This story is not poetic and it's not long, just my experience in layman’s terms for simple folks like me 🙂
I hope you like it.
The Invitation
It was a bright sunny August morning when I received the invitation: a friend of mine that lives near the Black Rock Desert sent me a message:
“Come camp with us.”
Little did I know that my life would change with this simple invitation. I had never been to the Playa before, but I‘ve always wanted to go see it in person, so I quickly packed everything I would need to be completely self reliant and headed out immediately.
The Journey to There
The first thing I noticed along the drive was the beautiful desert landscape: the way the road rose and fell, and curved with the land. Driving past Pyramid Lake and the natural rock formations.. It was gorgeous in the stunning morning light just after the blue hour! I had always camped near water or trees.. I realized now that there is beauty in the desert.
Finally, the Playa came into view. My thoughts ran on.. I remembered wishing for a small event for people like me to enjoy with fire and art in the desert, but that was just a hopeless dream..
I continued driving on, excited to be going to the Playa. I had no way of knowing that a group of like-minded dreamers were forming a village, and that I was on my way toward a life-changing event
The Experience
Visiting the playa that August cannot be expressed with words - it was something that must be witnessed in person and felt within ones own heart
It was amazing!
The art was absolutely beautiful! Some big enough to climb in or on and sit for a bit. Some small and fun and whimsical.
All of it was wonderful, lit up under the starry night sky
There were Art Cars all aglow, bumping lounge music with flaming fire, and Sound Camps with dance floors and laser lights. The Poi Dancers in their beautiful dance of love and fire left me speechless. One of my camp mates came out of the Temple with tears in his eyes.
Some people wore fantastic costumes and others wore shorts and a tee shirt, or nothing at all! This event has no rules!
You could be whatever and whoever you wanted to be out here. It was all so weird and surreal and beautiful and fun and exciting! The people were like none I’ve ever met anywhere else.
I have never experienced this level of complete acceptance and care and love from complete strangers anywhere else in my life: they had completely open hearts. The way they cared about each other was astonishing. This event was like nothing else I’ve ever experienced.
I was in absolute awe
You must go There to know There
It was magical.
A fantasy world.
And there.. amid the calm chaos and dust of the setting sun.. was one of the most beautiful handmade signs I’d ever seen.
It read: “Everywhen”
The Journey Home
It was a beautiful drive home in the light of the Golden Hour. During the drive, I thought about all the amazing, wild and fascinating people I met out there that I’ll never see again. A smile came to my heart, because that is part of the magic of the desert and this event.
Although we will never meet again, I know in my heart that when they think of me, their heart also smiles. Cherished memories.
And there is the magic of the lasting friendships I made: these people have become some of my closest friends, because out there, people see a side of you that remains hidden in regular life. More cherished memories yet to come.
This brings a smile to my face as well as my heart. All this! From a mere two days in the desert.
An Invitation to You
And now I am extending the invitation that I received to all of you reading this: If this sounds like something you would like to see with your own eyes and feel in your own heart, take a step into the Unknown.
Experience the Magic in the Desert that is the Everywhen.
In the spirit of Love, Hope, Community and Friendship
And being Wild, Weird and Free
Come camp with us.
Comments