Nietzsche's Echo
Wakarusa was my first music festival, but I've been thinking about going to one for years. I occasionally walk and read. One of my favorite symbol-warping primates to resurrect by reading their work is Nietzsche. The man was a genius if the word has any meaning. I highly recommend. Something he said connected with me and my urge to go to a music festival.
Nietzsche's first major work, which he published in his early 20's, after already being hired as a professor at the top University in the most respected intellectual country in Europe, focused on Ancient Greece. Particularly, he focused on the two major zeitgeists he observed in their culture; the Apollonian and Dionysian spirits.
The Apollonian spirit was represented by the Greek God of the sun; Apollo. He symbolized light, sobriety, and reason. This was the part of the Greek culture that fueled the creation of Democracy, philosophy, reason, and literature. This was the zeitgeist of the aristocracy, the politicians, and society's enforcers.
The Dionysian spirit was represented by the Greek God of wine; Dionysus. He symbolized night, intoxication, and emotion. This was the part of the Greek culture that fueled the Oracles, the mystery religions, and the arts. This was the zeitgeist of the slaves, the poor, and the creatives.
These forces are still in play in our time. The Apollonian spirit is coursing through our stock market, the sober families following the "normal" life, and your friend who thinks smoking weed is bad but drinks coffee and smokes cigarettes.
Dionysus is here too. He pulsates through every subwoofing bass note, and he spills through every music festival and vibrates along every rave. He is the reducing valve. Our generation was close to a full scale revolution a couple of years ago. Music festivals are one of a few ways our generation lets off our frustration. We tolerate the economic perversion we're slaves to so that once every few moons we can ingest a chemical and dance through the night.
Most of us don't have the symbolic tool kit to realize this is what we're doing. And this is only one perspective, but its the lens through which I experienced my 2nd full day of Wakarusa.
Waka's Reflection
Waka reflected Nietzsche's insight. Waka at light was a very different place then Waka at night. Friday we explored Waka's grounds a little more, a little sober. He checked out each stage and just got more familiar with the area. The sun, Apollo, loomed heavy the entire day. After a few hours of walking, and liters of fluids lost and restored, half of us went back to camp around dusk to plan out our evening's activities. The other half headed to the Main Stage. Those who stayed at the main staged ingested LSD. Those of us at the campsite, we ate mushrooms. I ate 1.5 grams of dried mushrooms.
Myself, and a few friends walked back down from our campsite to the party. The walk was a good 20 minute hike down hill. It was dusk and the mushrooms were metabolizing quickly because I hadn't ate that day. This evening was the most beautiful so far. The setting sun was splashing the sky with dozens of hues of orange, purples, and blues. Rain clouds make for the best sunsets. I seem to always take mushrooms on these kinds of days. I'm lucky in a lot of ways.
This was the night I got to see Chance The Rapper. With a good couple thousand people around me, I bobbed and buzzed with Chance's set. A few times I got distracted by the super massive nuclear sphere that was setting, but Chance was good too.
An interesting aside, artists with Chance's level of success, they seem to talk to the crowd as if the collective crowd was a lover they're trying to woo. Chance was a little aggressive but sweet too, the lady before him was flirty but relaxed. Maybe it was the mushies, maybe it's a real technique they knowingly use, maybe it's a natural subconscious act. Maybe I'm wrong. Life is weird. I enjoyed playing with the idea.
I watched Chance away from my tribe while I peaked. When his set was ending, I headed back to were my group was chilling. Dusk had passed. Night was here. Shit was going to get weird.
Friday Night, Waka's Night
Paige feels like my Anima. Words fall short expressing our bond. She feels almost like a feminine extension of myself. LSD is her child. Paige was exposed to LSD at an age where her brain's physical structure was molded by her heavy use. She literally has an LSD brain. Dionysus Bless her. This night, she got to reunite her neurochemical LSD pathways with the serotonin simulacrum again. And she got to do it with her lover, Kalyn.
It was her Cheshire-esque smile I noticed first when I reunited with my group. I'm sure my smile was just as broad. We were both connecting will with our favorite chemicals. We were tuned-in.
Seeing these two beautiful female energies buzz and vibe with each other through the chaos of Waka at night was one of my favorite Wakarusa moments. The love crackling between every whispered joke, random animal sound, and the constant laughter electrified me. Their bliss brought me another level higher. Thank you both. I love you.
They were the exceptions. All of our other friends who ingested LSD this night were being taught different lessons, difficult lessons. LSD is very different then the way its portrayed in almost all media. It is not an automatic enlightenment device. It is an amplifer. It is a jumbler. It is not predictable.
We had one friend who insisted on taking two doses. He was given the toughest lesson. We had another who expected answer's from Lucy. He was taught a milder lesson. We had a third who was the youngest, and honestly, I don't know what her lesson was. They all endured though. They're strong.
One of my favorite moments from that night was guiding the two love foxes, Paige and Kalyn, to a bathroom. They were both still very into their LSD adventure and I was sliding down my mushroom high. I lead them through the night. We walked through fire dancers, 8 foot tall custom created creature costumes, buzzing hula-hoop dancers, neon kite flyers, and some of the most drugged out lost souls I've ever seen.
I felt strong and purposeful guiding them through the chaos. They mentioned the next morning that I was walking differently and that they enjoyed seeing me in such a positive state. Its hard to articulate, but I could feel their admiration for me that night and it boosted my ego. I love them. There is something powerful about being with a group of people you really love and you know they really love you.
We all made it back to our tents. We enjoyed the little sleep we got. Waka waka waka.
You don't get to choose your family, but you get to choose your Tribe. I'm thankful the universe has provided me with such awesome choices. Namasteezy.