:::Nudity Interview:::
Here is an interview from Humanistic Rites::
1. How did you get started in nudism?
-I've always loved running around the house in my birthday suit! The freedom, the air, the space! I like to think we all started off as a nudist--it's society that told us "Ok, it's time to wear clothes! Cover your body, don't embrace it, but let us oversexualize it and shame it!!" Nudism as an adult is just embracing more of where we came from, more of our innate divinity, dropping the masks we must wear and softening into the grace of the present moment—-perfect just as we are.
2. What is your perspective about nudity?
-I think nudity is simple, natural and that every body is beautiful; however, what can be challenging to nudity is not nudity itself but how American culture has negatively viewed and shamed nudity, and thus when anything is hidden in the shadows for too long it becomes distorted.
3. What has been the best experience you've had when you're without clothes?
-So I have a BEST experience and a funny experience. I'll share the funny one first:
Several few years ago I was in Berlin for my Sexological Bodywork training with Joseph Kramer. The training was informative, pushed my edges in the BEST way and offered an amazing array of somatic or body based personal experiences cultivating the art of breath, sound, movement, skilled touch and navigating all arenas of consent. The nature of the training had several moments of being naked, or dressed to ones comfort level. It was the first time I really had that much exposure to that many people being nude in the same room, and mind you new people since I was traveling across the globe to get there. It was a challenging, expanding and powerful TWO WEEK experience. So after probably the 10th day or so, I decided to go to Vibali, a Bali inspired spa in Berlin that I had heard about and wanted to try. I remember feeling so ready to "just relax" in the steam rooms and saunas. Upon my arrival to the spa and to my surprise, Vibali was "textile free" aka birthday suit or bust. It was a hilarious European adventure in surrender to my own discomfort with nudity. I feel like I escaped to the spa to get a little refuge from noticing moments of feeling uncomfortable naked in my training and what I got was more nudity. Everything shifted after that. I felt brave for going to these big experiences alone and walking through the challenge, recognizing so much was based on very old shame, being told how to behave (Texas conservative roots) and the fear of others unkindness. All of these were made up stories, it was a beautiful experience and helped me grow deeply.
The BEST experience would probably be right now: I am currently on a beautiful private island beach house with 6 of my girlfriends and clothes don't really need to exist here! What makes it the BEST is that I really trust and love these people and that makes an experience completely different.
4. What has been the most complicated when practicing nudism?
-I don't think it's very complicated but sometimes I wonder about other people's intentions and think that a lot of people lump nudity and sexuality together into one category. The two are mutually exclusive and vastly different expressions of the human form and human experience. I also think that understanding consent is paramount, even in nude settings regardless of touch. Attuning to social cues and respecting peoples bodies and energy is very important to take into consideration.
5. What is Naked Yoga?
Yoga practice with ones clothes off LOL!
6. What is the difference between Naked Yoga and traditional Yoga?
One wears clothes and the other doesn't. Otherwise, it's pretty similar; however, my brand, Naked Yoga Therapy actually is totally different from traditional asana yoga. Though, I still teach asana and the 8 limbs of yoga---Naked Yoga Therapy includes all of my background and experience from breathwork, emotional release work, trauma informed somatic work, therapeutic dialogue, shamanic journeys, intentional ritual, tantra basics, healing touch and educating people. This work is primarily 1-1 or with couples in a non-judgmental container. I believe people have their own answers and wisdom inside---I just create the space for them to find it, remember it and trust it.
7. Which do you consider the greatest benefit of practicing Naked Yoga?
The FREEDOM and the befriending of one's body! Overcoming fears, facing insecurities, seeing people with less of their public personas and more of their authentic selves.