Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 11:35:00 -0800
From: Daniel Martin <dr.martin@auckland.ac.nz>
Organization: The University of Auckland
Having read a few of the comments sent in by readers, I feel like I want to share something that happened to me a month ago. I was at a party in Vancouver, with all my friends, celebrating my time there, and saying goodbye to a scene that had transformed my life, taught me the meaning of love again, and generally just blown my mind.
At some point in the morning, I was swimming through the music across the dance floor, having been pretty engaged in some meditational stuff, when I ran across a couple of friends on the floor, and proceeded to give them both a hug. We were all trancing pretty heavily, and as I stood with my arms around my two buddies, looking at the ground, I felt that familiar rush of good vibes coming on. All of a sudden, I looked up and found that we were surrounded by 20-30 other people, all hugging in on us, creating a huge circle, the most gigantic hug I have ever been in, and everyone just pouring their love and good vibes, not only into the hug, but out into the rest of the party, and the rest of the world as well. As I looked around at these beautiful people, a space cleared in the middle of the hug, and I started turining around, with one hand in the air. Someone outside the hug grabbed my hand and squeezed it, then came into the hug. All of a sudden, the music started to peak, and I began to spin, and let of a huge yell, and, as my yell and the music peaked at the same time, the entire group broke up as one, and everyone just started BUSTING OUT SO FUCKIN' INSANELY, leaping up and down, whooping and whistiling, and then the whole party was yelling, and it was all on all over again.
Despite all the amazing things that have happened to me in the short time I have been involved in this scene, this was the wildest, most beautiful, crazy one, with love pumping out, with a vibe so thick the air seemed like water, a party where everyone felt so comfortable and so at one, and THE HUG just peaked it all. To all ravers, to all people who have ever given their love out unconditionally, to all those who honour PLUR and contribute to making the vibe better and stronger around the world, my thanks and love.
Dan.