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

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 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