Urban playa

The age of Aquarius is finally kicking in. This weekend, the Sacramento area is just oozing with opportunities for the sort of unorthodox, New Agey experiences one would only expect to find after three dusty days of wandering the playa at Burning Man.

For example, Avalon Arts Center in Fair Oaks is offering a weekend workshop in firewalking this Friday through Sunday. Trained firewalking instructors Raven Smith and Heather Ash Amara will lead two days of separate workshops for men and women to explore the programming we all carry about gender roles. On the third day, the two groups will meet for a ritual firewalk—yes, treading over a bed of hot coals with bare feet. As Amara explained in a 2000 National Geographic article on firewalking, “The fire is a teacher. … It teaches you to overcome your fears and do what you thought was impossible.” The Avalon Arts Center is located at 8030 Sacramento Street in Fair Oaks. To toughen your soul, and your soles, call (415) 847-2744 for registration.

And how’s this for subverting the ol’ dominant paradigm? Sacramento’s first Really Really Free Market is a four-hour experiment in gift economy. On Saturday from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. at 1911 F Street, everyone is encouraged to bring something to the market to give away for free. Suggested examples include plants and seeds, haircuts, massages, food, poetry, dancing, puppet shows, jokes, skits, a skill to teach or simple thanks. Sponsored by Sacramento Area Peace Action’s Peace and Sustainability Committee, the event is designed to provide an alternative to the global free-market economy. Call (916) 361-3595 for more information and let the sun shine in.