[description: a nude figure in a hooded cloak stands before a glowing fire]
Because my body is a temple.
Because my body is a temple.
As I mentioned before, nudism is not a faith-dependent lifestyle. Persons of all (or at least most) faiths can and do practice nudism - there are even Christian nudist groups. But paganism has had a long history of better than average respect for the naked body, particularly the spiritual aspects of its association with nature. The term 'skyclad' - as in "clad in the sky" (or, in other words, dressed in air) - was coined to describe the state in which some pagans would practice their rituals unclothed (or minimally dressed - e.g., in ceremonial robes or other adornments) out in the woods, around a bonfire, under the stars, etc. Especially for those who have reverence for the natural world, nude worship shows respect, and gives the ceremony a special energy that separates it from everyday life. We came into this world naked, and fashioned clothing by our own hands. By laying down those clothes, we can take a step back towards the divine source of inspiration that animates us, and become more godlike, if only for a time.
