General Discussions

Reading through some of your forum posts, it’s clear that even in New Zealand, where laws are relatively gracious toward naturism, finding opportunities and locations to practice it without offending the sensibilities of others is still an ongoing challenge. 

Living in the United States, as I do, and in an area of the country where any outdoor nakedness can potentially fall under local indecency laws, my experiments with naturism sometimes feel like subversive acts that must be undertaken with the precision and planning of a bank heist, or else surreptitiously stolen in moments of unexpected solitude.

Yet I have found that even here—and in some ways precisely because of living where I do—if I follow the rules I’ve established for myself, I can quite easily create opportunities to bare my skin to the elements and exult in the wonders of the wild. Circumstances typically determine whether any given escapade will last hours or moments, but the sense of risk, of peril, defying taboos and taking ownership of my actions by fully immersing myself in Life Itself makes each opportunity a sacrament of sorts.

I’m a religious man by nature and temperament. I have a PhD in Theology from a British university, and I am both committed to and active in my local Christian congregation. Naturism is not my religion; I’ve already got that niche nicely filled. But it is an enriching and ennobling hobby for me. I sometimes imagine these outings like a Jewish mikvah, a renewal of covenants and a personal rededication to higher laws, or a Shinto misogi, finding centeredness and balance in a chaotic cosmos—a personal purification ritual. And sometimes that renewal comes as simple childish delight, finding reverence and freedom (and fun!) in merely being myself.

I recognize that most naturists seek strength and solidarity in gathering together for their more daring exploits: hikes, swims, parades, bike rides, etc. And I salute your efforts. But that’s not really an option for me since getting a group together would only serve to draw attention and likely end up in everyone getting fined—or worse: placed on a sex offender registry. That’s not the experience I seek.

And since my interest in naturism is mostly a solitary affair anyway, an attempt to bring holiness into physical practice, rather than to find friends of like mind, I have gone to some lengths to figure out ways to go about it…and not get caught.

One man’s mikvah is another’s misdemeanor. It’s best to be careful ’round here.

If anyone is interested in sharing additional tips you’ve found along this journey, or hearing some of my own, I'll meet you in the comments. You can see photos of some of my adventures on my profile. Feel free to ask about any that look interesting, and I’ll share what I can. I’ll add a few photos here as well to provide a sampling.

At any rate, you seem like a delightful group, and I thank you for allowing me to join in from a distance.

-Tyler