HOT TUBS

 

Hot Tubs

Seeing women nude was the main reason I liked hot tubs. I loved the hot waters, even the sulfrous smell and the over all the body immersion in the hot water. The lure of naked women made the heat and immersion experience all the more delicious.

Nudity wears off. When we see naked people bathing even after an hour or two the sexual tension diminishes. So many breasts, pussy patches and smooth bottoms become part of the natural scene. Men’s bodies were often beautiful strong and smooth but never aroused me sexually. I liked to look but not touch. With women I always loved to look but only touched them when I was invited.

People who tried to have sex in the hot water often found erections hard to sustain and bodily juices lose their effectiveness.

The baths at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California was where I first sat in the hot springs there in 1965. As Esalen grew in fame and drew media attention, the hot tubs and Esalen became synonymous. Michael Murphy, funder of Esalen has said he wished Esalen did not have the baths. He probably felt they took away from the more serious aspects of he institute. Exploring the human potential, spirituality and the arts were the basic purposes of Esalen.

The hot water relaxes tension, physical pain and makes one sleepy. Mixed bathing in the tubs often produces interesting conversation and playful antics. I one saw Alan Ginsburg plunge is hairy body into a hot water tub and immediately jump into a tub of cold water. He did this several times. Perhaps it changed his consciousness. His antics made me laugh.

My friend Sherri had a round wooden hot tub in her back yard. It easily held eight people. A nude gang gathered for easy talk, ribald humor and warm flirtation. It is hard to keep secrets and hide emotions when one is naked with friends or even strangers.

The close physical connections between bathers made for easy touching kissing and caressing. Friends became lovers. Others became better friends. Clarity emerged when people were naked and in the tub. Do I really like her or him? Maybe it is time to move on from this relationship.

Having drinks and a good dinner became all the more interesting when we we removed our clothes and adjourned to the hot tub on a clear starry  evening. After an intimate time in the hot waters, crawling into bed and having sex with a beloved made a perfect end to the day.