The work in digging into one’s deeper self in order to better understand oneself is one that is not to be taken lightly. For most, it is likely a task that would not feel right and be quickly abandoned. Yet sometimes, the work is uplifting and animates the spirit nd the body. Though these images were taken indoors, today “I,” the ego or conscious self, found a balcony surrounded by palm and other tropical trees in the Philippines for a meditative moment. The warm, moist air washed over me as I meditated and the muffled sounds of human life and conversations became part of the sounds of the breeze. As always, I meditated skyclad. And as always, I positioned myself so as to not be visible to passing eyes. Meditation is private and only shared with others when those others are also meditating.
There is a risk in taking off the clothes, going skyclad in a culture where nudity is more about evil (sex) than goodness. Taking off ones psychic clothing and becoming transparent is also not received well for most. Like a physical nakedness, a spiritual and psychic nakedness needs to be contained in safety as if being placed on an altar in a temple, a holy place of sacred safety.
Ego: God, it’s hot out here; it must be 34 C not counting the humidity.
Sky Clad: Don’t be such as stuffed shirt. Take of some of those clothes and feel the breeze on your skin.
Ego: Are you crazy? Someone might see me, and then I’d be in deep shit.
Sky Clad: Hmmm? I said take off some clothes, not parade around as if you were in a Pride Parade. Other people don’t have anything to do with letting a bit of air cool you off. With all those layers, air can’t even tell that you are there!
Ego: Well, I guess I could – maybe I can find a secluded enough place around here somewhere.
Sky Clad: No problem, just place a towel over the arms of your chair and it will provide more than enough privacy, protect others from seeing you exposed. Everyone will assume you are protecting your chair from your wet bathing suit, never guessing that you are naked behind the wall of white that the towel creates for you.
Ego: Okay . . . hey, this isn’t so bad, it actually feels cool out. But still . . .
Sky Clad: Enough, you know it isn’t about your naked skin at all. It is about a shame that you have for your own skin.
Ego: A shame that I have? Not in the least . . . I could get arrested for this! You know there are laws against nudity. I could go to jail, get tossed out of the country, lose my passport . . .
Sky Clad: Do you really think so? I see you sitting up on a balcony in a courtyard area where few people are to be found; and you are hidden behind that towel. Someone would really have to go out of their way to see you. Do you think anyone even cares what you are wearing or what you are doing when you aren’t in their face? Besides, all that is just a smoke screen to avoid talking about something real, something deep. What was it about the word shame that made you take off on a tangent?
Ego: I never said I was ashamed of my body!
Sky Clad: Oh? Then what are you ashamed of that makes you take it out on your body?
Ego: Wha . . . ?
Sky Clad: Think about it. I’ll come back later when you are ready to deal with it. For now, just catch a few breezes and begin to trust that you are safe in this quiet and protected space on your balcony.