Shakti Fest 2013 Day Two

Labyrinth at Joshua Tree Retreat Center
Image by Kristina Clemens

After moving, breathing and feasting with the divine feminine on Friday, all were fired up and fined tuned for dynamic day two. Bright blue morning skies brought clean and clear energy into our Shaktified family who were ready to take on another set of uplifted experiences.

With zero Spring cloud cover all day, Saturday turned out to a be a scorcher. Thankfully we had our Silver Sponsor Coconut Bliss serving tasty frozen delights, like the “legen-dairy” and soy free ice cream cookie sandwich. Coconut “Bliss Chris” explained that Shakti Fest is a perfect fit with their heart centered philosophy--which is, “to create the best possible outcome for Mother Earth, and our palette!"

Coconut Bliss's Fundraising Party
 Image by Big Happy Day

They offered not only elevated treats, but a fundraising effort by partnering with kirtan artists Lakshmi and Ananda in which proceeds from serving scoops of spankin’ new pint flavors, Cafe Late and Strawberry Love were contributed to charitable organization, Food for Life Vrindavan.

A diverse mix of classes and workshops were offered covering the many bases and faces of the Great Goddess starting with an early morning “Sunrise Stretch” led by Denise Kaufman in Exhale Yoga Hall I. Our beloved Shakti Fest sister and renown teacher, Shiva Rea, taught “PranaDanda Yoga”--an empowering practice in which a bow staff is used as a meditative tool to help mirror inner spine alignment and prana with outer movement through Flow Art.

International yoga master, Mark Whitwell offered an other worldly experience through a class called “Your Intimate Life: Body, Breath & Relationship”. Attendees were guided through an inward journey to discover the deepest meanings of an “authentic personal yoga practice”. A profound and poetic message emphasized was, “to stop looking, and start living.”

Mark Whitwell at Shakti Fest
Image by Big Happy Day

From this perspective Mark discussed the teachings of great wisdom traditions he learned from Krishnamacharya, in which he shared that through a devoted personal practice, one can experience “direct intimacy with the Shiva/Shakti reality.”

Through fully conscious inhales and exhales one cultivates acute awareness of the divine intercourse of strength and surrender that happens with every miraculous breath. Simple yet powerful asana paired with cosmic astral sound healing propelled participants to the primordial core; and Mark’s hypnotic mantras brought them back to their earthly bodies.

Other incredible teachers such as Sara Ivanhoe, offered the restorative practice of “Yoga Nidra”, while Pete Guinosso brought a more playful approach to the close of classes by hosting “Happy Hour Yoga”.

Christabel Zamor

Within the Sanctuary, master hooper Christabel Zamor spun it out with a “Shakti Yum Hoopdance”, and winding down the workshops was the “Shakti Circle”--a gathering in which mostly soul sisters (with a sprinkle of divine soul brothers for balance) “Awakened the Shakti and Divine Feminine” by learning about the many goddesses who provide strength, inspiration and “the indescribable love that sustains and maintains all of us.”

Powerful Devis Laura Amazzone, Mirabai Devi, Dawn Cartwright, Shiva Rea and Aditi Devi joined Shakti forces to share their intimate life encounters with the Divine Ma, and how she graced and transformed their own lives. The remarkable stories inspired the sanctified circle on how to honor, and truly feel the blessing of sacred, motherly love.

Aykanna at Shakti Fest 2013
Image by Soulful Images

A lively lineup of world class kirtan artists took the Main Stage, starting with the stirring traditional sounds of Sharanam Anandama, followed by the free flowing percussion of divine duo, Aykanna-- and Saul David Raye swayed us into sweet afternoon chanting with his beautiful band of musical brothers and sisters.

Durga Das (David Newman) sang with deep-hearted devotion into dusk with respect to India’s ancient chants, while Jai Uttal connected listeners through “Awakening the Bhakti” during an evening “Celebration of Divine and Human Love” in which Jai demystified how chanting alone is a great source of “how to find home within.”

The music got taken to electric levels when the Kirtaniyas took the Main Stage and livened up the late crowd with “BassMantra”; a unique sound creation that blends melodious electronic dance music and subsonic bass with ancient Sanskrit mantras.

Vijay from Kirtaniyas
Image by Traveling Monk

Electricity blazed into lightening when DJ Drez and fire dancers joined them on stage and added even more flare to our party with a purpose. Literally.

The wee hours crept in and the dance crowd crept out with the BassMantra of “Baby Krishna” ringing in their ears like a singing bowl sending them off to the sweetest of dreams...until the early desert sun rose them up again for the last day of Shakti Fest...

By Bernadette L Ignacio