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| Shiva Rea flows through Sunday morning Image by Mitchell Manz Photography |
Our Bhakti Tribe breathed in brisk morning air after a stormy night. Thunderous clouds continued to bring life giving water and a strong energy of change. It was all too appropriate given the transformation we all have been experiencing during our days here in Joshua Tree.
Shiva Rea rose early with the Sunday sun, and facilitated a global meditation in the sacred spiral labyrinth. Participants closed the circle in communion by holding hands and chanting “Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.” The peaceful energy of the ceremony spread through the festival grounds as others awoke for the final day of Bhakti Fest West.
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| Bhakti Fest's Producer Mukti Silberfein sipping on a YogaVeda to stay cool and hydrated |
Bhakti Fest's Christina Newman began yoga classes for the day with her early morning yoga practice. She permeated pure joy into her class as they moved through sun salutations. Sianna Sherman guided her class through mythic movements to help them feel the primordial nature of their true selves.
The serene sounds of Amitabhan opened on the morning Main Stage, while Kirtan Soul Revival brought some heart melting harmony to those who were soaking in the music at the Hanuman Stage.
Gopi Kallayil offered practical peace in the Sanctuary. Being an extremely busy person who manages marketing projects for many fortune 500 companies, he shared how simple yoga is essential to succeeding in a fast paced, pressure-cooked work environment. He demonstrated simple asanas that help him get through a hectic day in the hopes that his class could put the the daily practice to use in their own offices.
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| David Newman (Durga Das) lighting up the Main Stage Image by Mitchell Manz Photography |
David Newman (Durga Das) took the late morning stage and brought spirits up as the sun reached high noon. In Yoga Hall I, Shiva Rea offered a “Brazilian blow out” no yogi had experienced before. Her class moved the energetic “rivers within” as she guided flow through the heart pounding sounds of Afro-brazilian beats. In Exhale Yoga Hall III, Saraswati Markus offered Dao Flow, which invigorated the meridians within each and every present person on their mat.
Zat Bakara held space in the Breathwork Hall to help cultivate sacred masculine strength. He worked with an all-male group to help them explore how to create meaning and intention through tapping into their “masculine genius.”
The Breath of Life Tribe brought a balance of upbeat tempo and dreamy keys though their afternoon Main Stage mantra. The prana pulsing the crowd afterward was unmistakable. To battle the humid post-storm heat, our some indulged in the cool creamy scoops of Coconut Bliss.
Midday hunger set in, and happily so since our family of festivalers had so many yummy options to choose from. As always, a loyal line formed from Lydia’s as they served up fresh plates of organic, raw sprouted food love. Tumeric Elixers and Herbal Zap had just the ticket to cooling off desert cottonmouth from so many lion’s breaths and rounds of pranayama. For those of us looking for a quick crunch, Food Should Taste Good chips, and a healthy handful from the Imlak’esh Organics superfoods snack bar hit the spot.
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| Krishna Das' Sunday Workshop Image by Mitchell Manz Photography |
The highly anticipated workshop held by Krishna Das filled the Sanctuary. For two and a half hours KD shared the simple wisdom he gleaned from his guru Neem Karoli Baba in all the years he spent in India. With high humor and subtle fervor, he made it clear that the purpose of mantra is to “clean the ‘bull’ from our hearts”, and that “we have to drop an anchor deep into those hearts so that the winds of our emotions don’t blow us away from ourselves.”
Fantuzzi funked up the Hanuman Stage with his infectious fun energy and sky-high vibe, while Hemalyaya rode the same playful wave in her class making them wildly smile at each other as they danced a crazed yoga dance.
Hungry tummies spoke loudly to us after so much excitement, and beautiful dinner delights from the Krishna Kitchen and local Joshua Tree Pie for the People answered. We savored explosive flavors--from spicy vegan pizza to crisp, sweet samosas.
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| In Loving Memory of Shyamdas |
The Mayapuris drummed and chanted us into high bliss as they opened up our last act up for the evening. To close our bitter sweet Sunday, we gathered together the core of our Bhakti Family on stage and recalled and recited the Maha mantra with the glowing crowd until our ecstatic energy rose to the starry skies. We once again offered our collective Bhav to one of our fallen founding fathers, Shyamdas, as he was warmly remembered and is still dearly missed in our conscious community.
Nandhi raged a sacred flame during The Anugraha Closing Fire, symbolizing the blazing beauty we co-created and experienced in our minds, hearts and souls here at Bhakti Fest 2013.
