Yogis Uncovered | Meet Robby
In this edition of Yogis Uncovered, we sit down with Robby, a Seattle-born, LA-based creative, filmmaker, oil painter, and dedicated yogi. He shares how yoga and meditation became his compass, why nude practice feels like the most honest version of movement, and how art keeps him grounded. Get a glimpse of his journey in the full interview.
“I love anything that just gets me down to nothing but my human self. Yoga grounds you into your body, and then not having any of these accessories that tie you to the material world is great.”
Hey, I’m Robby. I’m originally from Seattle, and I live in Los Angeles now.
What was it like growing up in Seattle?
It was really wet and dark, but I love Seattle [itself]. It made me who I am today. It introduced me to yoga and meditation.
What made you leave Seattle for LA?
I went off on a wild adventure with an ex-girlfriend, so we left Seattle and moved to Las Vegas first, and then eventually made our way to Los Angeles. I prefer the weather here. I wish we had better infrastructure like Seattle so I could walk more and drive less.
What do you do for work?
I’ve been [in the adult industry] for the past 10 years. Once we moved to Los Angeles, my ex-girlfriend [got into shooting adult films] and her agent saw me and thought that I was cute and asked me if I wanted to try it. I was kind of disillusioned with filmmaking at that point. So I was like, “there’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so why not”? I got my degree in digital filmmaking, so I’ve been getting back into mainstream shooting recently, and I’ve shot some music videos and short films. One of the music videos that I shot got nominated for a bunch of stuff at the California Music Video Awards and a bunch of other film festivals around the world.
How did you get into yoga?
I was first introduced by the Nintendo Wii. I think they had a yoga [module] on there. That was my first introduction when I was 18. And then my mom took me to a yoga class at some point [soon after]. When I was 21, I was living in Seattle, and I had a profound experience with magic mushrooms. I learned that through yoga and meditation, you can get to those places without needing psychedelics. I was really interested in any path that got me to higher planes of consciousness.
What’s your favorite pose?
I really like doing tree pose, warrior three, anything that really tests my balance skills. I also really love a good old downward dog [to loosen up the hips].
What did you do for fun?
I am an oil painter. I make surreal paintings. I’m also a printmaker. [I also love] being out in nature, yoga, and meditation.
How did you become so comfortable being nude in front of other people?
I had always been interested in nudity and sex, and I had gone skinny dipping when I was a kid, and I loved the thrill of it. But you know, as you’re growing up, you don’t have as much confidence. But around the time that I had the magic mushroom experience, I started getting way more into hippie stuff, for lack of a better term, and started going to nude beaches and just getting more comfortable with my body. Then I became a go-go dancer and a stripper. And that was all to challenge my social anxiety. I had terrible social anxiety back then, but the magic mushrooms told me that I needed to face my fears.
Do people have any misconceptions about the work that you do?
I’m sure they do. Sometimes I get nervous that people are gonna think that I’m a certain way because I’m a porn star. But I really [live] a wholesome life. My whole branding is to show the world that you can be a wholesome slutty person, those two things can be combined.
What is it like doing nude yoga versus clothed, and do you have a preference?
Oh, nude yoga, 100%. I love anything that just gets me down to nothing but my human self. Yoga [grounds] you into your body, and then not having any of these accessories that tie you to the material world is great. I’m all for it.
What’s your favorite food?
Anything Thai food or Indian food.
What is your favorite self-care practice?
Probably meditating and exercising, breathwork. If I’m spinning out, I’ll do a 10-minute breathwork session to bring me back. Or if I’m going through something that I might have a hard time figuring out, I’ll do a bunch of exercising, preferably out in nature.
Where can we follow you online?
You guys can find me at robbyapples.com. That will give you links to all my social media.
What’s a motto you live by?
The idea that you and I are somehow separate, is an illusion perpetuated by time. Because eventually, matter and energy will recycle over and over again, so there is no real separation between you and I. And that’s how I try to live my life. I’m just looking into the eyes of another me.
*this interview has been edited for brevity and clarity