Bhakti Fest, a pioneer in the now booming American yoga festival scene is celebrating its fourth season September 6 – 9 at the Joshua Tree Desert Retreat Center, in Joshua Tree, CA. In addition to Bhakti Fest’s unique focus on kirtan music, some of the country’s top yoga teachers will give their inspiring classes at this incredible location along with wisdom workshops and more.
2012 has seen an explosion of yoga festivals, including Bhakti Fest’s own expansion to three festivals – the Spring Shakti Fest, also in Joshua Tree, the Midwest Bhakti Fest in Madison, Wisconsin and the signature September event. At this year’s Bhakti Fest there will be four days of 12 hours of yoga classes per day in three large studios.
The yoga teaching talent at Bhakti Festi is truly astounding, featuring the yoga world’s top instructors including yoga DVD leader Shiva Rae, Weight Watcher’s yoga programmer Sara Ivanhoe, Power Yoga trendsetter Bryan Kest, spiritual activist Saul David Raye, Liquid Asana developer Micheline Berry, San Francisco yoga leader Janet Stone, founder of Chicago’s influential Moksha Yoga Studio Darren Friesen, “teacher’s teacher” Annie Carpenter, Yoga of Heart author Mark Whitwell, Ayurvedic yoga integrator Scott Blossom, Indian dance inspired yogi Hemalayaa, and popular vinyasa teachers Kia Miller and Sianna Sherman, along with over 15 other teachers.
Bhakti Fest Flier
According to Sridhar Silberfein, Founder and Producer of the Bhakti Fests, “Bhakti Fest is proud to bring the top yoga teachers in North America to teach at the original annual festival featuring yoga, kirtan and other yogic disciplines. The devotional spirit of kirtan permeates every aspect of the festival giving the yoga classes a joyful heart opening spirit that deepens attendee’s practices in a unique way.”
In addition to the yoga, Bhakti Fest holds ongoing 24 hours daily kirtan concerts on two stages with nationally acclaimed musicians including Krishna Das, Deva Premal & Miten, Jai Uttal, WAH and Donna De Lory. Each day will also feature extensive wisdom workshops geared to educate and inspire with some of the most formidable guides of our time, covering such topics as Aromatherapy, Nutrition, Pranayama, Mantras and Mudras, Meditation and more. Presenters include Radhanath Swami, Shyamdas, Mirabai Devi, Lorin Roche, David Haberman and others.
Attendees will be invited to leave the busy world behind and immerse themselves in a conscious community for four full days for what the festival producers call “the path of the heart.” They will experience a thriving an eco-friendly vendor village of more than 100 artisan merchants offering, raw, vegan, and vegetarian foods, yoga gear, clothing, musical instruments, crafts and more.
The Joshua Tree Desert Retreat Center is the perfect setting to foster inner reflection and spiritual reconnection because of its peacefulness and natural desert beauty. Thousands have come back since 2009 to experience the Bhakti Fests at this pristine resort. Accommodation options include on-site housing, RV and camping as well as over 10 hotels within a few miles of the retreat center.
For a full list of performers and teachers and to purchase tickets (kids under 12 are FREE) please visit http://bhaktifest.com/.