Burning Man as life change.

rmaburnalicious · Post by **rmaburnalicious** » Thu Nov 24, 2011 7:25 pm

Each year I've gone to Burning Man (the past three in a row, starting in 2009 has marked a serious life change for me. The first year I brought the party, supplied the drugs for everyone in my camp. This is when I realized I had a drug problem and I decided to clean up my act. The second year I waited for the party to come to me and I only took drugs if they were freely offered. This last year I decided to do the burn sober, except for the last night when I drank. I've decided to focus more on the spiritual aspects of the burn and like to find experiences that help me grow as a person. Each year at the temple I write thing that I want to work on for the next year and that I want to improve on. Does anyone have any similar experiences they'd like to share?

lemur · Post by **lemur** » Thu Nov 24, 2011 8:01 pm

junglesmacks · Post by **junglesmacks** » Thu Nov 24, 2011 8:49 pm

Oh, the possibilities.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Thu Nov 24, 2011 8:53 pm

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Nov 24, 2011 9:00 pm

I'm just waiting for someone to accuse the op of being a narc.

lemur · Post by **lemur** » Thu Nov 24, 2011 9:21 pm

Zarathustra laid hold of a tree beside which a youth sat, and spoke thus:

"If I wished to shake this tree with my hands, I should not be able to do so. But the wind, which we do not see, troubles and bends it as it lists. We are worst bent and troubled by invisible hands.

But it is the same with man as with the tree. The more he seeks to rise into the height and light, the more vigorously do his roots struggle earthward, downward, into the dark and deep- into evil."

"Yes, into evil!" cried the youth. "How is it possible that you have discovered my soul?"

Zarathustra smiled, and said: "Many a soul one can never discover, unless one firsts invents it."

"You said the truth, Zarathustra. I trust myself no longer since I sought to rise into the height, and nobody trusts me any longer; how does that happen?

I change too quickly: my today refutes my yesterday. I often overleap the steps when I climb; none of the steps pardons me for it. When aloft, I find myself always alone. No one speaks to me; the frost of solitude makes me tremble. What do I seek in the heights?

My contempt and my longing increase together; the higher I climb, the more do I despise him who climbs. What does he seek in the heights? How ashamed I am of my climbing and stumbling! How I mock my violent panting! How I hate him who flies! How tired I am on the height!"

Here the youth was silent. And Zarathustra contemplated the tree beside which they stood, and spoke thus:

"This tree stands lonely here on the hills; it has grown up high above man and beast. And if it wanted to speak, there would be no one who could understand it: so high has it grown.

Now it waits and waits,- for what does it wait? It dwells too close to the seat of the clouds; it waits- for the lightning?"

When Zarathustra had said this, the youth called out with violent gestures: "Yes, Zarathustra, you speak the truth. I longed for my destruction, when I wanted to be in the heights, and you are the lightning for which I waited! Behold, what have I been since you have appeared amongst us? It is my envy of you that has destroyed me!"- Thus spoke the youth, and wept bitterly. Zarathustra, however, put his arm about him, and led the youth away with him.

And when they had walked a while together, Zarathustra began to speak thus:

It rends my heart. Better than your words can express it, your eyes tell me all your danger. You are not yet free; you still search for freedom. You are too weary from your search, and too wakeful.

You aspire to the heights; you thirst for the stars. But your evil impulses also thirst for freedom. Your wild dogs want freedom; they bark for joy in their cellar when your spirit tries to open all prison doors.

To me you are still a prisoner who seeks his freedom: ah! in such prisoners the soul becomes clever, but also deceitful and wicked. And the liberated spirit must still purify himself. Much of the prison and the mould still remains in him: his eye has still to become pure.

Yes, I know your danger. But by my love and hope I beseech you: do not throw away your love and hope!

RedHeaven · Post by **RedHeaven** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 10:30 am

Uh, yeah, I'd like to share. Would I be cooler if I trolled your post instead? Probably.

I've been lost in my personal fogs at Burning man since I started going and have been at different levels of my own personal consciousness. Ive found it has just as much to do what I do the rest of the year as what I choose to do at Burning Man. If I am more healthy of a person all year round, that positively affects my time in BRC and I am able to go the distance more. If I have been partying hard all summer, then my endurance is not as good in BRC. I have learned that I prefer to save a lot of mojo for Burning Man. Of course I don't want to be a super light weight either, so a little training is good hahahaaha note I say a LITTLE (Im 40 years old in a month gimme some slack)
Burning Man for me is a good helper friend in many ways. Its something I can use as a marker in the year, something to save up for or work towards....Not that I needed something, its just a boost. I don't have kids birthdays or some nature womens group I am a part of so Burning Man works very well in helping me mark little goals in life that will help translate to all year long.

Then again, there are some things that are meant just for Burning Man

But if I can walk away and feel GOOD physically and mentally then I did it Better.