When this thing of ours started many moons ago, it started with a very simple premise. It began with the intentions of peace, love, unity, respect, music, freedom, and dancing; and it was glorious. People all joined forces to unite under one room, one sky, to live a better way of life. While it was not always understood by the masses, it never slowed the culture from expanding.
Exponential growth skyrocketed the scene into something unimaginable, and it has become a worldwide phenomenon. It is safe to say that the rave culture is in its prime and that the popularity of the scene is at an all-time high. Dance music has spilled over into the mainstream, and for once, we are on top. Our time is now.
It is up to us to see to it that we stay true to our form. We need to keep the culture on track and make sure that the initial intentions never deteriorate, ever. It is our duty as members of this community to keep it pure. The scene cannot be diluted by the mainstream, nor can it change forms. It is a force, or even perhaps a tool that can be used to advance mankind. It has the capability to take human consciousness to the next level, and if it gets tangled up then it will lose its effect.
There are several things that we need to work on as a community to keep it from falling apart. Here are ten circumstances that we all need to consider while we are out “partying”, to keep it from losing potency.
Don’t Forget to Dance
Since its beginning, there are incomputable amounts of documented events involving the rave culture that show people dancing from wall to wall. People did not stand and face the performing artist, or DJ; they were too busy dancing.
It is clear that the amazing visuals have advanced beyond explanation and are indisputably part of the experience, and that it is easy to get caught up in the trance of them, but people should still be dancing.
The absolute most important thing about raving is to dance. Dancing is the key, it unlocks everything. It allows people to enter the flow state of being. When people feel the beat and hook with the music, mysterious things begin to happen. Amongst other things, dancing allows people to connect with a higher power, to work through trapped emotions, to tap into the oneness of the universe that surrounds them. It changes lives and is a mighty sword. People that do not should consider busting a move every now and again to help keep raves alive.
It is Not All About Getting Wasted
Okay, so it is fun to let loose and throw inhibitions into the wind, we understand. We also understand that peer-reviewed research has directly linked certain chemical usage to the expansion of consciousness.
It is fine to dabble during events and festivals, but when people make it only about getting wasted is when signals get twisted. Raving is about so much more than just tripping, wonking, rolling, blazing, or getting blackout drunk. It is about love, greatness, and being one. Those that come strictly to reach a maximum level of inebriation are truly missing the point.
Some of the best festival experiences imaginable involve a clear head, give it a try sometime; it would surely be beneficial to keeping the focus on PLUR.
P.L.U.R. is a Way of Life, Not Just Jewelry or a Cool Thing to Say
Peace, Love, Unity, Respect. Look at each one of those words individually and soak it in. It is a lifestyle, not a lip service. Many people laugh at it like it is a joke, and others pretend like it is a thing to do to make friends. Trading candy is cool and all, but the people doing it should live it. There are far too many instances involving people representing the PLUR lifestyle that give it a bad name. People cannot be judgmental and hateful, and still preach PLUR, it does not work like that. People must pick a lane. It is a way of life.
Stop Trying to get Rich at Festivals
It seems like at recent music festivals that everybody is a salesperson. Please, just stop. We know that there are thousands of people at these events and that people want to make money off of the happenings, but trust me, it is dulling the experience for everybody involved. If people want to spend some time moving material that they crafted, then awesome, go move it, have fun in the process. The issues arise when they spend their entire experience pushing things on people.
Here is a tip for those that stomp the festival grounds. Go meet people first, and then show them what you are working with after you have already connected with them. Go make friends and then when they see the swag that you made, they will probably be amazed by whatever it is that was crafted and be more than happy to buy something from you to remember you.
Then they will go home and tell stories about the amazing thing that they bought from the event, and with it, they will say, and I got it from this stellar person who I met, and then you will be connected with them. It will help keep things from getting watered down.
The Best Ground Scores Happen Organically
This one is self-explanatory. It is all part of the game, people are going to find things at events, it is a fact. It is totally cool to be on the lookout for stuff when out adventuring around, however, it is something completely different when people spend all their time at events on ground score missions.
The best ground scores happen organically. It is almost like the universe magically places things for certain people during a specific time, and the items become discovered majestically. My personal favorite ground score came from TomorrowWorld 2014. During a pivotol point in my life, as I roamed the grounds feeling disapointed that Avicii did not show up for personal reasons, something caught my eye. I picked it up and it was a glow in the dark necklace that was a crucifix that said “Jesus said that I am the light of the world and I am going to let mine shine” on it. I have worn it every day to this day.
There is a huge difference between “oh wow, look at this cool thing that I found”, and wasting the whole experience walking around desperately trying to find things. People get mixed up sometimes and become consumed by a “their loss, my gain” mindset. It can get pretty disgusting. People would benefit from stepping back and realizing that it is diminishing the experience.
Where is the Love
The L in PLUR. A critical aspect of the rave culture, and yet it has become increasingly more difficult to find at rave events lately. It certainly is still there, it is just sprinkled about and harder to find than when the scene began to blossom.
Love is the focal point of all things, just like The Polish Ambassador track “love is all”, it really is. Dancing machines know this better than anybody, and yet, it is still hard to find sometimes at these events. We must bring back love and place it on a pedestal of importance, along with dancing.
Love is what is going to save us all. I do not mean like man and woman love, I mean like give your cold homie a blanket love or give the dehydrated stranger some water love. Let’s bring back the love so we can re-focus on what raving is all about.
Find Yourself
We all know that doing things on our own can be kind of scary. Rave squads are a beautiful thing. The feeling of acceptance and belonging is unmatched. We unique beings do not always fit in the real world, so finding home with a rave squad is an incredible feeling. Even though some people have found it, they still should branch out and go solo from time to time.
Solo raving can be a bit frightening at first, but it will be soul cleansing, and a direct path for one to know thyself. Everybody should experience it at least one time in their life. It should be embraced, not feared. If more people did it then the rave scene would strengthen substantially.
Connect with Soul Tribe
Sometimes when big groups get together things can get a little cliquish. People tend to stick with their groups, and outsiders are often left out. It really is a shame because sometimes real connections could potentially develop, but instead, they get washed away because they are not “Chad”, so to speak.
The reality is that the universe is colliding humans every day through compliments, conversations, and random encounters, and people have to be receptive in order to meet the calling. Groups should be willing to be open to embracing others at raves. It would be helpful to advance the cause.
Stealing Should Not be Tolerated
Stealing has become a problem at raves and it is sending out some negative energy in the process. Reports of people talking about how their bags were cut open while in the crowd at festivals have surfaced, that is next level stuff.
Other reports indicate that criminal syndications work together to target intoxicated people and aim at their money, electronics, and other valuables. It is sad and wretchedly hard to stop. Everybody needs to be cautious and aware that criminal minds lurk amongst the festival masses. Hopefully, it just stops.
Put the Phones away, enjoy the show
Party people. The time has come for you to part with your phones when you are at festivals and events. It will all be fine, I promise. It is great to get those epic pictures or a few minutes of coverage from the experience, but to be tied up in it the whole time is kind of missing the point of it all. One of my favorite parts of festivals is the fact that I do not have to be caught up on my phone for several days. It is amazing, and the equivalent of being unchained.
The real world is a difficult place, and with technological advancements, it is easy to get wrapped up in phones. Let it go. Experience the magic that is outside of the phone. Live in the now. Embrace life without a phone when at festivals and events. Connect with your bredren, talk to people, soak it all in. Once it is over, it is over. The pictures and videos will be cool, but the experience will etch itself into your spirit. The memories will always be there. Connect, live, dance, laugh, play, be free, be happy, enjoy life; carry that with you instead of your phones.
Remember what this is all about
As the scene continues to grow, it must remain true to its form or it will transform into something else. The only way to keep it wholesome is by people doing the right thing on a worldwide scale. If people come for the right reasons, and others lead by example, then the utopia will proceed. Be the light, love, peacemaker, bleeding heart, and dancing machine. Carry on and show them the way.
