Good morning, friends! Time for the next five principles of Burning Man. (If you missed the first five, I shared them yesterday.)
Communal Effort – This one makes me smile, especially paired with Radical Self-Reliance (yesterday’s post). These two are the backbone of real community. In my four stages of maturity model, we move from Dependence → Independence → Interdependence → Integration. Communal Effort is that third stage—interdependence. But here’s the truth: Communal Effort only works if the individuals are strong and independent first. Otherwise, it collapses.
Civic Responsibility – Before I even read this principle, my first thought was: Put your shopping cart away! They frame it more around respect for laws and regulations. Interesting tension here: Burning Man feels like a giant “F-U” to government control… yet tucked inside is this principle of obeying the rules. Maybe the deeper meaning is responsibility for each other (Rule Five of Modern Day Warrior: Take care of your brother). And maybe it’s the old line: Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. Worth sitting with.
Leave No Trace – Environmental stewardship at its highest. One month after Burning Man, you can stand in the Playa and find… nothing. No trace a human city even existed. That’s powerful. And the deeper principle is not just “do no harm” but “leave it better than you found it.” That one hits me hard.
Participation – Don’t sit on the sidelines. Get in. Embody. Play. Engage. The principle is simple: life is not a spectator sport.
Immediacy – Be here now. Embodied presence. Open yourself to experience.
I’ll be honest, the last two feel a little tacked on, like someone wanted to make the list a clean ten. But the spirit is right: if you come to Burning Man, don’t just watch—participate and immerse. That’s the invitation.
When I get back, I’ll revisit these principles and share how they actually lived through me—because surely, the experience will change how I see them.
For now: it’s Wednesday. Final prep day. Bikes lined up, last-minute packages arriving, gear reorganized. Details, details, details. The little touches that matter.
🔥 The Sacred Fire is burning.
Let’s go!
—Jason
#BurningMan #BurningMan2025 #RadicalSelfReliance #LeaveNoTrace #SacredRebel #ModernDayWarrior #MensWork #RadicalInclusion #Participation #Immediacy