Musing on Another Summer's Beginning

 May 2022

We are almost half way thrugh another strange year, one in which our ways of life have been up-ended and in other instances slowly returning to normal...depending on what one considers "normal"...

For me personally, it means spending hours reading research books, cruising the internet for more current sources, and tracking down viable information on naturism/nudism in history, social attitudes about nudity, and the legal aspects of living life naked...and doing it while nude.

As the weather slowly warms I am enjoying the freedom that happens when school lets out and I can shed my clothing for days or even weeks at a time. This is the time to enjoy naked weekends with like-minded friends, go sailing nude on the Great Lakes, and allow my entire body to enjoy the sun and fresh air. Being nude is my "happy place", where I shed the expectations of an up-tight world and enjoy being myself for as long as possible before returning to the "real world" and its expectations. 

So what are my days like?

Like yours, except for being nude :)

I clean the litter boxes, feed the cats, cook for myself, do laundry, watch television and do my research. I try to do all my errands (which require being clothed) in one shot/one trip away from home as quickly as possible so I can get back home and strip down to bare skin again.

When I need to go to work, I dress like anyone else and strip down again as soon as I get home...winter, spring, summer, or fall, I follow that same routine. When friends come to visit they call first to warn me to get dressed though many of them will also strip down to bare skin while we socialize, play cards, or watch movies together. It is a level of acceptance that many people never achieve. My habits may be catching on as many of them confess to spending more of their time at home in the nude now.

The thing to remember is that historically, living life in the nude has been seen as an aberration and in some case as an abomination. Some groups, like the Adamites of medieval times, were hunted down after being ostracized and many burned as witches. Religion made judgements about the natural body created by God and set inhumane standards and laws that required destruction of those who would live as Adam and Eve in the Garden. They placed very strict rules on that which God did not clothe upon their creation. Those inhumane standards of "acceptable behavior" are still placed on the human body by the Religious Right and they in turn influence secular law against bodily freedoms.

I, for one, and for many of my like-minded friends would like to see Eden and its bodily freedom make a comeback...the world would be a much more peaceful place if we could be naked, live naked, wherever and whenever we wanted.

A Year of Changes 2022

 This year was definitely off-kilter due to the ongoing pandemic. I am still teaching via zoom, but doing so from my campus office...which, of course, forces the Naked Historian to be clothed :P At least by the time the Spring semester closed, we have been able to dispense with masks and are tested every month for COVID at the campus clinic. I have had my initial vaccinations as well as 2 boosters so I have been lucky so far. One of my friends caught it at work and then passed it to her husband while in quarantine, and lucked out with it being like a bad head cold and a mild cough for both of them. She went back to work this week.

I survived my semester which had one regular zoom class of 13 students, and an independent study with one student whose goal is to become a history teacher. My grade books went in last week. My next semester will require a 5 day work week with 3 regular courses ( all either zoom or zoom/classroom combo), 1 of which will be via zoom from a smart classroom linked with advance placement students in 8 area high schools. I am currently writing their course work and schedules.

I also have been taking time out for my own research into historical nudism, this time following the medical/health aspects of spending time in the nude as studied in Europe before World War 2, and how the Freikorpur Kultur (FKK) nudist groups of Germany fared during the Great Depression and while under Nazi control. It is lovely having so much research able to be done online or via inter-library loan as it only seems right to research nudism while living as much of my life as possible naked.

This summer will allow me to spend time naked with friends and take a few days off to go nude sailing on the Great Lakes. Being part of an all nude crew is just the best time on the water. It also allows me to talk with like-minded people about our lifestyle and the changes wrought by politics and pandemics. As many of us are also academics, it helps to have a safe place to vent as well.

My next posting will be more in the vein of my research as it is enlightening to see how society changed its views of nudism over time and how some groups never will. The contrasts are quite interesting.

Until then (hopefully less than 3 months wait this time!) Stay naked, stay happy, and stay healthy!

2020: A Year to Both Remember and Forget

July 31st, 2020

Over half the year is gone, decimated by pandemic illness, unjust murders, protestors and federal agents arresting the innocent and hiding their faces in the process. Politically, the country is in turmoil because of the madman at the helm who has almost single-handedly destroyed America's standing in the world...

My career has shifted mightily as the pandemic closed schools and moved classes to the internet with a week's notice. My students suffered from the changeover and I fear they will drop out rather than work with the new sychronous online schedule set for the fall semester. I will be teaching to a camera from an empty classroom, with my students attending via a Zoom meeting rooms until such time as it is safe to return to campus. (My courses have been reworked to allow going back to the classroom if it is allowed mid-semester.) My college shifted us to online coursework on March 17th, but did not require video to finish the spring semester, so I worked online with students via email and instant messenger with their assignments and my lecture power-points downloaded to the college LMS (Blackboard, a Learning Management System). So for the last half of the semester, I worked from home.

Is/Was there an upside to the "world turning upside-down"?

Yes. I spent half of my semester (mid-term to finals) teaching in the nude. Though I will not be able to do real-time lectures naked next semester due to video, the LMS work and e-communications can be handled from home sans clothing. So, September to December will be spent working clothed for about 7 hours per week, and then doing my other 20 hours in the nude from home. It could be worse, right?

Spring semester ended on May 7th, and unfortunately, the graduation ceremonies were cancelled on the governor's order. The shutdown and "shelter-in-place" order has meant staying home, and leaving the house only to grocery shop and run errands for about 4 hours every other week...for which I dress like any other person with a mask in my neck of the woods. I also dress plus mask for taking a walk around my long small town block weather permitting. However, I have been extremely fortunate to spend most of my time, since coming home from work on March 17th, buck naked.

The many hours spent happily in the nude has improved my skin, I am generally healthier than I've been for awhile, and the boredom eating stopped fairly quickly. Consequently, I had added 6 lbs, but have now managed to drop 12. I am more active around the house when I am nude and it is rather fun to use my exercise bike in the nude, too...I average 5 miles per day on my nearly antique Schwinn Aer-dyne. So, I hope everyone is having a wonderful naked respite from the "real world" and as soon as I have my fall courses set up, I will be back to researching nudism in history as my bookcase of research materials is calling me :)

Have a wonderful naked summer!

Many Changes in a Short Period of Time

It has been a strange six months for the Naked Historian...

First was the health scare, followed by a multitude of tests and procedures, followed by a summer of living in a construction zone, and just as life was getting back to something close to normal...there is a world pandemic!

The college I work for has forced all our classes to an online platform and cancelled spring graduation ceremonies, plus closing both campuses for the duration. While my county has seen only 8 cases of the virus here, and no deaths, we are still included in the state-wide social isolation shutdown. Consequently, I am teaching online, using power-points and discussion boards, as well as written assignments to try and make sure my students all pass their respective courses...and in the process, building my courses into that platform for future online units as well as in-class sessions of my classes.

BUT...and it is a big one....

This crazy whirlwind has fulfilled a long-held dream for me, one I have had ever since I started teaching: I can actually teach in the nude (and not worry about losing my job!). I also teach world history and was just launching in to the changes wrought by the Black Plague of 1348-1349, so I can compare it to the current pandemic...

The high point though, is that except for grocery shopping once a week, I have been living completely naked and relishing the freedom for as long as it lasts. I am also still researching nudism and naturism as lifestyle in historic Europe, so I will hopefully have some new blogs up sooner than later.

For now, all of you who are stuck at home due to the rampant pandemic...spend as much time as possible in the nude, take time to grow comfortable with your body, use the time to get healthy and finally be able to live life without even thinking about whether you are clothed or not...just keep it legal!

Until next time,
Me
* the naked lady at the computer

Summer at Home

So, we are officially past the halfway point of summer, and it has been an eventful one. In June, my 18 year old truck gasped its last and went to the scrap yard, leaving me without transportation. At first, I was horrified until I realized the potential for spending 99% of the summer totally nude!

In the interest of "research", I chose to log the amount of time spent nude each day and figure out the grand total at the end of the month...I really surprised myself! It worked out like this:

Total days in July =        744.0 hours (31 days)
Total days/hours nude = 584.5 hours (24.35 days)
Total hours clothed =      159.5 hours (6.65 days)

It was a marvelous month! The odd but constant pain subsided significantly, as did the persistant itching. I was clothed only for traveling to and fro when invited to spend a day sailing on the St. Lawrence River with equally nude companions...and the few days which I had to spend clothed except for sleep proved uncomfortable and left me depressed.

Now, we have turned the calendar to August, which for me is a short month for enjoying total nudity. School starts again before the end of the month, which means diving now into the preparations for a new group of students...and deciding on the appropriate clothing for this teacher to wear daily...

Thank heavens for being able to strip to nature's best suit as soon as I get home...I will miss the summer freedom though.

We're Having a Heat Wave!

It is July so it is only to be expected, but when it is uncomfortable even being naked? Well, let's just say "Mother Nature needs a Snickers!".

The last two weeks started in the 80s, nice and comfortable with a few days of cooling evening showers...until last Friday when the temperatures began to climb. By Sunday, it was extremely humid and 98 degrees, with a heat index of 105...at that point not only did it hurt to wear clothes but being naked meant dripping with sweat! There's a reason we nudists always carry a towel with them and this past week has been proof.

So, all the drapes are drawn, the ceiling fans turned on and floor fans to keep the air moving...and the house is a comfortable, dry, 80 degrees again. The beauty of it being to hot to go out and mingle with the textile world has meant a long period of being nude at home. That time has been well-utilized in getting grounded and finding my center again, as well as allowing me to spend happy hours in research.

If I could say anything important to any casual reader who finds this blog, it would be that spending time nude doing the same everyday things that one does each day clothed, means one can really breathe and relax into what needs to be done with much less stress on the emotional and physical body. Allowing your skin to breathe freely will reduce blood pressure, calm stress and anxiety, and really allow complete relaxation, and sleeping naked reinforces that "feel good" mood.

Ahhhh...Sumer Is a-cumin' in!

Finally, summer break is here! This is the time when I can shed not just the cares of the school year, but my clothes as well. It has been a long cold winter and it is finally sunny, clear and comfortably hot up here in the north.

Personally, I can finally relax and be myself even if it means staying indoors until I can get away for a nudist weekend. Thankfully, I can say that I have been comfortably naked now for 11 days straight, with no plans of putting on anything other than shoes for at least a month.

This summer I will be turning to more research on historical nudity as an element of religion and family life, as well as the psychological benefits of living a nudist lifestyle (even in a repressed society). I am also considering writing light fiction about the nudist lifestyle and my introduction to it. At the same time, I will be experimenting with various forms of exercise and what works best if/when done fully nude.

As much as this is a history blog, it is also a way to keep myself accountable for my findings, my successes, and my failures in melding my public persona and my home nudist lifestyle.

Coming into the Light

It is finally Spring in snow country, though it is no guarantee that the white stuff won't keep reappearing for another month or more...However, the Spring or Vernal Equinox has gone by and hopefully soon the temperatures will start to moderate and warm.

This past winter has been full of howling winds, snowstorm after snowstorm, and below freezing (and sometimes below zero!) temperatures...all of which make my 100+ year old house drafty and chilly on the best of days. I look forward to the heat's return when I can open the windows for fresh air, and spend infinitely less time bundled in heavy clothing and more time clothing-free.

I hate to admit it, confirmed home nudist that I am, that remaining clothed was the only sane way to be during winter's blasts. I did however invest in an electric blanket to at least spend my resting hours in naked comfort. I look forward to extending those hours into my daytime activities any day now.

I have no clue how many might be following my infrequent blogs, but I wonder how others cope with the shut-in, goose-bump producing months of winter when their employment does not schedule enough time (or funds) for a getaway to warmer climes? Do you became an unwilling textile like me? If you see this, make a comment and let me know, as learning new coping skills is always a good thing!

Here's to the return of the sun to warm our nudity and restore our health! Happy Spring!

First Day Thoughts

The temperature here is a mere 10 degrees, and the winds and snows have been fierce for over a week...and promises to continue into this brand spanking New Year. This is Day 1, and I have been pondering what I can do to look beyond my own situation and somehow affect the world around me in a positive way.

I know, as an educator, I do that in every course I teach...whether or not the students enjoy history, I can see them begin to see the connections between the mistakes our ancestors made and the same mistakes our leaders are making today. That is a positive, and I find it encouraging.

But...what else can I do? I am not rich enough to dispense aid or make large contributions to those who can do so, nor can I give employment to anyone who might need it. I struggle to keep a roof over my own head at times, which means being unable to help put a roof over someone else's.

So...it's a new year, after today there will be 364 opportunities to make a difference, if I just knew what I could *do*!

I will start with myself. I will attempt in anyway possible to reduce my carbon footprint, to reduce/reuse/recycle as much as I can, and help others where I can. It seems like a drop in the bucket compared to societal need, but its *my* drop, and if enough other folks add their drop to that bucket...we can make changes for the good of the world.

A New Year: Facing Changes

Everyone waxes philosophic as one year ends and another begins, and the naked historian is no different...

2017 was a year of immense and difficult change for everyone: ideologically, politically, religiously, and economically. Many of us face the loss of health insurance, or senior services, and even Social Security which should fund our "golden years" is under political threat. Our once, comfortable, logical progression of life's milestones has its infrastructure, paid for by our own labors, being chipped away by the political robber jays. Everything we could always count on is under threat. Our standing in the world has been damaged by the chaos consuming our government leaders.

It would be so very easy to live in fear, stick our fingers in our ears and sing "lalala" to drown out both the pundits and the voices of reason. But we cannot do that. We, as a people, have to make the changes that the government has failed to deliver on and take care of our own. We need to clean the Halls of Congress of graft, patronage, and bribery and elect people who work for US instead of for the special interests, corporations, or the obscenely rich.

What does this have to do with nudism and/or history, you ask? Well, to coin a phrase..."Our (self-styled) Emperor has no clothes"...and it is not a pretty sight.
Everything he does, has done, or planned to do is the exact opposite of what he told his desperate followers he would deliver. He demonized his predecessor for delivering what those constituents most needed...and is now working his hardest to take it away.

I won't ever say that the system is perfect, a democracy has to evolve with the times, but while change is inevitable...controlled change is infinitely better and safer than political chaos. So, we need to strip away the pretense and the secrecy...lay naked the graft and dishonesty...and take our country back from the  bribeable, the sycophants, the misguided, and the tyrants.

Take a Stand: At all times, our government should stand naked before us, without secrets about what will directly affect We, the People. This is not to say that we should know everything that happens in defense, diplomacy, or international relationships, but that we should be able to TRUST our elected officials to do their best for us, and to make the world a better, safer, and healthier place for all of us.

Ordinary Tasks Are Better Naked

I have been enjoying a rare stretch of multiple days without having to put on any clothing beyond bedroom slippers and socks. I am feeling fully human for the first time in many weeks. I am off work until late January, so I am taking every possible moment to be clothes-free.

The heavy house-cleaning is so much easier without the restrictions of conventional clothing, and it is certainly producing a distinct decline in dirty laundry. As that is my least favorite chore, I will enjoy the respite as much as I enjoy being naked.

My mood is lighter as well, even though I have Seasonal Affective Disorder, which gets worse with the shorter days and earlier darkness, and being naked triples the pleasant feelings of both being myself and being free of constraints for at least a few hours at a time. I have even taken to tallying the number of hours each day that I am without clothes, and currently I seem to only require clothing 3-4 hours per day (usually when required to take the trash out and retrieve the cans from the curb, and to step out the front door to get the mail or the UPS deliveries.) I'll be interested to see the total hours at the end of the 42 day winter break.

I will be getting back to the history of nudism soon enough, but felt the need to let my few readers know that I am still alive and happily naked as many hours per day as possible.

A Naked Loss of Freedom

I find myself writing less and less recently about nudists and history...because, once religion took hold, being naked became a pagan thing to be reviled rather than reveled in. Yet, I find myself teaching listless atudents about the development of civilization and having to leave out how false modesty and many-layered clothing became the (physically uncomfortable) norm.

So, in the few free hours of this past semester, I found myself pondering the loss of the freedom to be naked in any non-sexual situation. I think it hinges on when religion became "organized"...and social control of human interactions instituted rules covering evry possible enjoyable aspect of life between birth and death. It is also when forcible rape, pedophilia, and sexual harassment came into fashion for those who could not "control their urges" in the acceptable religious fashion. Women's bodies became a mystery, and our natural cycles were something to be feared rather than worshipped as part of our renewable strength and our ability to birth new generations. The Elders of the various sects chose to segregate us and declare us unclean in order to consolidate their own control of power within the community.

I think this is why I spend as much time as possible wearing nothing but a smile at home. It is my free moments stolen from a repressive society which would happily regress us all to the ultimate historical power of forced slavery and silent women. So, while I teach the history of world civilizations and the supposed perfection of western European societal systems, I quietly rebel at every opportunity by shedding my clothing and allowing my skin to breathe, uncorking my stifled creativity, and revelling in being naked before my gods...even as I stay inside my home, with the blinds and shades drawn against a hostile world.

Sometimes, instead of painting on canvas or paper, I apply my brush and colors to my own body, highlighting the soft spots of breasts and nipples, the birth hollow, and even the "font of life", with vines and flowers before standing at my altar and thanking the Goddess for giving me these beautiful parts, even though I am cut off from the light of Luna Moon by the strict conventions of the society I live in.

Instead, I quietly pray many times a day for the chance to revel naked in nature, to worship the sun and the moon with my whole body bathed in their light...just so my starving soul could be fed on their beautiful energy.

An old post which still carries weight...

I have difficulty understanding what makes people fear or revile the naked human body, or the general need to connect nakedness only with the sexual act. Why must we hide what should be as natural as breathing? Our bodies need to be exposed regularly to the sun to replenish stores of vitamins, to help synthesize and utilize nutrients and hormones necessary to sustain a comfortable and healthy physical self. The unwritten social laws, backed by the legal system, prevent me from obtaining maximum health by forcing me to cover myself with socially-acceptable layers which impede my ability to absorb the sunlight through every inch of my skin. I risk jail and monetary fines if I choose to expose myself to the air and sunlight where others might see my naked body. 
I see one historical cause for the free-for-all attacks on body freedom…that of organized religion. This deserves research and further pondering before writing anything factual. It remains to be seen how long it will take to get to this project. 

I am realizing the effect that wearing society’s required clothing has on my health and well-being, both physically and mentally, which manifest themselves in skin inflammations and eruptions as well as in bouts of depression and reactions out of proportion with/to daily occurrences. How much is from battering against the walls of social stigmas and how much is mired in less-than-perfect self-/body-acceptance? Some may be rooted in the subtle ageism against growing older, especially as I approach turning sixty years old and reveal in my nudity a body marked well by the passage of time. I am a child of the “God/dess” only now seeing myself as socially acceptable with or without clothes, instead of through the lens of a restrictive upbringing under organized religion which deemed this body as shameful and to always be hidden. 

What has been bothering me on a different front is the law concerning nudity which infringes on my rights within my home. Recently, a young man in New York State was charged with public lewdness for standing naked in his kitchen where someone walking by on the sidewalk apparently saw his nude body and was offended by it. This young man was forced to pay an enormous fine and now has a record for something he did within the privacy of his own home. That the offended party had to step onto his property for a better look was discounted in the proceeding, as the “crime” involved a naked human body. 
My current home faces a very busy city street, and has a large picture window in the living room. I have placed mini-blinds on the side windows, which open, and keep the drapes closed over the picture window, both of which obscure the sunlight and keep me from seeing outside. However, if I wish to enjoy nudity inside my home I am forced to live in a cave-like atmosphere to satisfy the narrow-minded world’s prudishness and avoid annoying some “peeping-tom”. Where are my rights considered in this? Am I to be forced from my centrally-located home to some backwoods path to be able to enjoy my lifestyle within my own four walls? 
Such a move would suit my temperament admirably, however it would remove me from the conveniences of city living, ultimately making it impossible to exist comfortably and affordably. All because some people can’t (or won’t) keep their eyes to themselves, and respect others’ rights to self-expression. Someday, sooner than later, I hope to move myself to a better location, more conducive to having a clothes-free home where I can open the windows on every side and let the breezes blow through and the sun shine in whenever I’d like. I have no problem closing the blinds after dark, when the lamps of the evening illuminate the inside of my home to prying eyes, after all it is only polite as I do not match the modern standards of beauty or age-appropriateness of being naked in public view. I simply want my right to live as I choose, meaning clothes-free whenever humanly possible, without social interference. Apparently, it is still, under current law, too much to ask.

Possibilities and Dreams

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

This photograph came across my Facebook page and it intrigued me with the “what-if?” possibilities of such an offer. At first, I had questions like “Can I choose what season of the year to be there?” and the more practical, “Does it have indoor plumbing, heat and electric lights?” However, what struck me the most was what a wonderful location to experience the world totally naked, yet not in so primitive a fashion that it would be dangerous. To enjoy the world as we should always do so, with our bare toes connected to the heartbeat of Mother Earth, to absorb the heat and life of Father Sun with our naked bodies, and to sing to Grandmother Moon with our entire being unmuffled by smothering clothes. To bask in the warmth of a fire while I simultaneously relaxed naked in the cool evening air, listening to the birds chirp their good nights to the Sky, before curling up to rest under the light of the moon. I wondered if my voice would be rusty from disuse or whether I would find myself singing mindless tunes to entertain the birds and creatures of the forest. I could see myself creating beautiful paintings and drawings, writing poems to recite to the Gods of the Air, and bathing in the soft rain under the sky.

My answer to the question posed by the photograph had only a few caveats…I wanted to have plenty of groceries, a huge stack of books to read and artist supplies so that I might record the beauties of the nature around me…and an equally naked companion to share the Garden with.

Such is the stuff of dreams these days.

Shedding Clothes and simple side-effects...

This summer has been a time of intense study and writing, extremes in weather and temperatures, and a deep need to shed clothing whenever possible. Being nude returns my equilibrium and balances my spirit as well as my body.

Now that the stress of thesis writing is done (it is now with my committee and I will defend it before next month) and I am shed of that particular stress, I have taken a look around and have started the long process of also getting rid of things which have accumulated to the point of a housekeeping disaster.

Today I began getting rid of old clothing, trashing some and setting others aside for donation, all with the goal of paring down to a solid (and possibly minimal) wardrobe of simple, classic clothes which will work for casual as well as professional situations. With my increased hours of home nudity, I do not have a need for a hundred old tee shirts, clothes that no longer fit, or fashions so far out of style they should be coming back any year now. My current work requires a uniform which is provided, so as long as I have a week's worth of those, I don't need to keep the excess.

It was rather freeing to toss the first couple of bags of stuff in the trash this evening and realize that I have several empty drawers and lots of empty hangers. There is still much to do but today's progress was freeing in a way. By letting go of "things" such as excess clothing not just my body has a chance to breathe but so does my soul.

I am getting rid of some of the anchors to a past I'd rather forget and making room for a new, streamlined version of myself.

Its about time.

To Rest and Sleep...

Sleeping naked is the best feeling in the world! No pajamas to tangle around and overheat the body, letting even the air of a warm night actually cool the body and allow it the comfort to regenerate itself.

In summer, I not only sleep naked, but I use no covers and leave the windows open wide unless it is actively storming, The cool breezes teases nerve-endings and lets the body enter a wonderful state of relaxation. In the winter, I indulge myself with fleece sheets which are warm and cozy on bare skin.

Sleeping naked lets your mind open to the wonders of dreams without the discomfort of clothing which restricts the mind's flight. Why not try and see where your unconscious self visits and what you encounter there?

Nudism and Stress Reduction

I want to write today about the physical issues which seem to crop up when one is under both physical and emotional stress. Keep in mind that these are my personal experiences and may very well not be grounded in current scientific study...this is just MY body's reactions.

Many things have accumulated to stress me over the last six months, first was the drive to finish my Masters' Thesis and graduate, followed closely by the transfer to a new job assignment where not only is the work physically harder but one of my co-workers is trying very hard to make me cry and quit because he hates women. The stress of being chronically short of funds has added mental stress which also affects everything else.

Needless to say, the stress has manifested itself in my skin with recurring bouts of hives and rashes, general itching, and severe reactions to everything from perfumes to the cleaning products I work with...all complicated by chronic pain in my joints and migraine headaches. I am only 60 years old, and should not be falling apart this way. However, I realized something a month or so ago. I returned to the habit of being unclothed every possible moment of most every day, and with the return of warm weather I have also gotten back in the habit of sleeping in the nude. Since I have been allowing my skin to breathe easily for 12 to 14 hours per day, I am finding that the skin eruptions are healing much more quickly and I am significantly less itchy. While the chronic pain may have a medical component, like the sciatica which is annoying me every time the weather changes, it seems like the ability to shed the stress along with my clothes is having the pleasant side effect of a healthier body.

I have come to the conclusion that for my body to recover its equilibrium in the wake of stress, extremely sweaty (and dehydrating!) working conditions, and completely relax, I *have* to be naked. The few days this week which I have had to spend most of the day clothed have seen me stressed out and unhappy to the point of being unpleasant to be around. I had to spend half of today dressed for being out in public and was miserable until I was able to come home and strip to bare skin practically as soon as I walked in the door.

I think this cements my belief that nudism is a healthy way to conduct one's life, for both physical and mental balance, and to keep stress levels as low as possible. The added aspect of finally achieving a sense of control over and comfort with my physical self, especially when it is not disguised by clothing has actually lightened my moods and reduced my need to meet other folks' expectations. Nudism made me comfortable with myself for probably the first time in my life.

Naked in the Deep Freeze

Winter in the northern climes is rarely conducive to nudism, particularly being able to enjoy being naked outdoors...boots, gloves, and hats alone don't fend off temperatures of -5 degrees. Consequently, I am acclimating myself by lowering the indoor temperature (which also saves on the NYSEG bill!) and spending as much time as possible wearing nothing but slipper socks and a smile.

I have a sort of goal in mind for accustoming myself to such cool temperatures, as I would like to be able to take a hike (or three!) sans clothing this year. As an older woman, I am smart enough to not go alone nor try the Appalachian Trail, so I hope to have naked hiking companions at some point to indulge in short (3-4 hours round trip)walks in the woods.

I think working on being (or becoming) physically fit is best done naked. There are no clothes to chafe or bind, nothing to keep sweat close to the skin. While the best exercise to me would be swimming naked on a regular basis, few health clubs allow it. Even working out in a commercial gym requires clothing. So I compromise at home where I spend time naked every day riding my stationary bicycle (a very vintage Schwinn Aerdyne) and doing naked yoga to improve my flexibility.

Meanwhile, I will wander naked around the house and pray Spring arrives sooner than later.

On the cusp of autumn...

This is a day of chilled air and leaves beginning to fall from trees touched by the changing seasons. The time of flaming colors on the horizon, of red and gold in the trees is slipping away more quickly this year than in seasons past. It is only half-past October and frost has blanketed the grass and in places, the first flakes of winter snow have fallen in the past twenty-four hours. The days shorten, the nights grow dark early and the stars shine longer as we slip quietly towards the indoor time of the year, spent huddled for warmth away from the winds and snow of Yule.

It is a time when I, as often as possible, step naked into my own backyard, shrouded by darkness from the prying eyes of city neighbors, to allow that cooling breeze to softly brush the prejudices and social antagonisms of the day to the ground, to free my naked soul from the negativity of the clothed and imprisoned society with which I must interact each and every day. The bathing of my body with the chill air of autumn helps me acclimate myself to being shut off from the sun and warmth of summer while still touching and being touched by the breath of the God/dess.

The freedom of being naked before the eyes of nature, to feel the earth beneath my feet, to hug a tree and feel its spirit against my naked breasts and feel my heart beat with the same rhythm, shores my soul up against the months of seasonal depression, when only an occasional snow bath allows me to connect to the earth spirits.

Indoors, I will shed the trappings of society and wear nothing but the cloak of the air whenever it is possible, to do the everyday tasks of home and hearth without the bindings of cloth and leather and prejudice. It is my hope to share this self-described sanctuary of nudism with others of the same bent, to simply be social and free from the societal requirements of hiding our true selves from each other. If it becomes possible to share my abode with another naked soul, then I will let them into my haven with an open door and open arms, and invite them to be free with me.

Without the clothing which hides us from each other, we can more completely understand each other's motives and minds and share more completely in each other's growth in soul and understanding. Naked before God/dess and each other, we can regain the balance They intended us to have all along before fear changed the dynamics of life.

History is not the only focus here...

While the concepts, ideals, and actions of nudists with the framework of human history is the intent behind this blog, it is also a place for me to discuss my own ideas on spirituality, nudism - both public and private, social and religious prejudices and pressures placed on our healthy self-image and body consciousness by outside forces. It may also touch on laws and changes in the rules on public and private nudity, and the changes in attitudes among those of us who prefer not to bind up our bodies and souls in antiquated social acceptability about where and when nudity is appropriate.

Consequently, however many people in the great and anonymous ether of the internet ever see the words that I place here or for that matter don't see...I can and will express myself on any and all facets of my own journey of self-discovery through nudism and history as it unfolds.