothes, it’s about shedding judgment and embracing what’s underneath. Vulnerable, empowering, and freeing, this Bear bears it all.
Hien’s Blog Notes!
Thank you to Eric and Naked Yoga Australia for my first experience with naked yoga! Thank you to the OJST team who worked with me on this comic, and thank you to everyone who’s read my stuff this past year! I am extraordinarily grateful that you’re sticking with us through these chaotic times. Here’s to 2025 and another year of amazing OJST comics! P.S: naked yoga is very respectful toward everyone’s privacy, so all folks except myself in this comic are comic characters, and any similarity to real-life appearances is purely coincidental.
Matt’s Notes
I aught to make a real blog post about it – but this weekend I finally updated the website! With more and more higher DPI devices out there, we wanted to strip away a bunch of our sidebars and let the comic reign loud and proud. I hope you all like it? It’s been… a lot of work (the bones of this site are over 11 years old!) If you see errors or issues; feel free to ping me! I figure I’ll be ironing things out for a month or two.
In the mean time, can I tell you about our Patreon? ;D
It’s back UP, it’s WORKING! They couldn’t keep us down for long (if you were out of the loop, we’ve been on the receiving end of some banning/censorship on most of our platforms this past month!). Want to see me continue to hire artist to tell their intimate and amazing yoga stories? Consider committing to a coffee a month – and I promise to put it to good work!
Our Patreon! (you can follow us for free here too!)
↓ Comic Transcript
As described by the artist; Hien Pham is a bearded, bald, fat Asian man wearing glasses and who has spots and scars on his butt.
He draws in a cartoon-y but realistically rendered style with the full spectrum of colors.
Page 1
A little nervously, Hien undoes the buttons of his red shirt and takes a glance over his shoulder. As he pulls down his white boxers we see that he is undressing in the back of a yoga studio, by the shelves for patrons belongings. In the foreground, he is framed by the arms and upper legs of two seated, hairy figures. One last time for luck, Hien quickly ruffles his fingers through his short beard hairs, gives them a gentle tug and then exhales calmly.
"Welcome, everyone, to naked yoga." Greets a voice off panel to the assembled variety of men sitting on their yoga mats on the floor. They have a diverse range of skin tones, builds, and body hair. Hien sits in the center of the group with his legs crossed and his hands resting over his ankles. He looks excited and nervous at the same time.
Page 2
"This is a non-sexual experience." The speaker continues. He has light brown skin, short curly/wavy brown hair, and a modest beard with mustache. We are given an overhead view of the yoga studio, which shows the men sitting on their yoga mats and their reflection in the wall-length mirror to the side. The studio is lined with leafy green plants that frame one side of the panel. "We are just a regular yoga class with the distinction that we're naked. I assure you that within five minutes of practicing, you'll almost forget that you're naked! This class is very much about dismantling body shame, and we are inclusive of all different body types. Things pop up from time to time, and if that happens, it's honestly fine to keep practicing. Or, you can lay on your belly, or return to Child's Pose, and things will usually resolves on their own.
"Doing this takes courage, and I admire everyone in the room for being here today." The instructor says as Hien leans back a little to take a peek at his reflection in the mirror.
Again, Hien nervously ruffles his fingers through his beard.
Narration: For someone who's written so many stories on body positivity and self-acceptance, I feel like I'm still fighting shame on a daily basis.
"We'll start on our knees, with our hands pushing parallel down from our shoulders..." The teacher instructs the class, who move onto all fours calmly and confidently, eyes closed- aside from Hien, who looks up anxiously at the instructor.
Narration: I feel so many things, so much, all of the time.
On all fours, Hien seems to be the only one swaying and wobbling amongst his still classmates.
Narration: Every little comment still gets to me. Everything still hurts so deeply.
Wobbling, Hien extends his left arm straight in front of him and his right leg behind, like the rest of the men around him. He closes his eyes in concentration.
Narration: The world at large continues to have a fascination with appointing a lack of morality to the width of my hip and the size of my penis.
In a close-up, we see Hien's elbow and thigh pull towards his center, while still balancing on his opposite hand and knee. Delicate traces of sweat roll along his body.
Narration: It's an argument that feels impossible to win.
From overhead, we focus on his hand that is planted firmly on the ground, pressing into his yoga mat, as he lightly quivers and sweats.
Page 3
Hien's narration floats across a montage of panels of him going through his yoga motions, all from different points of view. Some images we are above him, looking down, while others are close-ups at off-center angles.
Narration: I've never been to a yoga class before much less a naked one. I didn't realize how much of a respite it was.
On both knees, he keeps his hands planted in front of him and pulls his torso backwards, creating a prostrated bow.
Narration: In this space, I feel like a pressure is lifted. Like the necessity for my body to be a point of external interest, sexual or otherwise, is removed.
The tops of his feet press into the mat, supporting the weight of his butt with just a peek of balls hanging between them.
Narration: All that matters is how I can wield my body, what I can feel with, and within, it.
We join Hien close-up as he lets his head bow between his outstretched arms and the rest of his torso's weight pulled back over his bended knees. For the first time on this page, our view is parallel to him, not soaring overhead at odd angles. It's the first moment of balance we share with him.
The camera returns to an overhead, off-center, close-up view of him planting his feet on the mat and starting to straighten his legs while leaving his fingertips still resting on the floor. He still wobbles a little to keep his balance, but it's much more controlled than before.
Narration: I don't feel like I need to win any argument today.
Eyes closed and cheeks flushed, Hien exhales calmly as traces of sweat roll down him.
Page 5
Narration: During the Warrior's Pose, we all turn to face the mirror-lined wall.
The panel is divided vertically down the center, with the left showing the reflection of the rows of men in the mirror, and on the right are the real rows of men. We are behind them, so we see their full backs and butts.
Narration: I see the burn in my calves, the ache in my knees, the sweat beading down my face.
From just over Hien's ear, we follow his gaze over a classmate to find his own reflection in the mirror in the distance.
Narration: But most of all, I see a glimpse of a space that was carved out especially for me... A crowd of people who are already on my side...
Close in on Hien's reflection, he makes a silly face at himself- sticking out the tip of his tongue and giving himself a wink.
Narration: And I see a self that is mine, feeling perfectly fine naked.
Hien's back torso towers over us, filling up the entire bottom of the page. Our view is from the ground, looking up at his butt, back, spread arms, and the underside-back of his head with his hair pulled into a bun. Sweat delicately runs down his body but his body is no longer wobbling, he holds perfectly still and glows as if illuminated by the sunlight. He looks strong and solid and beautiful.
Transcribed by Erika Moen on December 9, 2024 for OhJoySexToy.com
He draws in a cartoon-y but realistically rendered style with the full spectrum of colors.
Page 1
A little nervously, Hien undoes the buttons of his red shirt and takes a glance over his shoulder. As he pulls down his white boxers we see that he is undressing in the back of a yoga studio, by the shelves for patrons belongings. In the foreground, he is framed by the arms and upper legs of two seated, hairy figures. One last time for luck, Hien quickly ruffles his fingers through his short beard hairs, gives them a gentle tug and then exhales calmly.
"Welcome, everyone, to naked yoga." Greets a voice off panel to the assembled variety of men sitting on their yoga mats on the floor. They have a diverse range of skin tones, builds, and body hair. Hien sits in the center of the group with his legs crossed and his hands resting over his ankles. He looks excited and nervous at the same time.
Page 2
"This is a non-sexual experience." The speaker continues. He has light brown skin, short curly/wavy brown hair, and a modest beard with mustache. We are given an overhead view of the yoga studio, which shows the men sitting on their yoga mats and their reflection in the wall-length mirror to the side. The studio is lined with leafy green plants that frame one side of the panel. "We are just a regular yoga class with the distinction that we're naked. I assure you that within five minutes of practicing, you'll almost forget that you're naked! This class is very much about dismantling body shame, and we are inclusive of all different body types. Things pop up from time to time, and if that happens, it's honestly fine to keep practicing. Or, you can lay on your belly, or return to Child's Pose, and things will usually resolves on their own.
"Doing this takes courage, and I admire everyone in the room for being here today." The instructor says as Hien leans back a little to take a peek at his reflection in the mirror.
Again, Hien nervously ruffles his fingers through his beard.
Narration: For someone who's written so many stories on body positivity and self-acceptance, I feel like I'm still fighting shame on a daily basis.
"We'll start on our knees, with our hands pushing parallel down from our shoulders..." The teacher instructs the class, who move onto all fours calmly and confidently, eyes closed- aside from Hien, who looks up anxiously at the instructor.
Narration: I feel so many things, so much, all of the time.
On all fours, Hien seems to be the only one swaying and wobbling amongst his still classmates.
Narration: Every little comment still gets to me. Everything still hurts so deeply.
Wobbling, Hien extends his left arm straight in front of him and his right leg behind, like the rest of the men around him. He closes his eyes in concentration.
Narration: The world at large continues to have a fascination with appointing a lack of morality to the width of my hip and the size of my penis.
In a close-up, we see Hien's elbow and thigh pull towards his center, while still balancing on his opposite hand and knee. Delicate traces of sweat roll along his body.
Narration: It's an argument that feels impossible to win.
From overhead, we focus on his hand that is planted firmly on the ground, pressing into his yoga mat, as he lightly quivers and sweats.
Page 3
Hien's narration floats across a montage of panels of him going through his yoga motions, all from different points of view. Some images we are above him, looking down, while others are close-ups at off-center angles.
Narration: I've never been to a yoga class before much less a naked one. I didn't realize how much of a respite it was.
On both knees, he keeps his hands planted in front of him and pulls his torso backwards, creating a prostrated bow.
Narration: In this space, I feel like a pressure is lifted. Like the necessity for my body to be a point of external interest, sexual or otherwise, is removed.
The tops of his feet press into the mat, supporting the weight of his butt with just a peek of balls hanging between them.
Narration: All that matters is how I can wield my body, what I can feel with, and within, it.
We join Hien close-up as he lets his head bow between his outstretched arms and the rest of his torso's weight pulled back over his bended knees. For the first time on this page, our view is parallel to him, not soaring overhead at odd angles. It's the first moment of balance we share with him.
The camera returns to an overhead, off-center, close-up view of him planting his feet on the mat and starting to straighten his legs while leaving his fingertips still resting on the floor. He still wobbles a little to keep his balance, but it's much more controlled than before.
Narration: I don't feel like I need to win any argument today.
Eyes closed and cheeks flushed, Hien exhales calmly as traces of sweat roll down him.
Page 5
Narration: During the Warrior's Pose, we all turn to face the mirror-lined wall.
The panel is divided vertically down the center, with the left showing the reflection of the rows of men in the mirror, and on the right are the real rows of men. We are behind them, so we see their full backs and butts.
Narration: I see the burn in my calves, the ache in my knees, the sweat beading down my face.
From just over Hien's ear, we follow his gaze over a classmate to find his own reflection in the mirror in the distance.
Narration: But most of all, I see a glimpse of a space that was carved out especially for me... A crowd of people who are already on my side...
Close in on Hien's reflection, he makes a silly face at himself- sticking out the tip of his tongue and giving himself a wink.
Narration: And I see a self that is mine, feeling perfectly fine naked.
Hien's back torso towers over us, filling up the entire bottom of the page. Our view is from the ground, looking up at his butt, back, spread arms, and the underside-back of his head with his hair pulled into a bun. Sweat delicately runs down his body but his body is no longer wobbling, he holds perfectly still and glows as if illuminated by the sunlight. He looks strong and solid and beautiful.
Transcribed by Erika Moen on December 9, 2024 for OhJoySexToy.com
