It's difficult to pinpoint the beginning of my longing to be naked in the outdoors. I simply desired it for years without having a place to express it. It just made sense to me, to be beneath the sun, on the grass, in the water, and not be guarded against it with clothes. Now I live in a place where there's a space that allows for nakedness outdoors and I am so grateful for it. I'd like to share my experience, what I've learned, and why it's been so valuable.
In my previous post, I wrote that the danger of keeping bodies secret, hidden, and shameful is that we believe ourselves to be flawed, damaged, gross, and in need of fixing. One of the greatest gifts in being naked with others is how normalizing it is. All of the bodies are the same (torsos, limbs, heads) and yet none of them are the same. It finally sank deep into my soul that I am normal and fine just the way I am. My body looks just like everyone else's and also like no one else's all at the same time. I'm normal in my embodiment and I'm normal in my uniqueness. It continues to be a healing part of reformulating the shaming narratives of my past.
Furthermore, I was very surprised to discover that being at the nude beach also made me much more confident and social. I didn't realize how strongly influenced I am by pre-judgement based on how a person is dressed, whether it be their clothes or accessories (whether fashionable or technological) or geographical context. Realizing everyone's 'sameness' (sans clothes and in a shared geographical context of beach enjoyment) created a safe space for me to interact with others. I found myself more willing to approach people, to engage in conversation and to just generally be friendly and conversational, which is in contrast to the reserved, awkward and uncomfortable way in which I usually carry myself.
The nude beach is a space of acceptance. No one judges. It's not uncomfortable. It liberates us from the baggage of body image and normalizes the bodies in which we dwell.
This post is part 2 of 4 in a series on nudity. In the next post, I'll talk more about the spiritual experience of being naked in the outdoors.