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.

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.

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 world renowned 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, angelic voice.

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

Seva Practitioner

GuRubee (Ruben Mahboobi) is a holistic bodyguard and nationally-certified executive protection specialist; an experienced yoga and meditation teacher; a personal trainer; and an artist who heals with energy, bodywork, and sound. He is a Reiki master (having received his attunement from Master Roshi Varma in Pushkar, India) and holds a certificate in Thai Massage from the Wat Po Thai Traditional Medical School in Bangkok, Thailand. Rubee has been teaching yoga and meditation since 1996. He is a Yoga Alliance RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher: 200-hour, 500-hour credentialing in progress) and a member of the Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and the International Association of Yoga Therapists.

Further Details to be announced

Wednesday, September 4 @ 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Swedish Massage Therapists

Working together as massage therapists for over 4 years, and married for over 18 years, Eric and Marie specialize in four handed Swedish and Deep Tissue massage. Over the years, we have honed our skills, working together synergistically to create a fluid system with each body. We use each other and each client’s unique anatomy to maintain leverage and flow throughout our sessions.

Together, we draw on training from many modalities to create a customized massage experience for our clients; releasing stress and contracted muscles, clearing blocked energy, and improving circulation and mobility. These modalities include Reflexology, Energy Work/Reiki, Thai, Chinese Medicine, Acupressure/Trigger Point Therapy, Swedish and Advanced Deep Tissue massage.

Dharma Yoga: Update your Compassion in All Action to Bring a Shortcut to Enlightenment with Sri Dharma Mittra

We all experience suffering and pain on the material plane. This is for the purpose of purification, the gradual cleaning of the mind, heart and intellect so that one day we may have a complete vision of Compassion, Supreme Reality, and true inner peace. Ninety-nine percent of the earth’s population is unable to observe “Ahimsa”, or full compassion. In the modern world of today an attitude of “ignorance is bliss” comes into play. The process of compassion is learning how to place one’s self in others, and thereby recognize their feelings. Learn the divine foundation of the Dharma Yoga Method, which has evolved after a half century of intensive practice. The morning program incorporates spiritual discourses, breathing practices, and the supreme posture practice, Dharma Shiva Namaskara Vinyasa, a challenging, yet meditative unique sequence designed to unfold complete movement of the spine, and unleash prana throughout the body. You will be shown how to establish proper placement, alignment, and the deep spiritual intention behind each pose. Sri Dharma will then lead you thru his Divine Deep Healing Relaxation Method, Yoga Nidra. The afternoon continues with purification practices and lectures with topics that include the Ethical Rules (Yama) and observances (Niyama), the Koshas (the 5 Mythic Sheathes that obscure the True Self – conceal Atma), and the Eight Limbs of Yoga. Throughout the day, we’ll experience deeply inspiring lessons, which when fully observed, “everyone and everything is seen as one’s “loved one’s”. Sri Dharma Mittra will reveal to you this divine secret, and help you to download into your mind and heart, the final update: Compassion, the end of the journey, thus allowing you to possess a Shortcut to Enlightenment.

Legendary Yoga Master Sri Dharma Mittra, now 74, founded one of the early independent, and longest running schools of yoga in New York City in 1975. Known as “The Teacher’s Teacher”, and “The Rock of Yoga”, he has taught hundreds of thousands over a half century. He has created more than 300 popular yoga postures and variations. Sri Dharma Mittra is the author of The Master Yoga Chart of 908 Postures, Asanas: 608 Yoga Poses, and the Maha Sadhana DVD series. Sri Dharma continues to disseminate the complete traditional science of yoga through daily classes, workshops worldwide, and his “Life of a Yogi” Teacher Certification programs at the Dharma Yoga Center. For more information on all things Dharma, please visit: Dharma Yoga Center

Monday, September 9 @ 9:30 am – 1:30 pm

EarthHeart: Return to the Mother

A Shakti Fest pre-festival yoga/bhakti immersion honoring mother earth & the deep shamanic roots of Yoga
Join Saul and special guests for this special pre-festival Shakti-fest immersion. Bhakti /Earth wisdom teachings, dynamic earth based asana, pranayama, meditation, chanting, live music and sacred ceremony for the earth.

In the history of Earth, humankind has lived in a deep and sacred relationship with the great Mother – Earth or Gaia. Many sacred traditions and practices have honored the great cycles and rhythms of Mother Earth, to which we are inextricably linked. In modern times, we have moved away from this deeper wisdom and face great peril, it is urgent that we return to the living wisdom of the Mother and balance the masculine / feminine energies within ourselves. This happens first within each of us, ‘earth peace thru self peace’. This immersion will support activate the place within each of us, that holds a deep connection to the Mother Earth, her wisdom, to the elements and to life itself. We are all the guardians of the earth, we are her children. We are here to serve the Mother in this time of great balancing. She is calling us home, back into sacred relation and balance with Her.

In this Immersion we will focus on teachings and practices that connect directly with Mother Earth & the five elements. Some of the workshop will be held outdoors in the powerful desert energy, where we will make a beautiful altar and circle for mother earth. We will also have live music with wonderful bhakti musicians and a closing healing ceremony for Mother Earth in which everyone will be able to make a prayer and an offering. All levels are welcome.

During this immersion we will experience:
* Circular heart wisdom teachings from Tantra, bhakti & shamanic traditions
* Dynamic holistic yoga practice with asana, mudra, bhandha, pranayama, meditation & chanting & live music
*  Specific techniques and practices to ground + connect to   Mother Earth’s energy field.
* Sacred ceremony honoring and connecting to the Earth
·      Please bring: yoga mat, sun hat, journal or paper & pen, water, simple snack, light clothing & a jacket (desert evenings can be cool.
·      We also invite you to stay for Indradyumna Swami’s wonderful evening program at 8pm.

Thursday, May 16
1:30 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. Intensive
1:30 pm – 2 pm – opening circle & intention / prayer
2pm  – 5:30 pm – EarthHeart Immersion
5:30 pm – 6pm – Closing Ceremony
8:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M. Kirtan with Indradyumna Swami
$50 Intensive only
$65 Intensive plus Kirtan; to purchase tickets, visit Shakti Fest Tickets

Thursday, May 16
8:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M.
$20 for kirtan; to purchase tickets, visit Shakti Fest Tickets

EarthHeart: Return to the Mother

A Bhakti Fest Midwest pre-festival yoga/bhakti immersion honoring mother earth & the deep shamanic roots of Yoga
Join Saul and special guests for this special pre-festival Bhakti Fest Midwest immersion. Bhakti /Earth wisdom teachings, dynamic earth based asana, pranayama, meditation, chanting, live music and sacred ceremony for the earth.

In the history of Earth, humankind has lived in a deep and sacred relationship with the great Mother – Earth or Gaia. Many sacred traditions and practices have honored the great cycles and rhythms of Mother Earth, to which we are inextricably linked. In modern times, we have moved away from this deeper wisdom and face great peril, it is urgent that we return to the living wisdom of the Mother and balance the masculine / feminine energies within ourselves. This happens first within each of us, ‘earth peace thru self peace’. This immersion will support activate the place within each of us, that holds a deep connection to the Mother Earth, her wisdom, to the elements and to life itself. We are all the guardians of the earth, we are her children. We are here to serve the Mother in this time of great balancing. She is calling us home, back into sacred relation and balance with Her.

In this Immersion we will focus on teachings and practices that connect directly with Mother Earth & the five elements. Some of the workshop will be held outdoors in the powerful desert energy, where we will make a beautiful altar and circle for mother earth. We will also have live music with wonderful bhakti musicians and a closing healing ceremony for Mother Earth in which everyone will be able to make a prayer and an offering. All levels are welcome.

During this immersion we will experience:
* Circular heart wisdom teachings from Tantra, bhakti & shamanic traditions
* Dynamic holistic yoga practice with asana, mudra, bhandha, pranayama, meditation & chanting & live music
*  Specific techniques and practices to ground + connect to Mother Earth’s energy field.
* Sacred ceremony honoring and connecting to the Earth
·      Please bring: yoga mat, sun hat, journal or paper & pen, water, simple snack, light clothing & a jacket.

Thursday, July 4 @ 1:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.
$75 Intensive plus Kirtan; to purchase tickets, visit Bhakti Fest Midwest Tickets