Nudie rudie

Do you feel rude if you're nude?

Like you have to apologise for the shape, size, age, colour, or health of your own nude body? 

Are you judgey, critical, cruel and controlling of your skin suit? 

Perhaps you ignore the feelings about your own body and instead deflect your attention to commenting on the appearance of other people’s bodies?

If you do, you're pretty normal.  

In the past couple of weeks I've embodied what it is for me to be at home in my body around others. 

I stepped out onto a beach in my new, one-of-a-kind, crocheted nude-kini.

I did Nude Yoga with the legendary Rosie Rees, the OG pioneer of transformative 3-hour Nude Yoga workshops (at her first Melbourne workshop in 4 years, and she asked me to be her assistant!) 

I filled up my car at the petrol station in the middle of the day dressed in my pjs and wearing no underwear. 

(You can check out photos of each of these on facebook on my personal page, private Sister Space group, and on instagram - it's me removing another layer!)

All were stretchy moments, and all were met with some level of amazement, awe and shock when I shared them with sisters and on my socials. (No surprises, the clothed one was the only one that some had also experienced!) 

For years I've been incredibly curious about, and committed to highlighting, the layers of shame, judgement, systemic control, sexual violence/oppression and all kinds of other sh*t that women (and non binary folk with female bodies) carry, particularly those currently in their midlife and beyond deal with daily.

It’s everyone’s birthright to feel comfortable in their own skin, to be informed and supported to understand the wisdom and wonder of their body, and to feel safe and have their boundaries and body respected. 

And to have fun!

My handmade bikini does this.  

It's crocheted by Rosie's Cosies and celebrates the beautiful female nude body, is made from recycled t-shirt yarn and has sparkly pubic hair! 

(It's my second crocheted bikini. I was a 70s child and wore my very first crochet bikini lovingly made by my great aunt, Elva, aged about three.)

The nude yoga workshop was nothing like your normal class. 

No rows.

No poses (where you're bent over with vulva and bums exposed to the woman on the next mat!)

No bright lights (the studio was candle-lit)

No expectations or judgement of your body or yoga experience.

No feeling like you were there on your own (yes, we all didn't know each other before we arrived, but we'd all shared and connected before we chose to de-robe and finally do the yoga) 

All these activities have been liberating and allowed me to rewrite my relationship with my body. 

So how does this make you feel? What does it make you think about nudity? How can you use this as an invitation to feel free and comfortable in your skin? 

If you'd like inspiration, you can check out conversations with some incredible women that I've published in my recent episodes of TURNED ON: Wild, free & sexy in your midlife - the links are below. 

I'd love to hear what you do, or desire to do, to reclaim your body - you can reply, email or message me on socials.