What is Naturism?

Hi Zen! I hope to join the discussion!

Well I'm a bit of a reformed naturist. Not because I renounced it or anything, far from it. I still love the thought of being at one with nature and do miss it but none of my family are naturists and although my wife has tried it, she couldn't alter her mindset from having a very uptight upbringing. I also have a grown son, who was never exposed naturism in any big way growing up, who would find it rather awkward, I suppose, to find his dad walking around in the nude!

So life is all about compromises, so it made much more sense for me to curb my enthusiasm toward naturism than it was the whole family bend to my will.

I'd still stroll around naked in front of my wife and when I used to travel a lot for work, I used to find quiet spots to get naked in but now I don't travel much, so even that has been taken away from me!

I'd love to join a club or something so I can get back into it but there's nothing suitable near where I am.

Ah, Cest la vie!

 

Yeah, we tried clothing optional resorts but my wife just couldn't get into it, so out of respect to her, we no longer go to those type of resorts now. I'd rather her be happy!

 

What is the difference between naturism and nudism?

 

I think the motivation behind the nudity is the difference. While nudism is about liberating the body from clothes and exposing it to the elements for personal health and enjoyment, I see naturism as much more than that, as it's about your own place in the world and the quality and balance of life.

Both are lifestyles and individual motivations overlap. Nudists are often part time nude, and usually fond of social nudity in designated places or more often at home.

Naturists make it more of a full-time lifestyle, changing other parts of their lives, living alternative ways.

Good examples are the Nature Boys who hung around the west coast in the 30s and explored health foods, yoga, meditation, fasting, as well as nudism. We owe a lot to them, spreading the Euro attitude towards healthy living in the US.

But the terms are close enough to be interchangeable in some situations.

 

nudism is just being naked

natruism is being naked with a purpose

 

Yes mainly to show others you are not being controlled... Your able to be yourself!!

 

From my experience I think that those who regard themselves as naturists are people who enjoy being naked as a natural state with no sexual connotations.
Those who regard themselves as nudists are people who regard naked as having a sexual connotation.

 

I feel like many people have misused the terms. Nudist and nudism is simply being living or spending time naked. naturism is nudism in nature. and a lot of people miss use it to mean loving nature clothed. I feel that is a "naturalist." I feel I am all of them and enjoy them all.

 

There certainly has been a lot of debate in a lot of places on this topic!

To me, it’s this:

The objective of the naturist is to be nude in nature. The motivation is interaction with the natural world in one’s natural state. It is elemental and CAN be social as well but the social aspect is secondary.

The objective of the nudist is to be nude amongst others. The others can be naked as well but don’t necessarily have to be. The motivation is to interact with other human beings while stripped of artificial covering. It can take place anywhere. Indoors, outdoors, wherever

Many folks are both naturists and nudists. It is not necessarily an either/or thing.

Lastly, there is the state of simply being naked. Home nudism is a phrase I see a lot these days. Sleeping naked, doing housework naked. I’m not sure that really fits into the true definition of either naturist or nudist and I’ve seen a lot of push back from nudists and naturists in terms of it not really being the same as putting yourself out there in the world while nude. At the same time, many nudists and naturists also enjoy being naked at home but recognize it is a more comfortable and less psychologically committing kind of thing.

My 2 cents.

 

I enjoy working Nude in my Barn and in my garden!

 

We have turned our backyard into a private tropical paradise. We enjoy nature and also fish and boat naked.

 

So I received my copy of issue 42.2 of Nude and Natural (AKA “N Magazine”) over the weekend and was stoked to find that I have two articles under my real name included in the publication, making for three total stories of mine in the last two issues. Starting to feel like a real naturist writer.

N Magazine - The Naturist Society Foundation
Naturist Publications - The Naturist Society Foundation

In addition to the story and photos I linked upthread, there is an article on a side-trip I made to Bay Bares Park on the panhandle of Florida while doing some other outdoorsy stuff down that way.

 

You are looking Good there, awesome photos, would love to be thete with you

 

I think nudism and naturism is about living nude, with a purpose. For example, it may be as simple as just living as God originally intended, or to promote body acceptance, education, or even to recharge one’s soul by being closer, perhaps exposed to nature without a barrier to protect one’s skin. For us, there is an aspect of sexuality involved as arousal naturally happens for us as we recharge our bodies and minds nude in nature, letting the breeze, the sun light, and the sight of our nude body’s invigorate us.

 

Thank you for sharing the articles, this looks like a group we should join.

 

I

 

I think the terms nudism and naturism are interchangeable, some prefer one, some another. And some people just enjoy some things without clothes and don't think of it as either.