Sunday, June 26, 2011

What happens in Vegas... Electric Daisy Rave

Wisdom Quarterly (REPORTING)
"They can take EDC out of Los Angeles, but they can't take Los Angeles out of EDC" (insomniac.com)

LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Wisdom Quarterly has covered this rave with the question of whether marathon dancing to techno, electronica, house, or any other music has any residual spiritual benefits -- losing the illusory sense of limited and separate ego,* meditation, urban shamanism, yoga...

The Electric Daisy Carnival is a massive corporate rave. It makes so much money through ticket sales and generates so much more residual profit for cities that it has grown to include multiple cities in the same year:
  • Orlando, FL - May 27-28, 2011
  • Denver, CO - June 11, 2011
  • Dallas, TX - June 18, 2011
  • Las Vegas, NV - June 24-25-26, 2011
  • Puerto Rico - August 27, 2011

Big Beats Hit Vegas: DJs Pick The Tracks Of Electric Daisy Carnival (NPR.org/Getty)

While it certainly can feel "spiritual," largely due to dissociating from a limited sense of individuality and realizing the inter-connectedness of all living beings. This is hampered by drug abuse, which is rampant at raves. It's easy to become seduced by sensuality -- hard not to be -- and dangerous to think shortcuts to a spiritual sense of Oneness (advaita, non-duality).

There are transcendent moments -- the beats, the fast friends, the lights, the thrill of spectacle. But ultimately raves can only be a mind and heart opening. They cannot be the path. In and of themselves, they are not the practice. Even yoga in Los Angeles, which is far more about looks and status markers -- is no spiritual practice, even if a spiritual motivation leads one to explore it. It's a nice adjunct, as dance, exercise, and endurance can be.

Dance, but it won't take anyone as far as a dedicated Buddhist practice. It's fun, but it won't even take one as far as listening to Eckhart Tolle. And the aftermath -- broke, hung over, craving excitement just like the Buddha's advice to young Sigala:

"There are, young householder, these six unprofitable consequences that result from frequenting shows: "One is ever thinking: (1) Where is there dancing? (2) Where is there singing? (3) Where is there drums? (4) Where is there recitation? (5) Where is there playing? (6) Where is there diversion?" (DN 31)

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