Body Image & The Sauna

"Respect My Sexy" - Me

Do you know how many different body types there are in this world!? I thought I knew, but not NEARLY as much as I know now, especially, after going to JeJu, a Korean Sauna in Duluth, for the first time. First, I would like to thank my best friend for requesting a spa outing for her 25th birthday (Happy Birthday Za Za!). Although, I was super tired and felt like I was on the verge of death, I must say, JeJu def knows what it's doing.

Only $25 and you have access to a hot, warm, and cold Jacuzzi, wet saunas, dry saunas, hot saunas, cold saunas (if that makes any sense), food, mats to go to sleep, massages, showers, and the list goes on. I think it took us about 30 minutes, just to explore the options. 

Regardless, one of the things that was a little hard to take in, at first, was that one of the first rules of JeJu is that  none of the wet activities can be done with clothes (In other words, you have to be BUTT NAKED). Go figure! I can't really say that I thought I was liberated enough to walk around sans clothing prior to this trip,  with women I know and especially not with women that I don't know, all in the name of relaxation. . . so, as one would imagine this was a little difficult for me.

This was difficult for a couple of reasons, starting with the fact that it was weird. Let me correct that, it was weird to me. I have never been completely naked in front of my friends before. . . Let alone, "randomers". Another reason, this was difficult was because I couldn't find the point in it. . . like why would you just be naked. . . for no reason. Lastly and probably most important, I didn't want to see any one's naked body, nor did I want to share my own.

So. . . when it was time to strip. . . I did mine in s l o w  m o t i o n. Looking around, seeing if any one was looking and covering my goods. It was pretty intense for a moment. Fortunately, the two friends that I came with were naked before I could say. . . well, naked.

So, once I got over the nudity. . .The spa was WONDERFUL. So wonderful, that the nudity quickly became one of the things that I loved about it. Seeing so many women of different backgrounds, colors, ages, shapes, and sizes really challenged me to think about how I felt about my own body. I thought about how silly body image was in a room full of naked women, some un-scarred while others were scarred, some big, others small, but all beautiful and unapoligetic.

Which can very much so translate in the regular, clothed world as: Everyone has their imperfections, but we are all beautiful and other than health considerations, you have to learn to love your body, as well as your innerself.

All-in-all, Jeju was therapuetic for my body, as well as my soul. I highly suggest it! :)

Think. Happy. (Naked). Thoughts.