N is for Nudity

Yesterday, I went with some of my colleagues from work to a Korean Spa as a celebration of the end of the quarter. The spa is all-female and features several pools, saunas, heated rooms, and services. It also includes a restaurant and tea room. Throughout the evening, we floated between the pools, food and the heated rooms, relaxing and enjoying one another's company. 

In most of the spa you wear a robe, but in the pool/sauna area, you don't wear anything. Yes, you heard me correctly. You are naked. 

Being naked in a room with a bunch of other strangers is really quite an interesting experience. It's interesting because it happens so infrequently. As a society, we only seem to talk about and experience nudity in sexual or utilitarian contexts. It's something foreign or taboo, not something normal and everyday. We also seem to have standards for how to be naked, and what you should look like when you are naked. I wonder if our society is any healthier by pushing nudity into such narrow contexts.

As I spent time in the pools, it was interesting to observe how easy it can feel to be naked in front of strangers. Granted, I've never been particularly sensitive in this area, but even those who are incredibly uncomfortable being naked in front of others seem to become a little less nervous about it in the spa setting. It's so nice to see people relax and be comfortable with themselves in front of others. It's a very vulnerable thing to do. 

Perhaps we all need a little more spa time. Not just for the joyful relaxation, but for the reminder of how normal it is to enjoy life with imperfect bodies.