NAKED BEFORE GOD
By Daniel D. Ziegler
"I wrote that the perfect job for me was a 'tour guide at a
nudist park'."
PREFACE
The events leading to the writing of these articles are a demonstration
of the Universe's support in living our dreams and fulfilling our
missions. When we truly focus on what it is we want to do, and are
willing to get ourselves out of the way, the Universe steps in to help
create its reality.
From my first visit to a nudist park, I knew that social nudism was a
profound, life-changing experience that I wanted to bring to the
attention of others. I began by sharing it with my friends, taking them to
the park with me whenever I could, writing short pieces on my
computer and generally spending a lot of time formulating my ideas
pertaining to the appeal and the benefits of the nudist experience. The
more I focused on these, the more I realized that perhaps I was on the
path leading to my long sought-after mission.
Shortly after my introduction to nudism, I left my salary job as a security
guard at General Motors. I had spent fifteen years at a reasonably
good paying job that provided good benefits with which to raise my
family, but it left part of me unfulfilled. The job, however, did allow me
plenty of opportunity to read, study and write, and it was during this
fifteen year period that much of my personal and spiritual philosophy
took shape. (I was also able to earn a bachelor degree through a
tuition refund program.)
In December of 1987, four months after I discovered social nudism, the
company offered me a cash buy-out and, unhesitatingly, I accepted. I
didn't know what I was going to do next, but I knew I no longer wanted
to be doing that. My family was raised, I was now divorced and I felt it
was time for something new. I trusted that the Universe would help me
find it.
I began looking for opportunities to work within the nudist community.
Though there were a few jobs available, most of these were caretaker
or grounds keepers jobs, that although would allow me to work in a
nudist setting, they were not jobs that would avail me to do what I felt I
was most capable of doing, that is writing and speaking. Still, willing to
do whatever the Universe required, I applied for a couple of these jobs.
One was a caretaker's job at Elysium Fields, a nudist facility in
California, to which founder/owner Ed Lange responded that I was
over qualified. Another was a grounds keeper job at Forest Hills, a
small nudist park in Michigan, which at the last minute decided against
making immediate changes in its staff. Interestingly enough, not being
hired in these positions was not disappointing. Something inside told
me that there were better things in store for me, that the Universe had
a better plan and all that I had to do was to be patient.
The next six years provided me with some difficult but valuable lessons
in being patient and in letting go and surrendering. I bounced around
the country going through the motions of looking for work, getting
turned down for jobs that I really didn't want, stayed with friends, sold
my belongings, cared for an Alzheimer’s patient, lived with my college
student son, worked minimum wage jobs and generally lived on the
edge of uncertainty. And, I was learning to trust the Universe--several
times being faced with not knowing where my next meal was coming
from, but never once ever missing one.
Throughout this period, my interest in writing and speaking about the
self-discovery and spiritual aspects of social nudism intensified. In my
travels, I managed to visit a number of nudist parks around the country
and each time my conviction about the positive effects of this lifestyle
was renewed and strengthened. Also, as I continued talking to people--
nudist and non-nudists alike--formulating my ideas, I was becoming
more aware that my approach to promoting social nudism was
different than that of many other nudists. Rather than directing my
energies toward fighting for our rights, which I feel is some what of a
fear-based approach, I was focusing on informing and educating--a
love-based approach. I was not so much interested in promoting a
movement as I was in helping individuals discover who they are. I was
becoming a teacher, not a soldier--and the movement desperately
needed teachers.
Through my continuing interest and efforts, I was eventually invited to
give a talk on nudism to a group of hypno-therapists, and I was asked
to speak on nudism as a guest on a public access TV talk show. The
talk to the therapists made me realize that.- 1) I needed a nudist park
with which I could work closely to follow up the talks with actual visits,
and 2) I had to write a book which would bet the basis for my talks. The
TV interview turned out extremely well telling me that I had an ability to
communicate in a direct yet laid-back manner that was reassuring--
even inviting.
The serendipitous events that led to the talk and TV interview clearly
indicated that the Universe was supporting my efforts, and I was
beginning to feel that I was on a definite and guided mission. I didn't
want to do anything else. I felt it was still necessary, however, for me to
continue working at my present minimum wage job, at least for now.
This did not seem to be too much of an inconvenience because the
job, again, was providing me with time to read, study and write. In fact,
some of the material I was writing, I would be using, almost intact, a
year later at my next job.
Through the years, I had read many books on motivation, finding your
dreams, overcoming fear, self-discovery, spiritual growth, following
intuition and other related topics. I also listened to speakers, bought
tapes, went to seminars and learned how others were finding their
dreams and fulfilling their missions. These activities continually gave
me the encouragement needed to carry on even in the most desperate
of times.
A friend had once given me a book that described an exercise in
which one writes down what they consider to be their ideal work. I had
not done the exercise the first time I read the book, but one day as I
was day dreaming, the perfect job came to mind. I, again, thought of
the book and decided to do the exercise. I wrote that the perfect job for
me was "a tour guide at a nudist park."
The book also stated that one need not be logical or practical since
the Universe could support any dream that came from a place of love. I
certainly wasn't being logical or practical because I knew of no nudist
park large enough to require a tour guide; and I was coming from a
place of love, my motivation being the opportunity to change people's
lives. I realized, too, that if there were such a job, it probably wouldn't
pay much, but that was not a concern. How I might be compensated, I
would leave up to the Universe.
‘A tour guide at a nudist park'--I put it out to the Universe.
In September 1993, I once again found myself in a situation requiring
change. Fifteen months earlier, with no other place to go, I had
temporarily moved in with my brother who was living in a one bedroom
apartment. As it turned out, the Universe timed my move perfectly
because my brother had just suffered a relapse of a previous health
condition and required someone to look after him. I was able to be
there with him during that time, but now fifteen months later, after yet
another relapse, we decided that it would be in his best interest if he
moved into an adult foster care home. As I felt my move into his
apartment was guided by the Universe, now I strongly sensed it was
now telling me it was time to move on once again. I gave my employer
a two week notice and the landlord a one month notice. I had no idea
what I would be doing next. All I knew was that I had some basic ideas
for a book I wanted to write, that I wanted to become a tour guide at a
nudist park and that after my last day on the job, I would have two
weeks to do whatever I wanted to do before I had to be out of the
apartment.
I released it all to the Universe.
After my last day on the job, I decided to drive from Auburn Hills,
Michigan, where I had been living, to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to meet
some of the people at the Naturist Society with whom I had
corresponded discussing some of my ideas on promoting naturism
(another term for nudism). I thought this would be a good opportunity to
meet them in person. And. I just wanted to get away--it had been a
difficult past fifteen months and I was tired and wanted to see new
places and new faces.
Arriving at the Naturist Society office, I met Nicky Hoffman (then office
manager and now Director). We had been talking less than five
minutes when she told we of this beautiful park that a couple, the
Mitchells, had just bought near Union City, Michigan, with plans of
converting it into a nudist resort.
Two days later, at the peak of the fall colors, I was back in Michigan
touring Turtle Lake Resort, a beautiful 160 acre campground/resort,
with owner Doug Mitchell as he was telling me of his and his wife
Norma's plans to turn what had been a traditional camp ground into a
clothing-optional growth center offering personal growth and self-
discovery workshops and seminars within the safe environs of a nudist
park.
Two weeks later, on November 1, 1993 I started working as the
newest member of the live-in staff at Turtle Lake Resort. My duties
included public relations, conducting orientations and giving tours, with
my compensation including being housed in a park-model trailer over-
looking the beautiful Turtle Lake Lagoon.
The following week I would write an article, "NUDISM--What's the
Appeal?" which would turn out to be a chapter in what later was to
become a book. For the next year I would live a dream as I touched the
lives of many people coming through the gates of nudist park for the
first time. Seeing their change, I would, in turn, be touched--always
adding to the sense of duty to write my book (these articles). Over this
year, the book would begin to unfold. I received it all. * * *
LESS-ONS FOR TRUTH
Reclaiming Acceptance of our Original State