A lil history about camp

Our camp was founded in 2007 by a group of Seattle-based SGI Buddhists who wanted to create a space to share their philosophy on playa. Since then, our camp has expanded into a sanctuary and meeting place for creative and mindfulness-oriented folks of all types. Though we are no longer a primarily Buddhist camp, we seek to honor our roots by continuing to bring mindfulness and joy to playa.

In 2026, we changed our name from “BuddhaCamp @ The Lotus Dome” to “The Lotus Dome & Cafe” in order to more accurately reflect both parts of our interactivity at the burn (the Dome and the Cafe), as well as to reflect the evolving nature of the camp.

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“Attaining Buddhahood means opening and revealing the Buddha nature that we already possess. We need not go somewhere special to do this. It is within the realities of daily living that we build a life condition of absolute happiness, which cannot be upset or destroyed with external circumstances.”

An introduction to Buddhism p 27-28

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The Vibe

Our camp is primarily PNW-based, but we also camp with folks from all over the US and around the world. We do have some camp outings together (such as onesie night), but joining in is by no means required. Everyone in camp is very open to new folks jumping in and joining for adventures out and about.

Our camp maxes out at around 40 campers, so you’ll get to know everyone fairly well—and many of us have even become lifelong friends who see each other often in the default world, too.

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Offerings

We have two main offering spaces on playa: The Lotus Dome and the Lotus Cafe. Both focus on helping burners recharge and recenter their bodies and minds.

The Lotus Dome

The Lotus Dome

The Lotus Dome is our mindfulness center at camp, and hosts offerings such as yoga, guided meditations, Buddhist chanting, breathwork sessions, and movement workshops. It is also a great place for mindfulness-related talks, flow workshops, and spiritual offerings of all kinds!

While the Lotus Cafe is a great place to connect, chat, and have fun, the Lotus Dome is quieter and reserved for group or solo meditation and mindfulness-focused activities.

Lotus Cafe

Iced Drinks and Lounge Area

Monday through Friday of burn week we serve iced and delicious cold brew coffee and tea that folks can sip while relaxing in our comfy, shaded lounge. This gathering space is the perfect place to connect with others and get out of the heat!

Creativity Workshops

In 2024, we began hosting art-based workshops such as screen printing and bracelet making in the Lotus Cafe. We plan to continue these types of offerings—so let’s get crafty together!

How We Support Each Other

  • Our kitchen provides all campers with two yummy hot meals a day (brunch and dinner). We send out food surveys pre-playa to make sure everyone is properly provided for, and we’ve been able to accommodate vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets as well as food allergies and sensitivities. However, we may not be able to accommodate very severe allergies or those with celiac disease, so please let us know if this may be of concern.

    Additionally, our kitchen features a stocked community pantry so you can snack whenever you want throughout the day! Unlimited drinking water and communal non-alcoholic beverages are also available.

  • We build lots of structures on playa to help us beat the heat and enjoy the burn to the fullest! It is important to note that we are a tent-only camp (sorry RVs). But don’t worry, we provide a large shade structure that covers all campers’ tents.

    We also have a shower in camp (with hot water)! We allot one gallon of water a day per person. It’s up to you whether you speed-shower every day or save up your water for less frequent but longer showers.

    Our generator provides enough power for folks to charge small devices like phones and camera batteries. However, please note that it is not sufficient for charging larger items like e-bikes or personal AC units.

  • Camp Meetings:

    We host regular virtual camp meetings to go over important camp and BORG updates. These are a great opportunity to meet fellow campers and get prepared for the burn!

    Travel:

    Simply put, we must work together to get to playa. Limited vehicle space means that not everyone will be able to drive independently. We can help organize camper carpools, but we ask that you lean into the “Radical Self-reliance” principle for this as well.

    As a camp, we rent a large truck to help transport infrastructure, food, and certain camper items. Each camper can throw their bike, tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and two 27 gallon bins into our moving truck in Seattle!

  • First time to playa? Well you’re in luck, because we love our virgins!

    Goose, our recruitment lead, will be your point of contact and can help answer any questions you might have regarding prep for your first burn.

    Before the burn, she will host a “What to Expect” virtual meeting that will go over daily camp life, what to pack, and more!

    After orientation on Sunday, some of our veteran burners will lead a group bike ride around the playa to help our newbies get their bearings (and learn how to find their way home)!

Expectations

There are no tourists at the burn, only active participants! In order to transform camp into our home away from home, we expect all campers to participate in various ways.

Pre-Playa:

  • Attend all camp meetings to get updates and start building connections!

  • Join a committee. We don’t expect a ton from new folks, but would love for you to get involved in any that you are able to. Each committee will have a number of pre-playa tasks such as grocery shopping, food prep, infrastructure updates, workshop development, etc.

On-Playa:

  • Campers will have varying numbers of shifts on-playa, determined by how much pre-playa work they’ve put in. We do our best to make this system equitable and make sure campers who put in a lot of time pre-playa are seen and rewarded.

  • Some example shifts: serving coffee/tea, meal prep, dishwashing, generator safety checks, running to Arctica for camp ice, leading a workshop/offering, pumping our gray water barrels, etc.

  • ALL HANDS ON DECK TEARDOWN MANDATORY. It is required that folks stay until teardown is complete. We begin teardown on Saturday and are usually done by Temple Burn on Sunday. You are welcome to leave as soon as tear down is complete, but sometimes it takes longer so please budget your time to take this into account. 

Let’s Talk Dues

Our camp dues are on a sliding scale, and are generally $500-$600 per camper. However, we do honor the Ticket Aid program and offer reduced dues of $250-$300 for campers that qualify. We are also flexible on payment plan structures, but we ask that dues are fully paid by June 1. Your dues will cover your meals and water on playa, general camp infrastructure needs (such as gas for the generator), tea and coffee offerings, and our truck.

Meet the Camp Leads