More Zen Than Nudism!

Sometimes things slow you down
Whether it's work or play
You try to keep moving on
But circumstances force you to stay

When things get bad, realize this
It usually comes from something
You can't get, it starts to bug you
Like objections to your lack of clothing

At times like these, take a deep breath
Don't worry about future or past
Right now, live in this moment
It will go fast, it will not last

To further expand on my previous post on Zen and Nudism ... Nudism gave me peace of mind and helped me get past some of the mental blocks that were holding me back. And then ... when the objections to my nudism came fast and furious (literally!), I had to make choices. The choice I made resulted in restrictions to my nudist lifestyle and that started to get me down. I know - and knew - that I myself had made that choice, but every now and then I couldn't help thinking that it would be perfect if I could have it both ways.

The thought of having it both ways plays a number on my mind. I start to live in the future, and miss out on the present. But the present is our only reality. I would squander away minutes, hours or days of my life before I snapped out of it. And that's where Zen has helped me. Meditation gives me the stability that I seek and the ability to see things the way they are, to see reality for what it is. Having goals and a vision for the future is good, because it prevents me from drifting, but living in that future is a waste of time. I find it easy to intellectually understand the concept of living in the moment, but difficult to live my life by it. Meditation gives me that ability.

Zen and Nudism

I've been re-reading Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner. The book is a must read for anyone even remotely interested in the subject. The author is a former Punk Rocker, works in Japan making monster movies, and is a Zen Teacher in Japan. He presents a hilarious and wonderfully irreverent look at Zen.

Quoting from pg 55,
Every single human being in the world at some time thinks that "if only" this or that one of our conditions could be met then we'd be all set. ... Think again.
...
We always want to believe that somewhere there's a perfect situation, if only we weren't barred from it. But that's not the reality.
...
Maybe your lot right now could be improved. I know mine could. And working to make things better is great. But we don't just work to make things better and leave it at that, do we? We live in the idealized world inside our heads. And that keeps us from ever really enjoying what we have right now ...


It's not a new concept, but it got me to thinking about those of us who have family that don't approve of our inclination for nudism, how that plays on our minds, and the potential for unhappiness as a result of it. We do have the freedom and potential to change the situation, but we may be reluctant to do so. The reluctance most likely stems from a decision we've made based on priorities we've set ourselves - the decision that the circumstances that prevent us from pursuing our particular interest (e.g. nudism) is not worth losing something else (e.g. family).

If we don't fret, but keep working on creating more situations to experience nudism, and enjoy what opportunities pop up in our daily lives while we work on getting to where we would like to be, we'll be a lot happier and a lot more at peace.

This also applies to nudism, and life, in general. With the restrictions that are placed on our lifestyle by society, it can get frustrating, but if we enjoy what we do have we'll be better off for it. That doesn't mean we accept the restrictions if we don't want to. We must constantly work towards where we would like to be, but we must live in the current moment. If we live in the future, we may very well discover when we get there that the future is not what we had hoped for and, even if it is what we hoped for, we needlessly wasted the time we spent waiting to get there.

Balancing Act

I haven't been able to make it to the beach the past three weekends and I'm really waiting for this weekend to come around so I can make my way to Black's Beach.

I have often wondered what it is that compels me to get my regular fix of Black's. I get to spend some part of the day nude at home, so I do get a partial fix almost every day, but that hasn't proven very satisfactory. Is social nudism the necessary ingredient? It could be that since my home is an environment that's not fully supportive or accepting of nudism, nudism at home results in relaxation with a hint of tension. Maybe it's the feeling of complete relaxation at the beach that makes it so special. Or maybe it's just the people - being with people who are open-minded and willing to accept you for what you are, warts and all!

It would be wonderful to live in a world where clothes were optional, whether at home, or work, or play. However, we have to balance what we have with what we need. How does one find that balance without driving oneself insane? There's no easy answer to that question. We live in a constantly changing world and requires continuous evaluation of where we are and where we want to go, and a continuous search for the right balance. Just like everything we deal with in life!

Social Nudism

The past couple of weeks have seen new angles in my foray into social nudism. Before that, it was something that my wife just didn't accept, and it created conflict between us. The past couple of weeks have been great because there is now acceptance on her part, and I have had a chance to think of my feelings on social nudism.

There's been a wonderful crowd at Black's Beach the past couple of Sundays. In addition, last Sunday I was honored to be part of a wedding. The Black's Beach Bares make their area of the beach very inviting and you feel safe and part of a family when you're there. Being there in a more relaxed frame of mind, I felt more free to chat with folks. I also read my book(s), use the boogie boards the Bares have on hand to ride the waves, body surfed, and just plain relaxed.

Social nudism and home nudism both feel good thanks to the lack of restrictions of clothes. (Saves on cooling costs too! :-) ) Social nudism goes beyond home nudism with the way people perceive each other. Shapes and sizes don't matter. When you talk to someone, you're just talking to them. I don't know how else to describe the openness of my conversations on Black's. The people I've met are wonderful and accepting, and in a short time I already feel like I have a connection to them as fellow human beings. I'm looking forward to many more Sundays at Black's!

Black's Beach

I lie on the hot sand
Face turned to the side
Arms above my head
The sun beating down on my back

I hear the murmurs
Of people talking
Over the roar of the ocean
As I drift into semi-consciousness

I crack an eye open
See the sweat glisten
As it seeps from my arm
A little rivulet in the crook of my elbow

I love it here
It's peaceful and serene
This beach is special
The happy place I've been looking for

Children Without Clothes

The Political Naturist has a nice blog post on a New York Times article, "When Do They Need a Fig Leaf?"

The Meaning of Life

Roger Cohen has a wonderful article in the New York times on The Meaning of Life.

Now that's why nudists/naturists do what we do! There's no question it improves our quality of life.