I sold everything I own to pursue my ‘taboo’ passion… my parents were shocked but ‘I’m rich’

One man is taking the New Year ‘fresh start’ spirit literally.

Pasquale Guiducci from Los Angeles has given up his apartment and sold almost all of his belongings to travel the world and teach naked yoga.  

The 34-year-old overhauled his entire life by getting rid of material possessions that were ‘tethering’ him down and is now living out of a suitcase with plans to traverse the globe.

Mr Guiducci said: ‘I’ve sold all of my stuff and just have a suitcase. At first, I just planned to move out of my apartment but this quickly turned into me selling or giving away everything I own. 

‘I don’t need these material possessions anymore. If you have no tethers and make the space, then you invite more things in… I want to see the world and offer my gifts wherever I go.’

Mr Guiducci, who previously worked in the theater industry, recently arrived in Mexico and will be making his way to Brazil and Australia later this year. 

To pay for his 2025 adventure, Mr Guiducci, who also offers services in breathwork, astrology and sound baths, is turning to yoga. A long-time yogi, he has been teaching multiple styles of the practice for years, and recently he’s transitioned to a more alternative style – nude yoga. 

When Mr Guiducci first discovered True Naked Yoga, a yoga streaming platform that offers nude yoga classes for people to take at home, he said he never felt more free.

Signing up as a teacher, he will be filming classes every couple of months and using the extra cash to fund his travels.

Mr Guiducci said: ‘A friend reached out to me about joining True Naked Yoga last year and I was excited to do it.

‘Being naked is so taboo in society and some people can’t fathom how it is enjoyable.

‘It can be a really big hurdle in life and fitness.’

He said yoga in the nude has improved his physical and mental health, as well as helped him tackle his own body image issues.

Mr Guiducci said: ‘I have a little body dysmorphia. I used to feel like I wasn’t in any “body type” category.

‘While I knew that I was considered handsome, I didn’t know where I fit in and that felt daunting.

‘But I’ve realized that maybe I’m not meant to fit in – maybe I’m meant to stand out.

‘It’s a breath of fresh air to look at yourself doing yoga in the nude. I just love how I look and the way I move.’

Mr Guiducci is grateful to not only be able to make money from his passion and have the freedom to work online – but is also excited about helping people become comfortable in their own skin.

He said: ‘I feel privileged to be able to help others and it’s incredible that I can do it while traveling.

‘When you’re in a group class, it has to feel really safe and you have to feel comfortable being naked.

‘It’s not a sexualized space but the line is very delicate. The audience is very diverse with people of all ages, from ages 20 to 60.

Mr Guiducci continued: ‘At first, I worried that being naked would change my reputation but I know my integrity and if people are going to change their opinion of me for a new endeavor, then they haven’t evolved yet.

‘Thankfully, everyone in the yoga space has been really supportive, telling me that my videos are beautiful and I look fantastic.’

True Naked Yoga is a subscription web-based service that features recorded videos of yoga instructors leading yoga classes while naked, also called nagna yoga.

The service offers memberships for $19 per month.

It states: ‘Though it might seem counterintuitive, removing the physical barriers of clothing also helps many people remove the mental barriers they often face during their yoga practice, by allowing them to be completely open and vulnerable.’

The company says benefits of naked yoga, which it describes as a spiritual practice in India since ancient times, include a stronger mind-body connection, improved ‘sense of self-love’ and body acceptance, increased self-awareness and sensitivity to the environment and fewer distractions. 

Mr Guiducci said: ‘When you get more comfortable in your skin, it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks.

‘You don’t need validation from other people because you’re fine being in your own skin.’

While he is excited for what his future holds, he said his parents were shocked when he first announced his plans but added he ultimately has to follow his own path.

Mr Guiducci said: ‘My parents think security is happiness. They wanted me to become a doctor or a lawyer – my brother is an accountant.

‘It’s taken a lot of convincing to show them that my lifestyle brings me joy, but I’m an adult and have to make my own choices. Me being happy is all that matters.

‘It’s so great to make money doing what I love. My belief system is freedom in my body and having a supportive community – so in those terms, I’m rich.’

Mr Guiducci hopes one day he’ll be able to host his own in-person naked yoga retreat.

But for now, he’s happy to travel the world while sharing his skills online.

Mr Guiducci added: ‘For anyone looking to follow in my footsteps, my advice is to just do it.

‘By selling my things and traveling, my perspective on what matters has shifted and it’s helped me realize how I want to experience life.

‘I can’t wait to see where my nomadic journey takes me.’