What have I learned from German Saunas? The surprising way to stop body shamming and love how you look.

For one, I believe we are being bombarded by the perfect body images and ads all around us. From our early teenage years, we start to be self-conscious, we start paying attention to how we look. We start dreaming and fantasizing about the perfect tuned body. We develop uncanny feelings towards our own bodies, sometimes feelings of hate and shame. And no matter how much effort we put to look healthier or younger, we are always dissatisfied and irritated by the images and ads of the perfect tuned body. It is as if these images have sculptured itself deep into our brains and it scared us for life.

How many the times that we felt that we just want to change our own skins, just to get accepted. How many the times that we wanted to break free from this stigma, and go back to nature where we do not have to care anymore of how we look. Nothing feels more accepting and freeing than being in your own birthday suit.
Nevertheless, our background play a huge part in our upbringing. Most communities are still drowning in a thousand years old cultural and behavioral constrains. Illegality, shame, immorality and a lot of negative arguments are automatically associated with expressing naturism. As well as the huge mental barrier of being naked in front of people. Commonly, most of us is raised with the fact that no one should see your privates except in limited cases as your doctor or your significant other. We long to free our brains of worry, as well our body of shame.

Enter German Sauna, where there are signs that say “in this area swimwear is prohibited”. In other words, German saunas requires you to be fully naked. Although this might sound as freedom for those who are longing to experience nakedness, it may be also shocking. It might be an existential dilemma that raises the question “Who am I” its answer required altering of ones thoughts in order to be capable to swipe the years of body shaming and the layers of predefined social norms and behavioral constraints.

But I promise you a one of kind experience. Once you are in, you will be in awe of the tens of glorious naked bodies. Different sexes, different ages, different shapes. But also, when you mingle with the hoard of naked strangers, you will be finally relived of all the boundaries you have carried years on your shoulder. You will finally be free because you know now that there is not an exact perfect body, everybody is perfect and everybody is beautiful. For the first time in your life you will be free. You do not have to worry how you look, what are you wearing (D’OH), you will not care and nobody will care. Most importantly: everyone minds his own business, that is: meditating, relaxing and enjoying your own birthday suit.

What I am going to say next may sound peculiar and unusual but: I believe this is another level of sophistication. Weird at some point, but- At least for a newbies like me- absolutely elating. The thought of being naked in front of strangers for the purpose of relaxation and meditation, whilst disregarding any lustful basic thoughts, without the slightest of a doubt is sophistication. I assure you after you visit a German Sauna, you will finally accept and love who you are and how you look. It is absolutely elevating.