Cleu Camp ’07 – 3:45 & Landfill

Our glorious pilgrimage this year will be remembered by everyone in the creu: Cpt. leCleu (Gian), Cmdr. Mominee (Emma), Cmdr. l’Etincelle (John), Lt. Facette (Kera), Lt. Yokita (Yoko), Lt. Bleu (Bodhi), Lt. Bunnyface (Janet), Creuman Willits (Luke), and Creuman Moni (Monica). We all accepted areas of responsibility during the voyage and in the Cleu camp– that made for a pleasant journey, fantastic dinners, a clean, accessible kitchen, a lovely sitting area, and effective recycling methods that reduced our trash significantly. Although initially somewhat nervous about the designations of rank, the crew found that they did help to define our roles and assigned duties, and never got in the way of our group harmony. The Cleu Creu rocked!

Cleu Crew putting the top on the yurt

During preparations at OutpostOne, Spark was overheard saying that this year we would be the best camp at Burning Man. At the time, it seemed like a sweet possibility– but would it really happen? Yes, yes, yes! We were all thrilled to discover that so many people from other camps found our camp so hospitable that they stayed for a while, came back for another visit, or even asked to camp with us next year. A spirit of comraderie inspired our crew with joy, laughter, and a willingness to work through any challenge including duststorms and constant requests for brainwashings. We had many visitors who were inspired to visit by a creu member who gave them a Cleu or Cleu card somewhere else on the playa. That kind of word-of-mouth outreach is the very best!

Visitors getting a Cleu

Cleu brainwashings this year were amazing, inducing what appeared to be an ecstatic trance state in many of the recipients with the Cleu message, the lovely polyphonic echoes, and of course, the mysterious, playful chimes of the happy apples. The happy apples serve well as brain scramblers since you really can’t think when they are chiming all around you. The yurt was a lovely sacred space where we could brainwash up to 20 people at a time, ending with lots of beaming smiles, warm hugs, tears of joy and mystic revelation.

Brainwashing in the Yurt

The Cleu crew and some willing volunteers put up the Labyrinth during a dust storm. It quickly became an island of the spirit in the midst of activity and movement. It was exquisite, very delicate at night, playful and colorful during the day.

Labyrinth on the Playa

The Cleu is clearly a meme, a cultural symbol that many people recognize even if they haven’t directly received a Cleu. Our outreach has been very effective even though we have limited it to personal contact, word-of-mouth transmission. You can see Cleus everywhere you go on the playa, and you’ll likely run into Cleus in the default world too. Yea! This year, the Cleu lady gave a bunch of Cleus to David Best and the Temple crew, Rev. Billy, and Michael Michael aka Danger Ranger, one of the LLC founders of BM. At the Artery, Danger Girl encouraged Cleu camp to stay in touch regarding Oregon and NW regional events. The Break it Down camp, our favorite reggae band at 4:20 and Landfill, has made the Cleu a part of their outreach over the years. Our two camps may collaborate more together next year. More music? Let’s make it happen.

Thanks again to everyone who helped make the Cleu Labyrinth and Camp the best ever!

See you at “the American Dream” in ’08!

The best thing about Black Rock City 2006 was the sense of neighborhood that is growing out on the outer rim, this year, Hope street. What could be better than taking a walk down the block to visit our friends from Santa Barbara in the Love Camp, or in the other direction, the Break It Down camp, the reggae band from San Fernando? Of course, other friends live in different parts of the city, and as usual, we enjoyed surprise visits or synchronistic encounters with people we have known now for many years, such as Leslie and Cory, touring in the white shuttlecraft.

[satellite shot of Cleu camp]

Cleu camp turned out to be a popular tourist destination this year, with a number of people showing up to camp in the Cleu village. People from all over just showed up saying they were looking for the Cleu. In addition to our 21st and At-Onement bus, we put up a 22-ft diameter yurt out in the walk-in camping area. Waking Grounds, a BM camp from Eugene supplied some of the people.

[putting up the yurt]

Coi showed up with a lovely van complete with a most comfortable large yellow couch on top.We had an assortment of cars and tents clustered around the main Cleu camp, so even though we weren’t particularly organized, our area did feel more like a village. As usual, the Cleu camp site was located at 3:45 on the outer rim (Hope), staked out for us by our longtime neighbors, Wayne and Alien, from Colfax, California. This year, we had more help preparing, packing, cleaning up, and decompressing than ever before. We even had a Recompression gathering in June– a practice we plan to continue.

[Cleu Camp ’06 – 3:45 & Hope]

The Cleu labyrinth was a favorite meditation place on the playa. Positioned directly in front of the Conexus Cathedral, the labyrinth traced out the shape of the Cleu within a 60 ft. diameter circle raked in the playa, with each circle defined by bamboo poles and ribbons of color-coded tape.

[The Cleu Labyrinth & Conexus Cathedral]

The Cleu crew and some willing volunteers helped us put together the labyrinth during a dust storm. The labyrinth was like an island of the spirit in the midst of activity and movement.

[The Labyrinth & Cathedral from above]

Participants could walk through the entrance, a vertical bamboo Cleu 10 ft. in diameter, put together by Yoko from Eugene. Participants could choose to walk the circles of Universe, Earth, Life, Consciousness, in whatever order they chose, for as long as they liked. Some people did yoga or sitting meditation in the very center of the labyrinth. Raking the paths of the labyrinth was another wonderful form of meditation.

[The entrance to the Labyrinth]

Our pilgrimage to Black Rock City was glorious, made better by a good crew. The core Cleu crew: Capitane le Cleu and Emma the Cleu lady from Lakeview, Oregon; Hank from Hurricane, Utah; John and Kiera from Ontario, Canada; Yoko and Bodhi, from Eugene, Oregon; and Russ from Santa Barbara, California.

[Some of the Crew]

The labyrinth was designed by our own Capitane le Cleu. The labyrinth was lit at night by 50 blinking bike lights, donated by our crew member Russ. John and Kiera joined Emma the Cleu lady to do some rock kirtan in the center of the labyrinth, and also some spontaneous Cleu brainwashing with the magical happy apples. Hank was our maestro on the megaphone. Bodhi kept the positive energy flowing.

Thanks to everyone who helped make the Cleu Labyrinth and camp a reality!

We’ll be looking for you at Green Man in ’07!

Well, we’ve finally shaken most of the playa dust out of our belongings. Our annual pilgrimage to Burning Man 2005 was a huge success. We gave away over 800 Cleus personally at Cleu camp (3:45 and Hysteria), and distributed over 1000 Cleu cards at the Center Camp. The Cleu lady (Emma) continued her scouting missions, giving Cleus to artists, volunteers, and others, but this year was unusual in that more people than ever before made the pilgrimage to Cleu camp on the outer perimeter of the city.

The theme this year was “Psyche,” and we intended to have a Brainwashing Machine ready, but it didn’t happen, and instead, Emma put together her own little ritual that went over extremely well. Not only were people showing up in camp looking for a cleu, but once the word got out, many insisted on having their brains washed too. It turned out to be so popular that we ended up working a six-day week and having to recruit the newly brainwashed to assist. If you’d like the “Clues to Do-it-Yourself Brainwashing, or your very own “Cleu Brainwashing Kit,” let the Cleu Lady know

As always, we enjoyed reconnecting with friends that we’ve camped near year after year: Wayne & Alien and their entourage, el Presidente (David) and his First Lady (Susan), Brother Buzz (Ben) and the boys (and their ladies), Mark, Lapis, and Goatsfoot, Fish, and all the guys at Break It Down Camp. Lonnie, one of last year’s crew, gathered a great group of friends and set up camp right across the street. We even had a sister camp this year. “Waking Grounds,” a camp from Eugene, was inspired by our own Yoko to wear the Cleu as a sign of their unity. And this year, Cleu Camp welcomed the addition of Dr. Placebo (Russ), a long time friend and favorite photographer, and his son-in-law, Jason, a first-time Burner from Portland with roots in New Zealand. The good Doctor graced the camp with his generosity, sharp wit, and intriguing conversation and observations. One of the premiere experiences for Captain LeCleu (Gian) was officiating at a double hand-fasting of Ben and Michelle and Cannon and Brittany at the Temple with a gathering of friends. Best of luck to the new couples over the coming year! We’ll be looking for you again next year. With just a little more organization and communication, we may become an unregistered, on-the-edge, fantastic Cleu village.

Among the many wondrous synchronicities of Black Rock City, one magical occurrence stood out for us. On a late-night bike ride, Emma the Cleu lady noticed a neon art installation and went closer to see it. As she read the quotes on the plastic bubbles housing what appeared to be mystical symbols, she came to the last one and was astonished to see a Cleu with the following quote: “Lucky being! You are not made of steel, but flesh and consciousness.” A few days later, when Emma returned with Gian, they arrived just as the artist was beginning to remove her work. She said she “got a Cleu” two years ago and has been captivated ever since. Emma made a point of thanking her for helping the Cleu become a meme, that is, a bit of cultural information that is passed from person to person, spreading like a virus until it becomes self-replicating. Since we hope to infect the culture with a vision of At-Onement, we rejoice to see the Cleu being used in such a way.

Our real new year began the week before Labor Day weekend, celebrating the Vault of Heaven in Black Rock City at Burning Man 2004. Gian and Emma launched the Rites of Man from Lakeview, Oregon with Bodhi, Lonnie, Sarah, and Jan on board. We arrived on Sunday evening and set up the Cleu camp at 3:35 and Sedna, on the outermost rim of the city. For the next 10 days, we shared stories, music, and meals with friends of all kinds.

The dust storm on Thursday made our trip to install the 6 ft. Cleu a real expedition. The Bmorg art curator selected a site directly behind the Death Guild Thunderdome. This location seemed a bit strange a first, but then we realized that the Cleu serves as a reflection not only of life, but of death. According to the mystic traditions, life and death are simply transitions in an endless cycle of being and non-being. In the midst of blinding wind and choking dust that seemed endless, we found some comfort in knowing that form and formlessness flow ceaselessly into each other.

We’ve expanded our Cleu offerings this year to include not only the handmade pendant but manufactured lapel pins. Emma/the Cleu lady, and others from the Cleu crew also distributed hundreds of cards with this message:

You are the Cleu!
Without the Universe, there is no Earth.
Without the Earth, there is no Life.
Without Life, there is no Consciousness.
Without Consciousness, there is no You.
That’s the clue.

This year’s BurningMan theme was Beyond Belief, so we made the most of it. For the first time, we created an art installation, a life-size 6 ft. Cleu. This year, people actually came to the CLEU camp looking for a Cleu, so Gian was busy all day talking to people who wanted one. Emma gave away Cleus to people who looked like they already had a clue, and also passed out Cleu cards with mystic revelations on them. Some people got their cards from the box below the big Cleu on the playa. All in all, some 700 Cleus and 1500 Cleu cards were given to people at Burning Man 2003.

We arrived for early Man, Friday, August 22, so that we could help Brother Satan build the shade structures for Rev. Billy and the Stop Shopping choir from NYC. Of course, everyone in this 30-voice, anti-consumerist gospel choir, got a Cleu. We also made friends at the NYC ArtArk camp– Leslie and Cory founded the Society for Experimental Art and Learning and also manage the shipment of containers of art and supplies for NYC burners. Everyday, whether in camp or out on the town, we gave away Cleus and met many beautiful people from all over this country and the world.

Our 6 ft Cleu, entitled “Got a Cleu?” was installed in a prime location, in between the Man and the Temple of Honor. Our thanks go out to David Mustelier, Wayne Coleman, Louie Lights, Dr. Glowire, Lady Bee (and the BM staff) for helping make our art piece possible. It took 6 core people from 4 different cities to do it– thank goodness for email! We noticed that people enjoyed walking thru the Cleu, as if going thru a portal to another dimension. Who knows…..

Most of the images are courtesy of some fabulous BurningMan photographers. For other great images of Burning Man and more, be sure to check out Rick’s Site , Matt’s Site, or Bucky’s Site.

Our annual pilgrimage to Black Rock City and Burning Man was both spiritually rejuvenating and a huge success.

Emma and friends distributed over five hundred Cleu necklaces and about fifteen hundred Cleu stickers. The response was incredible. As a result, she’s now officially known as “The Cleu Lady!”

Gian hung out at camp to greet many in search of a Cleu with music and good conversation during the day, and was “on the town” most of the night. We are all grateful for all the positive response to the Cleu and the Vision we received. Thanks to everyone’s efforts, the Cleu has since been introduced in Canada, made an appearance at the United Nations in New York, hangs out in the mountains of Japan, and is on its way to Eastern Europe and Australia.

SHOUTS OUT to our sweet neighbors on the Abyss, the hard-working, kickass DPW, the compassionate and rugged Rangers, the deeply-committed revolutionaries of First Camp, the lovely volunteers of Camp Artica and the Center Cafe, the delightful Lamplighters, the sexy DMV hotties, the dedicated dispatchers and volunteer coordinators, the tasteful Commissary cooks and cleaners, the ever-reliable postal workers and flamboyant special deliverers, the unflagging newspaper delivery people, the entertaining and informative radio broadcasters, the curious and enthusiastic denizens of the Media Annex, the brilliant, amazing jugglers of the Fire Conclave, the everlasting Earth guardians, the well-prepared First Aid teams, the kind-hearted and patient animal rescuers, the primal human Monkey chanters, the unwavering waste disposal technicians, the fearless and cheerful Burning Man office staff, the multi-tasking break-dancing dispensers of Information, the totally awesome ten-thousand theme camps, the stranger in the guise of an angel who comes to visit, and to all of you who came to the desert to build the most beautiful city in the world.

CleuCampers in 2002: Gian, Emma, Bodhi, Yoko, Sina