Guide to Burning for Lost Boys
and girls too of course.
Going to a Burn presents a unique challenge for Lost Boys (people with ADD/ADHD). Stimulation is constant and in wide variety. Sensory overload is a real danger. Grown Ups (normal people) could easily become overwhelmed and spend the entire time in their tent rocking back and forth sucking their thumbs. Luckily, Lost Boys are born with a natural skill set to handle these situations.
Here on Earth, they have a group of kids called “Boy Scouts” who have some interesting ideas on how to live. They have a motto or something that says, “Always be prepared.” While this is impossible and silly, we can still learn something from it. You should spend the weeks before a burn kinda thinking about how awesome everything is gonna be. Don’t over think though! You could think yourself scared of the shear quantity of impending awesome. OMG! There is gonna be fire! *breathe*
First thing first, once you have decided to go to a burn, you should find your local Burner community and introduce yourself. This is an adventure in and of itself. Check to see if the info at http://regionals.burningman.com/ helps at all, but it might not. Google shit. Look on Facebook and other social networks. Send emails. Be friendly. Don’t be shy. Ask questions. Figure out ways to meet some of the hard core Burners in person.
A week before the Burn, you should find some kind of receptacle for the things that are fortunate enough to join you on your adventure. It could be a trashbag, a suitcase, the trunk of a car (though that’s not a great idea, but whatever), or a backpack. One of those hardcore hiking packs would be the best option because of its size and portability, but as long as it can transport shit, it should work.
During the days prior to a Burn you should start randomly shoving shit into your chosen carrying device of things. Clothes, band-aids, a cup or two, spray paint or markers, string, maybe a small note book to write on, cool stuff that you might want to give to cool people you meet. Indeed, you should spend some time finding cool stuff to Gift. Also do random research on what to expect, as well as what “necessities” (bah!) you are going to need, like water, a tent, a sleeping bag, etc.
Two days before a Burn, it’s time to get into the mindset of Burning. We won’t have time during the actual event because we must spend the entire time adventuring. Let’s start with the Ten Principles.
http://www.burningman.com/whatisburningman/about_burningman/principles
Radical Inclusion
What this means for a Lost Boy is EVERYONE is player in your game, a fellow adventurer. At the Burn, everyone is your family. Treat everyone like you’ve known them forever. This doesn’t mean you have to like everyone, for indeed some may be your antagonist. If you’re lucky, you might meet your Nemesis at the Burn. Most importantly, Radical Inclusion means loving your selves, all of them. A Burn is the one place where everything that you are, is ok. Include yourself. To get yourself into this philosophy, you should start hugging everyone, making eye contact while smiling at people, and including people in your daily adventures. Perhaps if you are brave you can even practice letting yourself be and do things you normally wouldn’t, for one reason or another. Might be hard in the default world, but it will pay off hugely during the actual Burn.
Gifting
There are no monies at a Burn! The very idea of money doesn’t fit here, or even bartering. Nothing is free, ‘cuz that is a concept involving monies. Instead, you give and receive gifts. Remember, these people are your family. Just follow your heart. If you feel like you want to give something to someone, DO IT! Want something? Just ask. Stay attached to nothing, instead let things flow to and from you. In this way you can keep an ever changing array of cool stuff in your life. To prepare for this, you can give away Free Hugs. Or surprise presents to some of your friends! Don’t give away too much though; not enough to put you on the streets. Not yet anyways. (and remember, gifts can come in many forms :-)
Decommodification
If monies don’t exist, then we must look at things in a different way. The very idea of ownership must change. So, when looking at things, think Ours instead of Mine. Practically, this means no corporate bullshit at a Burn, but I don’t really understand what that means. I think it’s something like we replace corps with camps but then blur the lines that divide them and us. It’s that whole Ours thing. Remember the whole sharing thing from school? Do that. Share ALL THE THINGS! I tried to barter once at a Burn. It was a complete and total failure. Trust in the Burner Magic and Gift!
Radical Self-Reliance
Remember that this is YOUR adventure. Possibly the only thing you can say you own. Kinda. A Burn is a giant live action Choose Your Own Adventure novel. And much like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel, if you’re not liking how something is going, go back. If shit gets weird, go somewhere else. Trust in yourself, your millions of years of evolution, and your awesome brain. Use the Force. Follow your heart. To practice this, go to youtube, watch random videos, and when a video starts to suck, pick a different video from the sidebar. Oh, and I guess you are also in charge of making sure you get enough food and water and stuff like that. (pro-tip: follow your nose)
Radical Self-Expression
In the default world, most of us are socialized to present ourselves as normal, or as normal as possible. At a Burn, do the exact opposite. Be Yourself! Don’t know how? Fuck it, do it anyway! Skip from camp to camp, climb on shit, dance all the time, wear random clothing or no clothing at all, hug random strangers, play around in the dirt, throw a fit or two. Pretty much anything that you were ever told not to do because it might embarrass your parents, or because it wasn’t cool, or because it might be dangerous, can be done. In the days and weeks leading up to the Burn go out in public wearing slightly risqué clothing, like a feather boa or mismatching shoes. Baby steps.
Communal Effort
If we want something done, we have to do it ourselves. This means pure potential for adventures to a Lost Boy. You get to help build art pieces, set up camps, cook yummies, decorate things, clean up. Dreams come true at Burns, but only if enough people vote with their labor. Do-acracy-type stuff. Share yourself with others. Practice for this could come in the form of helping a friend rearrange their room or helping them garden or something. Post Burn, you will discover you have a large community near you of family who would love to participate in some awesome project of yours, especially if it benefits the family/community. And you will learn that helping others in the same way gives you a glow in your belly that just doesn’t go away.
Civic Responsibility
We really are a family, a Tribe. And for our society to function and not implode, we must all take responsibility. Help out with Greeter Station, or Ranger a shift. Look after your fellow Burners. If you notice someone hasn’t had any water in days, sit their ass down and force them to drink water. A high pressure water pump helps with this. Only you can prevent forest fires! Step up. Sometimes with family you have to be the one to be responsible. Not all the time though. So before the burn, make sure you have all your chores and errands done before you go. Way to go. Captain Responsibility!
Leave No Trace
Or the bad guys will follow our trail of crap back to the Den. We are stealth camping! No MOOP! (matter out of place) Plus, if we want to play indefinitely, we have to make sure our playground is in good shape at all times. Sustainability, and all that jazz. Indeed, what would be super sweet would be to leave shit in even better shape than before we got there. Take that Nature! I like to be a little destructive at Burns. To do that in the spirit of Leave No Trace, I track down all the casualties of my debauchery and either burn them or take them back to my camp for hauling to a landfill. Or turn the pieces into ART! To get into the spirit of this, pick up some of the ever-present MOOP on the streets, also known as litter.
Participation
A Burn is a giant ball of potential adventures and adventurers! Have an idea? Get some people on board and make it happen! Is something cool going on? Join in on the fun! Participation > Observation. Sometimes. It’s also fun to watch cool shit, but we got youtube out in the default world, so get involved! In case you’re wondering if it’s ok to participate, don’t worry, I’m giving you permission right now.
Immediacy
Lost Boys really shouldn’t have any trouble with this one. Just do it. No time like the present. If not now, when? Go ahead and let your impulsive side take hold. Follow your heart. Do what you feel. Easy, no?
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Now the day before an actual Burn you should eat really well, drink looooots of water, take vitamins, and in a near state of panic do all the things you forgot to do before today. Oh! I mean the day before you leave for a Burn. Damn, I bet my time scale is confusing up there. Ok, in your mind add “you leave for” to every “In the X before a Burn” between before and a. Also X = whatever time I had said up there. Now let’s get back on track.
The night before you leave, take some sleep meds or something early in the night, like at 10pm or something. This is probably going to be the last full night sleep you’re likely to get for a while. Make sure not to take so many meds that you don’t wake up in time to leave on time... or not wake up at all or something. That would suck.
Once you have everything packed up on the scheduled day to leave, make sure you have everything. Check twice. Thrice even! You are going to forget something, that is inevitable, but a little constructive freaking out can reduce this. Or make it worse. Whatever. Try not to antagonize the people who are riding with you, too much with your freaking out. A little is ok though.
On the ride to the Burn, go ahead and let yourself get really excited. Get your hopes up. Bounce around. Buy candy and soda during gas stops. Sing along to the radio. Ask for frequent restroom breaks because of all the candy you ate and soda you drank. The ride to a Burn is very important. This is where you start to let yourself go.
As you approach the physical location of the event, make sure you have whatever you need to get in. Smaller Burns will only ask your name, and maybe ask for identification. Larger Burns will demand you have a ticket. So get your I.D. or ticket ready. I would suggest not putting the ticket in the same pocket as your camera and then climbing into the bed of the truck to truck surf into the event while taking pictures. That’s how I lost my ticket to Burning Man in ‘09. Alternatively, if you’re sneaking in, shove yourself into the big box you brought for that specific purpose. I hope you put air holes in it.
When dealing with the Gate Keepers, be friendly. These are the people who keep everything as legal as possible so we can do this year after year. It is a great, often thankless, service they do us. Give them a hug, and lots of smiles. Unless you’re in a box.
Next, on to Greeter Station!
I’m always surprised by how many people act shy or reserved when they get to Greeter Station. You’re HOME, dude! Let your hair down. Greeter Station invariably has some of the best people, usually with some kind of shenanigans going on. This is your first chance to have some proper Burn fun. Drink a beer. Hug everyone. Exchange names. People with playa names are especially important to remember, although plenty of really cool Burners don’t have playa names. (Don’t feel bad if you forget people’s names; it happens). Greeter Station is also a good place to randomly hang out. Now get back in your car and head into the playa!
If your part of a theme camp, you will probably have a designated area to camp. If not, you might have to camp out in the boonies. A possible workaround for this dilemma would be to pick random camps you pass and ask if you can camp with them, if they got room. Many camps ask for more room than they actually need. Regardless of where you’re camping, the first thing you want to do, other than taking a nap, is to set up your tent. There is a high probability that hijinks will shortly ensue and if you don’t put your tent up now chances are that when you finally make it back to your camp you will be in no state to up it up then. Ah, fuck it! Either way, you’ll be ok. Put on your best outfit/costume/adventure gear and go explore!
There is no standard operating procedure for Burning. Everyone has their own style. You will soon figure out what your style is. Let me just give some suggestions and pro-tips.
If you arrive with plenty of sunlight out, go explore. Start with nearby camps, meet people, name exchange, but move on quickly. This quick pace will help you overcome any lingering anxiety or shyness left over from the default world. You will soon lose those things that have little or no place here. Try to memorize the placements of the different theme camps, as well as the porta-potties. Find the Ranger and Med Stations. Get to know these guys really well. They will probably save your life. Go check out the Effigy. Feel free to explode the land you’re Burning on, too. Take note of any camps that look really interesting, or have bars... these are good places to meander back to, at random.
Make sure you bring a cup with you everywhere! The best cups are ones you can somehow attach to your person, either by clipping it to your adventure harness, or putting it into your playa pack, or some other cool way of taking it with you. My first burn I had one of those leather bota bags which I slung across my chest. I would put whatever random liquid I found in there, making a constantly changing, interesting liquid concoction.
If you are light skinned, of the type who burns easily, or indeed at all, you should probably put on some sunscreen. If you didn’t pack any, ask some neighbor camps, or maybe a Ranger. Or just do enough drugs that you won’t feel your skin blister. This is actually good advice for just about anything.
When the sun is directly overhead it is a good time to socialize. Find a random camp and sit down in an empty seat or right on the playa. Talk about random shit, whatever interests you. Don’t censor yourself. I mean, really, talk about your interests, no matter how weird or nerdy. You will discover that inevitably, you’re gonna find people here who like the same shit you do.
What are some things you can talk about? Most Burners are spiritual/non-religious with strong opinions about that kinda stuff. That always makes for interesting conversation. Many have interesting and well thought out ideas on government. Also, many Burners practice alternate sexuality or have different ideas on how to go about having human relationships. Yes, that’s right. You can talk about the three things you shouldn’t talk about in polite company: Sex, Religion and Politics. This isn’t polite society. This is a Burn!
You’ll also find that being interested in other Burners takes on those three subjects. And being respectful of their opinion, will make you fast friends. And those friends will then feed you noms! It’s really easy to be respectful of their opinion. Remember, these kids are just like you. They didn’t fit well out there in the default world. They thought too much, cared too much, or were just too different. You will find that they have all lived very interesting lives (sometimes dark, sometimes not) but always inspiring.
Be inspired by your Family!
Hopefully you will have found various camps that offer sanctuary before things get too crazy. Because they are going to get crazy. You will probably feel every emotion possible to feel, and perhaps even more intensely than you have ever felt them before. Your trip can get bad. Some camps specialize in chaos, and intense experience happens around them far more often than the calmer camps. When things get to be too much, find the Carebear camps. They will take care of you.
BTW, if you’ve got unresolved issues in your life, you WILL confront them at a Burn. This is the best chance you have to resolve those issues, to heal past wounds, and move forward in your life. I know its scary to let go of the past, to Love. But be brave; for we all must do it, we all have done it. If you’re going through something, your Burn family are the perfect people to talk to about it. Don’t expect them to coddle you, or feed your emotional vampirism for long though. We will push you out of the nest, for we know you can fly. Good Luck!
Don’t worry about sleep. You can get that eventually. Like when you get back home.
Do worry about water. Drink as much as possible. It will keep you at 100 percent. Food is far less important. You probably got plenty of fat deposits with calories and vitamins stored up to see you through the Burn. When is doubt, drink more water. Seriously, if you’re starting to feel grumpy or sick or tired or weird, go drink water.
When someone dubs you with a playa name, don’t let your ego decide if you like it. Does it Feel good? If so, from now on, introduce yourself as that name. If you don’t like the name, don’t be too vocal about it, or the person might take it as a challenge to get you called that by everyone. The right one will stick, regardless.
Carry around a marker.
If you’re not sure how to act when someone gifts you one of the coolest things you’ve ever seen, don’t worry. It’s easy. Act authentic. Smile, thank them, maybe cry a little. Or if you don’t want it, say so. That’s cool, too. Don’t feel obligated to give them anything; that’s not how things work. If it makes you feel better, do the pay it forward thing. But there is no need. The magic of Burn will take care of everything.
No expectations, no attachments, just Love. This is the best way to enjoy a Burn. It’s far easier here than anywhere else. Here you can let other people be themselves without worry. Here you can let things go. Here you can truly learn what it means to Love. (For it is far more complex and beautiful than the world would have you believe.)
Make sure you get a good seat for the Effigy Burn and the Temple Burn, if there is one. One way to do that is to get on perimeter duty. Maybe, ‘cuz then you’re supposed to maintain the perimeter. It’s pretty easy at a small burn, but at Burning Man you’ve got to stare people down to keep them in line. Burners are crazy. Go crazy while the Effigy burns. STFU and take in the magic while the Temple burns. Sear these experiences into your memory. Keep them forever. They will be balls of strength for you when you go back to the Default world.
Worship the Fire! Don’t worry, people will only think you’re awesome if you do.
Always ask permission, especially for the odd or raunchy stuff; except when it’s ok not to ask permission. You can get away with some crazy shit if you just ask first. Taking pictures of naked people without their permission is just rude and if I see it, I will stomp the shit out of your camera.
Find all your boundaries. And then push the shit out of them. If you’ve never made out with someone of the same sex, do it! Go hang out with the chaos camps. Participate in a bondage event. You can go way further than that, but I’ll leave that for you to discover. Remember though, it is up to you to defend your boundaries when the time comes. RAWR!
If you bring your Girlfriend/Boyfriend, the best advice I can offer you is HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *deep breath* Ok, sorry about that. Remember how I said no expectations, no attachments, just Love? Yeah, get ready to practice that. Both you and your partner will probably fall in love out on the playa, and not to each other. Think about is this way: a Burn is a huge gathering of Soul mates. Between souls, there is no such thing as boyfriend/husband/lover. There is only Soul mate. To help you overcome any jealousy issues you might encounter, remember that these are your Soul mates. The person banging your boyfriend is your Soul mate. Don’t get jealous, instead cheer on that person. Two of the people you love the most in the entire cosmos are making each other happy right now. Their love for each other does not diminish the love you receive. Indeed, if you have the guts to truly live this, you will find that you will receive and give far more love than you thought possible. It’s probably a good idea to sit down with your loved one before you go to the Burn and agree that you both want each other to be happy. And do not restrict any experience on each other’s behalf. No matter what happens, you will still love each other at the end.
Don’t let anyone tell you what you are, or are not, capable of. Although it is wise to listen to sage advice, you may well be the exception to the rule. For example, I’m immortal. I can survive anything. Unless my body tells me I can’t, that is.
On the last day, say your goodbyes. Cling to people like you’re never going to see them again. Get depressed. Despondently pack your shit. Clean up all the MOOP. Cry a little. Leave while stoically keeping your cool. You’re heading back to the Default world. It’s ok to feel despair.
But guess what?!?!!!?! We can live like this! You don’t have to stop Burning. You’ve found out more about yourself in the course of a few days than most people do in their entire lives. Don’t ever let that go. Stubbornly refuse to put yourself back in a box. Militantly demand that you live each day with Love.
It won’t be easy though. I will have to write another guide on How to Burn 365.
Welcome Home -^.^-
and girls too of course.
Going to a Burn presents a unique challenge for Lost Boys (people with ADD/ADHD). Stimulation is constant and in wide variety. Sensory overload is a real danger. Grown Ups (normal people) could easily become overwhelmed and spend the entire time in their tent rocking back and forth sucking their thumbs. Luckily, Lost Boys are born with a natural skill set to handle these situations.
Here on Earth, they have a group of kids called “Boy Scouts” who have some interesting ideas on how to live. They have a motto or something that says, “Always be prepared.” While this is impossible and silly, we can still learn something from it. You should spend the weeks before a burn kinda thinking about how awesome everything is gonna be. Don’t over think though! You could think yourself scared of the shear quantity of impending awesome. OMG! There is gonna be fire! *breathe*
First thing first, once you have decided to go to a burn, you should find your local Burner community and introduce yourself. This is an adventure in and of itself. Check to see if the info at http://regionals.burningman.com/ helps at all, but it might not. Google shit. Look on Facebook and other social networks. Send emails. Be friendly. Don’t be shy. Ask questions. Figure out ways to meet some of the hard core Burners in person.
A week before the Burn, you should find some kind of receptacle for the things that are fortunate enough to join you on your adventure. It could be a trashbag, a suitcase, the trunk of a car (though that’s not a great idea, but whatever), or a backpack. One of those hardcore hiking packs would be the best option because of its size and portability, but as long as it can transport shit, it should work.
During the days prior to a Burn you should start randomly shoving shit into your chosen carrying device of things. Clothes, band-aids, a cup or two, spray paint or markers, string, maybe a small note book to write on, cool stuff that you might want to give to cool people you meet. Indeed, you should spend some time finding cool stuff to Gift. Also do random research on what to expect, as well as what “necessities” (bah!) you are going to need, like water, a tent, a sleeping bag, etc.
Two days before a Burn, it’s time to get into the mindset of Burning. We won’t have time during the actual event because we must spend the entire time adventuring. Let’s start with the Ten Principles.
http://www.burningman.com/whatisburningman/about_burningman/principles
Radical Inclusion
What this means for a Lost Boy is EVERYONE is player in your game, a fellow adventurer. At the Burn, everyone is your family. Treat everyone like you’ve known them forever. This doesn’t mean you have to like everyone, for indeed some may be your antagonist. If you’re lucky, you might meet your Nemesis at the Burn. Most importantly, Radical Inclusion means loving your selves, all of them. A Burn is the one place where everything that you are, is ok. Include yourself. To get yourself into this philosophy, you should start hugging everyone, making eye contact while smiling at people, and including people in your daily adventures. Perhaps if you are brave you can even practice letting yourself be and do things you normally wouldn’t, for one reason or another. Might be hard in the default world, but it will pay off hugely during the actual Burn.
Gifting
There are no monies at a Burn! The very idea of money doesn’t fit here, or even bartering. Nothing is free, ‘cuz that is a concept involving monies. Instead, you give and receive gifts. Remember, these people are your family. Just follow your heart. If you feel like you want to give something to someone, DO IT! Want something? Just ask. Stay attached to nothing, instead let things flow to and from you. In this way you can keep an ever changing array of cool stuff in your life. To prepare for this, you can give away Free Hugs. Or surprise presents to some of your friends! Don’t give away too much though; not enough to put you on the streets. Not yet anyways. (and remember, gifts can come in many forms :-)
Decommodification
If monies don’t exist, then we must look at things in a different way. The very idea of ownership must change. So, when looking at things, think Ours instead of Mine. Practically, this means no corporate bullshit at a Burn, but I don’t really understand what that means. I think it’s something like we replace corps with camps but then blur the lines that divide them and us. It’s that whole Ours thing. Remember the whole sharing thing from school? Do that. Share ALL THE THINGS! I tried to barter once at a Burn. It was a complete and total failure. Trust in the Burner Magic and Gift!
Radical Self-Reliance
Remember that this is YOUR adventure. Possibly the only thing you can say you own. Kinda. A Burn is a giant live action Choose Your Own Adventure novel. And much like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel, if you’re not liking how something is going, go back. If shit gets weird, go somewhere else. Trust in yourself, your millions of years of evolution, and your awesome brain. Use the Force. Follow your heart. To practice this, go to youtube, watch random videos, and when a video starts to suck, pick a different video from the sidebar. Oh, and I guess you are also in charge of making sure you get enough food and water and stuff like that. (pro-tip: follow your nose)
Radical Self-Expression
In the default world, most of us are socialized to present ourselves as normal, or as normal as possible. At a Burn, do the exact opposite. Be Yourself! Don’t know how? Fuck it, do it anyway! Skip from camp to camp, climb on shit, dance all the time, wear random clothing or no clothing at all, hug random strangers, play around in the dirt, throw a fit or two. Pretty much anything that you were ever told not to do because it might embarrass your parents, or because it wasn’t cool, or because it might be dangerous, can be done. In the days and weeks leading up to the Burn go out in public wearing slightly risqué clothing, like a feather boa or mismatching shoes. Baby steps.
Communal Effort
If we want something done, we have to do it ourselves. This means pure potential for adventures to a Lost Boy. You get to help build art pieces, set up camps, cook yummies, decorate things, clean up. Dreams come true at Burns, but only if enough people vote with their labor. Do-acracy-type stuff. Share yourself with others. Practice for this could come in the form of helping a friend rearrange their room or helping them garden or something. Post Burn, you will discover you have a large community near you of family who would love to participate in some awesome project of yours, especially if it benefits the family/community. And you will learn that helping others in the same way gives you a glow in your belly that just doesn’t go away.
Civic Responsibility
We really are a family, a Tribe. And for our society to function and not implode, we must all take responsibility. Help out with Greeter Station, or Ranger a shift. Look after your fellow Burners. If you notice someone hasn’t had any water in days, sit their ass down and force them to drink water. A high pressure water pump helps with this. Only you can prevent forest fires! Step up. Sometimes with family you have to be the one to be responsible. Not all the time though. So before the burn, make sure you have all your chores and errands done before you go. Way to go. Captain Responsibility!
Leave No Trace
Or the bad guys will follow our trail of crap back to the Den. We are stealth camping! No MOOP! (matter out of place) Plus, if we want to play indefinitely, we have to make sure our playground is in good shape at all times. Sustainability, and all that jazz. Indeed, what would be super sweet would be to leave shit in even better shape than before we got there. Take that Nature! I like to be a little destructive at Burns. To do that in the spirit of Leave No Trace, I track down all the casualties of my debauchery and either burn them or take them back to my camp for hauling to a landfill. Or turn the pieces into ART! To get into the spirit of this, pick up some of the ever-present MOOP on the streets, also known as litter.
Participation
A Burn is a giant ball of potential adventures and adventurers! Have an idea? Get some people on board and make it happen! Is something cool going on? Join in on the fun! Participation > Observation. Sometimes. It’s also fun to watch cool shit, but we got youtube out in the default world, so get involved! In case you’re wondering if it’s ok to participate, don’t worry, I’m giving you permission right now.
Immediacy
Lost Boys really shouldn’t have any trouble with this one. Just do it. No time like the present. If not now, when? Go ahead and let your impulsive side take hold. Follow your heart. Do what you feel. Easy, no?
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Now the day before an actual Burn you should eat really well, drink looooots of water, take vitamins, and in a near state of panic do all the things you forgot to do before today. Oh! I mean the day before you leave for a Burn. Damn, I bet my time scale is confusing up there. Ok, in your mind add “you leave for” to every “In the X before a Burn” between before and a. Also X = whatever time I had said up there. Now let’s get back on track.
The night before you leave, take some sleep meds or something early in the night, like at 10pm or something. This is probably going to be the last full night sleep you’re likely to get for a while. Make sure not to take so many meds that you don’t wake up in time to leave on time... or not wake up at all or something. That would suck.
Once you have everything packed up on the scheduled day to leave, make sure you have everything. Check twice. Thrice even! You are going to forget something, that is inevitable, but a little constructive freaking out can reduce this. Or make it worse. Whatever. Try not to antagonize the people who are riding with you, too much with your freaking out. A little is ok though.
On the ride to the Burn, go ahead and let yourself get really excited. Get your hopes up. Bounce around. Buy candy and soda during gas stops. Sing along to the radio. Ask for frequent restroom breaks because of all the candy you ate and soda you drank. The ride to a Burn is very important. This is where you start to let yourself go.
As you approach the physical location of the event, make sure you have whatever you need to get in. Smaller Burns will only ask your name, and maybe ask for identification. Larger Burns will demand you have a ticket. So get your I.D. or ticket ready. I would suggest not putting the ticket in the same pocket as your camera and then climbing into the bed of the truck to truck surf into the event while taking pictures. That’s how I lost my ticket to Burning Man in ‘09. Alternatively, if you’re sneaking in, shove yourself into the big box you brought for that specific purpose. I hope you put air holes in it.
When dealing with the Gate Keepers, be friendly. These are the people who keep everything as legal as possible so we can do this year after year. It is a great, often thankless, service they do us. Give them a hug, and lots of smiles. Unless you’re in a box.
Next, on to Greeter Station!
I’m always surprised by how many people act shy or reserved when they get to Greeter Station. You’re HOME, dude! Let your hair down. Greeter Station invariably has some of the best people, usually with some kind of shenanigans going on. This is your first chance to have some proper Burn fun. Drink a beer. Hug everyone. Exchange names. People with playa names are especially important to remember, although plenty of really cool Burners don’t have playa names. (Don’t feel bad if you forget people’s names; it happens). Greeter Station is also a good place to randomly hang out. Now get back in your car and head into the playa!
If your part of a theme camp, you will probably have a designated area to camp. If not, you might have to camp out in the boonies. A possible workaround for this dilemma would be to pick random camps you pass and ask if you can camp with them, if they got room. Many camps ask for more room than they actually need. Regardless of where you’re camping, the first thing you want to do, other than taking a nap, is to set up your tent. There is a high probability that hijinks will shortly ensue and if you don’t put your tent up now chances are that when you finally make it back to your camp you will be in no state to up it up then. Ah, fuck it! Either way, you’ll be ok. Put on your best outfit/costume/adventure gear and go explore!
There is no standard operating procedure for Burning. Everyone has their own style. You will soon figure out what your style is. Let me just give some suggestions and pro-tips.
If you arrive with plenty of sunlight out, go explore. Start with nearby camps, meet people, name exchange, but move on quickly. This quick pace will help you overcome any lingering anxiety or shyness left over from the default world. You will soon lose those things that have little or no place here. Try to memorize the placements of the different theme camps, as well as the porta-potties. Find the Ranger and Med Stations. Get to know these guys really well. They will probably save your life. Go check out the Effigy. Feel free to explode the land you’re Burning on, too. Take note of any camps that look really interesting, or have bars... these are good places to meander back to, at random.
Make sure you bring a cup with you everywhere! The best cups are ones you can somehow attach to your person, either by clipping it to your adventure harness, or putting it into your playa pack, or some other cool way of taking it with you. My first burn I had one of those leather bota bags which I slung across my chest. I would put whatever random liquid I found in there, making a constantly changing, interesting liquid concoction.
If you are light skinned, of the type who burns easily, or indeed at all, you should probably put on some sunscreen. If you didn’t pack any, ask some neighbor camps, or maybe a Ranger. Or just do enough drugs that you won’t feel your skin blister. This is actually good advice for just about anything.
When the sun is directly overhead it is a good time to socialize. Find a random camp and sit down in an empty seat or right on the playa. Talk about random shit, whatever interests you. Don’t censor yourself. I mean, really, talk about your interests, no matter how weird or nerdy. You will discover that inevitably, you’re gonna find people here who like the same shit you do.
What are some things you can talk about? Most Burners are spiritual/non-religious with strong opinions about that kinda stuff. That always makes for interesting conversation. Many have interesting and well thought out ideas on government. Also, many Burners practice alternate sexuality or have different ideas on how to go about having human relationships. Yes, that’s right. You can talk about the three things you shouldn’t talk about in polite company: Sex, Religion and Politics. This isn’t polite society. This is a Burn!
You’ll also find that being interested in other Burners takes on those three subjects. And being respectful of their opinion, will make you fast friends. And those friends will then feed you noms! It’s really easy to be respectful of their opinion. Remember, these kids are just like you. They didn’t fit well out there in the default world. They thought too much, cared too much, or were just too different. You will find that they have all lived very interesting lives (sometimes dark, sometimes not) but always inspiring.
Be inspired by your Family!
Hopefully you will have found various camps that offer sanctuary before things get too crazy. Because they are going to get crazy. You will probably feel every emotion possible to feel, and perhaps even more intensely than you have ever felt them before. Your trip can get bad. Some camps specialize in chaos, and intense experience happens around them far more often than the calmer camps. When things get to be too much, find the Carebear camps. They will take care of you.
BTW, if you’ve got unresolved issues in your life, you WILL confront them at a Burn. This is the best chance you have to resolve those issues, to heal past wounds, and move forward in your life. I know its scary to let go of the past, to Love. But be brave; for we all must do it, we all have done it. If you’re going through something, your Burn family are the perfect people to talk to about it. Don’t expect them to coddle you, or feed your emotional vampirism for long though. We will push you out of the nest, for we know you can fly. Good Luck!
Don’t worry about sleep. You can get that eventually. Like when you get back home.
Do worry about water. Drink as much as possible. It will keep you at 100 percent. Food is far less important. You probably got plenty of fat deposits with calories and vitamins stored up to see you through the Burn. When is doubt, drink more water. Seriously, if you’re starting to feel grumpy or sick or tired or weird, go drink water.
When someone dubs you with a playa name, don’t let your ego decide if you like it. Does it Feel good? If so, from now on, introduce yourself as that name. If you don’t like the name, don’t be too vocal about it, or the person might take it as a challenge to get you called that by everyone. The right one will stick, regardless.
Carry around a marker.
If you’re not sure how to act when someone gifts you one of the coolest things you’ve ever seen, don’t worry. It’s easy. Act authentic. Smile, thank them, maybe cry a little. Or if you don’t want it, say so. That’s cool, too. Don’t feel obligated to give them anything; that’s not how things work. If it makes you feel better, do the pay it forward thing. But there is no need. The magic of Burn will take care of everything.
No expectations, no attachments, just Love. This is the best way to enjoy a Burn. It’s far easier here than anywhere else. Here you can let other people be themselves without worry. Here you can let things go. Here you can truly learn what it means to Love. (For it is far more complex and beautiful than the world would have you believe.)
Make sure you get a good seat for the Effigy Burn and the Temple Burn, if there is one. One way to do that is to get on perimeter duty. Maybe, ‘cuz then you’re supposed to maintain the perimeter. It’s pretty easy at a small burn, but at Burning Man you’ve got to stare people down to keep them in line. Burners are crazy. Go crazy while the Effigy burns. STFU and take in the magic while the Temple burns. Sear these experiences into your memory. Keep them forever. They will be balls of strength for you when you go back to the Default world.
Worship the Fire! Don’t worry, people will only think you’re awesome if you do.
Always ask permission, especially for the odd or raunchy stuff; except when it’s ok not to ask permission. You can get away with some crazy shit if you just ask first. Taking pictures of naked people without their permission is just rude and if I see it, I will stomp the shit out of your camera.
Find all your boundaries. And then push the shit out of them. If you’ve never made out with someone of the same sex, do it! Go hang out with the chaos camps. Participate in a bondage event. You can go way further than that, but I’ll leave that for you to discover. Remember though, it is up to you to defend your boundaries when the time comes. RAWR!
If you bring your Girlfriend/Boyfriend, the best advice I can offer you is HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *deep breath* Ok, sorry about that. Remember how I said no expectations, no attachments, just Love? Yeah, get ready to practice that. Both you and your partner will probably fall in love out on the playa, and not to each other. Think about is this way: a Burn is a huge gathering of Soul mates. Between souls, there is no such thing as boyfriend/husband/lover. There is only Soul mate. To help you overcome any jealousy issues you might encounter, remember that these are your Soul mates. The person banging your boyfriend is your Soul mate. Don’t get jealous, instead cheer on that person. Two of the people you love the most in the entire cosmos are making each other happy right now. Their love for each other does not diminish the love you receive. Indeed, if you have the guts to truly live this, you will find that you will receive and give far more love than you thought possible. It’s probably a good idea to sit down with your loved one before you go to the Burn and agree that you both want each other to be happy. And do not restrict any experience on each other’s behalf. No matter what happens, you will still love each other at the end.
Don’t let anyone tell you what you are, or are not, capable of. Although it is wise to listen to sage advice, you may well be the exception to the rule. For example, I’m immortal. I can survive anything. Unless my body tells me I can’t, that is.
On the last day, say your goodbyes. Cling to people like you’re never going to see them again. Get depressed. Despondently pack your shit. Clean up all the MOOP. Cry a little. Leave while stoically keeping your cool. You’re heading back to the Default world. It’s ok to feel despair.
But guess what?!?!!!?! We can live like this! You don’t have to stop Burning. You’ve found out more about yourself in the course of a few days than most people do in their entire lives. Don’t ever let that go. Stubbornly refuse to put yourself back in a box. Militantly demand that you live each day with Love.
It won’t be easy though. I will have to write another guide on How to Burn 365.
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