tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23356072671738783872024-03-13T22:01:47.678-07:00The Nudist JourneyA Proud Nudist sharing thoughts and ideas about nudism/naturism so that others can learn to appreciate and understand what we do and why we have such a passion for this manificent lifestyle. Through understanding i hope we can gain more public awareness and eventually defeat the stigma that is associated with nudism/naturism and nudity in general.Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-76440065278401971142019-08-07T04:14:00.001-07:002019-08-07T04:14:56.515-07:00What does it mean to be healthy?Living a healthy lifestyle can be difficult in todays modern busy way of life. Even nudism, which promotes a healthy mindset and to a degree an overall improved physical wellbeing can be difficult to maintain physical health. All that lazing around the pool or beach, camping with some drinks by the fire or all those nudist events organised at the bowling alley or local nudist club cant really be good for the figure!!<br />
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In any case, although nudism does not promote perfect model bodies and the ultimate six pack we should be looking after ourselves. Eating well and living well can go hand in hand and living a life of nude can be a good start. It can help us feel that we should be living more naturally and this should include what we eat and the products we use to clean with or put on our skin.<br />
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Regardless of whether we are nudist or not we can all do with making healthier choices in our everyday life. Eating less processed foods, buy more natural or organic products and prepare your own meals rather than buying pre packaged, ready made dinners. These are all things that can improve our wellbeing, along with increased physical activity.<br />
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So, being healthy does not mean you have to be super fit and go to the gym every day for 2 hours. It doesn't mean you need to swim 3km at 4.30 in the morning or do sun salutations with your yogies in the park. It can simply mean doing what works for you. Eat well, move a little more than you usually do and think about the products you consume.Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-60225536187001485982019-03-18T05:11:00.000-07:002019-03-18T05:11:58.474-07:00How can nudism help in life?Nudism is not something that comes naturally to most. In fact, it is not something that comes to mind for many when they think about dealing with body consciousness, self confidence or other emotional/mental issues.<br />
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I was recently amazed to hear that a friend I helped some time ago using the idea of nudism/natural nakedness to overcome her body issues had been blown away by the candid yet profound statement made by her 11 year old boy. This all stemmed from the way nudity was treated in the home and the positive effects it had on my friend with her issues.<br />
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For privacy I cant divulge real names so we shall use pseudo names. So here is what transpired between my friend an her boy.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Both my boys especially </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Naruto</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are at an age now where they compare penis sizes in the shower, talk about boobies you know all that pre teen stuff and because they have both had age appropriate sex Ed at school so it provokes thought. Naruto</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> asks me often about body parts and sex Ed questions.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">He shares so sincerely and honestly. Anyway I said to him the other day ... </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Naruto</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I really appreciate your maturity around the questions you ask me and they are never asked from you for you to mock when I give you the answer. You actually think about it. I said how do your friends go asking that stuff with their parents. He said they are all really immature mum and disrespectful and giggly in their answers. I said oh well what do you think is different for you ? Do you know what he said Michael .... he s</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">aid mum because you walk around naked at home half the time and you let us do it if we want to ... (</span><span style="font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stevie</span><span style="font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> especially can go naked all day at home . ... ) he said I have learnt that our bodies develop the way they do, girls and boys should never be sexualised for being naked or asking questions like I do mum. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s taught me to respect you as a woman so I must do it to my partner and it’s taught me about my body and not being self conscious cos I am a bit chubby mum but also being naked and in your skin or being naked and intimate is something that is normal and should be respected !!! Blew me away.
I took from that kids who see their parents natural and naked will be the more mature ones when it comes to body image, intimacy and what’s normal innate behaviour."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"The other thing with </span><span style="font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stevie</span><span style="font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">too you might find interesting is that at school he has to be medicated because of all the bullying trauma so it helps him not be impulsive and he can self regulate and not get too overwhelmed with his day. However he doesn’t eat a lot as it suppresses his appetite. He lost a lot of weight. So me being earth mumma did a little experiment. Because I saw how calm he was naked on weekends ... (most people would feel exposed )
I stopped medicating him on weekends to see if there was any difference. He doesn’t need it if he is naked so we have a naked happy unmedicated boy who eats all weekend. Weight going back on."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nudism or natural nudity can hell people in many ways. It may be an odd ball kinda fix but there is no one way to deal with some of the issues people face in their lives. Nudism has helped me be more accepting of my body. As most young men are I was very conscious about certain elements of my physique growing up. Being a nudist really did help me overcome those afflictions and allowed me accept myself how I was.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If there were more people willing to step out of their comfort zone, they may find that doing something as dramatic as getting naked, could boost self confidence, heighten spiritual awareness or even just shock themselves into addressing the fears or afflictions they may have.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is something about being naked that strips away the layers of comfort. It exposes the vulnerabilities and leaves no place to hide. It offers liberation and freedom from the constraints of societies imposed status values.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am so very glad I had the opportunity to coach my friend through her transition from being completely un-able to look at herself naked in the mirror, to spending the day dancing and cleaning naked or getting out in the garden with her buns in the sun. It has led to a healthy way of life for her and her boys to the extent where they respect themselves, their mum, women and others as natural beings. Not to mention, being able to reduce medication for one Stevie and seeing them both grow with a healthy mindset toward nudity. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">While they may not consider themselves nudist, they are very much living life the nudist way. Well done earth mumma!!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The boys names were chosen to reflect their character which is represented by the characters of whom I chose. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: , , , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-56482881665801401822019-02-25T04:02:00.000-08:002019-02-25T04:02:38.601-08:00Why I Dont Go To Events<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As some may be well aware, many nudist communities and groups have events or gatherings designed as private functions. It is great to see many of these events happening all over town and even to read about them on blogs or articles from over seas. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Contrary to what the title suggests, I do get to some events but not as many is i would prefer It can be sometimes difficult as a number of factors are at play when I think about joining one of these events., and its usually timing, money and location... Usually in that order. Life can often be a bit of a hurdle when it comes to these things especially if you are in a working family with kids, school, sports and other social get ups with non-nudist friends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Often it is as simple as dates for events falling on the same day/night we are already doing something. This can not be helped however, sometimes it is a matter of not enough notice for the planned event and the event date. It is unfortunate as not everybody is as flexible with arrangements for a quick meet up or making a night out for dinner or some other kind of event.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately this is usually the deciding factor on weather most people go to an event. Often as venues need to be hired or booked out for the event the associated cost is usually a little on the steep side. This again can not be helped and makes it difficult for some to attend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a big one for me!! Often events are located a reasonable distance from where I live. Often the event organiser will plan the event and its location near to where they reside. This is fair enough however, something to consider would be the location of other nudists. Trying to set up events that are more centralised would potentially increase the chance of greater numbers attending. Now it is understandable that perhaps the venue in that area has offered to host the event and it has worked well for the organiser as they are locals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It would be great to see more affordable events and more of them spread over a wider area of the city. So I guess all I can do is try and support the ones that are organised locally and hopefully regular affordable events will present closer to home.</span></div>
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Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-28897862995334374952019-01-26T06:19:00.001-08:002019-01-26T06:20:48.642-08:00NeighboursAlways an interesting one, and sometimes a fun discussion when you get busted by your neighbours. I have had my neighbours bust me on a number of occasions. While I have heard from some that the experience was distressing for Mrs Mackle over the fence, I have been quite lucky that it has not been so for me.<br />
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On a few occasions I had been walking back up the yard from the shed and my neighbour was hanging the washing. She caught a full view, gave an awkward hello and carried on what she was doing. Her Husband, on a seperate occasion just came out and began having a chat over the fence while I was clearing the fence line to install a privacy screen. To give you an idea, the fence is 900mm high and they are on the elevated block, so yeah...good vantage point if I'm in the middle of my yard. These are just a couple of occasions of quite a few more., not just by one neighbour but three that have seen me doing my usual daily nudescapade.</div>
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Oddly enough I never seem to get any complaints from them...(or a visit from the boys n blue) which I am thankful for. I do make some effort to be discrete and if they have visitors I avoid moving in view as to not freak out their party goers. </div>
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We do have one neighbour who is quite ok with it, so much so that whenever she visits I need not get dressed. It is a real pleasure to be amongst people who are willing to accept me for who I am, and not insist that i change that within my own home. This all came about when she popped over for some reason to which I can't remember. I had a knock on my door and true to my door sign which forewarns people that if they visit un-invited, they would likely be greeted by nothing but a smile. Well, it was my lovely neighbour. She didn't bat an eyelid, and when I apologised she told me it was no problem and said its all good, no need to get dressed.</div>
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I have usually made it a point to let my neighbours know that I am a nudist and not to freak out if they see me naked in my yard, but this time around, I only got a chance to do that with one of them. Now we enjoy an occasional visit, me remaining naked. My other neighbours were not so lucky and had to find out by surprise.</div>
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I guess at the end of the day, if you try to be considerate and go about your business as normal but bare in mind that they may be out and may see you. Keeping out of sight might not be the easiest or practical option but being somewhat discrete may help to ease that awkward hello over the fence.</div>
Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-63988628234687204712019-01-14T03:09:00.000-08:002019-01-14T03:09:34.677-08:00Return<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its been a little over 4 years since posting on this blog. I was not sure if I was going to continue but i have been receiving a substantial amount of likes and increasing interaction on the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/The-Nudists-Journey-520120901462247/ so i decided to have another crack.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not sure how often I will post, and am unsure of which direction I will head with the content. As the Facebook page indicates, the concept is to create a coffee table book filled with storeys and images of everyday nudists willing to share their experience with nudism, in particular how they became nudists.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So... here we go. Hopefully, I can gain more traction than I have in the past and am fortunate enough to make some kind of start to the book I would so much love to create. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please help by sharing this blog page as much as you can.</span>Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-4999055638293733212014-12-04T05:00:00.002-08:002014-12-04T05:08:32.982-08:00Why Are There So Few Young Nudists?<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As
a nudist of over 20 years its has always been a question that has
plagued my mind. Why are there so few young nudists? As I have grown
to love this lifestyle I have at times become a little disheartened
with the lack of people in my age range enjoying such an amazing way
of life. Lately I have been pondering this question and have come to
the assumption that its not that there are so few young nudist but
rather there are so few that have the ability to join in. </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Traditionally the most common place for us nudies to hang out is the beach, camping
and nudist retreats. This led me to think, what if it didn't like the
beach so much? Or what if I cant afford to visit a nudist retreat? It
was not till I had a discussion with a young nudist couple I am
fortunate to be in contact with that I realised its simply just that.
It may be that young people don't have time, they have uni or a busy
social life which leaves them so little time to frequent nude beaches
and retreats. </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Another
hurdle may be finance. Its simply not cost effective or affordable
for young people to spend what little money they have on visiting a
nudist retreat. I know when I was younger and had limited cash flow I
could never afford to go to a nudist retreat. Even now I am reluctant
pay all that money just to visit for a day and sit around doing
nothing but gas bag next to the pool. This leads me to another point.
There is nothing to do... </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Most
establishments don't have much and usually don't cater for the younger
crowd or young family. There is simply not that much that interests
young people to venture out and visit such establishments.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There
are however on the rise, more nude events such as nude ten pin
bowling or nude pub nights and even roller skating. These are great
tho can also be a little on the pricey side. With the rise of nude
events we may well see a change in the age balance but I believe it
may take some time. </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One
reason may also be that some people simply prefer to enjoy nudism at
home or in private. They have no desire to engage in social nudism
and usually do not search for anything else outside of the comfort of
their home.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A
major factor I believe is lack of progressiveness. In Europe we see
many more younger people enjoying nudism/naturism and we also see
accompanying this a more progressive society. In almost all occasions
my conversations with European people about nudity and nudism they
have shown a much more progressive view on this aspect of life. They
have less hangups about the concept of somebody enjoying an active
nudist lifestyle while here in the western world the sentiment is
different. In my case I have not been met with negative response but
positive support however, many people I know have experienced
otherwise. </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With
a society as closed minded and prudish as ours its not hard to
imagine that many would be hesitant to reveal to others that they are
a nudist. This would make it difficult to meet and find other nudists
to socialise with. I have experienced this personally and have
noticed that until almost 2 yeas ago I was having great difficulty
meeting other nudists. It was only when I decided to reveal my
lifestyle to all of my friends and family did the change come about. </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I
no longer had to hide facebook posts about what I was doing, I could
speak freely and educate those who did not understand and most of all
I could meet friends and have them in mixed company without fear of
someone slipping up and busting us all for being nudists.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Young
people have a lot on their plates with uni, part time work, busy
social lives just to name a few. If we are to draw their interest we
need to come up with more interesting ways to do so. I don't consider
myself young or old but I have a few ideas up my sleeves which I hope
will bring some young guns out of the woodwork. </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A
new outlook is needed and some fresh ideas and more exciting
activities. It would be ideal to have a group similar to <a href="http://youngnaturistsamerica.com/" target="_blank">YNA (Young Naturists America)</a> to do some progressive events and lead the charge in
healthy body acceptance. The YNA is a prime example of this kind of
positive promotion for nudism and body acceptance. They have done
nude body painting with expert body painting artists right in the
heard of New York City!! they have a nude Sunday session at a local
gym and have planned and executed plenty more events since their
inception.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A
good friend and very active nudist in our community and a member of a very active group called QSN (Queensland Social Nudists) has done an
amazing job of organising nude 10 pin bowling for three years running
and as a result others have now begun planning events of their own.
Nude snorkeling (which I regrettably missed out on), and soon to come
roller skating.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Let's
just hope we can attract more young people to these events, shift
the tide and debunk the stereotype that nudism is mainly old lumpy
and bumpy folks standing ankle deep on a beach looking out at the ocean. It will be a long journey, but I'm sure we will get there eventually. </span></span></div>
Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-88497132404607395162014-10-20T17:23:00.000-07:002014-10-20T17:43:31.960-07:00Legalise a clothing optional beach in QLDHi all,<br />
<br />
Its been a very long time but I have finally started to get back into the swing of things here in the blogasphere, and what better way to start then by highlighting a pettition that requires ALL of our support. We NEED a legal cloting optional beach in QLD (actually we need about 3 at least) but lets just start with 1. I ask and beg of you all who follow my blog (and I know I havent been around for a while), to follow the link and sign the pettition in support for a legal clothing optional beach at Alexandria Bay AKA A-Bay in the noosa area of QLD.<br />
<br />
For many years this beach has been generally accepted as a clothing optional beach however, of late there have been a few complaints from prudish and narrow minded locals that they have been offended by the sight of naked pople on the beach. In each instance the offender was recognised to be not a typical nudist but a weirdo that has exposed themselves on the trail or in an area not actually on the main sections of the beach. These reports may become damaging and as proven in the past, the best way to combat this is to designate a specific area for nude use and anybody outside those areas can be liable for being served with a penalty.<br />
<br />
Genuine nudist do not behave this way and strongly oppose lewd behaviour in public places. It is very damaging to the peception of our community and we will do all we can to keep the perves and wackos away from said areas. <br />
<br />
This is very important to us a community and we could do with all the support we can get. You do not have to be a nudist/naturist but as my friends and family you have shown support for my lifestyle with your positive feedback when I opened up to everyone. And now I ask that you show it once more by helping us upgrade the status of this beach which is so important to my lifestyle and thos of my nudist friends.<br />
<br />
Please follow the link below and help us win the right to skinny dip in the ocean and suntan naked without fear of being handed a fine for enjoying life as nature intended. <br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.thepetitionsite.com/112/357/850/legalise-a-clothing-optional-beach-at-alexandria-bay-in-noosa-national-park/?taf_id=12712633&cid=fb_na" target="_blank">Legalise a clothing optional beach in Noosa</a></div>
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Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-15006684594071917372013-10-02T02:22:00.000-07:002013-10-02T02:23:57.878-07:00The Onsen Experience<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<style type="text/css"><!--
@page { margin: 2cm }
P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm }
-</style><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While in Japan I was fortunate enough
to experience an amazing part of Japanese culture. I learned of the
great benefits of the bathing custom and how relaxing it can really
be. When we think of bathing here in the western part of the world,
we think of getting in the tub and scrubbing down. While this is true
in Japan they do use this time to scrub down after a long day at the
office or being out and about however, there seems to be another
element to the whole process.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bathing has been a long time tradition
in Japan and some other parts of asia. Japanese used to bath in
public bath houses called “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sent%C5%8D" target="_blank">Sento</a>”. This was because most people
could not afford a bath in the family home so off to the sento they
would all go. Many decades ago these sento used to be mixed gender
known as “Konyoku”, The whole family would go and wash and relax
in the warm steamy bathing areas. Now this was in a time when the
idea of mixed nude bathing was not even a thought in the forefront of
the mind, it was simply done an no body had any hangups about it. Now
days the Konyoku almost does not exist any more. The
only place true konyoku exist now are deep in the mountains in
natural hot springs called “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onsen" target="_blank">Onsen</a>”. They can be accessed but are
usually very difficult to get to and quite often involve a little bit
of hiking.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As the economic wealth of the average
family increased so did the ability for them to afford a bath in the
family home. This has changed the social element of the sento which
are usually located in and around the cities. People no longer
socialised as a community from the neighbourhood they would go as a
family unit as a night/day out and most likely not as regularly.
Families will go for relaxation and now days they are split by gender
as social attitudes changed toward mixed gender nudity. Dads will go
off with the boys and or son in-law or friends, and likewise for the
mums.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CwMpvI-55M8/Ukvhue9fXfI/AAAAAAAABP4/1S5ZnV4Io1U/s1600/iya_onsen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CwMpvI-55M8/Ukvhue9fXfI/AAAAAAAABP4/1S5ZnV4Io1U/s320/iya_onsen.jpg" width="320" /></a>The etiquette of bathing in Japan is
different to the way we bath in the western part of the world. When
one enters a bathing area be it at home or in a sento/onsen the rules
are the same. When you arrive in the onsen the first thing you do
after you pay is to go to the respective dressing room, strip down
nude and make your way into the bathing area. Next, you must rinse or
wash your body before entering the bath and the bath is not for
washing but soaking only. This is the reason a whole family can use
the same bath in a night as they do not make the water dirty and the
bath is designed to keep the water hot and filtered. Many onsen/sento
have a few different kinds of baths ranging from mineral, cold, extra
hot and many more including green or red tea. After a relaxing soak
in the bath(s) people would then spend time scrubbing down shampooing
and all the personal hygiene acts one would normally perform during
wash time. They sometimes also have outside baths called “Rotenburo”,
these are magnificent in winter when it is cold outside and the
steamy 42deg water is up around your shoulders!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Going to an onsen or sento can be
daunting for those not familiar or comfortable with nudity in a
public setting but its not all that bad. The key to enjoying the
experience is to simply follow every body else and pretend you have
been there a million times. As a nudist I never had this issue and it
felt like such a natural thing to do. I did learn how good bathing
can be for the body and soul. I found my body was not as sore every
day and my injuries from a car accident was never a problem even when
it was cold. Its a good chance to de stress and relax after a long
day at work and until I learned to bath every night before bed I
never knew what I was missing. Now as we have been back in australia
for some time now I do truly miss the night time bath and even more
the Onsen.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I will be looking forward to visit
Japan again with my family and as usual we will go to an Onsen and I
will enjoy it immensely! If you should ever travel to Japan or even
Korea it would do you well to seek out an onsen or sento, your hotel
staff can direct you to one and most big hotels will have either
their own or a partnership allowing guests to use another hotels or a
local establishment.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Give it a try and lose yourself in the
amazing custom of the Japanese bathing experience.</span></span></div>
Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-42572120100830288782013-09-16T19:40:00.000-07:002013-09-16T19:40:42.972-07:00You never Know Who Is In The Audience<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am a firm believer that if you tell people about your love
and passion for the sans clothes lifestyle you will be surprised at the
response they give you. I have two situations that have transpired into
something I completely did not expect. One of these situations has now led me
to a position where a good friend of mine is calling me her nude guru. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This amazing woman already knew I was a nudist and not till
recently did I discover that she was considering the lifestyle to tackle body
issues and attempt to break free from her shackles of negative energy she had
taken on over the years. It only came about when I asked her opinion on a
naturist issue. Before long the conversation led to her saying she had been
thinking about giving it a try. So without hesitation I offered my advice and
some tips to help the initial transition from being clothed to unclothed,
offering ideas such as staying nude after the shower for a short wile or as
long as she felt comfortable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As time has progressed I discovered that she had acted on my
tips and was moving forward at a steady pace. She can now look herself in the
mirror full view in the nude and accept herself as she is and she has no
problems standing in the hallway talking to her housemates while nude. All of
this because we had a discussion about nudism, the ideals of the lifestyle and
the way they<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>can help change a person’s
positive outlook on life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dear friend
is now quite comfortable with the idea of nudism although it will take some
time for her to take the leap of faith and go to a public beach or resort. She
is yet to transition to spending the day or weekend nude at home however, is
now much more comfortable with nudity in general. As most of us nudies know,
once you feeel the comfort and relaxation of being nude for long periods of
time you don’t want to return to the clothed life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The second situation stemmed from a conversation with a
supplier rep, who came to visit my workplace. We had spoken before and he is a
great guy to have a good chinwag with. We were talking about Japan and how he
had been a few times and enjoyed the Onsen (Japanese hot springs) so much that
he had to go every time he went to Japan. When I told him stories of how people
asked me if I was terrified about being nude in these places he chimed in and
said he used to live in Europe and nudity was much more accepted over there
amongst peers. He then mentioned off hand that he had lots of nudist buddies
and he visited a nude beach in north Queensland. That’s when I revealed I was a
nudist and the conversation lead to us discovering that we both had some mutual
friends in the nudist community.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As it happens, he has been living a great life as a nudist
and even had the opportunity to introduce some people to it also, tho they
didn’t take it on they still enjoyed the lifestyle and learned how great the
people in this community can be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If we had never spoken about the onsen, we would never have
known that the other was a nudist. If I didn’t share my passion for nudism I would
never have had the opportunity to help a friend change her life, and if e we
don’t speak to anybody we will never be able to teach others the beauty of this
amazing way of life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, to all my fellow nudists and naturists and to all my
followers who may not be nudists please, if the opportunity arises do not be
scared to have a good, frank discussion about nudity and this amazing
lifestyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nudists share you passion and
non-nudists show your support. You never know who is in the audience.</span></div>
Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-69312168038024381112013-07-20T07:22:00.004-07:002013-07-20T07:24:12.819-07:00How Do I Convert Others?A common Issue people have with Naturism/Nudism is they have trouble convincing their partners to join in. This is something that should be addressed carefully as it is not something many people would ever consider doing. We are not here to convert but rather educate people about how wonderful our lifestyle can be. Its not the conversion that is important but rather acceptance. Being accepted by the rest of society with an open mind and non-prudish attitudes will naturally bring more to the ranks of nudism. Unfortunately most of society will follow the salmon run and not think for themselves but rather latch on to sensationalist media and poorly presented press about a lifestyle that is so often miss represented. This in turn creates a miss interpretation of what we are all about.<br />
<br />
If you are in a relationship and have recently revealed you are a nudist, depending on the reaction of your partner you may get a very different response to the suggestion of joining the fun of such a wonderful lifestyle.<br />
<br />
If your partner accepts what you do and holds no objections or reservations about how often you are undertaking your love of nudism then you may be well received in an invite to your local nude beach. How well received will depend on a few elements within your relationship. Firstly, how long have you been together? If you just started dating good luck!! Unless your partner is very open minded and has no hangups about trying new and adventurous things. If you have been together for a while there may be enough trust and enough discussion about the ethos behind what you do to open a small window of curiosity. This may lead to a healthy growth toward a open view on an alternative lifestyle.<br />
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Have you had discussions about what naturism is and why you love it so much? If not then now is a good time to start. Never lead in with "Do you want to give it a try? or Get naked with me". This can be off-putting, especially for one who had probably never thought about being naked for any other reason than having a shower. Uplift the lifestyle by talking about the positives in your life and how it has made you who you are today. Be sure to address the negatives also but make sure they are kept in context and re-affirm the the good far outweigh the bad. If we don't discuss how we feel about naturism/nudism and open peoples mind to the concept that nudity does not equal sex then there will be no advance in the acceptance of a relaxing and beautiful lifestyle.<br />
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If you have had discussions about Naturism and they have all shown positive response then it may be a good chance to offer an experience at a nude beach. Remind them that they don't have to be nude and they can remove as much or as little of their bathing suit as they wish. It is far better they see the locations and how everybody there behaves than them taking the plunge and freaking out about a first public nude experience.<br />
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If on the other hand you are in a relationship where your partner does not like what you do, then your pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place. Your partner will most definitely not want to join you and will most likely not like you frequenting nude beaches and nudist venues. For reasons only they know they will forever be closed to the concept of nude recreation until somebody opens them up to it. The only way find out what makes your partner dislike your activities so much is to front up and ask. It may be the kick-start to a conversation (or feisty debate) giving you the chance to demonstrate that your lifestyle choice is nothing more than a relaxing way of life sans clothes.<br />
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The most common problems I've heard from nudists is that they cant tell family or friends what they do because of fear from being ridiculed or that their family wont accept it and call them dirty or other nasty names. It is also often that I hear the partner does not like what they do. Of all the people that should support you it is your partner... but this is about converting others. When we talk about converting others as mentioned above, we are not trying to convert them to nudism/naturism, we are trying to convert their thoughts or opinions about nudism/naturism. They way someone percieves you and what you do is very important in being able to change their opinion on what they dont understand.<br />
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The reason I led with partners is because it is usually the partner that carries the most influence on a persons personal life and the support they get from this person is important to how they feel about their lifestyle. If you are made to feel like nudism is wrong or dirty then you will eventually portray it that way. You will do it in secret and never talk about it openly with others and make a conversation out of it. With full support you can talk about it more openly and not be ashamed about you love of the lifestyle.<br />
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People who know you and have known you for many years or since you were a child would probably surprise you in the response they give when you tell them you are a nudist/naturist. They might have a bit of a poke at you and tease you a little but they know you as a person and they know your character so in all reality will probably support you and most likely not really think much of it. I did reveal via Facebook not so long ago because I was tired of hiding my lifestyle and picking and choosing who to tell and who not to tell so I decided to just open up and reveal to all. Every one now knows in my family and friends and nobody really cares. I still cant be nude in their company, except for the few friends that already knew and have already told me I can do so whenever they are around, but the main point is that it is out in the open.<br />
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So now to the question of how to convert them. Well it not really that difficult really. There may be some who have very strong opinions about what they believe the lifestyle is all about and may offer a quite strong resistance to being swayed from their views. Don't be discouraged, there are not that many of them around and they probably wont really care what you do with your personal life any way. The best way to convert a person it to talk to them, be open about this aspect of your life and be straight forward about your views, the positives and negatives of the lifestyle. Don't let peoples fears of the unknown draw you into a firestorm debate but rather help address them and show them that Nudism/naturism is simply another way of life.<br />
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Invite your friends to your local nude beach so they can see what goes on. They don't have to get their kit off but go as a group and show them how great it can be and introduce them to some of you nudist buddies. Just tell them you want to show them first hand what it is like out there in the nudist community. If anything it will be an experience they will never forget. Who knows they may get their kit off any way!!<br />
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If you love this lifestyle and you want to become more involved in promoting it then you have the obligation to be honest with yourself and the people around you and let them know what you are all about. You may as well because if you end up getting a lucky break and get an interview on a major TV network they will find out any way. You are your ambassador for your way of life, be proud of who you are and what you believe in. We aren't trying to convert others to nudism, we are trying to convert them to accept nudism.Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-89308922395201488312013-05-21T00:12:00.000-07:002013-05-21T00:12:04.071-07:00How long does it take to become a nudist?<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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This is not a question I hear at all
really but when I look back on my journey as a nudist I see that I
actually wasn’t really a “full on” nudist for the good part of
about 10 years. I loved being naked and wished I could be naked all
the time but I didn’t identify as a nudist till I was in my mid
20s. It was at his time when I actively began searching for groups
and people to meet with who shared my love for the nude mode of
living.</div>
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The time at which someone would
consider themselves a nudist differers from person to person. Some
will discover this lifestyle and almost immediately fall in love with
it and begin to identify from the on set. Others will simply develop
a love for the nudist way of life but simply enjoy it for what it is
and think no more of it. There are probably some who simply just
enjoy not wearing clothes and don’t wish to identify as a nudist.
As I have described in my journey I was enjoying the nude life where
I could for the good part of 10 years before I called myself a
nudist. My choice was simply because I did not know there was such a
thing or such a name for the life I wanted to live.</div>
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The more difficult part about being a
nudist for many would be the secrecy around their new found
lifestyle. Many fear the worst if they were to tell family or friends
about what they do. Fear of ridicule, hatred, being shunned from
their circle of friends, and the list goes on. Could this be the
reason some don’t identify so easily? This could be possible but who
knows. There is one thing for sure, there are many who wear the
nudist uniform proudly and have no problems telling people they are
nudists.</div>
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If we as a collective of people want to
uplift the names of our respective clubs and improve peoples
understanding about nudism we should be proud to admit and identify
ourselves as nudists. I felt the change in the universe the moment I
opened up and told all about my life as a nudist. I can now be proud
to identify as a nudist and feel no more restriction when I want to
participate in events or even try to organise our own.</div>
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So I guess true identification as
nudists in my opinion comes from the revelation that you are one
because how can anyone be identified if no body know who they are? My
revelation came about 20 years after I discovered the lifestyle. I
called myself a nudist for 10 of those years but only truly
identified myself 10 years after that, when I opened up my lifestyle
to my family and friends. It has been one of the best decisions I
have made in my life and do not regret it at all.
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Find the courage to believe in who you
are and find your identity so that you can share a beautiful unique
lifestyle with those around you. I could be the very thing that makes
you truly feel like you.</div>
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Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-36693035967962010292013-05-14T04:31:00.000-07:002013-05-14T04:31:09.091-07:00Im still hereYes I know I know, I have been lazy/busy/pre occupied but im just letting you all know im still here and working on a new blog. Rest assured as a proud and avid nudey i have been lazy/busy and pre occupied mostly naked when I can.<br />
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Keep an eye out for a new blog coming soon.Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-910184798194858982013-04-04T06:16:00.001-07:002013-04-04T06:16:52.206-07:00Random thoughtImagine you have been hiding from your family and friends the fact that you are a nudist. It has been so for many years and something you wish you could just get out in the open(no pun intended). <br />
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Then one day you are at a nude beach or camping at a nude resort and casually strolling by is your aunty and uncle or a work colleague. Or someone you have known for years. <br />
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How would you feel? Has this ever happened to you? Or is it a dream that you have always wanted to happen chance find out someone close to you is a nudist.<br />
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It hasn't happened to me but ooohh I wish. May be one day... Who knows what the universe has planned for me. Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-13881355093282320212013-03-01T06:45:00.002-08:002013-03-01T06:46:17.076-08:00The Locker RoomTho not really a nudist issue as much as its a body issue, I have noticed that there seems to be a vast number of men who I would assume have body issues or rather insecurities about their genitals. Why do I say this you may ask? Well its something I noticed when I went into locker/change rooms at the swimming pool or gym. From what I have been told and I'm only referencing from my experiences between Australia and a few Asian countries Ive been in, women tho its common for women to have body issues and hangups about thighs, bum, legs breasts or any number of things on their bodies when in the change room have very little hang up about nuding up showering and moving through the locker room for the purpose of getting changed to or from their sports gear/bathers etc. Men however, typically I have not heard of any such hangups about their bodies although men never talk about their genitals with other men, will almost in every occasion I have been in a locker room here in Australia shower with their undies on, dress with a towel on and hide themselves tho not from modesty but from who knows what. Is it because men never talk about body issues? Are they really that in secure about their bodies or is it they are insecure about their genitals? Or do they simply not want other men to see their dangly bits?<br />
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In my travels to Japan, Korea, and Singapore I have been in locker rooms in all these countries and have seen exactly the opposite. Why do men in these countries seem to not have any hang ups about being nude in front of other men? Only they will know. Perhaps its cultural. when you look at the lifestyle and things that these people do for relaxation we may find the answer there. Lets pick Japan for instance, I lived there for about a year and a half. My beautiful wife is Japanese and I have spent quite a number of hours in the hot springs and public baths over there. The public bathing culture is very rich and stems back many centuries, as it does in Korea and some parts of Europe and Greece in particular.<br />
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Going into these bath houses may not be every ones cup of tea however, there is a certain etiquette involved. When you get inside you strip off all your clothes, dump them into a basket on a pigeon hole style shelving and make your way to the bathing area. The first rule in the bathing area is that you are naked in the bathing area. Yes naked!!! What a big surprise!! think about it this way, would you shower with your bathers on at home? probably not. Second, you wash or rinse off before entering the bath. And third you wash/scrub after your soak and before you get ready to leave. As little as a couple of decades ago public bath houses were mixed gender and were frequented by families as many people could not afford their own bath in their homes. Only more recently have they become gender separated due to changes in the mentality in society. Because every one is naked and this has been common practice for such a long time, the generally nudity is much more accepted in context. Most of these Japanese Korean and Singaporean cultures are less open about social nudity and nudity in public spaces however, in the context of bathing in a public bath house there is an unspoken acceptance when a man or woman walks around the locker room naked after showering or while they shave or dry hair. It seems there is no need for these men or women to scramble to put their clothes on (with some exceptions tho not so common) after relaxing in the baths or finishing a workout in the gym.<br />
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It is interesting to observe the behavior of people in different situations in respect to nudity. We are told that being nude is wrong and offensive when nudity alone is not sexualized and lewd, when on the other side of the coin, the same people that tell us "oh no!!! I could never be naked around other people and strangers!!" are happy to go shopping for bikinis that are ultimately designed to draw attention to the person wearing them. All clothing in fact has the same design factors in mind. Women are constantly bombarded with images of how they should look, and now more than before men also. Constantly being told that we are fat, or over weight or not fashionable if we aren't wearing the latest style clothing. Don't get me wrong, I love good and nice looking clothes we we go out but it doesn't dictate the way I decide what I think of my body and personality.<br />
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Is this the demise of our individuality? Is it the beginning of a social culture which takes us to the point of not even being comfortable enough to change in front of others of our own gender? Stripping away the layers of clothing can be like stripping away the layers of societies ill conceived values. If you are nude then no body knows what you do or how much money you have. They will have to talk to you to find out more about you. Oh but that would mean I have to interact with people!!! Funny, that's what people used to do. If you are willing to talk to somebody and have a conversation you may just find they don't care about your penis, boos, bum, belly or any other part of your body.<br />
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So here we go, trundling back into the locker room. If we all spoke to each other instead of hiding silently in the corner of the locker room we may find that we are all the same. We may find the atmosphere becomes less awkward and we forget that we are standing face to face all nuded up while we rummage for our socks in our bag.<br />
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People go to the gym to look good and feel good about them selves and to improve their health and fitness. Some do the same at the swimming pools, while others are there with their children and family or friends. We all have a good time doing what we do and feel good when we do it but I feel that subconsciously there are many that don't feel good about themselves, or parts of themselves. Surely this must be the result of the conditioning of society, schools media and religious orders telling us that we need to look or behave like a model or public figure. If we are to learn to accept ourselves then we must realize that what all these groups tell us, it is not the way we should think about our selves. We do not need to be super skinny, we do not need to have big breasts or large picture perfect genitals or rock hard abs. We do need to look after our health and with that will come better shaped bodies and flat tummies, we still wont look like an air brushed pin up model, but we will be happy and we wont have the hangups we do in our lives.<br />
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If there is one thing I have learned from being a nudist, its that we are all the same and all we need to do is talk with one another. Nudists are among the friendliest people I have met and generally do not care what you do or how much you are worth. They care about the value of your opinions and beliefs and how you conduct your life as a decent human being. They care not so for the way society dictates that we must all fit a certain mold. And yes, I do change full nude, shower nude and walk to and from my belongings in the nude inside the locker rooms. Give it a try...... its not that bad.<br />
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<br />Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-87159500366584658002013-02-12T16:08:00.001-08:002013-02-12T16:32:56.153-08:00A New Chapter<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hi All,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have been quiet here for a while as i have been in the process of moving from Melbourne to Queensland. We have started a new chapter in our life, and hopefully a new chapter in the nudist world. The weather is fantastic here for nudist and am working hard a forging new relationships to help strengthen the ndist community.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I look forward to returning to the blogasphere and expanding the content of this blog.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">See you all soon!!!</span></span>Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-45733998531474281172013-01-02T03:42:00.001-08:002013-01-02T03:44:17.580-08:00What to do when you cant be nude<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What can you do when you cant be nude? Ask...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I recently decided to take the plunge and ask my mother in law who is visiting for a month and a half if she would mind if I swam with my son nude in the pool. She had no problems and said yes straight away. So off I went and stripped down right in front of her and jumped into the pool. By no means can I be nude all the time but I am able to do my usual nude routine and move between the bathroom bedroom and occasionally chase my son through the house to bring him to the shower. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We had a short conversation shortly after the initial ok was given and she said there was no problems with it. I figured that if she was going to stay with us for more than a month I would want to at least try and get in some of my usual nude activities.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So I cant be nude all the time but I have at least a compromise that I don't have to hide when I want to swim shower or go to the loo in the night or even get dressed in the morning in my living room as usual for work. So What do I gather from all this? Not everybody is afraid to see someone they know nude so if there is a chance you might want to be nude in their company for what ever reason, there is a chance they may allow you. All you have to do is ask.</span>Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-44045419781388529652012-12-16T21:02:00.001-08:002012-12-16T21:02:01.617-08:00Nude and proudSharing my story about my biginnings as a nudist via the AANR website. <br />
Some pretty nice stories there. <br />
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http://www.aanr.com/nudist-proud#contentMichael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-84507562010724586652012-12-12T04:34:00.000-08:002012-12-13T11:55:01.246-08:00Why Nudist and not Naturist?<span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Over the years I have noticed some refer to this lifestyle as Nudism and some refer to it as Naturism. Partly it depends on which part of the world you are from and also the social circle you have. I have always called it Nudism, for no particular reason, just because that's what I adopted as the term Id use.</span></i></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was only recently that I began thinking about the difference between the two, if any at all. Nudism is about being nude, Naturism is about being nude also, but why call it two different things? I believe it may be that a nudist simply enjoys the lifestyle of being nude at any time one can or feels like it. A naturist may feel the same but with a difference in that naturists feel it a natural thing to do to feel more connected with the earth and nature.</span></i></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: small;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As a nudist, I simply enjoy being nude. If I had the choice I would do so at any possible moment I could. Myself along with a few rare hardcore folks out there would be the first to place a deposit on a home if there was an entire suburb dedicated to the nudist way of life somehow this conflicts with the whole getting in touch with nature idea. Somehow, I believe a nude suburb will probably not happen in my lifetime or even my sons for that matter.</span></i></b></span><br />
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</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So there it is, a simple unsubstantiated answer to the question of: Why Nudist and not Naturist?</span></i></b></span><br />
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</i></b></span>Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335607267173878387.post-51015026650384786592012-12-01T04:52:00.000-08:002012-12-13T04:50:13.841-08:00Beginnings<style type="text/css"> <!--
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white;"> I
never thought of my self as a nudist. It was something that never
really occurred to me, in fact I never even knew there was such a
thing as nudism or naturism. I only associated my love for being
naked with nudism when a friend introduced me to people at a party
saying “this is Michael... he is a nudist”. It was only then that
I realized I was probably part of something much bigger and that
until then I never felt the urge or need to meet like minded people.</span></b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white;"> So
lets take a journey back to when It all began. I was in high school
around 15 or 16 years old and always used to come home on a warm
summer day and feel like I just wanted to take off all my clothes and
walk around the house naked. I had no idea why, but I did. I liked it
so much so to the point that by the time I was about 17 I had already
taken to sleeping in the nude and stopped wearing underwear. I soon
found myself being naked whenever I possibly could. I would strip off
my clothes the moment I got to my room, and speedily put them back on
when my parents came home. This became a regular occurrence and
before long was waiting for my parents to go out as I would nude up
the moment they pulled out of the driveway. As time went on I became
more adventurous and began making my way down stairs, at first for
food or drink, then eventually to wander around or watch television.
All the while keeping a close ear out for the car doors closing in
the garage with just enough time to scramble two by two up the stairs
to my room where I could dress, my parents none the wiser to my
nudescapade.</span></b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white;"> Nudity
was never an issue with my family however, it was something that was
accepted in time and place. By around eighteen my parents had already
figured out I stopped wearing underwear and that I slept in the nude.
They had no issues with me walking nude from my room to the bathroom
or toilet when getting ready for bed or having a shower. We even all
shared the bathroom up until I moved out of home in my thirties. It
was a place that was acceptable to be naked as we were always so in
that space within the home. Until today they have no issue being
naked around me and I them. It was and I believe still is difficult
for them to understand that one could simply be naked while doing all
the things he or she enjoyed, such as watching television or doing
housework. </span></b></i></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white;"> By
my early twenties I was ambling about in the back yard and even had
mowed the lawns a few times. My father had come home from work early
one day to find me hanging the washing in the nude. He didn't say
anything for a few minutes of conversation but then eventually asked
me to put some clothes on. It was around this time that I began to
feel that this is what I loved to do and would always want to be
naked when I could. It was the moment my friend introduced me to
someone as a nudist that awakened something in me and I consciously
chose the path of someone that always wanted to be nude. I began
searching the internet and tried to find out more about this thing
called nudism. It was in this time of my journey that I realised
there was something missing, I had no body to share my new found love
with. So I began searching for friends, people I could meet with and
go to nude beaches that until now never even knew existed. </span></b></i></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white;"> I
had moved out and back in to home a few times as a young person does
in their life as they mature, and was always disappointed that I had
to go back to a life of being clothed more often than not. My family
and I had a restaurant by the peninsular which suited me perfectly as
it was very close to the nude beach I loved going to. I managed to
convince my cousin to join me occasionally in the nude and he also
accompanied me to the beach once but still struggled to meet people
that would share my love of a nude lifestyle. Sharing with people
that I was a nudist was also a difficult part of this journey until
now in my mid thirties. I had to be quite selective of who I told and
was very apprehensive when I did tell them. Fortunately for me, all
the people that know now have been positive and supportive of my way
of life. They were very happy to talk about it and I was thrilled to
answer questions about nudism the best I could.</span></b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white;"> At
twenty nine I met my now beautiful wife and fell in love so quickly I
ended up following her back to Japan to live for a year and a half. I
grew to love the Japanese way of life and the culture and found
myself longing for the hot springs and public bath houses. I was
often asked by Japanese colleagues and friends if I wasn’t
embarrassed at all to be nude amongst other people. I found this a
great segway to open up the conversation of my lifestyle choice. For
those of you who don’t know, Japanese bathing culture is quite
different to the way we bathe in the rest of the western world which
I will save for another entry.</span></b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white;">I
have discovered that regardless of being in Japan or Australia I have
never met with negative response to the concept of being naked for
the sake of being naked. Miss understanding and negative response are
two different things. Of the people I have told the most negative
response has been “ I could never do that!!” to which I ask why?
And in all cases the answer is simply, “ I just can't” however,
the most commonly asked questions about nudism I have encountered
which stems from misunderstanding is “ What if you see a hot girl
and you get an erection?” or “ Aren’t nude beaches full of old
wrinkly fat people?” So as a result I have taken it as my duty to
my self and to a greater extent to inform people around me and
clarify some of the reasons for being a nudist, or even just being
nude for no reason. I have recently by means of social networking
revealed to all my friends and family that I am a nudist. I was tired
of selecting who viewed what and decided that it was time they all
knew. Generally this was well received however I had hoped to
stimulate more conversation and have the opportunity to inform more
about the lifestyle.</span></b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white;"> As
a nudist and most would agree it is more common that friends or
family would not be comfortable when one is nude in their company.
This Is most certainly the case with my family. There are some among
my family and friends who are absolutely fine with the idea even if I
am the only one. I can only have dreams that may be one day they will
skinny dip with me and feel comfortable enough to stay nude
afterwards but that may ever only remain a dream. There is one thing
that amazingly happened after the great reveal which was something I
had been searching for for as long as I could remember learning that
I was a nudist. It was almost as if the universe opened up to me and
I was able to for the first time, begin forging friendships with
families and couples that are enjoying the same model of life as we
are. We had begun a new leg of a journey meeting people along the way
and perhaps in the future live the dream of many nudist to operate an
establishment friendly to nudists. My wife by no means considers
herself a nudist tho her mentality and attitude toward the lifestyle
and ideals of nudism and her attitude toward nudity is very much the
same as the seasoned nudists that are ambling around the beaches
today.</span></b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;"> So
here we are in the present day at the beginning of the rest of my
life as a nudist. We have begun the next stage of a life long journey
heading toward what we hope will be a bright future in nudism. I can
only hope and wish that my contribution by means of informing my
family and friends and the people I meet along the way of how
wonderful life can be if one can accept their body the way it is,
accept what others think of them and disregard any negativity toward
them for how they look. Body image I believe is the one key element
that prevent people from simple tasks such as changing in the change
rooms or even in front of friends. This same body image problem stems
from the lack of understanding and childish sexual behavior toward
nudity in a natural state, openly joked about in media and pushed
down upon children In schools and religious institutions. </span></span></b></i></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white;"> From
today I carry forward a task set upon myself by myself to bring
knowledge and understanding of nudism and the normalisation of nudity
to people who are willing to read. I will share my experiences,
stories, thoughts and opinions in this space. I am no social
scientist or psychologist and do not know anything about the finer
points of social interactions, I am merely a person who is sharing
ideas and opinions for the purpose of opening dialogue about the
wonderful lifestyle we call nudism.</span></b></i></span></span></div>
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Michael Ruthfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02761281466761102824noreply@blogger.com1