Day Three of Shakti Fest 2014

Day three has been the day of dynamic energy and education. It has been filled with informative practice from true masters and experiencing the power of aligned energy. Feeling slightly under the level of stamina that’s required for such a spiritual download, I looked to Tumeric Elixir of Life to save the day. With blends of the finest organic botanicals on the planet, each serving is packed with 16 grams of organic Turmeric from Hawaii. Turmeric is called the “Queen of all Medicinal Herbs” because of its anti-inflammatory, purifying and balancing properties.

Revived and ready for my education, I participated in the daily Hanuman Chalisa recitation led by Govind Das. This 40-verse devotional hymn embodies the principles of service, courage, and devotion. These three fundamentals were planted in the forefront of my mind as the intention for my day.

I spent three hours in Yoga Hall 1 starting with a Bhakti Yoga celebration with Govind Das and Radha, followed by Mark Whitwell offering the basic principles of Krishnamacharya, whom he studied with for more than 20 years.

Govind Das took us through a “Yinyasa”, where we flowed between yummy yin postures softly chanting along with Radha on the exhales. Govind Das encouraged us to look for the right spots, like a massage therapist, exploring the areas that need attention and release. This is true not only for the physical body, but for the emotional and mental bodies as well. Radha’s pure and delicate voice has so many layers placed together with light of consciousness streaming through, that I kept equating it to an image of a stained glass window when I closed by eyes to move inward. Class culminated in a group chant of “Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu” and I found my gratitude for the day; grateful for my freedom, happiness, and knowing that I hold the ability, even in the smallest way, to contribute to the happiness of all beings. Then, as only Govind Das and Radha can ignite, the ecstatic chanting began. The drums got faster and louder giving me goosebumps. As I danced and sang I directed my prayers to Rama, asking for this creative connection we cultivated during these three days to continue when I return home.

What can one say about Mark Whitwell that would do his teachings justice? He is to the point, giving us the key ingredients of a true yoga practice directly from the teacher of all teachers, Krishnamacharya. By being in his presence you can be in the energy of Krishnamacharya, who left his body many years ago, yet is carried in Mark’s heart. Mark reminds us that we all carry the energy of the cosmos in our own body and to access that understanding is simple: Do your yoga and you will know your truth. 

With a Reed’s Root Beer in hand (calorie free and made from Stevia), I was looking forward to resting my brain and treating myself with some shopping. Each vendor booth is like entering the home of the artist. The owners of the represented businesses were always hospitable, giving me a personal tour of their work and the stories behind it. I took home mementos from the unique collections Yoga Styles and Shanti Hastkala. Susan Lefkowitz-Nichols owner of Yoga Styles fell into her business quite unexpectedly. Unable to find a yoga mat bag to accommodate her large and sturdy Manduka mat, she made one herself and for her yoga teacher. The orders for yoga bags started to flood in and now Susan has expanded to clothes and jewelry and is a favorite in the yoga community.

I was happy to purchase a small handbag, made by a 13 year old girl in India, from the non-profit Shanti Hastkala. Shanti Hastkala is a voluntary development organization with an initiative to bring financial independence to the people of Magod and surrounding villages.

The end of the day crept in quickly, but the all-star kirtan jam did not disappoint when it comes to memorable grand finales. Thus far, we have experienced the artists as forces in their own right, now imagine them on stage sitting together side-by-side. It was powerful to witness them hold space not only for those at the festival, but also via live-streaming so anyone anywhere could join them in the flow of sacred rhythm.

Govind Das sat center and honored Shyamdas, a guiding force in the development of Bhakti Fest, who left his body unexpectedly last year. This remembrance turned in to a massive celebration for those who came before us and continue to light our path. All those who had a hand in the creation and success of Shakti Fest were led on stage to chant and dance, and I was honored to be included in that group. Sridhar Silberfein, founder of the festival, was at the apex and inviting all to share in the spotlight. We danced, sang, and embraced with wild unrestraint. Any obstacles that we endured throughout the weekend became trivial as we let loose in the joy of one spirit. As Govind Das observed once we took in the post-jubilant stillness, “Shyamdas was with us at Shakti Fest 2014”.

So, how do we come down after this high? For me, I plan on taking these teachings and experiences and apply them to daily life; do my yoga and continue to practice devotion. We evolved from friends, to family, and now have become a unified power of consciousness.

Let’s do it again next year. As my friend Shiva Baum says, “not goodbye. To be continued.....”

Olivia Kvitne is Assistant Editor at LA Yoga Magazine and official blogger for Bhakti Fest festivals 2014. She is also a yoga teacher specializing in trauma-sensitive yoga for veterans, military, and first responders.

Day Two at Shakti Fest 2014

This morning we entered the grounds and immediately felt settled in the space, as if we had always lived here. I noticed the wind dancing with the sand in the same area where we let loose the night before to the conscious beats of Mental Physix. The morning breeze mirrored the uninhibited movement of last night’s yogis, as if nature had been inspired by their abandon.

We spent our morning in the dining hall kitchen where staff, presenters, and artists enjoy food generously donated by health conscious, natural, and vegetarian companies. We were given a tour by head chef, Dan Foster, who graciously let us take a peak at where the magic happens. Rows and rows of all the products I drool over when perusing the aisles of Whole Foods, stocked the pantries and refrigerators of the kitchen. Organic India Ghee, KIND Healthy Snack's Granola, Upton Naturals, Yum Butter, Eden Foods, Blue Green Organics Agave, Lundberg pasta and rice cakes, and Big Tree Farms were among the donated products that lined the shelves making me feel like I was in a yogini’s Candy Land. Dan uses these products to make nourishing fare such as Coconut Curry and Chana Masala.  Dan’s vision of his culinary contributions are for the sole purpose of using food to heal and revitalize.

The treat of the morning was the Vega Breakfast Bar. I was given a walk through of the simple preparation it takes to start your day off with a delicious smoothie containing 15 grams of plant-based protein and three servings of greens. Look on the Bhakti Fest Facebook page to see my videos of the kitchen tour and adventures at the Vega breakfast bar.

First on the yoga list was Sara Ivanhoe in Yoga Hall 1; a cool and calm indoor sanctuary. Sara has a wonderful way of letting us explore our own yoga in a supportive environment. “You’re part of the real tradition, embodying and creating the yoga now,” she explains. With this freedom to explore asana using self-discovery, it becomes an informative practice leading us to dissolve into Brahman.

One of the highlights of my day was when Billy Hoveke, proficiently adept at massage and healing touch, gave me a sample of the massages he offers to staff, presenters and artists. Knowing I needed a heart-opener to counteract the weight of the computer I’ve been carrying around, he decided to give me a mash-up of Thai massage and acro-yoga. Saul David Raye, Larisa Stow, and many others have gone to Billy in order to keep their bodies open and available before or after performing. Feeling completely rejuvenated, I now understand how necessary it is to make body work a priority at festivals. Be sure to check out the Healing Sanctuary, and let yourself surrender into the hands of other masters of intuitive touch, available for appointments all day.

I can tell the community is tightening as I can barely walk ten feet without being greeted by a hug or a familiar smile, affirming we have become a neighborhood of love and understanding. This is sensed energetically, but also by the stunning visuals and experiences I take in throughout the day, including community painting and lounging with friends -from six to 65 years old- on comfy pillows by My Zen Home in the breathwork hall. The owners of My Zen Home, a husband and wife team, humored me as I explored asanas on their lounge pillows ranging from sukhasana to trikonasana.

A magical vibrational change occurred in class with Bhava Ram and Laura Plumb as evening set in. They took our group on an inward journey toward Shakti, the energy of the heart, with kriya, mantra, song, and community. Bhava Ram first found yoga from a place of life-threatening necessity. When he walked into his first yoga class he had a broken back and stage four cancer. Now he is healthy, thriving and an inspiration to yogis across the country and world. His story is worth reading to regain perspective, inspiration, and gratitude. Continuing my “attitude of gratitude” theme for the weekend, I am grateful for my health, this community of yogis, and to have discovered yoga and bhakti practice early in my life. To learn more about Bhava Ram’s story you can read his book, Warrior Pose, which is sure to give you a new understanding of what it means to be saved by yoga.

Packing up after Bhava Ram and Laura Plumb’s class I was able to catch the beginning of the video screening with Ram Dass, and take these gems: “Appreciate the moment and go fully into it; the past and the future are also found in this present moment; view thoughts as a witness; chant ‘I am loving awareness’ until you’re in the next plane of consciousness”.

My whole day was graced with the soundtrack of headlining kirtan artists on the Main Stage. I was able to take in the admiral presence of Saul David Raye, the understated power of Wah! (who my dear friend Zoë Kors calls “The High Priestess of Bhav”), and of course, Jai Uttal, transporting us on a vibrational train with a one way ticket to ebullience. His mid-song anecdotes are human, honest, and relatable; as a modern day yogini this is something I value and appreciate. You can take part in this bliss tomorrow night even if you’re not in Joshua Tree this weekend. Tune in for the live-streaming of the All Star Jam tonight, Sunday May 18 at 9:30pm pst. 

Tonight, “Om Namah Shivaya” reverberated through the trees and we truly became part of the fabric of this festival. Last night we celebrated as friends, tonight we dance as family.

By Olivia Kvitne

Day One at Shakti Fest 2014

There is something about the desert air. I took a deep breath when I got out of the car at Joshua Tree Retreat Center and instantaneously felt a promise of new possibilities, spiritual development and freedom to dance. 

For me, the weekend celebration started Thursday night as the festival space began to take shape. In the cool of the evening, with the soft buzzing of what was to come, my friends and I re-familiarized ourselves with the retreat center grounds under the remnants of the full moon. Soft drumming came from the Yurts and I took in the Main Stage, now empty, but with a murmur of anticipation for all the people that would fill the space the next day.  I followed the humming of sound to the Sanctuary, opened the doors, and it was then I felt I had arrived! Inside there was music, clapping, dancing and folks sitting, laying, singing “Radhe” and “Haribol.” The sound washed over us and the power of the familiar chants embraced us all in their power. I raised my arms and began to celebrate the beginning of what was sure to be a transformative weekend. The blood was pumping, energy growing, and Bhakti flowing.

Now, it’s 8am on Friday, day one of Shakti Fest, and there is a nurturing warmth in the air. As we make our way to the opening ceremony with Aditi Devi, we begin to recognize familiar faces in the yoga world; those we know and have practiced with, and spiritual powerhouses we look up to and admire but have never met. Today, we all walk together and share the same space for the same reason: to raise our own vibration and the vibration as a whole. Aditi reminds us that the opening prayer she guides us through will be left open, not to be completed until Sunday night, so that we may hold the space for one another through our collective experience.

We filled our water bottles at the filling station with Aloha Green Powder to energize for our first morning class with Kia Miller. Her radiant smile throughout class was a warm welcome to this sacred space. Kia beautifully, clearly, and thoroughly led us through a Kundalini kriya, which can sometimes be an elusive practice, and the Bhakti Bliss Band serenaded us with chants of “Guru Ram Dass”. As we pumped our bellies with breath of fire, she encouraged us to take on an “attitude of gratitude” turning “emotion in to devotion.” I decided to adopt this as my personal theme for the next three days.

That theme of gratitude was felt quickly when the midday sun was high. Thanks to Castle Rock Water -winner of the 2014 ‘World’s Best Bottled Water’ and served in glass bottles- and the creamy Coconut Bliss Bar, we were kept hydrated, cool and refreshed. We enjoyed our snack and sang along to the band Aykanna at the Main Stage.  Another trick to staying cool is to relax and let henna artist, Emily Webb, work her creative magic on your skin. Henna, with natural cooling properties, is believed to bring happiness, good fortune and benevolence.

I couldn’t rest for long as my duties as Bhakti Fest blogger took me on the Main Stage to announce our Instagram contest. We are encouraging everyone to share their best Shakti Fest moments on Instagram using #BhaktiFest. The winner with the best, most inspiring moment wins a free ticket to Bhakti Fest West in September. Being on stage right after the morning line up of kirtan artists like Sirgun Kaur and Ananda Rasa gave me a wave of energizing Shakti through my spine! To then look out on all the glowing faces gave me another shot in the arm of why we all meet up in the desert to dance.

Mid-afternoon and it was time to jam with Govind Das and Radha in a mini kirtan training. They broke down chords, mantras and how each instrument has a special place in this devotional exercise. Splitting the class in three different groups, beginner and experienced musicians alike shared in this community kirtan.

As the sun began to make its way back to the horizon, it was nice to take pause in Yoga Hall 1 with Felicia Tomasko. Felicia led us through a chill class to “smooth our prana”, based in conscious movement, breath, and ayurvedic concepts. Ashley Wynn, owner of The Grateful Yogi in Las Vegas, lent her voice. Felicia’s knowledge paired with Ashley’s sweet sound was right on time after a packed day.

What strikes me the most as I get to know Shakti Fest 2014, is the number of children dancing, laughing, playing, and enjoying the festival just as much as their older counter parts. Shakti Fest welcomes the whole family so that this type of bhakti celebration can start to be part of children’s lives and development. It is a safe and caring environment where love is first priority and the joy is palpable.

After a free sample of spring rolls from Upton Naturals, served daily 11:30am and 6:00pm, it was time to head back to the stage for the musical ecstasy of Dave Stringer.  Dave Stringer not only uses music to lift consciousness, but also lends his talents to non-profit organizations like Give Back Yoga and Call and Response Foundation that bring yoga and mindfulness to populations that cannot make it to events like Shakti Fest, for instance veterans dealing with PTSD or those incarcerated. Following Dave Stringer was the Kirtaniyas to lead us into the early hours of the morning. The ripple of devotional love sent through the mystical desert air will take us straight in to the restful sleep we need for tomorrow, starting off the morning with Vega smoothies in the dining hall.

See you then, sleep well and Haribol!

By Olivia Kvitne