For the past five years, Burning Man has become a yearly pilgrimage in my life. It’s the type of environment where individuals may learn something new about themselves, and occasionally even something deeper that goes beyond themselves. That type of reoccurring spark in mind is my favorite. It’s the equivalent of pushing the reset button.
It’s not always easy to put such a powerful week into words, especially after driving for nearly 18 hours the day before, then getting the motorhome dusty, finally unpacking the remains of another week that felt like another dimension, and struggling to make sense of it all, let alone write about it.
Thankfully, photography can assist you. To me, a picture is worth a thousand feelings and memories rather than a thousand words. An extraordinary has the ability to transport a person back in time and into the emotions of those locations. That’s a magical manner.
Each of these is a postcard from a festival moment that, for some reason, I never seem to be able to adequately express, but I can convey the sentiments I experience. keep alone:
This place we call home
Going back to Burning Man is like returning to a town I’ve visited previously and liked so much that I couldn’t help but return.
But, a city seldom touches me in the same way that this one does.
I understood that humans are more similar than dissimilar, and we all want to feel significant and loved. We are interrelated in various ways.
Take a look at me
We gazed into the eyes of multiple complete strangers for a lengthy amount of time in one session, which was quite uncomfortable at first but quickly made me link with the other individuals in the room with me.
The eyes truly are the windows to the soul.
Have you met my pal?
When the dust clouds split and new adventure unveils itself, you never know what you’ll find.
Play
Playing in a huge sandbox must have been every six-year-fantasy, old’s right?
Running around in costumes and playing in the mud is a definite way to bring out your inner child.
Self-expression and freedom
The most wonderful aspect of Burning Man this year was discovering the genuine meaning of “radical self-expression,” one of the city’s key themes.
There aren’t many locations in the world where you can be yourself without being judged, yet we were free for a week.
Where the lighthouse shines
There was a beacon to lead the way through this water when the path was uncertain.
A Holy Reminder
It’s been a spiritual year, and I’m still analyzing the workshops that drained me and then lifted me up, forcing me to examine what I thought I understood, cleanse negativity, and accept my fellow humans.
This fragmentary image of an art installation with the word “home” is an excellent example.
A dance with a dust storm
In an environment so hostile to humanity, where almost every component, including heat, lack of water, dust, harsh sun, and storms, occurs on its own, it is a true test to not just live, but flourish.
A storm swept during that day, and we couldn’t see anything. We had no choice but to chuck our bikes and dance in the dust. Storms come and go, and how you react with them determines how long they last. Isn’t that a metaphor for living that way?
Don’t forget to have fun!
You may have noticed that I have never taken photographs at Burning Man in the past. This year, I tossed an old point-and-shoot camera in my backpack and discovered that virtually all of my shots were of my pals dressed as goddesses. It’s something I’ve always known about them but had only seldom seen in images.
Despite the fact that they were some of the only ones I took, and I was more in the moment than usual, it seemed appropriate to finally provide a little insight into what this is. At least, not for me.
I’ll have these memories to grin about till the next Black Rock City homecoming.
