Heart of Madness: How Burning Man Becomes Your Home

Photo by Anya_

Only by letting go of what you think you want as well as where you have been can you find where you truly need to be.

Last year, you hitched a float with Vanessa during Trader Joes. After hours of people claiming they had no room in their vans, trucks as well as RVs, she done room in her two-door hatchback for me.

Last year, you recoiled when greeted during a front gates with a robust Welcome Home! This was not my home.

Vanessa dropped me off somewhere nearby a coordinates of my stay usually as a dirt charge began. you outlayed hours wandering around. you stumbled in to Center Camp, surrounded by naked people, music, as well as alternative loud noises. But a dirt blowing by done my eyes bake as well as you couldnt see. It was already dim when you found my camp.

Confusion.

Photo by *christopher*

This year you gathering myself as well as Chris, whom Id found during Walmart in need of a ride. you wanted to assistance move someone to bake as Vanessa had helped me.

We done room in a truck lent to me by unbelievably generous cousins: people who have never been to Burning Man as well as probably never will, though who already live a core of what Burning Man means. Rely upon yourself. Give to others.

This time, which which used to feel bizarre was normal. you knew where you was as well as where to go. What took hours final year took minutes, as well as you found my stay immediately. you hugged everybody hello, filled a water, afterwards ate a bit prior to removing to work building shade structures as well as environment up tents. Just as you finished, rain poured down, followed by a double rainbow surrounding a complete city.

Bur! ning Mad ness

That night, Center camp. Klezmer song played upon a stage whilst a lady lonesome in sparkly immature body paint massaged a man in zero though boots as well as hairy cat ears tied organisation to his conduct by an uncomfortable-looking chinstrap.

In a center of a center, people slid across puddles upon wet plastic covering a floor. Pasties for your nipples, you heard Pastie Dan contend somewhere in a background.

Photo by Tanais Fox

Overwhelmed.

Absorbed, you walked by as well as out in to a night as well as hopped upon my bike to conduct towards a Man. you moved quickly, loving a wind as well as a cold of a night, as well as stopped usually once during a Hug Snack stop to order a Cinnamon Twist.

I lined up, holding hands with several others. We wound ourselves in to a caracol, held tight, hugged, afterwards spun out in to people again, each going somewhere else.

Later, during a Temple, a counterpoint of assent to all a madness, you read what others wrote upon a walls. Words of things you have, things you want as well as things you no longer need.

In a stretch you saw an electric fish in motion a playa, blasting Michael Jackson whilst carrying fire dancers in its large iron maw. Somewhere, from a outdoor reaches of a city, a gong bellowed out, sending rivulets of receptive to advice across a dust.

Last year, you resisted. This year, you embraced.

I adore not meaningful what to think, where to demeanour subsequent or how to appreciate my senses. No, you hunger for it.