Shakti Fest 2013 Day 1

Opening Puja with Nandhi
Image by Traveling Monk

A crisp, clean spring breeze blew through our home at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center on the first morning of Shakti Fest. Govindacharya set strong intentions for participants to honor Shakti, the Divine Feminine, during the opening ceremony on the main stage. A meditation was held to help those who were present to dive into the sacred space inside ourselves where compassion, origin and our deepest sweetest love is rooted; in this place participants found solace in the soft embrace of The Mother. We were called to act, speak, and be present from this space through the coming days of Shakti Fest.

After the ceremony, our family of festivalers set foot into the desert feeling full with devotional love to find a plethora of classes, workshops and kirtan that would further help set those intentions free from their hearts and into each other.

Saul David Raye in Yoga Hall 1
Image by Shanti Scribe

Yoga class highlights for day one included “Bhakti Earth Medicine” led by Saul David Raye in Exhale Yoga Hall I. During the class, Saul focused on the understanding that in the root of each one of us, is “medicine we were blessed with to help heal each other in this time of great change and uncertainty”. Saul brought a strong lesson for all those who were present that, “we practice yoga to remember what we really are, which are loving light beings that can connect mind, body, sprit with the Source.” Saul’s teachings paired with celestial kirtan left participants feeling sweetly supported and embraced by our great Mother Gaia.

On the other side of the Shakti spectrum was a lighthearted class lead by Elka Hauk called “YogaSambaDance” in Yoga Hall II sponsored by My Yoga Online. She offered an opportunity to “not just do yoga, but have a multicultural experience.” In the class, Elka introduced practices that originate from her native Brazil such as Caiporeira, Afro Dance and Samba. She shared that, “I feel it’s particularly important for this culture to understand how to truly love themselves and others by coming together through collective singing, dance and expression of a blessed body.” With heart pounding tribal beats and electro dance music, she guided the class to be out of their minds and into their hearts.

Lydia's Lovin' Food in Vendor VIllage
Image by Traveling Monk

In the vendor village a variety of whole food offerings were available to help nourish Shakti Fest goers during their full energetic day of yoga, dance, kirtan and celebration. Participants quenched their thirst with Reeds Ginger Beer and Kombucha, and filled their bellies with mouth-watering bites of pure food love served by Bliss Café, Asana Foods and Pie for the People.

Lighting up the Main Stage during the day were incredible musical artists such as Sita Devi and Jaya Lakshmi. Gina Sala took the stage to transition the music from bright sunny day into sultry desert sundown with her playful, yet deeply heartfelt mantras and harmonious voice.

Wah! on stage at Shakti Fest 2013
Image by Traveling Monk

Wah! brought the sacred listening experience from evening into dark night with her deep pulsing bass bringing forth the primordial heart beat for all those present. With her famously smooth and elegant sound, she subdued the crowd of yogis and yoginis while simultaneously revitalizing them with strong, soothing melodic mantras; a sign of her divine musical diversity.

A spontaneous combustion of devotional love closed our first day of Shakti Fest with an on the spot kirtan jam led by Vijay of the Kirtaniyas, that organically came together on the steps of a major walking path. People passing by, on their way to camp to turn in, stopped in their tracks to sing the holy names with no need for a big stage or light show. The closing set by Amritakripa brought the house to its feet and dancing until 2 a.m.

All who brought their presence came together in a moment of pure bhakti, and joined in on the collective Shakti Fest community lullaby that would send them off into a blessed and blissful rest.

By Bernadette L Ignacio

With just one month away until we board our planes for the first ever Bhakti Yatra in India, we have already begun preparing physically and internally. Pilgrimages are no ordinary vacation, and India is no ordinary destination. They both require a tremendous amount of faith, patience, discipline, and trust in the Divine that all will go smoothy. And when it doesn't go smoothly, they require the awareness that it is not suppose to. We all are in it to get out of it what we are suppose to. There is no room for fear.

To prepare, we are currently building our bodies immune systems, while eating healthy and consciously. Yes, that means not overdoing it at holiday festivities (there goes all the fun!). It is important to prepare the body prior to a pilgrimage so we can be as strong as possible to ensure that our deeper layers can be ready to absorb the information that will be shared with us throughout our travels from the teachers, places, and experiences we encounter.

We are currently setting our intentions and studying texts on the sacred places and events we will be visiting so we won't miss a minute. One of the intentions we have set is to share as much as possible with the Bhakti Fest community via this blog in the hopes of inspiring YOU to dig deep and go on a pilgrimage of your own when the time is right. We look forward to embarking on the journey and sharing with the Bhakti Fest community.

It's been said the longest journey is from the head to the heart.
The ones that help guide you there are your travel agents.
The depth of your faith is the quality of your travel insurance.

See you along the way.

In Loving Service,
The Bhakti Fest Family