Lumination

It is the closing ceremony. Sunset has given way to night.

In the centre, a huge fire. A glowing ring of organisers close around the flames, some holding hands. Around this circle gather maybe 600 who have shared six days high up in the mountains. I am priveleged to be one of them.

The drums stop. Thanks are given to the round of organisers, this moment is about appreciation for them. They had believed in something so strongly that they had been compelled to make this festival happen and we look on at them with abject respect.

A wise lady begins speaking for us all to hear. It is one of those speeches which should have been recorded and replayed for the good of mankind. As she draws to the end a man from the circle interrupts to argue a point, but he is shouted down by the group. We 600 are captivated and moved by her every word and want to hear the final message: simply, if we do not like the world as we see it then we can change it.

After the speech is finished the man who interrupted earlier attempts to take the stage again and continues to argue his point. There is no message in his argument, no points, just sheer negativity. The entire circle becomes aware that if something isn't done quickly the incredible vibe of appreciation around the fire will be swallowed by the mind of somebody who's completely out of touch - someone who's missed the entire point of the festival.

From the jaws of despair comes perfection. The 600 spontaneously break out into a collective Om. As each and every individual generates a hum the accoustic energy is deafening and swallows up the piercing negativity, replacing it with a magnificent taurus of energy. It resonates a mile high towards the stars.

After a spectacular minute the vibration subsides and a single voice the crys out "WE LOOOOOVE YOOOOOOUUUUU!!!". The entire circle erupts into cheers and whoops and applause for those in front of us who, through the power of belief, had changed most of all of our worlds for the past six days and beyond. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, a truely awesome moment.

We, that is myself, Oz, Annabelle, Nadine, Darius and Tramper the tiger, are all completely blown away. As the moment subsides a voice shouts out from the back "It's all working out exactly as it should - everything's going perfectly!!!".

Amist the shouts and crys of joy fromt he crowd we all realise that it kind of is.