the purification portal

2 weeks after the burn we were invited to create showers for symbiosis.
we arrived early to integrate with the permaculture workshop and orient to the land. water was being supplied by a neighbor's well and we discovered a tap ideally located next to an abandoned slanty shack. we decorated the shack with salvaged madrone from a recent clearing, and created stalls using bamboo poles and canvas drop cloths from burning man.
the water was filtered and heated by a copper coil inserted into a scrap woodburning stove. we kept 50+ gallons circulating via a sump pump submerged in a straw insulated cistern. water was accessed through a tap in the shack where attendants would fill a gallon jug and deliver it to a stall. the stalls were equipped with a hand-pumped one gallon garden sprayer attached to a shower head nestled in overhead madrone branches.
most patrons used only a gallon or less, and the greywater was captured in a bioswale created by the permaculture class. the bioswale was innoculated with oyster mushrooms which help break down the oils and bacteria.
in addition to the showers, our friend omshan provided exotic tea service. we created a sacred circle with a warm fire dutifully tended by brother seth. it was a respite where people could come to relax, purify, and integrate. the whole experience was truly magical, and we received abundant praise for our offering. we ended the summer with excitement, inspiration, and a community buzz around what we would offer the following summer...