Celebrating its third season, Shakti Fest the spring celebration of the divine feminine produced by Bhakti Fest, the originator of yoga and kirtan festivals in the now wildly popular yoga festival scene, is pleased to announce their 2013 festival, May 17 – 19 at the Joshua Tree Desert Retreat Center, in Joshua Tree, CA. Top stars of the worldwide kirtan music scene will perform at the festival.
Some of the music is traditionally performed, yet many of today’s kirtan musicians create contemporary adaptations based in jazz, blues, rock, and rap. This artistic integration of cultures has become extremely successful and draws a following as diverse and unique as the music itself. For a taste of kirtan, please download Shakti headliner Jai Uttal’s bluesy “Jai Ma” for free here.
The kirtan (a.k.a. chanting) artists at Shakti Fest also include the top two female kirtan players – Wah! and Donna De Lory as well as Dave Stringer, Prema Hara, Larisa Stow and Shakti Tribe, Govind das & Radha, Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band, and many other inspiring performers.
Of Wah! Yoga Journal notes “Mantra-scene veteran Wah! seems to be halfway between samadhi (union) and ecstasy. Her theme is the oneness of divine love and eros. Wah! lays down her love dharma in sultry downtempo grooves, throbbing club beats, and spoken-word rap passages. When the groove’s in full gear, she has us right where she wants us: blissed out and deep in the throes of a love that can’t be labeled.”
Donna De Lory is recognized worldwide as a singer, songwriter, producer and musician, consciously creating music with a positive message. Well-known as a background singer and dancer for Madonna, De Lory has continued to make her presence felt as a solo artist. A devoted student of yoga and spiritual teachings, Donna is inspired by Indian devotional music, Sanskrit mantras, Western pop, Northern African grooves, as well as dance beats from her travels around the globe.
Jai Uttal has cut a serpentine swath through the musical world over the course of a recording career that’s spanned more than two decades and 17 albums, including the Grammy nominated Mondo Rama, with treks into multi-cultural world music, avant-garde jazz, electronic rock and traditional Indian kirtan—or sacred chants—his six recordings this past decade with the Sounds True label have become staples of the yoga-practicing community. His recent releases include Queen of Hearts that incorporates a reggae vibe into kirtan, and Kirtan Kids an album created for families to sing, laugh, dance, and celebrate life together.
In addition to the kirtan, Shakti Fest hosts world class yoga teachers Shiva Rea and Sara Ivanhoe bringing their immense Shakti energy to the Joshua Tree desert along with Kia Miller, Christi Christensen, Felicia Tomasko, Elka Haeckel, Saul David Raye and many more. The Shakti centered workshops highlighted in May include Mirabai Devi’s “Living in Light: Anchoring the Power of the Divine Feminine” and Laura Amazzone’s “Shakti and the Tantric Wisdom Goddesses!” Shakti Fest also presents attendees with the opportunity to experience massage and other spa treatments in the healing sanctuary. Additionally there is a marketplace with eco-friendly vendors offering delicious, high vibrational raw, vegan, and vegetarian foods and beverages, yoga gear, clothing, musical instruments, crafts and more.
There will also be a separate ticket pre-festival Kirtan with Marine turned Monk Indradyumna Swami. For information and tickets please see http://bhaktifest.com/category/festivals/shakti-fest/intensives/.
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. Accommodation options include camping and RV parking, all on site. There are also ten local 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/category/festivals/shakti-fest/.