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teezle
New Member
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 Posted - 11/30/2004 : 4:20:12 PM
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Hey, I'm sure that this question has come up before. But if you consider yourself a nudist/naturist, please answer. I'm a newbie. What really constitutes the nudist/naturist lifestyle? I'm not talking about people who just feel like going naked sometimes but people who live this way because they believe it will be the best for them. What are the philosophical (and maybe religious) components of the lifestyle? How do they differ for you all? I saw one post with a person talking about core beliefs of the naturist lifestyle. I would love to learn more! I actually stumbled upon this site while looking up pasties.  But I have thought about visiting a nudist resort/beach/community before. I'm a "textile," as some say.... But I think the human body is a beautiful thing, and I hate that it is considered SO SEXUAL 99% of the time in the United States. Practically the only time I see a naked body is for sexual reasons. That's the only time it comes on TV.... (I'm ranting on; sorry.) I would just like to feel more comfortable and better-appreciate the human physique without it seeming like a purely sexual or bad thing. Thanks guys!
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bornnude
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Posted - 12/01/2004 : 08:19:04 AM
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Lots of hard questions here...
I don't know that I would consider myself a nudist/naturist by lifestyle but definately by attitude.
While I enjoy going to clothing optional venues, much is my time is still spent clothed. The reason I do consider myself a nudist/naturist is that I enjoy not wearing clothes.
As far as nudity and religion... There are a few religions out there where nudity is against the theology, there are more out there where the dogma, not the theology of the religion makes it unacceptable, Christianity is one of these. Fortnuately there are several sites that discuss the place of nudity in religion. http://www.figleafforum.com/ is one of these, http://www.experiencegrace.com/ is another.
The human body is a wonderful and beautiful thing (a friend of mine made the statement once -- All women are beautiful, some are just more attractive than others). The problem is that thanks to our society, at least in the USA, any clothes removal is highly sexualized. This is not necessarily so in other societies. At some point, you may find most of those feelings reduce as you put nudity in a more healthy perspective.
P.S. theology - the belief structure of a religion. dogma - the way people have taken that theology and chosen to make rules around it.
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vealj
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Posted - 12/01/2004 : 10:41:38 AM
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I think nudism and naturism is defined differently for everyone. Also, the degree to which one practices it is also different. There are the nudists who consider it a form of recreation and are content to be nude on beaches and at the resorts or on a vacation only.
There are others who believe it is a lifestyle and live it 24 hours a day. And still others who consider it a philosophy more like a religion onto itself.
The one thing I know is that it is natural for people to be nude - not clothed. Anyone who has ever spent more than 10 minutes nude in a social situation can vouch for this. You are trained from youngest childhood to always wear clothes in all situations so it is totally ingrained in our psyches and our culture and yet, it doesn't take more than 10 minutes to lose all that cultural baggage and enjoy the freedom nudity brings.
As for me, I believe nudism and naturism as words are interchangeable and I would like to be nude everywhere and anywhere at all times weather permitting. In today's culture and legal infrastructure that boils down to being nude when I'm at home or at legal nudist venues and clothed at all other times.
Take care and ...
Keep it Bare !!!
- veal
http://www.vealj.com/naturist.html
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Cheri
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Posted - 12/01/2004 : 2:45:08 PM
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Under Resources at http://naturistsociety.com you will find 205 arguments in support of naturism/nudism - including those of religion/Christianity
I agree with Veal that nudism and naturism are interchangeable.
There are as many reasons to be a nudist as there are nudist. Each has his/her own reason. Mine is comfort.
It's my lifestyle as I go about my every day life; the same as I am a Jewish person going about my every day life.
We are all nudists to some degree. I assume that everyone showers or bathes w/o clothes. Nudists take it a bit further. Nudism to me is a mind set allowing me to relax and destress.
Regards, Cheri
Doing what I can to positively promote nudism
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nudeisntlewd
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Posted - 12/01/2004 : 4:51:09 PM
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To me, just the fact that I enjoy the sensation of being completely comfortable. Although I'm an extoverted speaker, (I'm not sure if that's good or bad), I'm actually a very shy introverted person with those I don't know. So the social aspect is of less importance to me than just going to the beach for tanning, swiming and enjoying the warm air unrestricted.
Now that it's getting very cold here, my skin is dry and itchy. So when I undress for bed, the relief in indescribable. I'm in a situation where I live now that I have absolutely no privacy so I have to settle for just sleeping nude. So, for the time being, I'm a nudist in sprit more than in practice.
Randy
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Jochanaan
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Posted - 12/01/2004 : 8:56:28 PM
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For me nudism is merely being comfortable naked around other naked people. It's true that we are all "nudists" to the extent that we bathe, do sex (if we do sex) and often sleep in the nude; but it's a large step from there to full acceptance of social nakedness.
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teezle
New Member
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 Posted - 12/01/2004 : 9:15:01 PM
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It sounds like all of you agree that nudity is comfortable and natural for you. That should be key if you consider yourself a nudist. Sometimes I like sleeping nude or hanging out nude on a lazy weekend. It makes picking out clothes to wear easy- don't have to!  Do you feel more in harmony with nature as a naturist too? Isn't that usually a part of it? People might go to the beach, enjoy the hot tub more outside, take nature walks....
Also, VEALJ, I don't know that being in a nude social situation for 10 minutes would necessarily feel natural. It would feel unnatural to me unless the people were nice/"my type". Which would still take more than 10 minutes to accept, I bet. I mean, a nudist gathering is a minority group of people and considered outside the boundaries of "normal" American behavior. It would be something to get used to for the average person and not an automatic release of cultural baggage. I appreciate the responses 
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StuffedTiger
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Posted - 12/02/2004 : 12:53:13 AM
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I am a high energy person who needs little sleep and leads an intensely active life. I love it, but sometimes never enough is too much. 
At a nudist resort, I can get away with my wife, and we can enjoy ourselves with no pressure. I was about ready to throw in the towel before nudism came along. Also, at home, we can just be ourselves, however we want. It isn't complicated, just nice.
OTOH, it is the simple things in life that hold some of the greatest value. I think nudist culture is one of those things, like the stars at night, that is basic to our humanity and that most of us can enjoy to some degree, even if it is only in the shower, like Cheri says.
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Rahul7009
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Posted - 12/02/2004 : 04:40:54 AM
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me for comfort and i love the feel of air on my body.
~~[({<RAHUL>})]~~
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Cheri
Forum Member
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Posted - 12/02/2004 : 09:41:57 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by teezle
(snip) Do you feel more in harmony with nature as a naturist too? Isn't that usually a part of it? People might go to the beach, enjoy the hot tub more outside, take nature walks....
Also, VEALJ, I don't know that being in a nude social situation for 10 minutes would necessarily feel natural. It would feel unnatural to me unless the people were nice/"my type". Which would still take more than 10 minutes to accept, I bet. I mean, a nudist gathering is a minority group of people and considered outside the boundaries of "normal" American behavior. It would be something to get used to for the average person and not an automatic release of cultural baggage. I appreciate the responses
If you've not as yet tried nudism, or not as yet been socially nude, you can't possibly know how quickly you'll feel comfortable. It took me only maybe 10 minutes. Others (I've been told) have taken a half hour, but it's not very long.
It is almost a spiritual feeling some times out in my back yard, looking at the plants/flowers.
:) Cheri
Doing what I can to positively promote nudism
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nudeisntlewd
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Posted - 12/02/2004 : 12:34:44 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by teezle
It sounds like all of you agree that nudity is comfortable and natural for you... Do you feel more in harmony with nature as a naturist too?
For me it feels comfortable and natural, and I do feel more in harmony with nature. It just feels right.
quote:
...I don't know that being in a nude social situation for 10 minutes would necessarily feel natural...
I tend to agree with you. Although I'm a somewhat outspoken speaker and writer, I'm actually a quite shy around people I don't know. So in my personal experience anyway, it took me a little longer but not much. My first public experience took place over 3 consecutive days at Haulover Beach, Miami. On the first day, I just laid on the beach with my trunks on for about a half an hour. A few people glanced at me and I sort of felt like they might have thought, "He looks scared. Why's he so nervous?" That may have been my imagination, but I probably did look scared because I was. When I got brave enough to remove them, I didn't even stand up to remove them and replace them. But once off, I laid on my back and my stomach for about a half-hour each. On the second day, I worked up the courage to stand up and go into the water which I thouroughly enjoyed for a long time. It gave me the chance to be comfortable, yet not feel so exposed. On the third day, I was able to easily walk up and down the shore in the surf, around the beach and in and out of the water without feeling self-conscious. But that's just me. I'm sure some become comfortable more easily, and others less easily. For me it boiled down to this: As soon as I realized that it was no big deal to anyone that I or anyone else was nude, I was OK with it.
Randy
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Mark_497
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Posted - 12/02/2004 : 1:49:25 PM
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For me the comfort is why I choose to be nude whenever possible. Though I must admit it was a progressive thing. I initially experienced a couple of wonderful days on a nude beach. Then when we came home from vacation the decision was do I continue with this or just let it go. I went back to the gym that I frequent and to my utter disbelief there were not one but two new guys in the locker room that actually wore boxers into the shower, bathed with them on and went back to the locker room, wrapped the towel around themselves and proceeded to put on dry clothing. It was that day that I became a nudist. Carrying that much shame around with yourself just can't be a good thing.
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FireProf
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 Posted - 12/02/2004 : 4:56:57 PM
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I've really never thought about why I don't like to wear clothes or why I call myself and my wife nudists/naturists. We don't wear clothes at home at all, we vacation whenever possible at a nudist venue, do all our normal activities in and around the home in the nude, we just feel better and happier when we are naked. When I was a young teenager I began to shed my clothes and stay naked as long as possible whenever I had the chance and privacy. I began sleeping nude because it felt better and was more comfortable but I've really never liked PJ's. At an early age I only wore jockey shorts to bed, no t-shirt, socks, just the underwear.
I have always dislike wearing clothes and since that early teenage time have done all that I could to spend as much time as possible not wearing any. When my wife and I got married and spent our wedding night sleeping nude that began my wife's introduction into home nudism. I never told her until after we began our marriage that I'd been sleeping nude and spending time at home nude when I was alone until this time. After I told her she wondered why I didn't tell her and just rolled her eyes at me when I told her I thought she would think I was weird.
For my wife, being a nudism/naturist was not as easy. Strict family upbringing, attending Catholic school at a young age and then being told a lot of untruths about her mind, body and feelings she was having while growing up. She met me in H.S. and I corrupted her!
She was quite comfortable with home nudism and bring up our children in the lifestyle but never even thought about social nudism until I introduce that to her a few years ago. Nudism has become so much a part of our life from the beginning that for me it was just a way of life I preferred. She came to enjoy it and has completely embraced nudism as our lifestyle nowadays but it wasn't so easy for her in the beginning.
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Edited by - FireProf on 12/02/2004 4:58:20 PM |
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Bob S.
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Posted - 12/04/2004 : 5:48:08 PM
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"What really constitutes the nudist/naturist lifestyle?"
That is a loaded question with many different answers. For me, the answer lies in truly believing and practicing as often as one can the ideals of nudism. Those being that nudity is natural and non-sexual in most instances, that all parts of the body are equal and therefore, they can all be exposed with no problem, that we live together with mutual respect.
For me, it is truly a part of my philosophy of life. It is as ingrained as my faith and my vocation. It goes beyond comfort, although comfort is a great side-effect. I wouldn't go as far as saying the whole naked outdoors thing is spiritual or that I actually feel more at one with nature, but it sure beats wearing clothing on a hot day when you can actually feel that wind over all of your body. I would love to feel that spiritual connection with nature but I don't do hikes. The ultimate thing that would bring that connection to me would be for me to live ala Thoreau did at Walden Pond; all alone in peaceful tranquility.
As for the length of time it takes to feel comfortable, it is amazingly short. When you are clothed surrounded by a lot of naked people, you will get looks simply because you stand out and look different. When you do remove your clothes, you realize that you are now just like everyone else and no one is paying you any extra attention. In that time, you have a choice, either continue to feel uncomfortable or to just relax and act like you normally do. After relaxing, you may even forget that you are naked.
Good luck in finding a nice nudist place to visit. If you need help with that, we're here. Just ask.
Oh, and good luck finding those pasties!
Bob S.
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Edited by - Bob S. on 12/04/2004 5:49:59 PM |
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SubNude
New Member
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Posted - 12/07/2004 : 9:11:14 PM
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I have always be interested in social nudism. I did nude modeling in college for art classes. I recently helped form a gay nudist group for Eastern South Dakota. We had one meeting, which also was my first. I was the first one naked and just felt so free. Hopefully next summer, we will have some outdoor nudity.
My parents were not uptight about walking through the house nude, so that helped.
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Jochanaan
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Posted - 12/07/2004 : 9:15:09 PM
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Ten minutes, Cheri? It didn't take me that many seconds! I just took my clothes off and there I was. But I had studied the issue extensively beforehand. So, teezle, there's hope for you!
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what makes you a naturist/nudist
