Tell me about your Burning Man experience. Was it your first time there? What was your camp like?
It was my first time at Burning Man and my camp was called Ideate. It was a camp that was focused on themes of psychedelics and environmentalism. They do a lot of composting for the whole event. So yeah, it was a new and transformative experience for me.
Did things feel as open and collaborative as people make it out to be or was there an air of exclusivity / clique-ness that prevented people from engaging with strangers?
One of the principles of Burning Man is radical inclusiveness, so you get the feeling that you’re welcome and accepted right from the minute you get there. There’s this little ritual they do for first-timers where they have you get down in the sand and make angels like you would in the snow. Then they tell you, “Welcome home.” They definitely do a good job of making you feel like you’re meant to be there.
One of my favorite experiences was the foam dome. Everyone gets naked and dances together. There’s this childlike kind of playfulness to the whole thing. And it’s part of the Zendo Project, which is a camp funded by David Bronner of Dr.Bronner’s that’s dedicated to training people on how to support Burning Man attendees who are having bad psychedelic trips.
How would you describe the overall sexual energy of Burning Man?
I feel like a lot of people think of Burning Man as being all about sex, but it seems to be more about this sort of energy where everybody is coming together to be a part of something bigger than themselves. There’s this sense of connectedness that feels very intentional and intimate.
It’s not just some huge orgy, although there certainly are crazy orgies going on if that’s what you’re seeking. Really every kind of possible sexual activity you could imagine is available to you, but the overall feeling is much more one of people being considerate and caring towards each other.
Did you partake or hear about any wild sexscapades while there?
I met a beautiful therapist from Los Angeles. She was in her early thirties and had these piercing blue eyes. We made out a little but I didn’t get into anything crazier than that. I was more than satiated just talking to all the cool psychedelic people in my camp and soaking in the experience of the playa.
I did meet a cute Austrian couple who were regaling tales of their adventures. Apparently, the guy let someone pull down his pants and spank him in a group setting while his wife watched. It sounded like they had never tried anything like that before and were very entertained and excited by the whole thing.
Were there any workshops related to tantric sex, etc. that you attended or heard about?
Like I said, I mostly stayed in my psychedelic bubble but they handed out these giant directories, which featured tons of events and art installations. There was something for everyone.
What advice would you give to someone looking to get their freak on at next year’s Burning Man?
I think it depends on what you’re looking for, but it seems like in some ways, it’s a good place for people to go as couples and then hang out with other people. There were sex parties that I, as a single man, wouldn’t have been able to get into.
I’m sure there’s a good deal of people meeting up for the first time and hooking up but if I were to give advice, it would be to get your ducks in a row beforehand so that you have a guaranteed fuck buddy who you can go adventure with as soon as you arrive.
As a certified psychedelic expert, what drugs do you think are most conducive to making love at Burning Man?
People are clearly doing a lot of acid and the vibe of Burning Man fits pretty well with acid. I personally liked doing MDA at Burning Man because it’s really energizing and fun. I’m sure there are also a ton of people doing MDMA (read here to learn about the difference between MDA and MDMA), which has a reputation for being the ultimate love drug.
There’s definitely less cannabis use than one might expect because Nevada has strict drug laws. So people avoid smoking weed because the smell has the potential to attract undercover cops. Obviously, people can just take edibles instead but I definitely preferred doing more stimulating drugs while there.
I also did a little of 2C-B, which is always a fun experience, especially on sex. And of course, there are also a lot of mushrooms floating around. I’d say that about covers the big ones.
Describe your ultimate Burning Man sex fantasy you hope to manifest next year.
I think it would be fun to just arrange your own cool sex party orgy with people in your camp. I just imagine everyone rolling out to the playa at night and dancing til dawn, before heading back to camp, hanging out, and having group sex. People tend to party all night and sleep during the day in the comfort of their air-conditioned RVs to avoid overheating.
What was your general takeaway from Burning Man — sexual or otherwise? Do you feel like you really communed with others and evolved spiritually or was the high more of a superficial, party vibes one?
There’s a lot of partying going on, but it does feel like there’s something more substantial taking place. It’s the combination of the natural beauty of the place – these beautiful Native American lands in the desert – and the tremendous energy of the people, which is expressed through art.
There were these crazy ships and dragon art cars, the Burning Man itself, and the temple, which is a somber place that’s the opposite of a party vibe. People go there to meditate, mourn losses, and pray. There’s a lot of crying and sadness, which has this profound quality to it.
People talk about psychedelic drugs and integration therapy and I think the way Burning Man is set up, it’s this incredible laboratory of integration. I think for a lot of people, it’s a deeply transformational experience. It’s different than anything else you could experience in the world. It’s rather unique in that way and I think that people are never really quite the same after they go.
Closing thoughts?
If you want to go to Burning Man, start planning it really early. It’s a major effort. Everything there is difficult and I think it breaks a lot of people down – the combination of the heat, the sleep deprivation, and the overall intensity. I would sort of think about it as a place to come to remake yourself a little bit.
Jules
Based in Brooklyn, Jules has dedicated her twenties towards harnessing her pussy power, exploring the muse, whore, and wild woman archetypes along the way. When not blogging, you can find her sweating the toxins out in a hot yoga class or sipping a matcha latte at a pretentious coffee shop, whilst she scribbles away in her journal.
