Nudist Detritus nudus interruptus — when nudity is unexpectedly cut short I'm a Gymno-American "We're nudists but we're not stupid" is such a cliché. We should be honest, up front and unapologetic about our beliefs and our lifestyle.
I hate the phrase "getting caught nude" because it implies that you're doing something wrong. When someone unexpectedly sees you nude, make no apologies and just be yourself. Just what, exactly, is so frightening about a nude person that causes the average American to recoil in horror? We're actually quite harmless and a lot of fun. I find it contradictory that I have to wear clothing when exercising in a gymnasium. If I go to a nudist colony, can I incite a revolt and declare independence from our oppressive colonial masters? Life begins in the nude. |
In Namaste, Nudey: Naked Yoga and the Nether Regions, Amanda Coggin talks about her first experience in a nude yoga class.Though not a nudist, she explains that she’s comfortable with nudity and frequents hot springs and nude beaches.
“At first, it was awkward, and I don’t usually mind being naked. Then I found that I was more inwardly focused than any other yoga class I have ever taken, and I liked it.” I smiled at my friend, and then I smiled at one of the old guys, and I learned that by dropping my judgment about what we should or shouldn’t look like, and by focusing on myself, I was able to transform being nude into the importance of being transparent—and I liked it.
At the beginning of the class she found herself judging the others by their appearance but then realized that instead of focusing on that, she should be focusing on the yoga and connecting with her inner self. Once she shifted her focus, it turned out that she was more in touch with her practice than ever before.
I liked her comment about transforming being nude into being transparent. Here I see transparency as meaning that nudity shouldn’t really be a factor. The important thing is to be in the moment and enjoy the activity you’re doing whether it’s yoga, swimming, volleyball, reading a good book, or whatever it is you do.
When I visit nude venues this spring and summer, I’ll likely bring my yoga mat with me and get in some “gymno-yoga” practice. I can’t think of a more appropriate way to practice Sun Salutations than by letting the sun caress all of me as I move through the asanas.
- Related posts:
- Another Nude Yoga Post
- Anmol Mehta on Nude Yoga
- If You Could Do It Naked, Would You?
- Nude Yoga, A Naturist Viewpoint
- Nude Yoga
I just read a couple of interesting posts by Ryan on Journey of a Nudist — “If people were meant to be nude, they would have been born this way” and “Nude Yoga Is Awesome!” He’s new to the nudist blogosphere and his posts are interesting and insightful.
Here’s another search term that led someone to this blog: moral nudity. I’ve been struggling to find a rational connection between these two words but I can’t find one. I don’t see moral as an adjective that can logically be used to modify the noun nudity. Attaching morality to nudity seems to be an aberrant condition of Western culture.
Nudity is neutral, neither moral nor immoral, good nor bad. Morality is a value judgement best applied to behavior, intentions or purposes, not to a physical characteristic or state. To say that it’s immoral to be nude is like saying it’s immoral to be poor or to be a sports fan or to live in a certain area or to practice a certain faith.
Other cultures have ways of seeing nudity and nakedness depending on its context but Western cultures seem to limit themselves to a very narrow range of contexts and within that narrow range, nudity is invariably seen as sexual. We only want to see things in black and white and, in doing so, we miss all the wonderful colors and shades of gray in between. We want our entertainment to be in widescreen Hi-Def but not real life which is relegated to black-and-white on a small screen.
For what it’s worth…
I’ll admit that I’m a little behind on my naturist reading, particularly the material that arrives in the mail. Since it’s Friday night, there’s not much on television, and I don’t have a life, I decided to catch up on it. I found letters to the editor in both N and The Bulletin that touched on a topic that I’ve mentioned here before, namely, being open about being nudists and naturists.
In the letter to N, the writer brings up the need to let the public know that “we are naked.” He also believes we should “focus on public relations instead of privacy enhancement.” I believe this should apply to national organizations and individual nudists/naturists alike. Even if you don’t feel comfortable coming out of the nudist closet, you should at least be able to positively promote the idea of nudism.
In The Bulletin, the writer describes a nudist resort I’m familiar with. There is no indication that it’s a nudist resort until you reach the gate. The first time he visited, he learned that only first names were used. He seems to feel that there’s a mixed message — on one hand, the nude lifestyle is nothing to be embarrassed about but on the other hand, those who practice it want to remain anonymous. Resorts want to increase their membership and get more visitors yet they have almost no exterior appearance indicating the nature of their venue.
I really don’t have problem with nudist venues being out in the sticks. Escaping from the suburbs and getting out into nature is good. Privacy and seclusion have their good points but perhaps we take it too far sometimes.
In the case of the resort alluded to in the second letter, I was aware of roadside landmark because it’s mentioned on their web site. I’ve visited other venues where I nearly missed the resort either because there was no recognizable landmark or sign, or because the landmark had been vandalized and knocked down. I found both of these places only because I had the good fortune to correctly guess which left turn to take. I wonder how many first-timers gave up because they failed to recognize an obscure landmark or simply drove past the venue without realizing it.
There’s a need to be public and a need for privacy, a need for seclusion and a need for openness. I don’t have any answers. I’m just throwing out some food for thought.
A few days ago somebody entered the words “naked pizza” into a search engine and landed on one of my blogs, probably finding my post of 29 September 2008, No shirt, no pants, no pizza in which I commented on a news article about a man who was denied service at a pizzeria while wearing only a pair of running shoes.
I have my own “naked pizza” memory from my youth. A couple of friends and I were sitting around the kitchen in the wee hours of the morning, stark naked, enjoying a pizza. Why, you ask? Because we were hungry.
Here’s a search term that led someone to this blog: What makes a person become a nudist? I think this one deserves some kind of an answer.
Perhaps the question could be better phrased as "Why does a person become a nudist?" If you asked that question of a randomly selected group of nudists, you’d probably get different but similar answers from each of them. I’ll try to explain what drew me to nudism and naturism.
For years I had enjoyed being nude in private and occasionally with others (spa or sauna) but never connected it with nudism. When I was nude in a spa or sauna, I was nude because it was the accepted way to use these facilities and I quickly felt at ease being nude in that context. My private nude time was initially sexually motivated but after a while I discovered how comfortable and relaxing I felt without clothing and was nude for that reason.
Eventually, the idea of nudism occurred to me and I began to do some research on the Internet. I was fortunate to find several legitimate nudist sites, forums and blogs and I began to learn about nudist ideals, concepts and philosophies. I found that many of them fit well into those I already held so adopting them was an easy transition. I sought opportunities to be nude at home and became more comfortable with and more accepting of my body. Eventually, I tried social nudism and found that I was very comfortable being nude with others and enjoyed nude recreation. Being nude outdoors in a social setting felt quite natural and each subsequent experience reinforced that feeling.
What motivates me to be a nudist (naturist)? I enjoy the comfort of not wearing restrictive clothing and find it very relaxing. Being a naturist has taught me to accept my body as it is while motivating me to respect it and keep it healthy and fit. It has also helped me to be more tolerant and accepting of others. Nudism and nude recreation are fun. Nudists are some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet and where they gather, they foster a sense of community.
Naturism also appeals to my tendency to question authority and the status quo. The popular media is a powerful influence in our society and it shapes many of our attitudes and beliefs. By being a nudist/naturist, I reject their messages about body image, their sexualization of the human body and its use as a commodity to sell us a lot of crap we don’t need in our lives. OK, so part of nudism’s appeal is political and social protest.
There are many reasons people choose to become nudists and naturists. Nudism and naturism are not easy to explain. To understand nudism you need to experience it and be open to the experience, putting aside your own and society’s preconceived notions. If you can do that, you’ll have your own reasons for being a nudist.
For what it’s worth…
Yes, another nude yoga post. Maybe nude yoga’s appeal is limited but it does seem to be gaining interest among non-nudists. Plus, I’m a naturist and I practice yoga, so it’s only natural that I should merge the two interests.
COMFORTABLE IN THEIR SKIN: Yoga Goes Au Naturel
Instructor hopes to increase men’s confidence, self-esteem
By Sonya Padgett
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Over the past couple of years, yoga instructor David Oliphant learned two valuable lessons:
- Taking his clothes off could provide a sense of empowerment and freedom, in the right situations, of course.
- Innocent activities and facts can be tainted when you add the word “naked” to them, especially in Las Vegas.
A yoga teacher for the past five years, Oliphant started offering men’s naked yoga classes in a downtown studio in October. He offers classes through his Web site, yogawithdavid.com.
Doing the Downward Facing Dog and other hatha poses sans clothing is a relatively new way to practice yoga, but it has a national following. The Web site nakedyoga.net lists several cities where classes can be found, including San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles.
It is exactly what it sounds like; a group of men get together, take their clothes off and practice yoga.
Men, and women, have shown interest in Oliphant’s classes and his rosters have increased from a handful to a couple of dozen students. Eventually, he wants to offer a range of naked yoga classes for women and couples.
Not surprisingly, though, the word “naked” attached to men’s yoga can sometimes cause a little controversy. Novices tend to assume two things, he says: that every guy who does it must be gay and that those who practice it are doing more than just yoga.
Neither assumption is true, Oliphant says. “There’s nothing sexual about it.”
Rather, it’s about helping men become more comfortable in their own skin, which should then transfer into their everyday lives, giving them more confidence and self-esteem.
“The reason I started it is one, because I was surprised no one was doing it in Las Vegas,” explains Oliphant, who first started doing naked yoga in Reno a couple of years ago. “And two, I’m sure it’s true with women but also with men, there’s a lot of pressure about the way you look physically. I wanted to make people feel more comfortable in their own bodies. It’s been healing for a lot of people.”
He’s also taken a new approach to his fees, one that is gaining in popularity in the yoga world. Instead of a flat cost, Oliphant solicits donations from students, allowing them to give what they can afford. Classes are offered three days a week.
“I’ve never made less money but I’ve never been happier,” says Oliphant, who left a job in hospitality to become a yogi. “I’m just happy doing what I feel I was called to do.”
His students come from a variety of backgrounds, from the legal field to medicine and everything in between. Some of his students are gay, as is Oliphant. But many are straight. They are single, married, divorced, fat, tall, short and fit. And they all express different reasons for practicing naked yoga.
“Naked. That part’s hard to explain,” says Michael Radde, a local massage therapist who heard about naked yoga through clients. “You’re a lot freer. You don’t have anything binding you. Clothed yoga, it’s not the same.”
One student, Steve, who asked that his name not be used because “you know, there are those preconceived notions about naked yoga,” says his experience has been better than he expected. He has found some peace of mind and he’s more flexible, too.
“I had been looking for a yoga class, but the one at the health club was too big,” Steve says. “The instructor talked over a microphone and it was full of people who knew what they were doing.”
Naked yoga was less intimidating because everyone was in the same situation, he says. It helped that the lights were dim.
“You have to be open-minded about it. A lot of people don’t get that,” Steve adds. “You have to be open to that to accept it. If you want to, you will.”
Find this article at: http://www.lvrj.com/living/yoga-goes-au-naturel-83191842.html
Although most who practice nude yoga probably wouldn’t consider themselves naturists, nude yoga and naturism do share some common ideas such as their non-sexual nature, a sense of empowerment and freedom, body image and body acceptance and open-mindedness. I often do my yoga practice at home in the nude and I find my movements to be less restricted and I have to make fewer adjustments for comfort so I’m able to focus more on my breath, the asanas, and the flow.
Or course, practicing alone is different than in a group whether nude or clothed but I doubt my comfort level would be any different. Nude yoga still hasn’t arrived in Dayton but I’d probably be willing to travel to Cincinnati or Columbus to attend a class. I’d like to see it offered at more nudist venues and clubs.
- Related posts:
- Anmol Mehta on Nude Yoga
- If You Could Do It Naked, Would You?
- Nude Yoga, A Naturist Viewpoint
- Nude Yoga
Today on the KenFreehiker blog, he calls upon naturists to Reintroduce a Healthy Naturist Revolution, and lead the way in practicing a healthy lifestyle.
Healthy eating and exercise, along with mental and spiritual health, were essential to early naturist practice. What happened? It’s as if when people took off their clothes they forgot why. Originally, it was for physical and mental health. It’s time to bring healthy living back to naturism.
Perhaps “nudists”” are okay with an unhealthy lifestyle, but not “naturists”. By definition, naturists are physically active, eat healthy food, avoid unhealthy habits, seek mental and spiritual advancement, and encourage others to understand so they also live in true health. It’s time for everyone to become “true” naturists.
I can’t say that I disagree with him. Fitness and health are part of my ideal of naturism. I’m not advocating going back to mandatory calisthenics, a vegan/vegetarian diet or total abstinence from certain substances for all naturists. I’m not saying we should all look like Greek gods and goddesses either. I’m suggesting that we do what we can to move away from a sedentary lifestyle to one with a sensible and proactive approach to physical, mental and spiritual health and fitness.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the epitome of good health. I’m a bit overweight, my cholesterol levels are out of balance, I’m taking medication for blood pressure, and my blood sugar is a bit higher that it ought to be. I’m doing what I can to correct or control those problems. Since I got my wake-up call a year and a half ago, I’ve lost over 30 pounds, my cholesterol levels are better, my blood pressure is lower and my blood sugar is under better control. I’ve almost completely eliminated junk food from my diet and I’m mindful of what I eat. I’m exercising more although I’m still working to overcome longstanding mental blocks about exercise. I’ve recently taken up yoga and I’m beginning to realize its physical, mental and spiritual benefits.
When I first got involved with nudism, I was not at all happy with the way my body looked in the mirror but I learned to accept it. I also figured out that accepting my body did not imply that I was satisfied with it or that I should just let it go. For me, body acceptance was a beginning, not an end in itself. In the mirror, I saw my protruding belly, my love handles, and my man-boobs and I told myself, “OK. That’s my body and I accept it for what it is. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, what do I need to do to improve it, to make it healthier?” I feel that too many of us reach body acceptance and don’t take the next step.
As naturists, we’ve rejected our society’s ideas of body shame, its skewed view of modesty and the nudity equals sex myth. Why don’t we take it further and reject the attitude that gluttony is good. There are diet plans and magical formulas that will make you thin again without changing your diet or exercise habits. It’s a contradictory message meant to sell super sized happy meals and diet aids.
Mahoning Valley Naturist posted How to Become A Nudist, listing five steps to getting started.
- Rid yourself of cultural myths about nudity.
- Sleep in the nude.
- Wait to dress after showering.
- Go nude whenever your house is warm.
- Spend some time nude outdoors (if there’s sufficient privacy).
MVN adds some elaboration in each step and it’s sound advice, emphasizing that nudity is our natural state, that sleeping nude may be more comfortable, that extending your nudity after your shower may be a good transition since you’re nude anyway.
There’s more to being a nudist than being nude but if you follow these suggestions for, say a week, you just may find yourself feeling more comfortable with your body and more comfortable over all. Maybe you won’t become a full-fledged nudist but you may begin to understand why we enjoy it so much.
Now and then I like to see from where people are reaching my blog. One referral that intrigued me was @NaturistDating on Twitter. Sure enough, I found a couple of Tweets pointing to MojoNude but I found another Tweet that led me to this interesting blog post by HeatherN on her blog, Wish You Were Here. She’s not a nudist, just a mother and housewife in the Midwest. I found the post to be humorous and she seems to have a good attitude about household nudity.
Naked Is Gross.
This is the latest missive from my ten-year-old son, and I hope to hell it’s a passing phase.
If he truly is well on his way to becoming neurotically prudish, I will take advantage of the Iowa Safe Haven law and abandon him at the nearest hospital.
Not ever having been a ten-year-old boy, I don’t know if this is all part of the development or what. Is it a normal prepubescent attitude thing for all males? I know I could probably Google it – you all know my skills there are pretty formidable – but I’m not sure I know how to cope if my son is indeed deviating from the path.
Not that we are nudists in this house, but I have never been squeamish about nudity in this house. I’ve always tried to stress that there is a time and place for nakedness, and the wise wo/man/boy/girl/dog knows when that time is.
However, I suspect I know from which quadrant this shame evolves. There’s no need to name names, but let it be known – see how the sins your labors have put forth the fruits of shame!
I can sort of relate. I have grandchildren of the same age and younger. I’ve heard them utter the words "naked is gross". This is from children who, not all that long ago, would not hesitate to strip down in the middle of the living room when getting ready for their bath or for bed. The most vocal is my granddaughter who used to do her naked dance while singing "Naked! Naked! Naked!" before putting on her pajamas.
My son has issues about nudity (I didn’t know any better when I was raising him) but my daughter-in-law has a rational attitude toward nudity. We try to raise them right but there are so many outside influences over which we have little or no control. Hopefully, it’s just a phase and they’ll grow up to have healthy attitudes and respect for their own bodies. One can hope.
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"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self." ~ Cyril Connolly
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