Symbiosis @ Woodward reservoir

[Drunk Monk]

The next morning I was up early and shuffled over to help set up the Zendo.  It was all about shaking out playa dust.  I hate playa dust.  It's fine and white and gets everywhere.  And it's like herpes - you never get rid of it.  That keeps me away from Burning Man.  There was a training meeting for Zendo where everyone attended and a lovely group photo was taken (no idea when they will post that or where).  The meeting was more of a discussion of the Zendo philosophy, which entail four points: 1. Safe Space, 2. Talk Through, not Talk Down, 3. Sitting, not Guiding, and 4. Difficult is not bad.  I agree with this in theory, and at a festival like Symbiosis or BM, you have the time to do this.  But RM and JM are medical orgs first and foremost, so our mission is just to get the patient to friends and family without the unnecessary involvement of the hospital or the law.  We don't have that luxury of time.  So we talk down and guide - it's a matter of efficiency.  Anyway, the leaders kept saying they were open to chatting with me, but they dodged me all weekend.  That was a bit of a slight, but I didn't take it personally.  I tried my best not to be intimidating, but that's never been my strongest suite when I'm 'sitting plush with a royal flush'.  I know there are a lot of CYA things I could share, and still hope to share, if they are open to listening.

The first patient (I mean 'guest') came in before Zendo had even staffed anyone, so I was happy to sit with him.  I was there charging my phone (I set up a charging station - it's an old trick for keeping vols in the Dub Lounge that I applied to Zendo covertly) so I had plenty of time as I didn't want to abandon my phone.  Mr. R was Indian, a Sikh who had a change of faith and now followed Kabbalah.  He was having the religious trip, my favorite talkdown (I mean 'thru').  So we stormed the gates of heaven, chatting about all sorts of theological issues, until he finally said "you know, I'd just like to sit and meditate."  Now, as a Zen disciple, I've had issues with the name Zendo.  I mean they could have called it Synagogue or Mosque for that matter.  But then, sitting there (not guiding), I figured, "well heck, I might as well sit too."  We sat for over an hour.  As a zennist, I have good sitting skillz, and Mr. R was fidgety and crumpled eventually, but I think he got some decent meditation in.  I had a great sit, and was completely aware and on top of it.  After the sit, Mr. R was cool to go.  And I was cool with the name Zendo.

Then, after that, the evening was open.  I was free until Friday morning, when I was to work an 10AM-6PM shift.  I hooked up with one of my ol' partners-in-crime and a stalwart member of the JediNiteKrew, Raven.  Raven is a security head at festivals, leader of the Night Hogs, but here, he was the +1 of Amanda, an RM/JM nurse volunteering for RGX (and another JNK PnC).  So both me and Raven were completely unleashed.  We were both trippin over not having to bear radios.  That hasn't happened to me at a festival in like two decades.

So as the sunset, DM emerged to party with Raven for the evening...