Yes, ladies and gentlemen and people who don’t fit either or any description…
There is a new book coming out on May 14th of 2022. It’s about superheroes. Superheroes that don’t wear capes. Or anything else.
Let me tell you what the book is about:
Pat and Jody are friends. Together with some other friends they go out and have fun afternoons and evenings. At some point they decide to “visit” a mysterious warehouse, because Jody feels like “breaking in” somewhere. Things happen in that warehouse, and for Pat and Jody life will never be the same again.
Find out how they acquire weird powers and how they have to find a balance between being superheroes and regular people. It sounds easy, until you face the problem.
I ve been trying to find out why people wear night-clothes. Pajamas. Nightgowns. Nightshirts.
Seriously. Why?
I did some research and found that the “pajama” was copied from the clothing of Indian Maharajas and Rajas. They didn’t wear them to bed. Instead their pajamas were “recorded as the “uniform” of both the Indian gentry and peasants, also transcended sex, being worn by both men and women.” (According to an article on Dolce & Gabana.)
Pajamas were brought over to Europe by the English, who seemed to think it looked neat. The word pajama comes from the Hindi “pae jama” or “pai jama,” meaning leg clothing, and its usage dates back to the Ottoman Empire. (Source.)
Before the pajama, there were ‘nightshirts’ or nightgowns. According to Wikipedia, these were in fashion since around 1530. Before that time, it was apparently commonplace to sleep naked.
Now, with the lack of heating and a handful of cold winters I can imagine that people do their best to stay warm, but then fashion hits (even back then) and these things get turned into wannahaves and even fashion statements.
In our time, with most people not suffering from cold in winter (unless they want to), there is no reason for those floppy bits of fabric around your body. As we all know, sleeping in the nude is much healthier.
Sleeping naked
Whoever started using pajamas (which were day clothes!) in bed is still a puzzle to me, and I think to anyone who’s investigating that. It probably had its use back then, but today… it’s so unnecessary.
With the Easter weekend behind us, I suddenly wonder why so many people still have problems believing that the nude life can be a good life. Yes, ‘naturally’ there will always people who think they’re right and we’re wrong, but isn’t it odd how strong and lopsided ‘belief’ can be?
Christians are told to believe that 2000 and some years ago, a man got up in his grave and came back to the world. Sure, if that’s what you want to believe, go right ahead.
For some reason it takes an even larger leap of faith / believing that people like to be naked. That is a step or bridge or belief too far for most people in this world. It strikes me time and again that this ancient resurrection story is accepted as gospel (pun intended), and that we, the living proof of the joy of the nude life, have this constant battle against disbelief.
A few days ago I was at our local nude beach, and while I was there – with about 6 or 7 other nude people, I was “hit” by the calm and serenity of the place.
View from the local nude beach
If I desperately had to pick a church, this would be it. No hassle, no “have to”, just a bunch of kind people that are there to relax. They don’t need a belief or faith to know this is a good thing.
The good life. Nude.
Even better: no one has any interest in what you believe or think. As long as you behave according to the rules of the nude beach and you don’t make a mess, you’re golden.
I have yet to find a group of people that’s so diverse, yet so tight-knit in their conviction that the nude way is the good way.
Of course, there is the odd incident that someone creates a problem, but that’s not hard to deal with. The majority is peaceful and accepting of everyone from the start, and only when you’ve shown you can’t behave, you will be asked to leave. I’ve seen it happen only twice, so far.
Give me the belief that nude is good. Others can take their own beliefs and be happy with them.
I need 2 superheroes. Even worse, I need two nude superheroes. And why? I have a book cover to fill.
So far, the cover looks like this. Not much there, huh? I agree. It needs people. Superhero people. And that is where this cry for help comes in.
What I am looking for are a man and a woman, anywhere between 20 and 50, who are willing to donate 2 pictures each. In return you will get a copy of the book, e-book or print, whichever has your preference. Autographed if you so like. (Sorry, I am not in the publishing ranks of George R.R. Martin yet, where I can pay thousands of dollars as a fee.)
If you are interested, intrigued or just plain curious: please read on.
What I am looking for are 2 pictures per hero. 1 dressed, 1 undressed. The female hero is a school teacher, the male hero is a programmer. The dressed images will need a clear face, so be aware of that. People WILL be able to recognise you if they see the book. No need to import a school for the teacher, or a computer room for the programmer, though. 🙂
That’s all I want to share for now. If you are interested, please drop me a line via the contact form or the email address that’s listed there.
Many people frown on nudity. I still don’t understand (and you probably don’t either). We’re all born naked, and we can’t take any clothes with us (even if we wanted to) when we move away from this realm.
Christianity
To start with, even the Christian bible starts off with nudity.
Eve and Adam
Would the power of religion really be strong enough to convince / convert people to be nude more often? It’s something I suddenly wondered about. Of course, this is mostly a thought experiment, because the big religions with their shame attitude towards the nude body (a very good way to keep people under their thumb) cover most of the world and its population.
India
Still, there are areas in the world where things are different. For example there is a World Naked Religion in India – Digambara, the Jainist sect.
Digambara, (Sanskrit: “Sky-clad,” i.e., naked) one of the two principal sects of the Indian religion Jainism, whose male ascetics shun all property and wear no clothes.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Digambara
It’s a bit weird that this is only done by men, but it’s something, at least.
Note: low quality video.
History
Long ago there were Adamites, who practiced holy nudism during worship. Followers of ancient Adamism were centered in North Africa and Spain. The strength of the ideas, and its subversive nature to some, can be seen in authorities’ reactions, for example how they charged the ascetic Priscillian with praying naked, which was one reason for his execution as a heretic in circa 385 CE. (Via HistoryOfYesterday.)
Mid 18th century Adamists being arrested in Amsterdam
Adamists were not only men. Men and women would gather naked for everything about their religion.
Our now
Would there be room for a nude religion? Would it be viable? Accepted?
Would many people join? Perhaps at first, to peek and laugh, I’m convinced of that. But what would they do after the peeking and the laughing? Would they notice how much more pleasant life and body are without those coverings?
You’ve probably heard or read that one before. Memento Mori. I was surprised to find something unexpected when I looked for an image for this.
Remember, you can die.
Almost always this is depicted with a skull. Perhaps a common thing in the US, but not in the Netherlands, where I reside. Ah well, learnt something new today.
A few days ago I heard a podcast about Memento Mori. A good one, explaining that this is not a warning but a reminder. A reminder that we will all die someday, and therefore we shouldn’t postpone things until later – because later may never come.
The podcast speaker (presenter?) also said that Memento Mori is the opposibe of the oh-so-beloved bucket list, the list with things people want to do later.
Why wait? Why not do it now, because now you’re alive and able to do it – and remember doing it. And perhaps up to doing it again.
If there’s a nude beach you want to visit and you have the option now, do it. If there’s a nude resort you plan on visiting, do it now. (I can recommend the Mighty Oaks, the staff there is great! 😉 )
Listening to this podcast I realised that there are 2 lives. 1 that keeps you alive (as in gets the food, the rent paid, and stuff like that) and 1 that you need to fulfill as much as you can when you can. The life that you want to live now. The body painting, the nude events, the naked bike rides, the nude swims.
Putting them off to a time that may never come is a sad thing. And trust me (or not, up to you), once you’ve done all those things, you won’t end up with nothing left to do, because each event, each happening will open a new door, new options to do and try too.
I think this is part of the magic we can create for ourselves and each other. Create options and events, and invite others. Together the magic is even bigger. And don’t put them on the bucket list. Put them on the list of things done, the list you can look at with pride.
