The experience of Burning Man is literally indescribable. In fact you have to be there, in order to really get it. No pictures, videos or explanations can do it justice. Each person has his or her own unique adventure and gets something completely different from being there.
Burning Man is like a microcosm for life with the dial turned all the way up. It is complete sensory overload and a powerful incubation space for change. You really don’t come back the same person from Burning Man that you were before you went.
OK – so since it’s unique and fairly indescribable, keep in mind these lessons are from my own experience and perspective. Yet, I feel they have a very universal appeal and hold strong common truths that can be relatable for anyone. I encourage everyone to go, who is curious. It is really a once in a lifetime experience that will change you forever.
Here are my lessons from my first time at Burning Man:
1. Surrender, You have No “REAL” Control Anyways. Many of us are control freaks. We like to be in charge of every aspect of our lives. We attempt to control how things go by planning, preparing, overseeing, coordinating and just plain old trying to make things bend to our will. One thing Burning Man gave me was a swift kick in my command control center. No matter how much you want to orchestrate your experience of life and your burn – you will suffer, until you let go and surrender to what is…
2. Take the Good with the Bad – Embrace Life’s Challenges. Burning Man has literally been described as an adult’s version of Disney World. It can be the most magical, fun, and freeing experience you will ever have and at the same time one of the most challenging. Just think you are actually living in a place where nothing grows or survives. You go from extreme heat to freezing at night. Dust storms, dehydration, and exhaustion are all par for the course. Basic survival depends on your preparation, planning and execution of simple tasks – like eating, bathing, maintaining your shelter structure, staying hydrated and being healthy in the middle of a barren desert under these extreme conditions. Just like life, there are up’s and down’s. The fun and rewards of life are meant to be experienced and enjoyed both during and after we push through its’ challenges – embrace it all…
3. Be fully ENGAGED in the moment – it is all too short. The impermanence of it all is real – enjoy it all NOW! Life is short and Burning Man is even shorter. What you see at Burning Man will literally all be gone in 7 days, like we were never there. When “it” is happening it is easy to take it for granted by getting stuck in your head judging, evaluating, planning and controlling instead of just living the experience as it is happening. It’s funny I have had many times over and over, during the experience of something, you don’t really GET how great or special it is until after its over. Burning Man was like that, just like the old phrase “you don’t miss what you have till it’s gone.” Being engaged in the FLOW of life means the mental chatter gets turned off and you become present and fully engaged in the experience, enjoying every moment., because the MAGIC is happening right now…
4. You Don’t Always Get What You Want but You Definitely Will Get What You NEED! Think in terms of lessons, personal growth, and the bigger picture. Release any expectations of how it “should be” and enjoy what shows up. You will think life or Burning Man will go a certain way and when you bump up against those missed expectations that are not being fulfilled – you ‘should’ all over yourself and end up suffering and upset. Let go and open yourself up to what shows up. Stop shoulding and Enjoy it all…
5. It’s OK to Cry, Be Vulnerable, Real and Open your Heart. Everyone cries at Burning Man – for a variety of reasons: sadness, frustration, love, awe, appreciation, connection, overwhelm, joy, and more. Tears come from opening your heart on a profound and deep level. Open up to being vulnerable enough to share what you are feeling with friends, camp mates and fellow burners. If your tears are not coming from positive emotions you might be bumping up against one of the lessons above. It’s all part of the process growing, shifting and changing that gets magnified by the Magic of the Playa. Taking yourself out of the structure of your normal routine and the ‘default world”, then placing yourself in an environment with 60,000+ like minded, openhearted, creatively inspired, high vibration beings – something is bound to affect you in a positive way. So go ahead and let those tears flow…
6. Playa time is real – So you better be Patient. The life lesson I always bump up against is patience and being on the Playa really put that one to the test. Of course you don’t want to miss the naked bike ride or your favorite DJ set, but you will also have to bend to “playa time”. Things you never expected can and will slow you down. Remember it always takes longer to do anything at Burning Man than you anticipate. Things like coordinating your outings with your friends and camp mates, forgetting something and needing to go back, having a costume malfunction or needing to change seven times, figuring out take care of your basic needs, unexpected dust storm popping up, getting distracted by bright and shining objects are all things that require the art of being patient. So BREATHE, it’s all good…
7. Being FREE to be ME on a whole new level. I am someone who has prided myself on not caring what people think of me. I would say that I am confident and happy with who I am. With that being said, I also hold myself to a standard of presenting myself a certain way, which I judge as being good or not. Like I had it in my head that I looked bad in shorts, so I haven’t worn them in forever. Burning Man gave me a new ability to embrace and love myself without my own judgments and misconceptions of myself getting in the way. My hair didn’t need to be done, my make-up didn’t need to be perfect and I wore shorts (many times even less) and was totally comfortable being me and being free. Be YOU and be FREE…
Hope these lessons make a difference for you. Take them in and practice them.
Oh and here’s a little taste of Burning Man 2016 for you to enJOY…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL6HTvx9vVg