Ever take off your clothes and stand naked in a room full of strangers? I just did, and it was wonderful.
I was invited to lead a body image exercise in a program put on by the International Professional Surrogates Association (IPSA). This is a class of people training to be surrogate partners in sex therapy. If they become certified, they will work in concert with licensed therapists to help clients with a variety of sexual dysfunctions. Through a series of touch exercises and ongoing personal sharing, they will form an increasingly close bond that could end in sexual intimacy. This is a simplistic description of a complex process of building a relationship, the goal of which is to teach a client how to navigate such a partnership in the real world. In the field of human sexuality, it is a truism that sex therapy is really relationship therapy. The IPSA website linked above has more information about the therapy, surrogate training, and the code of ethics that IPSA surrogates follow.
In the first paragraph, I tried to create a bit of drama by saying that I was naked in “a room full of strangers.” In fact, the training classes are small: There were six trainees, plus the head trainer (and IPSA President) Dr. Vena Blanchard. The task I was given was to be nude in front of a full-length mirror and do a body meditation that included form, feeling and function. Form is the physical appearance of the whole and parts of my body. Feeling is my body’s capacity for sensation and pleasure. Function is how well my body can perform what I need to survive and thrive. The rationale is that surrogate partners should have a comfort level with their own bodies to help clients develop self-acceptance and learn what is possible for them.
I began by leading a group disrobing. Starting with our heads and moving down, participants were asked to remove clothes (or other accoutrements) to the level that was comfortable. I invited them to focus on things such as what felt easier to remove vs. more difficult; how the skin of the unclothed parts felt as compared to the clothed parts; what they might gain and lose by removing vs. not removing any particular items. Then I gave permission to just look at each other from head to toe, front and back.
We talked a bit about what it felt like to do this. It manifested in different ways for each person, spurring both laughter and tears, but each of us became aware of two basic experiences that we had in common:
- The vulnerability that comes with sharing ourselves in such an intimate way, as well as the trust that builds when we are accepted by others.
- The falling away of judgments about whether a body is ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ replaced by a realization that all bodies are simply human and beautiful in their own individual ways.
Then I turned to the mirror to commune with myself. I confronted the fact that at 65, I don’t have the body that I had at 25, or even at 45. In an ageist culture that treats older people as invisible, and older bodies as perhaps even disgusting, it can be hard to find things to feel positive about. And as we age, we begin to have failures of function that, besides being inconvenient and uncomfortable, also remind us of our mortality. I was concerned that too much of my focus would be on the things that I have lost or that I feel disappointed in or ashamed of; but I was going to challenge myself anyway.
As I talked about my form, I found, as I’d expected, that I am disappointed that my once lustrous hair has thinned, and embarrassed by my sagging belly. But I was pleased to note that I’m happy with my still-pretty dark eyes and full lips, and excited that my lover never seems to tire of looking at my shapely legs. (Hooray for leg men!)
When it came to feeling, I had to admit that the former bright light of my sexual response has dimmed somewhat after menopause. But my intellectual and emotional interest in sex is still great, and with a little help from modern medical science, my little tubes of estrogen cream and testosterone cream, I can boost my response at will. My skin is still very receptive to touch, and I didn’t mind at all one day when my lover was caressing my thigh and asked, “When are you going to get old lady skin?” Thus implying I haven’t.
Years ago, I came late to the idea that I might want to have a child. By the time I knew, I had lost my reproductive function and suffered a series of pregnancy traumas (I cried during this portion of my meditation). In addition, the scoliosis (curved spine) that I’ve had all my life is beginning to cause pain and limit some activities. Nevertheless, I still feel strong in my body and am able to do many of the things that I want and need to do.
After I finished, the trainees thanked me for my openness about my body. We shared some group discussion, and then they went off to private spaces to do their own body image exercise in pairs.
As I drove home, I had time to contemplate how I felt. I accepted the inevitability that I am aging and my body is changing. Instead of feeling cheated out of what I once had, I can enjoy remembering it, and I can still take pleasure in what I have now. I’ve reached an age where some of my friends have passed away. I don’t know, but can imagine, that they might wish they could reside in this imperfect yet beautifully alive body that I am still gifted with. I feel grateful.
What do you think you might find if you did your own
body image exercise?
after reading this article i want to really learn to appreciate my body completely the way you do at age 65. very inspiring.
LikeLike
I hope you can! None of us is perfect, but we still are beautiful (or handsome LOL).
LikeLike
The common theme experienced in you and your peers after completing this exercise definitely caught my attention. There is an extreme vulnerability in sharing yourself in an intimate way no matter who you are sharing yourselves to, and there is an overwhelming sense of trust when you are accepted by the individual(s). Changing your perspective on having a “good” or “bad” body and replacing that thought with understanding that we are all just unique, beautiful humans really hit home to me. I struggled with accepting myself in many ways, especially physically in my years prior, but growing from that and learning that I am simply human made me love myself more and made myself more confident in sharing myself with others. You stated that “in an ageist culture that treats older people as invisible, and older bodies as perhaps even disgusting, it can be hard to find things to feel positive about”. It is absolutely saddening that society tends to not be accepting of people who are aging, yet the sadder part is that those same people who treat older people as invisible or disgusting are still going through the aging process. I believe that aging is a beautiful thing and it is something that everyone in this world goes through. We may not have the same bodies that we did x amount of years ago, but it is important that we find the beauty in every stage of life. In a society where it is hard to be satisfied, we should learn to be satisfied with ourselves. Thank you for such a wonderful post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re quite welcome! And you make a good point about how younger people who may be critical of the old are aging themselves as well. Their turn will come.
LikeLike
I really enjoyed this post, Its very real and you shared vulnerability through this context which I admire profoundly. I am 18 and I don’t think I can do what you did or what the rest of those in the room were capable of doing too. I hope to one day be able to accept myself and come to terms with the reality but if you have any advice or tips, please let me know!
LikeLike
You could start by just doing the exercise (out loud but alone) in front of a mirror! 😉
LikeLike
As I was reading this, I began to point out various flaws my body has as well. When looking at our own body we do tend to point out the things we don’t like about ourselves rather than the good things we like/love about ourselves. You’ve made me look at my body a certain way I never thought I could. It’s very hard to see my body as a positive aspect because of mental abuse I had faced as a child. Though I’m still working on becoming body positive, this definitely made me realize that my body is beautiful no matter how many stretch marks or how much saggy skin I gain in the future.
LikeLike
I am sorry you suffered mental abuse, but I applaud your journey to love yourself – flaws and all – better!
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing such an intimate experience! I feel like this Body Image exercise is something that can help a lot of people with body image issues and help create a stronger sense of vulnerability and intimacy like you shared. I like how you talked about an ageist society that we live in and how this can maybe affect your views on your own body but I admire how you are able to see beauty in all stages of life and appreciate aging. We’re all so unique 🙂
LikeLike
We are all unique! And it’s amazing how one can stand naked in front of a group of strangers, and after a few minutes of discomfort, we all just felt human and beautiful.
LikeLike
was this your first time being exposed in front of strangers? if so, what were some thoughts that you had going through your head? and if it isn’t..well does it get easier each time you do it? or yoou feel different emotions each time?
LikeLike
I’ve done this a few times now. It does get easier. My thoughts change a bit just depending on where I am in my life at the time.
LikeLike
How long did it take you to agree or come up with the decision to do this? I didn’t even know this was something individuals can do. Its really inspiring and encouraging to see the self love and acceptance you have towards yourself. Everybody would be so much happier with this mindset.
LikeLike
It was actually easy to agree, because I had gone through their training myself many years ago. I know it’s important to teach them how to love themselves … and their clients.
LikeLike
I love how you are so open and have come to accept how your body looks. Every body is beautiful and it takes a great amount of courage to do what you did with strangers, something I could probably never do!
LikeLike
You might feel differently when you’re my age! LOL
LikeLike
First, congratulations on being so open and brave. If I was ever courageous enough to do a body image exercise I am sure that my results would mirror yours, as far as the feelings of accepting what I have at the age am. For now, I know that I am still considered young, although I feel old, but I need to take proper care of my body now since I will not have it forever. Thank you for sharing your story with us!
LikeLike
You’re welcome! I’m glad you could relate to it.
LikeLike
Very brave in sharing yourself personally, regardless of who you share with, and there is an immense sense of confidence when you are embraced by the person.
LikeLike
Samantha, you are so right about the confidence!
LikeLike