Maddox Ranch

So that Mind, Body, and Soul festival was INCREDIBLE!

It only lasted 3 days at a place called Maddox Ranch in Lakeland, Florida.

If you've never been to a hippie camping festival, I'll tell you about it.

Everyone there makes eye contact because they certainly believe that we are all one in the same, and that we deserve to know and love each other. 

I'm definitely new to eye contact with strangers, so I thought it was weird at first.

Money isn't all the vendors worry about either.

To barter simply means to trade by exchange of commodities rather than by the use of money, and that's certainly what my good friends and everyone else was aware of.

I watched a good friend of mine who was selling wooden pedants barter them off for even cooler things like forged knives, stones, and just cool shit in general.

I regretted not bringing cool stuff to trade but it was only my first time so I took notes.

It wasn't only a place to go and get fucked up on as many drugs as you could (although I did) because there were kids around. It was a family event.  

There were gypsy women with dreads and fat squirming babies in their arms sitting on pillows with solar powered lights around them smoking weed.

Kids were just running about barefooted not having a slight worry about danger.

There really was no danger. 

No bitches or assholes there to throw garbage all over the ground, no one breaking glass, no one screaming and fighting or cursing at each other. 

Only love.

There was plenty to learn about too.

Free workshops that taught topics ranging from mushrooms to cbd oil to GMO foods to music, even art and yoga and tons more.

Just people who respectfully want you to learn a few things.

The stage was constantly filled with musicians of many kinds from folk to reggae to rock to indie.

Of course, after 5pm things got weird. 

The average iridescent lights got shut off and replaced with flickering psychedelic lighting that fooled you into thinking that you were indeed tripping on something.

Drum circles happened, people dancing around barefoot, howling like their inner spirit animals and the love was everywhere.

It was such an experience. 

I recommend going to at least ONE camping festival in your life.

Young or old, just do it.

You'll meet lovely people who aren't looking to tear you down but looking to build you up.

Everyone there was willing to teach or be taught, to give or receive, and even to protect.

It certainly won't be my last festival.