- May 4, 2024
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Have you ever heard of Burning Man?
You may have heard it's a festival or that people wear costumes and listen to music all day and night. You might have even heard that it's a naked party in the desert. And while there may be some truth to those statements, that has not been my experience.
Burning Man is a gathering of 70,000+ people in Black Rock City, Nevada ,the week leading up to labor day weekend. These 70,000 people come together to create a city to celebrate love and life for 10 days before everyone packs up and heads home, leaving the desert as bare as it was when we got there.
In 2004, the 10 Principles were crafted, not to dictate how people should be and act, but as a reflection of the community’s ethos and culture as it had organically developed since the event’s inception. It is something Brady and I look forward to each and every year — one of my non-negotiables — but this year, as with everything, life had other plans.
The last 10 days I have reflected on my experiences there and all of the positive things it has brought to my life. I thought about how it has help me grow as a mother and business woman. How can I put one of the most spiritual experiences into a column for the paper? Truth is, I can't. But what I can do is share a glimpse with you and hope that you pick up on a few of the life lessons I have learned.
Principle 1: Participation. Before BM, I was insecure. I would shy away from experiences where I didn't feel comfortable. BM forced me to jump into new experiences with both feet, and guess what? Nothing bad happened to me! As a matter of fact, I lived! Experiences are what shape us into the people we are and teach us empathy. Sitting on the sidelines prevents us from really getting all that life has to offer and stops growth. Because of this, I am learning to get comfortable being uncomfortable, which has changed my world.
Principle 2: Leave No Trace. Living in our incredibly beautiful coastal community, this one is especially important to me. We should aways be taking foreign items with us whenever we are out exploring. I challenge you next time to not just take your trash with you, but to leave such places in a better state than when you found them.
Principle 3: Radical Self Reliance. On the surface, I may come across as independent, almost to a fault. But the truth is, I had spent many years co-dependent — on relationships with others, my relationship with alcohol (that's a story for another column), and basically in all aspects of my life. Being forced to be 100% responsible for all I bring with me, all I do while I'm there, and what I do with my experience once I return home was truly the most transformational part of my time at Burning Man. This gift is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
Why did I choose to share this part of my life with you this week? Well, after having this experience taken away from me this year, I was forced to dig deep and see what I was missing. Truth be told, I didn't "miss out" on too much because Burning Man is with me. I can still do and be the person I am there while physically being here in Palm Coast. I believe that is the ultimate gift: to make the world a better place than when you got here and spread light and love to those who cross your path.
So always pick up your trash, believe in yourself, be kind to each other, and, when you can, choose love, and our world will be a beautiful place.
Blessings til next time!
To learn more about all 10 Principles, visit BurningMan.org/culture/philosophical-center/10-principles.
