Image via Wikipedia
Tips for dealing with nudity at the spa – http://ow.ly/3ZvkF
My tips, culled from personal experiences of being in spas on many occasions, are all found in the link above. Being nude at the spa is the only way to go to make the most of your experience in an enclosed especially designed environment to help you heighten your awareness of your senses. There is really nothing sexual in the experience, unless if you’re seeking for it in the first place. However, to seek for sex at the spa is wrong and can be considered to be in bad taste. There is actually nothing sexual at all in being nude – for example: you don’t think of ‘sex’ per se when you look at naked babies.
Being nude at the spa takes a lot of being in charge with your mind, first of all. If you’re not at all comfortable in seeing yourself in the nude with others (who are mostly strangers at that), then don’t even go to a spa. However, you’ll be missing a lot if you don’t dare to do so. It’s one of those opportunities where you are on equal level with others, as all around you are without clothes (except, perhaps, members of the staff).
Spas in Japan (they’re called ‘sento’) are venerated places where people gather to commune with their inner selves. This can be considered goofy by some, but spas in Asia, most specially in Japan where bathing connotes certain rituals, indeed offer a lot of meaningful experiences that start when you go in the nude. You’ll be surprised to see that at certain spas in Japan, those who serve as attendants are even members of the opposite sex.
Try to go alone first, if no one’s willing to join you. Having companions, like friends or lovers, for those who are showing up the first time at the spa, can be distracting. Ask for assistance from the staff if you’re not familiar with the place. If there’s massage or special services (like facials, dry or wet steam baths) included in the package, make sure you avail of them.
When you go in the nude in any spa, just try to keep calm. Keep your sense of humor but be very aware of others in the safe confines of this especially enclosed environment. Needless to say, you might as well keep away from staring at other people’s bodies if you feel very sexual by just looking at them. These people go to spa to enjoy the experience themselves – don’t be intrusive and obstructive then so that everybody will have the pleasures of being at the spa. Focus on yourself and engage in meditative poses if you can. Take all your time in following your own rituals of cleansing. Take all your time in allowing water flow into your body; experience certain levels of positive energy from being in the spa. You’ll be surprised to see parents who will bring their children with them to the spa. I’ve seen them on many occasions. Understand that there’s nothing malicious about being naked at the spa. Try to imagine how you can enjoy the benefits of being at the spa if you are clothed. You’ll certainly look and feel ridiculous. Also remind yourself that the ancients certainly spent hours luxuriating in spas – read the classics and histories of those who lived during the long periods of existence of the Roman Empire. They had their own versions of the spa, which nowadays are available in places where were live (although mostly concentrated in urban areas).
There should never be issues related to being nude at the spa. However, some are simply uncomfortable and make issues about the whole experience. In the meanwhile, let’s leave them at that. They simply don’t know what they’re missing. We just hope they’ll overcome their inadequacies and false sense of propriety soon.
