Towards Burning Man: As I use a conventional toilet for the last time before entering BM, I realize just how nice it is to not have to stand in line for a spot in a Porta Potty.

First reflections: All my life I’ve been looking to choose the right card, experience, job or person while here at BM it is about allowing bits of life to choose me.

The first 24 hours: The menu of sights, sounds and experiences is mind boggling thus taking solace in the smallest of activities brings grounding and a deeper appreciation of all that is on offer.

Why Burning Man? : It’s important to continually put myself in places where I’m challenged to live, act and think differently than I have become accustomed to being and sometimes it includes living with a degree of discomfort and that’s okay.
 
Sitting vs. visiting: On the playa I can sit still or go search but the net result is that the world still presents itself and all I need.
 
BM Intention: To says YES more and be more of my authentic self. To come to terms with the aging process and to be grateful for all that is right here right now.

Playa dust storms: Everything is consumed by these whiteouts and we must hunker down until the winds stop and we get our lives back.
A magic moment per day: Each day on the playa brings countless experiences and yet one usually sticks out with the most love.

Kick back and take stock: Intensity of experiences on the playa range from high to sensory overload. Thus it is useful to stop once a day and take stock in what has transpired since the last reality check. Did anyone say that this is one unique shared dream reality?

Nature Decides when we Burn: With massive preparations for the final big burn of the effigy of ‘Man’ in place, a sudden and unscheduled wind storm erupts and plasters the Playa with a torrent of wind and dust, erasing all signs of light and life. It is nature telling us that we are so small and still beholding to ‘Her’ who can unleash the furry of hell, which may be signaling that it is time to reconsider our transgressions and hubris.

Leaving BM: Exodus is never easy but in the case of BM it is always challenging when 70,000 of your closest friends try to squeeze onto a one-lane road. It’s been 7 hours and we haven’t gone 2 miles.

Post BM: Back in the default world where I race around trying to tie up loose ends and be as efficient as I can be, I quickly loose track of the real reason we are here, on this planet, which is to love. “Can you feel the love tonight?” a song from the Lion King. May we all be Lion Kings with big hearts.


Gregory Burns