It's been several months now since the very first official Everywhen event in the Mojave desert went down, and I still haven't got my life back in order. Maybe I never will, not like it used to be anyway. It was all at once glorious and terrifying, heart-wrenching and heart-opening, powerful, fragile and perfect. As we have said from the very start, The Everywhen Project begins as a blank canvas, asking you to define who and what we become. Our intention for event #1 was simply to pull off a sandbox infused with natural magic. The only thing we asked was "Do No Harm", and for the most part, you all respected that request and we are extremely proud of how our first family showed up and played together.
Were there problems? A few. We've brought those to the community and also modified some of our language to reflect what we've learned. For the most part, the inaugural Everywhen event was about building relationships. Trust. Collaboration. Letting go, and being held up and loved by friends and family.
So, let's do this again, shall we?
We are an art-focused event. Family and Art, to be more specific, but when we sit down to talk about how to do better and how to stand out with integrity and deep purpose, the first thing that comes up is the artists. The BIG question in my mind is how to retain the organic magic that unfolds when people take some chances with each other. Especially the artists. You can expect Art Manager Terri to be addressing this soon.
About this year's theme, Allegory of the Cave.... I like to say it's the OG Matrix. Plato pretty much nailed the idea that the path to truth is all about breaking free from man-made illusions, as painful and terrifying leaving the comfort of routine can be. Yes, always knowing what to expect feels safe, but is that really what we're all about? What that means to any of us is purely idiosyncratic; we all struggle with our own chosen chains that bind us in a cave of illusions. Breaking free can be devastating, even catastrophic. But then, emerging from the cave and into the light, it's a chance to be reborn. Personally, my old life is falling away as a new one from a deeper and more authentic place is being forged. It feels a bit like Neo in the Matrix, as I look back on much simpler but far less authentic phases of my life, vowing never to return. Onward, into the unknown.
In 2022, the Everywhen is hoping to host TWO events, one on the Black Rock Desert (our permit application is currently under review), and again on the Mojave. Mojave is 100% GO and tickets are already on sale. If you are planning to go, NOW is the time to pull the trigger to get the best deal possible. Buy 9 tickets and get a tenth free using the bulk buy option, AND get 35.00 off of each ticket by using the code FRIENDS at checkout (offer expires 2/14/22). It's a great time to plan for a great event. Year 2 is already shaping up to be amazing, we have art, art car and destination camps (homesteads) already signing. We can't wait to see you again.
