Comments on: Burning Man isn’t the Happiest Therapist’s Office on Earth

By: Laura H

Laura H — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:40:21 +0000

Hi Caveat,
Having just returned from my first Burning Man, your blog spoke to me…right smack in my motherf’n face. I haven’t felt so lonely and alienated in a long time…all at my own hand. It was exactly what I needed to break down (and breakdown) my walls and barriers, and to lift the weight of the pressures I put on myself.

I arrived at the Playa with a prohibitive attitude, and struggled for days to make myself stop observing (and comparing and punishing myself) and to let myself go…to let me be me…and have the fun I used to be able to have. I have been living the same way in the real world in so many respects. It grooved out such a rut, I couldn’t see it clearly. I had truly lost My Way.

While I mourn the days on The Playa that I could have been engaged and carefree and expanding, I know what I experienced is already shaping my existence. It’s given me the courage to face a layer I’ve been terrified of…and the strength to free myself from it’s bondage.

You are a wise soul. Thank you for sharing…

xoxo,
Laura
(far from having a Playa name :0)

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By: Alice

Alice — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 18:04:13 +0000

I guess it depends on what you mean by “therapy” – you can’t deal with your shit unless you can SEE your shit, and Burning Man will sure as shit show you. This will be my 5th burn as well this year, and I credit coming out to the playa with helping me come to terms with all sorts of crazy shit! You have to be willing to have a bad time sometimes, but I’d rather face my demons than to keep being driven along by them behind me and out of view.

In the long, dark night of the soul (and I’ve had several on the playa) I have been through an infinite number of hells, but I can honestly say I’ve never once thought I’d prefer to be home watching The Simpsons. I’m a better person for facing those fears, and that *does* translate to how I act in the default world.

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By: Tomcat

Tomcat — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 09:35:53 +0000

I always tell people that you are allowed one good freakout at Burning Man, but most people save them up and let it all out at once. It’s not therapy, and if you are looking for that at the Burn itself, you are more likely to have someone wave crystals over you and declare you better.

But what I’ve learned in 11 years of attending is that it makes you confront your own self when you see everyone else having a good time and you are having a terrible one. And that self examination process is transformative. I like to describe it like so: You are walking out on the playa. You’re hot, little dehydrated and tired and your mind has been blown enough that you aren’t having a good time. Just then, the most fabulous car drives by, a mobile party and they are all smiling and toasting each other, all dressed so fabulously. Clearly, they are having a good time… so why am I not? This is the core of the this transformation — you start dealing with your own negativity. You say, why am I shlubbing it here on foot, haven’t gotten laid, am enjoying myself but at the same time not having as good a time as these other folks. (Clearly I’m not, I mean, how can they pretend to enjoy that music?)

And you self-reflect about self-relying your own good time You wonder, am I a wallflower in a place with no walls, just a trash fence? What *do* I need to have a good time here? Do I need some sex, maybe I’ll bring a partner next year. Is it drugs, well I’ll have to hook that up next year. Should I be in better shape next year? Should I amass a wardrobe? Should I bring better gifts? What is wrong with me that I’m not having a peak experience right now? Any why didn’t they give me a ride?

Then you say, fuck it, Burning Man was always so much better next year.

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By: Bugs

Bugs — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 16:35:39 +0000

Brian: This will be my 5th burn, my first changed my life and outlook. My family and friends think I’m crazy because of my outlook on life; for the most part they’re more of the laid back, liberal type. They don’t have the money that I do, but I think that I live more happily? Sorry for the copying of your comments but the magic of the playa is that it the one place in the world that we all love each other. Yes it’s the best therapy in the world. I live in SA and your welcome to come by Sharkey’s Bar on the playa.

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By: BearHug

BearHug — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 18:57:09 +0000

What you said!

BurningMan will bring up your issues if you are stuck, in denial, confused, etc… And even if you’re
not! But it’s up to you to have some kind of life processing setup that you use to DEAL with stuff
that comes up, and think of it as a gift, an opportunity to get in touch with yourself, an adventure.
If you don’t already have that scaffolding, the playa isn’t gonna give it to ya.

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By: Gemini

Gemini — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:45:22 +0000

heh…hey brian, i know you said you don’t imbibe, but as the wife of a veteran and recently retired reservist, who also doesn’t, it didn’t stop him from being being “randomly tested” (not so random?) each year as we returned from the playa =)

when people ask me to describe burning man, i tell them to go, because i can’t tell them. it’s different for each person because we all bring our own stuff, experiences, and wisdom (or lack thereof) to the playa.

i, too, hope you enjoy your inaugural burn!

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By: Larry

Larry — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:19:21 +0000

Brian, Hope you have a good time at your inaugural burn. Never been, hope to someday, but I do attend other events that are similar in many ways from what I’ve been told so i think I’ll fit in well. You sound very enlightened about life and I like much of what you have to say but as judgmental as you seem to be from your post I suspect you have a ways to go. Let us know how it goes.

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By: Butterrcup

Butterrcup — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:02:39 +0000

Bravo! well written, well spoken. thank you.

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By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:30:34 +0000

I think that at the intersection of burning man meets the real world, we have freedom. The more you bring what you have experienced at Burning Man into your real world life, the more real your life becomes. I had the opportunity of seeing Bryan Franklin speak at burning man, I wish I could get a copy of that talk. It was life changing. He recently spoke at the TedxSinCity, it is worth a listen. But I caution you it is confronting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tClHDEoje6Y&feature=BFa&list=SP84440F5714518021&index=4

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By: Jon Mitchell

Jon Mitchell — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 23:09:24 +0000

Fantastic post. The last thing Burning Man should be is an excuse to slack off the rest of the year.

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