Philosophy Of Nudism And Naturism
Looking g to start a group to discuss the big questions of nudism and naturalism. I am interested in why people choose nudism. What, if any, religious or spiritual reasons are there for nudism. What is nudism and what is not nudism. What are the subtle differences between nudism and naturism? What about the ethics surrounding nudism and naturism? Let your voice be heard tell us your story.
- created by wohali
Renunciation as a reason for nudism
Return to DiscussionsI am making a list of reasons people participate in nudism. I
am looking for feedback, references, quotes, and your comments.
Renunciation
In India the highest form of renunciation is to give
up all worldly attachments including clothes.
Some
Christians have dualistic leanings.
Nuditus Temporalis - lack
of earthly things, poverty, humility, asceticism, stand naked
before your Creator Strip away pretense Strip away
protection This seems to come from a dualistic view. A
view where the spiritual is the highest good. (Maya seems to
fit in here)
Prayer if done in the nude as a form of
renunciation or detachment. Humility or asceticism.
Dualism Strong influence of dualism. The idea here is to renounce
the evil physical world for the spiritual good world.
Manichaeism
taught an elaborate dualistic cosmology describing the struggle
between a good, spiritual world of light, and an evil, material
world of darkness.
Mandaeism or Mandaeanism is a gnostic religion
with a strongly dualistic worldview.
The Christian dualism of God
and creation exists in some traditions of Christianity, like
Paulicianism, Catharism, and Gnosticism. Important feature of
Taoism, both as a philosophy and as a religion (it is also
discussed in Confucianism).
The Dvaita Vedanta school of Indian
philosophy also espouses a dualism between God and the universe.
In
Indian philosophies, My is also a spiritual concept
connoting that which exists, but is constantly changing and thus is
spiritually unreal, and the power or the principle that conceals
the true character of spiritual reality.
Those all seem to me like very valid reasons for nudism. But my reasons are not quite so deep. I just enjoy the comfort and the freedom it affords. I do meditate once in awhile. And nudity goes well with that. But when I'm deep into it, I'm not really cognizant of whether or not I have on clothes. Somebody could set me on fire and I might not notice that either ;-)
I am working on a long list of reasons. Hopefully I will post each here as a topic and people can comment on them and give their input. In fact you have a good point there may be primary and secondary reasons for nudism. Primary comfort, secondary renunciation. Just a thought what do you think?
there may be primary and secondary reasons for nudism. Primary comfort, secondary renunciation. Just a thought what do you think?
Or vice versa. And/or for other reasons. My understanding of the original goal of the modern nudism movement was simply the attainment of good physical and mental and spiritual health. And the focus of the program was diet and exercise. Clothing was seen as a hindrance to good health, and that has since been scientifically shown to be true, so nudity was incorporated into the program almost as an after thought. I'm not sure when or why nudity eventually became the focus of the movement but so many other people have jumped onto the band wagon with ideas and opinions of their own, it has evolved and morphed and grown into what it is now. And I'm not sure what that is but, after reading the forums, it sometimes looks like a huge food fight.
Personally, I prefer to see nudism and naturism more in their original form. There's something about natural that just feels right to me. But unless and until it is somehow codified and set in stone, I think it's safe to say the reason for nudism will continue to change. Sometimes for the better... and sometimes not so much.
At least that's my opinion (and it's subject to change without notice ;-)