Nudist Resort   

Tara and I celebrated our 20th anniversary of being together in February. March was our 19th wedding anniversary, and we spent three days in Palm Springs at Desert Shadows nudist resort (www.desertshadows.com).

Scheduling and commitments dictated we remain close to home. I checked out the Coachella Valley resorts on the web, printed out some of the more interesting offerings, and showed them to my wife. “This one’s a nudist resort,” I said. The main photo was a nude woman sitting on a rock.

“Never would have guessed that,” Tara said.

I left the resort decision up to her. “A nude anniversary would be more memorable,” she said.

I booked the resort. We made no secret of our destination. Richard Christian Matheson sent me a quick e-mail saying, “I have just one word for you my friend, sunblock, sunblock, sunblock.” The response of other friends and e-mail buddies was curiosity. I think I can accurately summarize the majority of responses as, “Oh, I’d love to experience that, but I don’t think I’d have the nerve. Take pictures.” (Approximately 25 people.) Everyone wanted us to take pictures.

“Taking pictures would not be cool,” I said. Tara agreed.

We checked into Desert Shadows at 1 PM Saturday. They escorted us to our room, then provided a tour of the resort. Nude people lounged around the three swimming pools, wandered the grounds, sat eating lunch in the restaurant, and were playing tennis. The ages ranged from a teenager or two to people in their seventies. The bodies ranged from sleek and toned, to saggy, to extremely overweight.

We were soon without clothes in loungers by the pool. Initially, Tara put on her Walkman headphones and reclined with a towel over her head, “to avoid sunburning my face.”

“You’re hiding,” I said. There was no response from beneath the towel.

I read a Zen book, looked up, watched the human parade, read some more. The chapter was about the Zen ideal of making no comparisons, no judgments of any kind -- accepting the oneness of all things.

But I’d look up and think, “Nice body. Not so nice body. Great natural tits. Silicone tits.”

I caught myself. Even as I was reading about the way I desire to view life, I was making distinctions. Everyone is just who they are and that’s what is. Comparisons generate conflict. When you catch yourself thinking this way, say, “NOT TWO.” This is a powerful little reminder not to compare -- to accept the oneness of all.

Tara soon came out of hiding. Within a couple hours, we were hanging out as naturally as everyone else. Eating lunch in a patio restaurant in your all together is a freeing experience, although dropping cold coleslaw in your lap takes on new meaning.

Upon our return home late Monday, everyone wanted to know “all about” our experience. A female friend who loves metaphysics said, “If only my body were a little better, I’d love to go.”

“If only? Fear,” I said. “What about living dangerously? Stop worrying about what other people think. Embrace the fear and rise above it?”

“You haven’t seen my body without clothes,” she said, then added, “but it would be the growth choice you’re always talking about.”

She was referring to a statement I often make in seminars: “If you really want to find out who you are ... your True-Self ... say YES to everything offering growth potential and NO to anything blocking growth.

I don’t know if I can truthfully say I grew as a result of our weekend, but I garnered an “all-over tan.” And it was memorable.

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