Nude Dune Walker

There is something about the air at dusk. It has an unusual quality; cold, with that hint of a breeze- the type of air you can breathe in fully and feel the wonderful energies of twilight infuse you. It is totally refreshing with a hint of the rapidly approaching night. An air of excitement, an air of the unknown- a sense of awe and wonder that anything could happen!

Up here, in the North of Scotland, even the summer nights have this cold and mysterious hue. When you live only a mile from a beach and the waxing Moon becomes apparent over the deep blue sky, you wish to experience this to the full. Merely opening my window and inhaling deeply transfixes me and I cannot resist the temptation to wander into the darkness…

I know that darkness will give me cover and that few people travel to the beach at night. Yes, I have been nude on the beach during the day- it is wonderful to feel the sun on my body and the sea air embrace me. At night though, the experience is even more invigorating. The warm sun is replaced with the cool breeze, a breeze that caresses and touches like the day breeze cannot, that reminds you of your nakedness at every moment.

It is slowly getting darker, the Moon is becoming brighter and the daylight is being replaced with the mysterious moonlight. I decide to venture down to the dunes. As I walk I notice that I am quite cold, even fully clothed. I wonder if a nude excursion at this time of night may be a little foolhardy. I walk on regardless! As I walk on it slowly gets darker, the last of the deep scarlet sunset disappears into a rich turquoise. The sand dunes that sparkle during the day, as the sun reflects off the glasslike grains, now look flat and creamy. In the moonlight the sand becomes like the lunar surface. I walk on further and hear some voices. I thought I would be alone, but there are still people about. I walk past them and realise that they are heading towards the car park. It may be cold and risky tonight. Should I go for a walk and forget the naturist trip? I think about this as I walk- No! I will go on to the sand dunes.

As I walk off the track into the dunes the walking becomes heavier. It is difficult to walk on sand, especially with shoes on. I take them off and walk barefoot on the sand. It feels cold and slightly damp- it sends of shimmer of life up my spine. A shimmer that reaches my head and grounds me into the night! Fully clothed you are separated from nature, from the beautiful and mysterious energies. Taking off shoes and walking barefoot is the ‘first contact,’ it is the first time you feel fully connected… and alive! The voices pale in the distance and I walk on through the cold night sand illuminated by the pale moonlight. I enjoy the sensation of the sand beneath my feet as I sink slowly during every step. I reach a bank of sand that formed my previous skyline. From here I can see the sea and look back into the countryside. I notice cars along a distant road, lit up as a distant symbol of the industrial world. The contrast is breathtaking- the Moon reflecting off the sea and the cars on the road. I walk along this bank of sand into a sheltered dune.

In the dune I take off my warm jacket and begin to slowly undress. The first hints of the cold night lightly caress my skin. I remove my jeans and tee-shirt and finally underwear and stand naked in the dunes. I am aware of the slightly moist and misty Scottish atmosphere forming tiny drops of due on my bare skin. They tingle and ground me into the moment. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Using ancient Chi Kung I slowly earth myself. My body seems to sink and solidify as my awareness moves from my busy mind to my skin. Standing still makes me cold and I shiver slightly, I still wonder if it is too cold for a nude walk. I scramble up the sand dune and look around as the breeze embraces me. I shout out aloud as I feel totally invigorated by the sensations. I feel totally naked and at one with the earth!

I decide to proceed with my walk and gingerly at first make my way towards the sea. It feels very light walking without the impediment of clothing, I seem to glide effortlessly across the sand. As I walk on I experience an adrenaline rush which brings my awareness back to my nakedness and enhances the sensations and connection with the earth. I walk for ten minutes across the moonlight sand until I arrive at the sea. It is a totally awe inspiring view. The Moon, now shining through a sea mist, reflecting off the ruffled water. It fills me with a longing to enter the sea- the ultimate moonlit skinny dip! I have warmed up and my body is now accustomed to the night.

I slowly enter the water expecting it to be freezing! It is not as cold as I thought originally and venture deeper into the sea. The waves break across my legs and send a fountain of water down on me! I breathe in sharply and hold my breath as my heart races. What a feeling! I walk back onto the shore as the seawater slowly evaporates in the breeze. It feels like I am becoming more naked, if that were possible. The salty water embracing my body and evaporating. As it disappears I become blissfully aware of all areas of my body in turn as they are cooled by this wonderful sensation. I decide to re-enter the sea and repeat this experience. I walk into the wet sand and slowly into the waves. I wade in up to my waist. As the water reaches my waste-line I suddenly become very cold and backtrack to the shore. Yet again I feel the water cool as it evaporates. I can smell the rich smell of the sea on my skin and feel part of nature.

I walk further down the shore, the waves lapping against my feet. As I dry I feel very warm. The sea has left a residue of salt on my skin that cloaks me- natural clothes! I venture back into the sea, this time I kneel down in the waves. As they break they drench my entire body. Bliss! I am knocked over by a particularly big wave and after spitting out the salty seawater, crawl onto the shore. The feeling of the wet sand beneath me is very earthy. It is almost like mud! I enjoy this feeling and roll in the sand, my body becomes covered and I look like a ‘Sand Man!’ I walk down the shore feeling totally at one with nature, my body encased in sand like an ancient ritual. The Moon still shines on the water and the wind cools any exposed sections of my body. I walk for a mile or so in the lapping waves, walking toward the main beach that is crowded with people during the day.

After a seeming eternity lying on the beach watching the Moon, I decide to wash off the sand in my final skinny dip. The cooling sea washes off the sand and leaves me feeling totally naked again. I walk from the sea into the sand dunes. This time I walk to the top of a high dune and allow the wind to dry me. It is a wonderful feeling as it does so- it permeates my every fibre. I feel so alive and human. I have been washed clean of industry and society, of the values and beliefs of a soul-less world. I am at one with nature as the moonlight reflects off my pale skin. I notice my shadow as I walk back to the sand dune where I left my clothing. The sand seems orange. I cross the great wall of sand and slowly reached the dune. I reflect on my experience and stand watching the night for one last time…

The Naked Spirit

Being naked in nature is the act of being totally unconstrained by clothing and being at one with heaven and earth. Only by stripping off completely and being totally naked in nature can this be achieved. This means more than just textiles, but also all jewellery, shoes, watches and technology. Clothes act as a barrier between nature and ourselves, they stop the flow of our vital life-force energy and symbolically bind us to society and all the constraints that it represents.

This connection is deepened the further we venture from society and our clothes. I usually like to go for long nude walks deep into a forest, leaving my all connections to society miles behind. Then I will stop and concentrate on my breath to ground myself. I will sit on a rock or rest against a tree and allow nature to infuse me with her energies. All the senses will come into play. I will take a deep breath of the forest air and smell the freshness. I will close my eyes and listen to the birdsong, the wind in the trees and perhaps a babbling brook. I will feel the air embrace me, all over- perhaps feeling the sun on my body or the grass caress my legs. Only then will I open my eyes and look around at the beauty of my surroundings, the majestic Scots Pine trees, the warm inviting looking grass, the birds and the clouds in the sky. If I am lucky I will see a deer or a hawk. Sometimes I will drink out of a brook and then submerge myself into its cool and vibrant energies. I will walk through the long grass and feel it against my legs. I will feel the heather beneath my feet and the wonderful sensation of mud squelching through my toes. All the time I am becoming more fully embraced by nature. After a while I become part of nature. I lie in the grass or the heather and look up at the clouds passing, loosing myself in the moment.

As a naked spirit I adapt methods of meditation and energy work to my own needs. I often use a combination of imagery and Chi Kung to allow the nature energies to infuse me deeply. One of my favourite methods is to imagine energies from the earth embracing me and entwining me in the form of a tree. This tree surrounds me and grounds me. I also use meditation techniques such as concentrating on my breath or just watching a waterfall. I prepare for my trips by listening to imagery journeys and meditating. I find that using crystals and aromatherapy oils prior to setting out can also help me settle into the correct frame of mind. Outdoor nudity is usually associated with warm sunny weather and sandy beaches. Although I have had many wonderful trips on warm sunny days and on large sandy beaches. The feelings I get from a beach are different to the countryside- both are equally wonderful. So is going on a moonlit naked trip. I also find that walking in snow or feeling the rain on my skin is very sensual and wonderful. There is nothing like a forest, just after rain! I have been out in all seasons and in all weather, all have their own unique charm. The cold and wind can accentuate your nakedness in a way the strong sun cannot. If you have ever stood on a Scottish hillside, with the mist embracing and invigorating you, you will know what I am talking about!

After I return from a trip I will often meditate and reflect upon my experiences. I love the smell of the sea or the forest on my skin. To become fully immersed in nature all the senses must be involved and be functioning well. Eating only lightly before a trip and avoiding alcohol or spicy foods also helps to keep the senses functioning. Smoking and drugs should also be avoided. To me being naked is more than just removing my clothes. It is a deeply spiritual ritual that allows me to submit to nature and feel fully alive, awake and ecstatic!

The Sacred Well

It was a beautiful June evening and I was lucky enough to have the sacred well to myself. The stars shone down upon me with their ethereal light and the air was filled with magic. The moon too, was magical in her presence. A wonderful opportunity to connect, to dance, to be at one with nature. After removing my clothing I immediately felt free and danced on a grassy bank, twirling and turning like a dervish, like an elemental spirit set free. I danced with the fairies.

The well itself was equally magical, as we stood and peered into her mystical depths. The energy rising up our spines causing them to tingle in the slight breeze. As I walked to the source I could smell some of the beautiful flowers and trees that surrounded this most sacred of areas. The source itself provided an endless flow of pure water. I gulped it and splashed it all over, feeling instantly invigorated and shivering with the shock! Sacred well water is healing water and I could feel it heal me from within as I drank directly from the source. The water evaporating off my skin cleansed and healed me from the outside and the two forces me, totally embracing me, setting me free. Such an amazing feeling of ecstasy and being totally embraced by mother nature herself. I no longer felt cold in the breeze, but felt part of it.

As I walked further I empathised with the flowers and trees, I could feel their presence in a way that is impossible fully clothed in the daylight. I was one of these beings. I was a dancing sprite, overcome with the joy of simply being alive. This is what life is, the sky, the water and the earth. A sanctuary in nature that liberated me from the ties of society. For these few eternal moments I ran free as a stag in a wood, flew like a bumble bee from flower to flower and soaked up the moons silver shards, as she too watched, and smiled.

It is one thing to take a shower in these gorgeous waters, but another to submerge in the lifeforce of the goddess. As I lowered myself into the stream the cold instantly tingled and I breathed in sharply. Goosebumps and a feeling of liberation, a feeling of letting go. The waters gently bathed me and took away all my cares, all my negative thoughts, indeed all my concepts of who I was. They were replaced with a different me, a me that has always been there from the beginning of time. I had become part of nature and experienced her magical embrace. I looked up to the moon and the stars, up to the trees and down at the water. All were now familiar to me in a way I had long forgotten. They were like old friends, like finding my way home after a strange and weary journey through a dusty land.

I slowly climbed out of the stream and thanked her for the healing. My feet splashed onto the surrounding rocks causing wet footprints, like the tracks of some exotic animal never seen by human eyes. The breeze dried by, but left me with a coating of joy. A coating of Gaia’s lifeblood, claiming me as one of her spirits. Everything looked so clear, like the water itself. Life is simple, it is all about connection. The moments of bliss embraced my whole being from the beginning to the end of time, I was changed, I was renewed, I had returned home.