Burning Man - A Week of Radical Self Expression

'Burning Man is an Adult Playland', a 29-Hour a day party for a week; A Globally Charged Community in the desert of Northern Nevada.

'You can vacation in say Jamaica and see things that millions have seen before you and millions will see after you...Or you can trek yourself & stuff to BRC and see things that will only be available for one week to see'

Here is an interesting look back at what Burning Man has meant to me and the lessons I have learned each year...

2000 > 2001 > 2002 > 2003 > 2004 > 2005 > 2006 > 2007 > 2008 >  
2009 > 2010 > 2011 > 2012 > 2013  >  2014 >  2015 > 2016 > 2017 > 2018

2006 - Renewing MY Charge...
Burning Man '06 was inspiring beyond my wildest expectations. Burn Year #7,this thing we know as Burning Man/BRC/The Playa has consumed me.  For all I believe I do for myself or for my fellow Campmates, that all-year-round sport I know as Burning Man/PolyParadise, I am nothing in comparison to what I see others create.  Their spark gives me Energy & Hope for the future...
 
Lessons Learned on the Playa...

• 99.87% of the work is done by 10% of the people.  Year-to-Year those tend to be the same people. I could not do it without them.

  • Realization - I cannot & will not do it all myself. I did not pick up as much trash this year.  Sometimes I had no pockets to put it in.  In general I did not stop in the middle of the road, bend down, and pick up trash.  I did my share but not in excess as I have in the past.

• It has been told to me over and over by my elders and my peers that it is not about receiving but about giving.   That in itself may be true, but my Playa Experiences about giving gifts have skewed that view.

  • I create the gift and put my heart into its creation.  It is an easy thing to take it out of my pocket and give it to you.  I give it without expecting in return, I give to you a piece of me. When the gift is given, the last thing I carry with me is how it was received.  It can be received with Joy & Happiness or with disdain...I have learned that the disdain carries more weight in remembrance in my mind than any such joy I could have brought forth.

• Not everyone gets it at the same time.  Not everybody sees the Communal aspects of Burning Man as I do, as I thought they did.  There are those that need encouragement, there are those that need to be lead.  This Leader accepts that challenge.

  • Realization - There is a point at which 'Erection' of camp is finished.  This year I found out it was Friday.

• There is a Generation Gap, not just in the obvious age difference.  Those 10-20 years my younger see something so different that eye.  It is the World around them, it is the wonder they see, a wonder so different than I see.

• Poly is NOT EASY!!  I am now 10 years into Poly and am just not at a place of being the elder statesman or a person who wants to hear the trails & tribulations of other attempting the Poly Lifestyle. I have been there, done that and signed a book deal.  I do give encouragement & praise to the efforts of others who take on that responsibility. I hope that it continues to fill them with a great sense of accomplishment and that feeling they are helping others in need of finding a better way of dealing with each other and their respective partners.

• The Playa & the AZBurners Gathering at PolyParadise was an amazing place to get Hand Fasted.

• You can TRUST someone when they say they will do something On-Playa.

• Trying to find a particular Theme Camp or Playa Location in the dark is inherently more difficult than during the daytime.

• Sometimes no matter how many times you try and locate someone on the Playa, or how many times you go by their camp, you may never see them during the week.  Others seem to appear out of the dust.

What lessons did you learn from Burning Man & the Playa in 2006?