Super late burning man report
I made all the preparations. Got stuck in the mud overnight. Experienced all the elements, wind, heat and more heat. I saw some amazing art and talked to some amazing minds. I returned with such inspirations that my artistic mind is still spinning.
This journey started months ago when I joined a fire spinning performance group that would be performing for fire conclave--this is the opening ceremony that happens just before the Man burns.
You may not know this, but I'm much more of a backstage person. I helped as a safety and fuel person for the others. We had an awesome video and got accepted no problem. After our audition was approved, this trek into the desert became so much more real.
Tent was purchased, as was our food. Our group was camping with other circus performance groups, right in the middle of the city. We brought extra of what we could to share....for us, this was lots of coffee, cheese, and champagne. Most of the meals became communal, and everyone would pitch in for the creation for the evening.
My morning routine was to take a morning walk with a friend and a magnum of champagne to share during the walk. It's a great starter and led to some wonderful conversations. Instead of picking activities from the book, I found it better to wander into things than to have any expectations.
And it was great! I saw one of my favorite authors and my favorite congressman speak at the same lecture series...I'd never expect this, as they normally speak to very different groups. This was my best way to beat the heat, which took up most of the day. Or sleep, with the appropriate shade. In the evenings, drumbeats competed for airspace, a constant low thundering in the background. Coming from an urban setting, I was often comforted by the background noise.
There was a standing ovation for our performance. We had some of the largest props in use, and enjoyed some minor celebrity after that (well, others enjoyed it. As I said, I like backstage.) Getting a bit of heat-burn was well worth the front row seats to see the man burn.
It's very true that Burning Man can be anything that you want it to be. There is so much going on there: yoga classes, workshops on every subject you can imagine, parties, free bars, art galleries and coffee shops, jazz bars, sacred sex temples and it's own comic con. And every year, more people bring more ideas.
I loved the intertwined values(burning man has 10 principles that it's built on) of radical self reliance and radical community. This encouraged me to think and do for myself as much as I could, and it also showed that total self reliance is impossible. Humans will always need something outside of themselves...something they forgot or failed to think of. Humans need community and in an extreme setting this is emphasized.
I will definitely be returning, now with a better idea of what I want to contribute for next year. More ideas for costuming and events to hold.