Embracing the Call: A Journey of Friendship and Community Healing
I’ve always considered myself a bit of a rebel (like many of us, I suppose). In those big moments in life, I’ve trusted my heart and listened to my instincts. Despite that nagging voice asking, “What are you doing?” I’ve learned that my deeper inner knowing is always right. And now, I’m on one of the most significant journeys yet, starting an organization to support a dear friend — an indigenous spiritual elder living thousands of miles away. How did I get here? Let me share the story with you, and perhaps you can lend a hand.
It all started at Burning Man. While most see Burning Man as a wild party (and they’re not wrong), it’s also a place for deep introspection and growth. Since 2007, I’ve immersed myself in Burning Man, learning deep personal lessons and integrating them into my life year-round. This path led me to become a Temple Guardian and later a Temple Guardian Leader.
One lesser-known tradition of Burning Man is inviting a local indigenous spiritual elder to bless the Temple. In 2017, I met Dean Barlese for the first time during the Temple Blessing. Little did I know that meeting would start an incredible journey of friendship, learning, and community healing.
Over the years, I found myself drawn deeper into Dean’s world, touched by his wisdom and gentle presence. I eagerly absorbed his teachings on Paiute beliefs and traditions, hungry for more understanding.
In 2022, our connection deepened further as I spent time visiting and learning at Dean’s home in Nixon, NV. I felt a calling to nurture a broader community between Burning Man and the local Paiutes. That year, we collaborated with Burning Man to create new shared rituals, including opening and closing blessings around the construction and deconstruction of Black Rock City — the ephemeral metropolis we build and dismantle each year for Burning Man. These rituals profoundly express unity and reverence for the land and its indigenous inhabitants.
In 2023, the urgency to support Dean and preserve his vital work within the community became unmistakable. As I spent more time with Dean, witnessing the challenges he faced and the importance of his teachings, the call to action grew louder. Recognizing this need, we created the Pyramid Lake Spiritual Healing Center.
This endeavor, a collaboration between Dean’s family, his indigenous ceremony community, and his Burning Man friends, aims to preserve and sustain Dean’s work in his community. Our main focus is supporting Dean’s well-being and ensuring his work endures. In just a few months, we’ve made great strides:
- Established with a Fiscal Sponsor: This crucial step allows tax-free contributions, broadening our support.
- Improving Dean’s Living Conditions: Generous donations of time and money helped us buy a heater and fix his leaky roof, ensuring his comfort and safety.
- Supporting Dean’s Health: A physical therapist identified the urgent need for Dean to have a new prosthetic leg, leading Dean to take action to ensure his mobility and well-being.
- Enhancing Connectivity: Thanks to a generous donor, Dean now has a new laptop, enabling him to connect with the world and amplify our outreach efforts.
As we aim to share Dean’s story and our mission, we’ve received valuable advice from a friend who is a communications expert. Following her guidance, we’ve created a video program — a powerful tool to share our journey, amplify our impact, and inspire others. We are launching this now with a fundraising campaign.
If you have read this far and feel touched in any way, I invite you to join us as we embark on this new phase. Your support — whether through donations, spreading the word, or simply listening — will help us continue our mission of healing, connection, and cultural preservation.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
If you would like to Connect:
- Connect: Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.
- Share: Spread the word by sharing this post with your friends and family.
If you would like to Learn:
- Explore: Discover more about our current campaign by clicking here.
- Discover: Learn more about the Healing Center by clicking here.
- Get Involved: Interested in getting involved? Click here to learn how.
If you would like to Contribute:
- Donate: Support our fundraising campaign by donating money. Click here to contribute.
- Get Involved: If you’re interested in contributing in ways other than monetary donations, click here to get in touch.