We are pleased to announce we can confirm our attendance at the following festivals this summer!
Mabfest, Tamworth, UK – 7th-9th June 2024
https://m.facebook.com/events/387920823604630/?ref_source=NEWS_FEED
Inspired Gathering – Northallerton, UK – 9th – 11th August 2024
https://www.facebook.com/inspiredgathering23
Northern Green Gathering, Wakefield, UK – 15th-18th August 2024.
https://nggonline.org.uk/wordpress/about-ngg/
Hope to see you there!
Homage to Bill Hicks
He was a voice of truth and humour
A prophet of the absurd and the sublime
He challenged us to see beyond the illusion
And to embrace the reality of our minds
He told us that life is just a ride
A thrilling adventure of ups and downs
But we don’t have to be afraid or hide
We can laugh and love and turn it around
But he also hinted at a deeper mystery
That we are not just passengers on this ride
We are also the creators of our own history
The architects of the amusement park inside
We have the power to shape our experience
To design the attractions and the rules
We can make it a place of joy or violence
We can be the wise or the fools
So let us honour his legacy and vision
By remembering his words and his smile
And let us follow his example and mission
To make this ride worthwhile
Bill Hicks was a stand-up comedian and satirist who died in 1994 from pancreatic cancer. He often tackled controversial topics such as religion, politics, and philosophy in his dark and ironic humour. Some of his great philosophical quotes are:
“It’s just a ride. And we can change it any time we want. It’s only a choice. No effort, no work, no job, no savings of money. Just a simple choice, right now, between fear and love.”
“The world is like a ride in an amusement park, and when you choose to go on it you think it’s real because that’s how powerful our minds are. The ride goes up and down, around and around, it has thrills and chills, and it’s very brightly coloured, and it’s very loud, and it’s fun for a while. Many people have been on the ride a long time, and they begin to wonder, ‘Hey, is this real, or is this just a ride?’ And other people have remembered, and they come back to us and say, ‘Hey, don’t worry; don’t be afraid, ever, because this is just a ride.’ And we … kill those people.”
“I’m not really here to make you laugh. I’m here to make you think.”
One of his most famous routines was about life being “just a ride” in an amusement park, where we can choose to enjoy it or be scared by it, but ultimately, it has no consequences. Many commentators have interpreted this theme as a form of existential nihilism, where nothing matters and everything is absurd.
However, others have seen it as a liberating and empowering message, where we can create our own meaning and values, and not be constrained by the illusions and expectations of society. Some have even compared Hicks to a Zen master, who used humour and paradox to awaken people from their ignorance and suffering.
What can we learn from this philosophy? Perhaps we can learn to be more aware of our own choices and actions, and how they affect ourselves and others. Perhaps we can learn to appreciate the beauty and wonder of existence, without taking it too seriously or attaching to it too much. Maybe we can learn to laugh at ourselves and our problems, and not let them overwhelm us. Perhaps we can learn to be more compassionate and tolerant of others, who are also on their own rides. Potentially, we can learn to enjoy the ride, while it lasts.
