[description: a nude body lies face down on a massage table]
Because it's therapeutic.
Because it's therapeutic.
I confess that I have never had a professional massage. (Yes, I know - I'm sure I am missing out). But opportunities for massage therapy turn up not infrequently in nudist situations. Although it takes another step outside of your comfort zone from being naked in front of others to letting another person touch your body (and some people like to draw conclusions from this), I think massage provides an excellent example of the sensual element of nudism - not necessarily in the sense of being sexual, but being a heightened sensory experience. Part of the joy of being naked is allowing the myriad nerve endings in our skin to experience all the sensations we deny them when they are stuffed up inside our clothes.
Moreover, massage can be very relaxing. But nudism itself presents a number of therapeutic benefits, which affect both the body and mind. From the sensory release from our clothes, to the relaxed lifestyle, the freedom and comfort that comes from accepting the skin we're in, and the improved attitudes towards our own and others' bodies...nudism is not only enjoyable, but has the potential to be a very healthy lifestyle. Some tout it as the cure to many of modern society's ills - a return to paradise, or a walk through Thoreau's Walden. This is largely a self-fulfilling prophecy - you get out of nudism what you put into it. In truth, few will disparage your choice to engage in common "vices" like drinking and smoking (to wit, there are plenty of nudists who themselves do these things). But even just the relief from society's uptight, textile-based taboos, and the opportunity to accept oneself "as nature made us", can be a crucial step towards a happier, more peaceful and fulfilled life.
