The fire performers of Scintillation… my local Burner community (who helped me understand what radical inclusion is all about).
At the beginning of the summer of 2012, I was encouraged by a friend to go to a gathering of local Burners. My friend wasn’t planning on being there, but she told me not to worry – and reminded me that “these people support the principle of radical inclusion, you know.” But still, it’s a little daunting to drive out into the country, miles deep on back roads, to a house you’ve never seen… occupied by people who you’ve never met… and expect to walk up and fit in, let alone have a positive and productive experience. But that’s exactly what happened.
I was a little nervous when I parked at the edge of the windy, back-woods road and started walking up the anonymous driveway. But it didn’t last for long, when a lanky character with long hair (in the middle of contact juggling a golden sphere) walked up to me and said “Hi, I’m Goose. Are we expecting you?”
“No,” I said. “But I’m pretty sure that’s OK anyway. I’m looking for my tribe.” He giggled.
In my response, he must have sensed the shared consciousness. “Well, you’ve come to the right place. Do you know anyone?”
I didn’t, and shook my head. “Not a problem. Come on over here so I can ask you a few questions. Don’t worry, none of them will be hard,” he said, with a giant smile. “Not to mention, they’ve just tapped the keg inside, so hopefully you remembered to bring your cup.” I had. I was aware of some of the fundamental tenets of self-reliance. And I had been fortunate enough to attract a completely kindred spirit as my point of first contact to the local Burner community.
I was not looking for a love-fest or a soul mate, but what I found was just as heartwarming. Perhaps it was the moderation of my expectations that enabled a truly amazing experience to surface. Over the next ten minutes, I was embraced with a lively discussion about polyamory, social networks, and the transit of Venus across the Sun. Over the next four hours I made new friends, learned my first moves with poi, and felt more accepted (despite my totally unorthodox perspectives and beliefs) than I’d felt in years. I felt as if this group of people, without question, were there to support me in whoever I wanted to be and whatever I wanted to learn – and that they would help me learn what they could. Furthermore, I felt that they were eager to find out what I could teach them.
I completely forgot about the heartbreak that I’d initially brought with me, as baggage, to the gathering.
They were also eager to help me explore my own personal boundaries, develop my confidence, and get my mind off of the weight of the world that had been on my shoulders for at least a month prior. (Even though I’m not sure they quite realized the healing balm they were spreading over my slightly wounded soul at that time, nor would they realize it to this day.)
It was such a relief to be in a place where I was fully accepted, appreciated, and valued for the wonder of what I could potentially contribute to the collective. It made me want to discover what I could give to them.
I think this was the first day that I had the visceral realization that this is what I really wanted the learning environment within my university to be like. My students should have the same benefit of the doubt, the same quiet support, the same unbounded confidence in their personal potential and their ability to be powerful members of a socially responsible, innovative community.
