Burning Man
Out of context: Reply #562
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- scarabin0
a woman who camped by my pyramid sent this letter to burning man afterward. i thought it was really sweet:
Dear Org:Camp ILLUMUNIS was awesome!
http://scarabin.net/illuminus/ I had never heard of these people or their camp. I arrived early and set up in a slim alley not assigned to a theme camp, as per the placer. As ILLUMINUS grew around me and beyond its own bounds (It needs a 200 x 200 feet) I began to realize how fortunate I was to live in the shade of the ILLUMINUS pyramid rising sphynxotically from the desert as if it had always been there, in some way. As this camp welcomed me, I learned that its artistic master, Spike, had been to Egypt to study pyramidal structures. I have no photos of it at night, but it is beautiful and moreover the top opens so ILLUMINUS can welcome in, and celebrate out, the sun. Spike's mesmerizing posters inside, the hanging spinning circle seat, and the technomystical music made me high all on their own. There I was, a very overweight middle aged and very grumpy woman around these ubercool people and I felt very welcomed! And I say that because I was hit by multiple maladies this Burn (see my frownie photo above) and still I can praise ILLUMINUS. Rach, the co-host, was capable, charismatic, open hearted, and respectful. As Rach is half "negro" (his words) and Native American, and ILLUMINUS hosted Asians, Germans, Dutchpeople, persons even older than I, gays, and absorbed at least two lone campers, and a man who had been travelling 60 weeks straight including 2012 Burn, suffice it to say--ILLUMINUS practiced Radical Inclusion. Together we celebrated and mulled existence over the Chakra shots and welcoming raised bonfire. There was much gifting all around of art work, showers, hugs, kisses, utility items, food, jokes, booze. No one felt left out, wanting, or owing. The camp even let me take home its recycling to give to my next door neighbors who both walk with canes but he still goes out and collects recycling every day. As I was last only to ILLUMINUS co-hosts Spike and Rach to leave, I mooped almost every foot of the ILLUMINUS footprint--including that which was not originally assigned to the camp. Not one camp member left any object larger than an Italian green bean at or on the camp. I left Rach and Spike as they bittersweetly dismantled the ILLUMINUS pyramid and I know they too were steadfast about leaving no trace as Rach and I had discussed the same. It is difficult to explain, but due to my not feeling well and due to the transient nature of the camp that was there and no longer is but will stay with me forever, I sense I will evermore be studying how to "overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our inner selves" as I both struggled to exist at Burning Man and yet simultaneously was surrounded by so much wonder and caring and intellectual capital at Camp ILLUMINUS.
Sincerely, Kristin Henderson