Beyond the Burn
Integrating Purposeful Humanity
by
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As I stood at the edge of the temporarily manufactured city, I gazed with awe at the impossible scene that sprawled across the unending desert before me. I was amazed by the countless number of artificial structures that were peeking from the ground in every direction. I straddled a borrowed bicycle, and within only a few moments my bare legs and shoes were completely covered by the desert’s dust. The rising sun, slowly making its way above the horizon, cast a soft light, bringing the desert to life with a cool, gentle, almost pale blue overtone. A skinny long-haired man, probably in his early thirties, not too far from where I stood, pedaled in my direction. As he approached, the quiet of the morning echoed the squeaky sounds of a well-used bicycle. His hair was stringy, wild, and slightly matted under an eccentric top hat. My memory recalls him as somewhat of a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory character, a uniquely designed fellow with obviously kind intentions. He stopped close to me, within hands’ reach, took off his sunglasses, and gently guided them to my face and over my eyes. He stayed silent. I did too. The sunglasses had a bluish tint that highlighted the already soft blue color that filled the air, bouncing off the ground and illuminating the hundreds of art structures that were now standing visible in the morning sun. As I continued my pause at the edge of the temporary desert city, the expression on my face must have shown my newfound amazement. I expected the stranger could tell that these were my first steps into Burning Man…
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About the Book
It was 2007 when Jeremiah Davidson first walked into Burning Man. A month shy of his twenty-ninth birthday, he had just graduated from college and moved to Las Vegas to begin a career in event marketing. As he gazed at the unbelievable scene sprawled across the desert, Davidson had no idea that his decision to attend Burning Man would soon spark amazing worldly adventures and a passion for human connections. In an inspirational true story, Davidson details how his journey from a childhood filled with farms, mountains, coffee shops, and raves led him to attend Burning Man, ultimately weaving a life of intentionality as a citizen of Black Rock City. While creating a lasting desert camp and organizing international participation, Davidson was motivated to embody purposeful humanity. Davidson offers his perspectives of Burning Man’s 10 Principles as well as a glimpse into his personal explorations and triumphs, despite nuanced timing, challenging logistics, and depleting dust storms.
Beyond the Burn details one man’s yearly journey to a cultural desert event and how the experiences influenced a more joyful, creative, and fulfilling life — a return to self, society, and source.
About the Author
Jeremiah Davidson emerged as an author after two decades of attending Burning Man. Through the evolution of a theme camp, he honed leadership, community, and rich global friendships. While Jeremiah’s career has been focused on event marketing, he is a licensed social worker with a graduate degree from New York University. When he’s not bird watching in Australia, Jeremiah organizes retreats in his mountain home of Colorado.