We're happy to break the ice and finally make a (sorta) NSFW post. Eat yer heart out!

A lot of people have been tagging us in the 7 day gratitude challenge and I promise I'm not ignoring you, but I am a little hesitant to do another 7 day challenge after the black and white one I did earlier this year! lol!

---

---

That said, I wanted to share something I'm grateful for today and reveal a little more about us, the inhabitants of this beautiful land we lovingly refer to as Mountain Jewel.

Before I met Ini, I traveled around to a lot of different communities. One of my favorite and most memorable was actually in the same state I'm living in now, but in the northern part. Some of you may be familiar with it as it's a notable longstanding Ecovillage called Dancing Rabbit.

I loved the natural builds, community dances, good food, but most of all the lake where humans from 2 to 80 would swim naked.

Of course it was "challenge by choice" and you didn't have to get down to your birthday suit, but most people did. It was so refreshing (double meaning here) swimming naked with all ages and having absolutely no weirdness around it. It wasn't a sexual thing and it was so cool to be around people and have no qualms getting naked and feeling the sweet water careen around our bodies.

---

---

---

Fast forward to when I met Ini. We used to bike to a nearby lake in a pretty public area and climb behind some bushes, strip down and get in the cool blue waters. Combined with being pretty hot on this guy, the nude swimming (kind of taboo in a public place) was good ol' fashion fun. No need for awkward swimming costumes.

So I always knew I loved being naked and outside and Ini certainly loves being in the nude... put that together with our hidden jewel of a property and the HIGH HUMIDITY -68%!- AND HEAT (99 degrees tomorrow!), and...

We are naked often during the summer here....

(Here's where we switch it up and Ini takes over...)

It's at these temps when the presence of clothing really comes into question.

What do we wear clothes for?

To protect our bodies right... Our bodies are made for sweating and have amazing capacities for temperature regulation. We need sun on our skin and I don't buy into the overhyped need for constant sunscreen application, but that's another story (see @walkerland's excellent post.)

The modern obsession with clothing has some useful and interesting elements, but when it's hot (not crazy dangerous desert hot) there's nothing like feeling the sweat ooze out through your pores.. the sweet hot sun on your skin, especially the parts that are deemed private or not suitable for work.

It's like these hidden spots yearn for exposure...

Sheltered by the Wild False Indigos in the Goumi Guild | Permaculture Nudity

We are after all wild animals that have gone through a long domestication process.

Removing the taboos and associated shoulds of nudity and embracing the wild side of life.

We may be the only species who feels shame around nudity, but not having spoken with other creatures on this topic I can only assume. As a species, we have always sought protective clothing, but I believe it is only recently in an industrialized society where shame and taboos come into play. "You can't just be your human self, we must cover that up". What gets me is that NOT wearing clothing can get you arrested.

Rewild your clothing practice by opting out!

A fun memory I had was when I visited my hometown of Winnipeg several years ago. Myself and 100 others riders participated in a naked bike ride around the city.

Needless to say there were plenty of honks and hollers and the event was generally very well received. What a fun event! There are plenty of similar events organized all over and it's great to see a peaceful and collective shunning of laws and taboos.

At home in the heat, one strategy for keeping cool is to inhabit the landscape naked (maybe a hat and a pair of Vibram 5 fingers) and regularly douse myself in cold water from the well or hose. AHHHHH. Nothing like feeling the hot sun and cold water interacting to invigorate and refresh.

I've come to see nudity not as a thing, but as a choice that's based in freedom and comfort.

What's the big deal anyway? We are all born naked. Plus there's less laundry to do if you don't wear clothes ;) The one downside is not having pockets, but tool-belts easily solve this conundrum. And if I really need protection and pockets, my Utilikilt provides that without sacrificing freedom.

We are all beautiful humans sheathed in skin (our biggest organ)and that skin deserves some freedom! Are there taboos or beliefs that you hold surrounding nudity? We'd love to hear from ya'll about any practice or activity around letting your skin shine.

Banner by @radicalunicorn

Well behaved women rarely make history.