Brooke's Journey and Story

Brooke has had a 2 year journey in discovering body acceptance and her story is now presented here with her permission:

Part 1  Brooke's First Encounter

Letters to DOMAI: One Woman's Story
Dear DOMAI

I don't even know how to begin this letter. If I explained everything that has happened to me in the past couple of months, I would end up with a book so I will try to condense it. I have to say, it is amazing how life can change so fast and how one person can have such a huge impact on another person.

I was raised in a faith based home. Nudity was never really talked about that much. I cannot remember ever being told verbally that nudity was bad, but I do not think that it was ever appreciated for what it is. I remember being spanked by my dad because my sister and I were in the bedroom playing naked. When he walked in the room I remember feeling ashamed and embarrassed and I knew we would be in trouble. As I got older I associated nudity with sex. I never really thought of the two being separate. Nudity made me uncomfortable, in fact, I had a hard time seeing myself naked in the mirror. I would not look at myself because I felt ashamed or that I was doing something that was wrong. I am 26 and it is sad that I went through all those years feeling ashamed of my body and feeling like I had to hide it and could not appreciate it.

In April I developed a relationship with an amazing person who had a powerful impact on my life. Lawrence (an active visitor on Domai) was upfront with me about his lifestyle and how he felt about nudity. He had a similar experience with his daughters (which he shared in a letter to Domai) that I had with my dad. After he disciplined his girls for being nude he realized it was not right and changed his view on nudity. He is now a nudist and when he explained how he had developed his views on nudity, it started to make sense to me. We spent quiet a bit of time talking about it and I remember one day I was sitting with him talking about nudity and a light bulb went off for me.

I looked at him and realized that God created the human form so why should I be ashamed or embarrassed of my body. In Genesis 1:31 it says, "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good". Song of Solomon is an amazing book in the Bible that describes the human body in beautiful language. It was becoming more and more clear to me, if God created the human form and said it was very good there should be no shame in it.

Lawrence told me about Domai sometime in May because there was a letter that he shared with me to help me understand where he was coming from and with my background he thought it would clarify some things for me. He read a letter to me that was written by a woman (Rebekah) and one that was written by a man with a faith based background and I was amazed. I wanted to see the website so he showed it to me and I have to admit I blushed a bit.

I was kind of uncomfortable with the pictures at first and could not figure out the purpose of them. Lawrence spent some time patiently explaining the purpose of the website and the difference between the girls on Domai and the girls in magazines such as Playboy. A few days ago I went on the site by myself to get a better grasp of what Lawrence had explained to me and I read some of the other letters people had submitted and I finally got it. I started to appreciate the girls, the pure joy I saw in their faces, and the beauty of their body and of my own body. I have to say it is a process for me but I am becoming so much more comfortable with my body each day.

I wanted to write this letter because I want to help other women who may be on the site trying to figure things out like I was not too long ago. I want to thank you for the site as I am not the only woman who has been changed by it. I also want to thank Lawrence for patiently helping me through the process of appreciating the nude body and the beauty of it.

Brooke

Brooke's On Going Journey

Originally Published on Domai in April 2008... The Original Link is found Here  Thanks Brooke for a thoughtful story and permission to re-publish it here. I especially like the role that Orient Beach played in your journey. It is a favorite place of ours as well.

Dear Domai

Early last year I had just begun to understand that there was a difference between nudity and sex. As an American female, nudity and sex had always been one and the same. The way that I was raised also confirmed my thoughts on the subjects, so I had never thought about the two being separate. My thought patterns began to change when I met Lawrence (a naturist himself and a frequent viewer of Domai). As our relationship developed, he helped me understand the differences, and he eventually told me about Domai. I was so impressed with the girls and how nice the pictures were, that I wrote to Eolake in June of 2007 to speak about my change of heart. Much to my surprise my letter was posted on the website.

I am writing again, almost a year later to express my gratitude to Lawrence and Eolake for without either one, I would still be narrow minded and rigid in my thinking. In the fall of last year, Lawrence and I hiked on a secluded trail and we decided that we would do a mini nude photo shoot. I have to say I was pretty nervous, as I had never done anything like that before, let alone in the outdoors. After some serious thoughts of not following through, I decided this would be an opportune time for me to practice my newfound beliefs that nudity is not sexual and that it is natural.

So, I took a deep breath and slipped out of my dress. After a few moments of nervousness, I was able to relax and really enjoy the whole experience. I was able to feel the sun's rays shining through the trees on my body and when I sat down in a small pool of water, I felt invigorated.

A mile or so down the trail we found a deep, crystal clear pool of water. Of course Lawrence wanted to go in right away, so I put away any inhibitions that I still had left and once again slipped out of my clothes and into the chilly pool of water. The coolness of the water surrounded my entire body and to my surprise I began to feel my senses being awaken by the feel of the water. I have to say that something changed in the way I thought about my surroundings. Things became so much more alive and real to me. I not only was looking at nature, but I was feeling it engulf my entire body.

Recently, Lawrence and I traveled to St. Maarten and we went to Orient Beach (clothing optional) for an afternoon of resting in the sun and swimming in the amazing turquoise water. For me this experience really helped me overcome the awkwardness of being nude in front of other people. I now believe that there isn't anything quite like being nude on a beach. My body felt so alive and free. As I lay in the lounger, I could feel the rays of the sun and the intense heat from it, I could feel the light breeze blowing across the small hairs on my skin.

Later, when I entered the water, I felt the crashing waves and the relaxing movement of the ocean as it moved back and forth against my skin. I was able to experience the mist of rain falling on my nude body as we sat and ate lunch in their outdoor restaurant. Throughout the day, I would just start laughing spontaneously, as I was so amazed at how much more sensitive my senses had become and how it made me feel so invigorated and free. I never would have thought about how experiencing nudity in nature would be so much different and in fact incomparable to being clothed in nature. I continue to look forward to more nude experiences and being able to share my experiences with my family and friends without being ashamed or embarrassed. I am proud to have these memories and feel so blessed. I am thrilled that I was able to take a deep breath and slip out of my clothes and experience what it is like to be nude outdoors.

My thanks go out to Lawrence, as he encouraged me to challenge my old, inhibiting thought patterns and experience freedom with my body. I also want to thank Eolake and the Domai website which has continued to be a source of inspiration and joy for me.

I am attaching a couple of pictures from the photo shoot that I did in Virginia.

I really do appreciate all your efforts in providing such a wonderful website to individuals who appreciate the female form for its beauty and strength. This website has changed my way of thinking and appreciation in regards to my own body and I will forever be grateful for this gift.

-- Brooke
 

And then Lawrence her partner and photographer posted this additional comment:

Dear DOMAI

I felt compelled to write to you about Brooke and our experiences together as it relates to the acceptance of nudity. The letters that she has received from her recent newsletter have been very encouraging. [I know she got many, and she was very busy and sorry she is/was behind in answering them. - Eolake] Many of your readers have seen what I have seen ever since Brooke and I have met, which has been about a year now. That is, her smile and her eyes and of course with it, her attitude towards life in general. It is that essence which has drawn me to her and continues to do so. It is for the both of us a common bond, live life to its fullest and cherish what we have. I am very fortunate that Brooke shares that same passion with me.

Her story in the past newsletter demonstrates her desire to challenge past beliefs and to break out of that mold. It was a bold step on her part to share some of the pictures I took of her next to a mountain stream with your audience. If you would of asked me a year ago that Brooke was going to write to Domai and have her pictures on your site, I would have said you were crazy. But, in reality it does do not surprise me now since Brooke is not afraid to "think anew" and try out new experiences. We all have that ability, and for those that are not afraid, living is fun and vibrant. As a side note, I had the opportunity to read some of Brooke's fan mail, and for you gents out there that think it will never happen with your mate, don't give up. To experience nudity outdoors as the follow up letter from Tom expresses, is "...feeling incredibly alive, connected with nature...". I have yet by the way, to meet one person that has regretted giving it a try and has not found the experience liberating. Find a place where just you and your partner can go to experience nudity alone and you will have a wonderful life experience.

Back to the purpose of this letter, Eolake. What sets Domai apart from other sites, is the fact that the pictures capture the beauty of woman, not only externally, but internally. As a man, I admit that at times understanding women can be difficult, but when I see the pictures on your site, I am reminded at the incredible job God did in creating the female form! She is amazing! For me and many of your readers, it is the smile and the eyes that really capture that. This brings a smile to my face and melts away any cares of the day that I may have.

I personally know that Brooke's photo shoot has helped her with her body image issues. Like so many women, she tends to focus on parts of her body that she doesn't like. The nude photo shoot I believe helped her realize that even though it may not be perfect she in fact has an amazing body. And the sensations that come with being outdoors as she explains, are incredible. Yes, she now understands that "Nudity does not equal sex". So, she has grown on so many levels since the photo shoot and the other experiences we have had outdoors (such as Orient Beach on St. Maartin). On a final note, Brooke has done so much for me. She has brought joy to my life when I needed it most, and she has inspired me once again. I am a very fortunate man to know her and I look forward to all the things life has in store for the both of us. Photographing her was a lot of fun and I think it won't be the last time either. I have much to learn when it comes to photographing the nude, but with Brooke... she is a natural.


Lawrence