Yoga

Noted LA Yoga Teacher Alex Dawson Releases “Om Mani Padme Hum” EP October 5

10/04/2018 by Susan von Seggern

Release Event Kirtan Scheduled for 12 Noon Sunday October 7 at Wanderlust Hollywood

Alex Dawson EP cover Los Angeles, CA – September 17, 2018 – With a packed schedule of private lessons, teaching nine classes weekly at three Equinox locations and Wanderlust Hollywood, traveling to teach at the Wanderlust festivals, and hosting several retreats annually, it’s a wonder popular LA yoga teacher Alex Dawson has time to catch an in-breath, let alone record an EP, but the three song “Om Mani Padme Hum” is set for release on October 5 on Spotify, Apple Music and all other major online outlets.

The release event for the EP will be an hour long Kirtan session at 12 noon on Sunday October 7 at Wanderlust Hollywood,1357 Highland Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028. The free event will take place immediately after she teaches Wanderlust’s popular Sunday morning “Soulscape” class.

Joining her on the gig are EP producer, bass player and beatsmith John von Seggern who is noted for his work with electronic jazz legend Jon Hassell and his Indian-style global hit remix of Nelly Furtado’s “Like a Bird,” and the EP’s guitarist Matt Piper, who is revered in the music business as a top expert on Propellerhead’s Reason software.

In addition to “Om Mani Padme Hum,” the other two Sanskrit mantras on the EP are “Gopala” and “Jai Hanuman.” Dawson notes, “when I started playing with John and Matt in 2016, I fell in love with the collaboration and how the mantras came to life. Putting out an EP is super scary and breeds resistance so I’m thrilled to set this one free. I hope listeners enjoy it, too!”

Event sponsors include Magic Dates and Guayaki Yerba Mate. Instead of hot tea, Guayaki will be providing some of Alex’s favorite new flavor – sparkling grapefruit ginseng.

Alex began teaching yoga in 2002 to Kathleen Turner, Lorraine Bracco, and the Broadway cast of ‘The Graduate.’ She did her 200-hour training at Sonic Yoga in Manhattan and studied many forms of meditation including Vedic with Thom Knoles, Vipassana as taught by S.K. Goenka and Mindfulness with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. Alex is studying Sound Healing and has created for Wanderlust Festivals her signature “Get Woke” class which is a powerful vinyasa practice that lands savasana into a sound bath and wakes you up with a Bhakti hit of call and response chanting. “Bhakti is another form of sound healing. It creates unseen healing both in the body and the community and it penetrates deep. It is a natural compliment to vinyasa for me both as a student and teacher.”

Currently, Alex is based in Los Angeles and teaches at Wanderlust Hollywood and Equinox where she often brings her harmonium for a closing Bhakti hit. She is inspired by people who recover from anything. That moment of transformation is her deepest call of illumination and is why she was so drawn to “Om Mani Padme Hum” as her debut EP. She travels worldwide to lead yoga retreats. Next up is her New Year’s Retreat in Mexico toasting in 2019, and later…Bali.

Alex was also a lead in the critically acclaimed and New York Times featured web series ‘Namaste, Bitches,’ but she swears, it’s not like that. (At least not in her class).

Deepak Chopra Joins Bhakti Fest’s 10th Anniversary Celebration in Joshua Tree September 15, 2018

06/12/2018 by Susan von Seggern

Joshua Tree, California – June 11, 2018 – The Bhakti Fest Group long known for its tradition of offering the best in yoga, sacred music, and conscious teachings, is thrilled to announce the special appearance of Dr. Deepak Chopra M.D., co-founder JIYO.com, at its 10-year anniversary celebration this September. Dr. Chopra, a world-renowned leader in mindfulness practices will lead a global meditation event from Bhakti Fest’s main stage.

Dr. Chopra will also participate in a variety of activities at Bhakti Fest, Saturday, September 15, offering a full day of special events including a workshop, panel and global meditation.

Keynote presentation on the Hanuman Stage
Workshop on The Radiance Sutras, in conjunction with Dr. Lorin Roche
Spiritual Superstar panel featuring Dr. Deepak Chopra, Jai Uttal, Shiva Rea and Prem Baba
Global Meditation with Grammy winning artist Krishna Das on the Main Stage

A pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, Dr. Deepak Chopra, MD is the founder of the Chopra Foundation and co-founder of Chopra Center for Wellbeing. TIME Magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.”

The international conscious community is coming together for this anniversary celebration of this truly devotional gathering which welcomes all. Bhakti Fest founder Sridhar says, “In reflecting on ten years, we wanted to build spiritual community where every family and attendee can feel safe and be honored on their path. We are so thrilled that Deepak Chopra is involved in our 10th Anniversary festivities!”

Known as the ‘Spiritual Woodstock of the New Millennium’, Bhakti Fest brings together world class yoga teachers, artists and presenters, including Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, MC Yogi, Shiva Rea, Saul David Raye, Sianna Sherman, Mark Whitwell, Ram Dass, Radhanath Swami, Michael Brian Baker and so many more. The 10th Anniversary promises to deliver another incredible opportunity for attendees to gather in heart opening community and have the experience of a lifetime.

Bhakti Fest offers dozens of yoga classes daily in multiple venues, sacred music on two stages, workshops on a huge variety of spiritual and wellness topics, sound baths, men’s and women’s sacred spaces, and a family village.

The Fest is held in the one of a kind beautiful high desert setting of the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, in a family friendly, drug and alcohol-free environment. These elements combine to create an unprecedented high vibration heart opening experience for all who attend. For more details on the Bhakti Fest 2018 line up and general festival information, visit https://bhaktifest.com/.

Passes and intensive tickets are now available for Bhakti Fest 2018, with discounts offered to local residents, veterans, military, seniors and students, at https://bhaktifest.com/.

About Jiyo
JIYO is a personal wellbeing mobile companion. It’s a comprehensive digital platform that lets one engage, learn, and interact with a diverse range of information, articles, videos and reminders that help us be our best self.

About The Bhakti Fest Group
The Bhakti Fest Group celebrates the devotional path that has its roots in yoga, Kirtan, and meditation with two annual festivals, spiritual travel experiences, online content and more. It embraces ancient and modern sacred wisdom and traditional and non-traditional spiritual practices. At the events, the artists, presenters, and vendors embody, practice, and share the spirit of Bhakti. Offerings include continuous Kirtan, yoga, meditations and prayer, workshops, fire ceremonies, an eco-friendly village, healthy vegetarian cuisine, and a healing sanctuary. Bhakti Fest encourages the spirit of service and offers a work exchange program. The festival donates funds to a variety of non-profit organizations that provide food, education, and environmental beautification programs around the world.

Bhakti Fest Events would not be possible without the support of generous sponsors. This year’s sponsors include Banyan Botanicals, Brew Dr. Kombucha, Desert Essence, Lesser Evil, White Swan, and Yoga Alliance.

Celebrate the Divine Feminine in All of Us! Shakti Fest 2018: Yoga and Sacred Music Festival Mother’s Day Weekend May 10 – 14 Joshua Tree, CA

03/07/2018 by Susan von Seggern

Joshua Tree, CA -February 27, 2018 -Shakti Fest returns for its eighth season, this year on Mother’s Day weekend – May 10 – 14 at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, in Joshua Tree, CA. Organized by Bhakti Fest, a leader in conscious festival events, Shakti Fest is a unique springtime celebration of the divine feminine spirit, described in Eastern philosophy as the ‘dynamic force which moves the universe’. The festival features world famous yoga teachers, Kirtan music stars, wisdom workshops, sound baths, and a healing sanctuary.

“When we started Shakti Fest as our spring celebration eight years ago, we had no idea it would become such a beloved event,” noted Sridhar Silberfein, founder of Bhakti Fest. “It’s perfect divine timing that we are able to honor the spirit of the universal feminine to align with Mother’s Day each year.”

The Shakti Fest 2018 music lineup inspires attendees to sing, dance and open their hearts. This year’s line up once again includes the best Kirtan (a.k.a. chanting) artists on the conscious music scene; Jai Uttal, Donna De Lory, Larissa Stowe, Govind Das & Radha, MC Yogi, Girish, Jaya Lakshmi, Prajna Vieira & the Mukti Kirtan Ensemble, Gina Sala, Vaiyasaki Das, David Newman, Fannah Fi Allah, and many more. The centuries-old practice of devotional chanting is considered to connect humans with themselves, the universe, and spirit. The entire Kirtan line-up is available at http://shaktifest.bhaktifest.com/kirtan/.

World-class yoga teachers are the heart of Shakti Fest, and spring in Joshua Tree is a beautiful time to practice indoors and out. With three yoga halls offering 45 classes over 3 days, there really is something for everyone! 2018 Shakti Fest teachers include; Shiva Rea, Mark Whitwell, Mas Vidal, Kia Miller, Georgina Meister, Cheryl Slader, Leeza Villagomez, Carmen Curtis, Hemalayaa Behl, Oleg Flow, Jennica Mills, Allison Prince and Katie Allen, Lisa Gniady, and local desert favorite Kristin Olson. Anyone can find their inner Shakti through energy invoking sessions in a wide variety of yoga styles. View the full yoga lineup at http://shaktifest.bhaktifest.com/yoga/. Those looking for an even deeper experience can join noted yoga leaders Saul David Raye and Shiva Rea who will lead very special pre and post event intensives on May 10 and 14.

Shakti Fest 2018 Workshops will cover a plethora of wellness and conscious topics including Ayurveda, spiritual nutrition, tantric energy, Vedic astrology, breathwork, Sanskrit, conscious relationships, women’s sexuality, bhakti art, and hoop dance, with internationally known speakers such as Michael Brian Baker, Mirabai Devi, Renee Baribeau, Dawn Cartwright, Zoë Kors, Jeffrey Armstrong and Dharma Devi. For further workshop detail see http://shaktifest.bhaktifest.com/workshops/.

The Shakti Fest “Sound Healing Experience” is not to be missed. Attendees can immerse themselves in the powerful healing energy of sound baths with noted practitioners of this popular sonic meditation including Eric Sedorovitz, Gabriel Logan Braun, Lynda Arnold, Shane Thunder, David West & Enrique Pedrosa, Michelle Berc, and more. For more information on the sound healing offerings please see http://shaktifest.bhaktifest.com/sounddome.

There is no place like the high desert to fully immerse yourself in a powerful conscious experience. The historic Joshua Tree Desert Retreat Center is the oldest and largest retreat center in the Western U.S., located on a sacred site replete with a walking labyrinth. This setting allows for peaceful inner reflection and uplifting spiritual renewal. Accommodation options include, retreat center spaces, glamping, camping, and RV parking, all on site. There are also ten hotels within a few miles of the retreat center. The Shakti Fest Eco Artisan Village offers vegetarian and vegan food vendors, yoga clothing and gear, jewelry, art and unique collectibles. The organizers pride themselves on running a green event, offering free water and mindful recycling practices. For travel information please see http://shaktifest.bhaktifest.com/travel-info/ and http://shaktifest.bhaktifest.com/lodging/.

Early bird festival passes and intensive tickets are now available for Shakti Fest 2018, with discounts offered to local residents, veterans, military, seniors and students. Tickets are available at https://tickets.brightstarevents.com/event/shakti-fest-2018.

Kirtan Lounge Invites Los Angeles Musicians and Recording Industry professionals to DTLA’s Vortex Dome October 7 for “Yoga of Sound – Music for Mindfulness in the age of Technology,” with Google’s Gopi Kallayil, Ananta Govinda, Laura Escude, Jeffrey Armstrong, Fannah-Fi-Allah and More

10/02/2017 by Susan von Seggern

Los Angeles, CA – September 22, 2017 – Google’s noted chief brand marketing evangelist Gopi Kallayil and multi-media producer Ananta Govinda along with their musicians collective Kirtan Lounge will host “Yoga of Sound – Music for Mindfulness in the age of Technology,” on October 7, a special event dedicated to sharing practices and experiences of using sound vibrations in healing and self-empowerment.

The event will be full of learning experiences and amazing performances and will take place at an oasis of technology, Vortex Immersive Media, located in the heart of LA and will feature unforgettable new and original content in their 360 degree projection dome. The event will also celebrate the release of the special edition vinyl package of Kirtan Lounge’s album Precious Jewels and feature drawings for the vinyl set, fun gear and other technology prizes.

This 2017 release, submitted for World Music, New Age and Special Packaging nominations, is also accompanied by a limited-edition vinyl package enhanced with the latest iBeacon and Eddystone technology. This portable beacon card, the size of a credit card, allows fans to download and stream exclusive content, get personalized check in at events, and much more.

3 pm Welcoming tea ceremony and an opportunity to unwind into the weekend with a Yoga for Musicians class led by noted specialist Daniel Overberger specifically designed for music industry professionals.

4 pm Chakraline – interactive multi-media presentation in the 360” projection dome led by Vedic astrology master Jeffrey Armstrong and Ananta Govinda that will help attendees better understand and align their chakras with sound vibrations. The presentation will explain the connection between sacred geometry and sound through music, narration and visuals.

5 pm Gopi will speak about 7 Principles of Innovation at Google and preview his new book Happy Human. Together with Ananta they will lead an interactive 360” media presentation “Internet to the Inner-net”, based on Gopi’s best-selling 2015 book.

6 pm noted controllerist Laura Escude (Kanye West,The Weekend, Iggy Azalea, Herbie Hancock, Bon Iver, Garbage) will speak on the power of meditation, showcase her newest gear discoveries, and set up and play some tracks from her latest releases “Fervor” and the “Contrast” EP. Joining her on Tiltbrush a resident artist will demonstrate latest in Google 3D virtual painting technology as an interactive addition to electronic soundscapes and ancient chants.

7 pm Cornflower (Bobby McFerrin, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Victor Wooten,) along with Kirtan Lounge’s Ananta Govinda will lead a mantra vocalization workshop. This participatory presentation will deepen attendees’ connection with their own voice.

7:30 pm A vegetarian dinner will be served and winners of the drawings will be announced. Kirtan Lounge Precious Jewels deluxe vinyl sets, enhanced with latest iBeacon technology and other prizes will be distributed among the winners.

8 pm The event will climax with Fanna-fi-Allah – a Sufi Qawwali Kirtan band that sweeps audiences away with energetic beats and melodic mantras. Accompanied by a spinning dervish as a devotional dancer, this performance will truly connect the ancient tradition of Kirtan to modern listeners. This performance will be captured in VR using Google Jump and webcasted online and for live viewing.

Only 150 tickets are available for this event. They are $108 and are available at https://tickets.brightstarevents.com/event/kirtan-lounge.

As service to the music community, members of the musicians’ union are eligible for a significant discount. Contact Ananta at anantagovinda@gmail.com for the discount code.

About Kirtan Lounge:

Kirtan Lounge started as a dreamy experiment when Gopi Kallayil and Ananta Govinda decided to collaborate on performing and producing music for meditation and mindfulness and make it a love offering to the yoga community and world music lovers. Creating the first album became an exciting journey and labor of love that spanned seven countries and three years. Kirtan Lounge latest album release Precious Jewels – is the collective effort of many talented musicians who shared their artistic gifts in this project.

Bhakti Fest, SoCal’s Top Yoga Festival, Announces Late Breaking Program Additions – Peace Guardian Kids Program, the Jaganath Dome Experience and newly added talent

09/01/2017 by Susan von Seggern

Joshua Tree, CA – August 24, 2017 – Bhakti Fest, Southern California’s top yoga festival and North America’s largest gathering of Kirtan musicians, is pleased to announce two late breaking program additions along with recently added presenters.

The Peace Guardian kids program brings 50 kids to Bhakti Fest for a variety of programs and to enjoy the natural beauty of Joshua Tree. Peace Guardians educates youth who are low-income, homeless, autistic, and at-risk. They offer community outreach and mindfulness enrichment programs at no cost. Peace Guardians programs leave kids feeling empowered because they learn how to express themselves in an emotionally healthy way. In addition, they are educated on the benefits of organic food and healthy eating. The aim is to reduce stress, social anxiety, and juvenile delinquency and to improve school test results, neuroplasticity, metacognition and cognitive flexibility. Other benefits are increased hand-eye coordination and hemispheric integration.

This year, eight-year-old Cali DiCapo, Sunwarrior’s first female Child Ambassador, will be speaking to the children, from mostly inner city neighborhoods in California, about the importance of illuminating mind, body, and planet. She will be accompanied by the Peace Guardians organization, After School All-Stars Los Angeles, and vegan chef and musical artist DJ Cavem. The program is sponsored by Sunwarrior a growing health food company committed to making only the best plant-based foods, proteins and supplements. The company’s mission is to illuminate body, mind and planet.

Another exciting late edition to Bhakti Fest 2017 is the Jaganath Dome Experience. Presented by 360 Dome Pro, it is a fully immersive 360/VR dome venue featuring inspiring works of transformational art and wisdom inspired by ancient Vedic culture of India. The Dome will feature though provoking programing and content such as “Samskara” by renowned artist Android Jones (a visual artist for the Grateful Dead) and “Vedic Universe” as well as scenes from the legendary Indian epic poem The Mahabharata. There will also be thoughtful discussions and dialogs with the host and producer Swami Avadhut and special guests. The 360 Dome Pro experience has been a huge hit at recent festivals events on the west coast including Coachella, Burning Man, Lightning In a Bottle, and Symbiosis. Attendees will experience the next level of conscious elevation!

Other new additions to the Bhakti Fest lineup include yogis Carmen Curtis of Aireal Yoga, Jivamukti leader Jules Febre, and Hemelayaa Behl; Kirtan wallas Adam Bauer, Kirtan Soul Revival, and Mantras Con Amor; workshop leaders Sri Prem Baba, Jeffrey Armstrong, and the Kirtan Rabbi.

Bhaktis will feast on a variety of raw, vegan, and vegetarian food and beverage options. There is an extensive marketplace with eco-friendly, sustainable vendors who offer yoga gear, clothing, devotional art, musical instruments, CDs, crafts, jewelry, and more. Bhakti Fest’s own Bhakti Shoppe will feature highly sought-after items from the bazaars of India.

The Joshua Tree Retreat Center offers the perfect setting for inner reflection and spiritual reconnection, with its natural high desert beauty. Accommodations onsite still available include glamping, camping, and RV parking. This year we have added 12 RV trailers, with a/c, electricity, and full amenities inside, for rent for groups of two to six people. This addition will bring a sweet new dimension to our housing offerings on site. There are also several hotels within a few miles of the retreat center that offer discounts for attendees. Info on lodging is available at http://west.bhaktifest.com/lodging/.

With a world-class lineup of musicians and yoga instructors, more than 60 conscious workshops, and 100 artisan vendors, Bhakti Fest offers the most heart-opening, consciousness-raising experience of any festival on the scene today. Attendees describe the festival as “being immersed in the greatest conscious party you have ever experienced, filled with music, yoga, dancing, love, light, and heart centered community.”

Tickets for Bhakti Fest West 2017 are available at https://tickets.brightstarevents.com/event/bhakti-fest-west-2017. The non-profit festival donates a percentage of its funds to charities and other nonprofit groups that provide food, education, and environmental beautification programs around the world. These include Food for Life Vrindavan, Love Serve Remember Foundation, Ramana’s Garden, and the Seva Foundation.

Bhakti Fest would not be possible without the generous support of their sponsors. This year Bhakti Fest welcomes these conscious partners into the fold; Organic India, Ancient Organics, Health-Ade Kombucha, Qure Water, Desert Essence, Divinitree, Fermalife, Larva Designs, Mandala Publishing, Mantralogy, Solti Juice, White Swan Records, Yoga Alliance, and Banyan Botanicals.

Bhakti Fest Gathers Thousands of All Ages for a Transformational Event September 6-11 in Joshua Tree, California

07/06/2017 by Susan von Seggern

Joshua Tree, CA – June 21, 2017 – Bhakti Fest, the first and only family-run yoga and kirtan festival will return to the beautiful and sacred Joshua Tree Retreat Center September 6-11, 2017.

This pioneering gathering, known for non-stop yoga, kirtan, meditation, sound baths, vegetarian cuisine, healing body work, spiritual study, conscious community and transformation, continues to serve as a beacon for spiritual seekers from around the world.

For the first time this year, Himalayan Yoga Master and Co-founder of Akhanda Yoga, Yogrishi Vishvketu and Maui main-stay, Nicki Doane will teach. Other all-star yoga instructors include Off the Mat founder Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, Jules Febre, Bryan Kest, Saul David Raye, Mark Whitwell, Kia Miller, Janet Stone, Sianna Sherman, Tommy Rosen, Pandit Achala, and local favorite, Urban Yoga’s Kristin Olson. For those who have never stepped foot on a yoga mat, to those who don’t travel without one, all student levels are welcome and encouraged to attend.

A curator of sacred sound, Bhakti Fest will host non-stop Kirtan and chanting on two stages, across a wide of variety of musical genres including blues, rock, pop, gospel, traditional, and hip-hop. Headliners include Grammy nominees Krishna Das, and Jai Uttal, plus MC YOGI, and long-time Madonna collaborator Donna De Lory. This year’s musicians also include favorites such as The Kirtaniyas, Sean Johnson & the Wild Lotus Band, Govind Das & Radha, Larissa Stow & The Shakti Tribe, David Newman, Gaura Vani & Vish, Girish, Fannah Fi Allah, Shantala, Fantuzzi, Nina Rao, Devadas, Sheela Bringi, Masood Ali Khan and many more.

Bhakti Fest provides participants with the unique opportunity to interact and learn from some of the greatest luminaries of our time. Speakers include author of The Journey Home Radhanath Swami, Loyola Marymount University’s Lorin Roche, acclaimed astrologer Divine Harmony, Ayurvedic expert Mas Vidal, and for the first time, celebrated Sanskrit Scholar Ira Schepetin. As always, Bhakti Fest will screen digital satsang with the legendary Ram Dass, whose book Be Here Now helped bring Eastern philosophy west in the 1970’s.

Expanding on the creation of sacred space, Bhakti Fest is happy to host a women’s “Red Tent” and Men’s Lodge. Within the safety of innovative dome-technology, women’s offerings will include prayer with Mirabai Devi, Tantra with Dawn Cartwright, Mystical Dance with Monika Nataraj, and Yoni worship with internet sensation, Zoe Kors.

In the Men’s Lodge Zat Baraka will help men to step out of the confines of their societal conditionings and into a new masculine ethos, Tommy Rosen will teach Recovery 2.0, Sam Geppi will offer astrological insight, and much more.

Transformational breathwork will be offered by phenomenon, Michael Brian Baker and the learned Dana Dharma Devi.

Built in 1941, with the intention to house sacred sound, JTRC’s Sanctuary will serve as the sound dome. Here participants will have the opportunity to unplug, destress from the constant chatter of modern life, and the straining effects of technology and enjoy the healing benefits of the sacred sound current.

The beautifully updated healing sanctuary offers massage, bodywork, energy work, and other wellness enhancing modalities. Participants experience deep healing and a renewed balance of prana (life force energy).

No family festival would be complete without a Kids Village! In the cool shade, of ancient trees, Bhakti Fest’s children’s programming offers families a wide variety of fun, physical, creative, musical and conscious activities providing an opportunity to enjoy time together.

The Joshua Tree Retreat Center offers the perfect setting for inner reflection and spiritual reconnection, with its natural high desert beauty. Accommodations onsite include private apartments, beds in the men’s and women’s dorms, glamping, camping, and RV parking. This year we have added 12 RV trailers, with a/c, electricity, and full amenities inside, for rent for groups of two to six people. This addition will bring a sweet new dimension to our housing offerings on site. There are also several hotels within a few miles of the retreat center that offer discounts for attendees. Info on lodging is available at http://west.bhaktifest.com/lodging/.

With a world-class lineup of musicians and yoga instructors, more than 60 conscious workshops, and 100 artisan vendors, Bhakti Fest offers the most heart-opening, consciousness-raising experience of any festival on the scene today. Attendees describe the festival as “being immersed in the greatest conscious party you have ever experienced, filled with music, yoga, dancing, love, light, and heart centered community.”

DisclosureFest and California State Parks Present The Mass Meditation Initiative June 17, 2017

06/05/2017 by Susan von Seggern

Global Mass Meditation with Live Stream at 2pm PDT, Speakers, Workshops, Yoga, Music – Free from 10am – 6pm PDT

Los Angeles, CA – DisclosureFest and California State Parks present the Mass Meditation Initiative on June 17, 2017 at the Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1245 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Organizers expect over 3000 people to meditate simultaneously at the event and globally through a live stream at http://disclosurefest.org. The mass meditation event will also feature internationally renowned speakers, workshop leaders, yoga teachers, sound healers, live music, 100% vegan food, and conscious products and services. The event is free and open to the public, visit DisclosureFest.org to get your free tickets here.

DisclosureFest founder Adrian Vallera notes, “Our goal is to create an educational based platform that will unite like-minded people in an effort to raise consciousness in health and wellness and to create awareness of global environmental and humanitarian initiatives. The collective consciousness on earth is undergoing a mass awakening and there has been a continuous flood of energy pouring onto our planet. As we tap into a cosmic intelligence, it’s evident that more people are taking action in a ‘service to others’ role to improve all life on earth.” He continues, “Through a series of festivals and volunteer based actions, we have been working to create a global connection by helping people understand the power of intention through meditation, and this has shown to have an exponential effect on a local and global scale. We want to help others discover a lifestyle path that is healthy, spiritual, enlightened, and loving.”

Jeremy A. Cohen, co-founder of DisclosureFest says “We are working with researchers, authors, organizations and changemakers to help disseminate information on optimal health and the latest science and technology breakthroughs. By organizing mass meditations beginning here in Los Angeles and live streaming throughout the world, we aim to positively impact the future for humanity.”

Noted leaders at the mass mediation event include founder of RA MA Institute for Applied Yogic Science and Technology Guru Jagat, Laura Eisenhower, a global alchemist, cosmic mythologist and intuitive astrologist (and Ike’s granddaughter), world renowned neurobehavioral physiologist and teacher of cellular rejuvenation, whole brain function and the life food diet Dr. David Jubb, YogaWorks Vinyasa flow teacher Kali Alexander, meditation teacher and founding Spiritual Director of Full Circle Venice Ben Decker, quantum healer Meg Benedicte, Roswell native and documentarian Jose Escamilla, light alchemist Richard Yiap, spiritual regressionist Sian Chau, world renowned Ayuerveda expert Martha Soffer, near death experience survivor and healer Mas Sajady, mindfulness meditation teacher and life coach Ora Nadrich, RA MA Institute’s Kundalini yoga teachers Harmanjot and Shabadpreet, oneness healer and mystic Debra Apsara, Tantric yogi Stanley Stephen Huntsman, renowned herbalist Julie James, UFO summoner Robert Bingham, Transmission Meditation speaker Jon McNab, Transcendental Meditation speaker Jesse Berkowitz, and sound healing performances by Helane Marie Anderson, Mari – the Fragrance of Sound, and Alex Young.

The day will also be full of healing music and sound provided by psychedelic pop duo Dynasty Electrik, the meditative multi-sensory journey of Spirit Musique, mantra rockers Sukha, the musical alchemy of Singing Bear, acoustic soul of Clayton Joseph Scott, and the pop grooves of Robot Nature, plus live sets from DJs Platinum K., Meliss FX, J. Gabriel, Jason Tyler, and DJ Woof.

In addition to the mass meditation event, DisclosureFest hosts monthly opportunities for conscious earth stewards to volunteer for beach cleanups with Heal the Bay, tree plantings with Tree People and much more. In fact, their May events are this coming weekend on May 20 and 21. Volunteer signups are at: https://disclosurefest.com/volunteer-calendar/.

DisclosureFest is so proud to be working with sponsors of The Mass Meditation Initiative including: California State Parks, YogaWorks, Unify.org, RA MA Institute, Ocean Conservancy, Follow Your Heart, LA Weekly, Whole Life Times, Mystic Journey, Aztlan Athletics, and the Whisky A Go Go.

The founders of DisclosureFest are Adrian Vallera, and Jeremy A. Cohen. Adrian, a native Angeleno, began his career in the music industry over 20 years ago producing large events promoting bands such as Linkin Park, Hoobastank, and System Of A Down among others to become VP of A&R at Sony and Elektra Records. A passionate UFO researcher, truth seeker and light healer, Adrian has been conducting free crystal healing work for over 25 years and lives a conscious and high vibratory lifestyle. Jeremy is a graphic artist and new media producer based in Los Angeles, CA with over 18 years of experience in web development, video production and motion graphics. He has devoted years to the research and exploration of energy healing modalities, holistic therapies and anti-aging medicine designing touch points for health institutes, retreat centers, and nonprofit organizations.

DisclosureFest’s The Mass Mediation Initiative promises to be a beautiful day of healing for the soul and the earth in the heart of LA at the 32 acre Los Angeles State Historic Park. For more info and free tickets please visit http://disclosurefest.org.

Jai Uttal’s Roots, Rock, Rama! Released to Great Reviews, an Amazon Stock Out, and Shows in the Bay Area and LA

04/01/2017 by Susan von Seggern

Fairfax, CA – World music and Kirtan superstar Jai Uttal released his 19th album last Friday, to great acclaim, live interviews on KPFA in Northern California and KPFK in Southern California, and a stock out on Amazon due to overwhelming demand! Jai is also looking forward to release concerts March 11 at Wanderlust Hollywood and March 18 at Spirit Rock in Marin County. Later in the year Uttal will also headline the popular Joshua Tree yoga festivals Shakti Fest in May and Bhakti Fest in September.

Of the album, LA Yoga says “There’s no way to sit still as this music plays and it’s easy to see how the live concerts Jai will perform in celebration of this collection will go down as unforgettable.” And Whole Life Times notes “Reggae and Samba fans will rejoice with Roots, Rock Rama!” Common Ground raves “This spectacular DBL CD is a journey through the splendors, riches and tribulations of the India sub-continent, musically, spiritually and globally. Jai Uttal has reigned over the Nor Cal kirtan/chant scene for three decades. His musical monarchy has been a rollicking, beneficent parade of high energy and sacred spirit through 18 albums and countless live shows. While kirtan is not a ‘musical genre’, Jai has infused his world vision with an amalgam of reggae, blues, Indian and Beatles-inspired pop music. All of these have come together on his celebratory Roots, Rock, Rama! — an ultra-dynamic raise the roof high and open the heart wide offering.”

Clearly named after Bob Marley’s classic track “Roots Rock Reggae,” this project does celebrate the influence that reggae had on Uttal’s interpretation of classic Indian ragas. However, the title also refers to the practice of kirtan as the root of his life, the rock that is his foundation, and his devotion to Rama (God) throughout his work.

Kirtan is a call and response singing style popular with yoga practitioners who are now over 36 million strong in the US! Jai is a favorite performer on the growing yoga festival circuit, playing to thousands each summer at Bhakti Fests and other events. He also leads his own workshops and retreats that deepen yogis practice of the heart based Bhakti yoga method that is chanting the names of god to further enlightenment.

Co-produced with Uttal in 2016 by noted Northern California producer Ben Leinbach, the album is a double CD/extra-long stream with 12 5-12 minute tracks for about 80 minutes of music (typical of Kirtan, but also of that other NorCal staple – jam music!). CD 1 or the first 6 tracks are “Rama Sun” and are the more reggae influenced tracks – deeply steeped in earthy rhythms, hypnotic bass lines, jubilant horn charts and soulful vocal harmonies. CD 2, the next 6 tracks are “Rama Moon” and find Uttal in an entirely different mood. Grounded in the gentle, lilting sway of Brazilian samba, it also touches on the pastoral splendor of the more acoustic tracks from the Beatles’ White Album. The Beatles are another major influence, and Jai has brought their pioneering fusion of Indian music and Western pop into the 21st century.

With a unique boomer upbringing in the NYC music biz of the 50s and 60s (as a child he was at the session where Mitch Ryder recorded “Devil With a Blue Dress”!) Uttal understands true musicianship and has worked with top musicians including Bill Laswell, Don Cherry, and his musical guru Ustad Ali Akbar Khan throughout his career.

Additionally, his story flows with that of his generation – in the 70s he studied with Khan in the Bay Area while making extended trips to the Indian Ashram of Neem Karoli Baba the same guru who influenced Ram Dass’ classic Be Here Now. Maharajji, as the guru is known to his students, encouraged the practice of bhakti (devotional) yoga as expressed through kirtan, the call-and-response chanting of sacred names, over and over again until they become deeply instilled in the consciousness, providing an experience of profound peace and spiritual insight. Kirtan would become the center of Jai’s musical and spiritual life.

The 80s were dedicated to his music career which took off in 1990 with his first album Footprints that featured Don Cherry and other notables, launching him into the exploding world music scene. Now, eighteen albums, marriage, fatherhood, a Grammy nomination, and 26 years of worldwide acclaim later Roots! Rock! Rama! will continue his legacy.

On Roots! Rock! Rama!, he is joined by many noted players including guitarist Steve Postell, horn master Jeff Cressman, vocalist Tina Malia, and many others. The Rio flavor on “Rama Moon” was driven by noted Brazilians – producer/guitarist Jose’ Neto and world-class percussionist Café de Silva.

The album opens with the first track of Rama Sun, “R.A.S.A. (Radha’s Art of Celestial Amour)” an interpretation of a classic Indian raga celebrating Radha’s love for Krishna that features horns from Uttal’s longtime brass section of Cressman and NorCal sax fave Peter Apfelbaum. The album’s title track is up next and continues the reggae and horn vibe with supportive Kirtan signing worthy of the I-Threes from Malia, Sandy Cressman, and Prajna Vieira. “Raga Rocksteady” starts slow with a classic chant that builds up over its 11+ minutes to an ecstatic Kirtan throw-down.

“H.A.R.I. (Hari Awakens Radha’s Incandescence)” features the Bollywood magic of the Melodious Strings of Mumbai, led by cellist Jake Charkey. Thanks to modern digital technology, they were able to contribute their parts without leaving India, where they are based. “Primordial Swamp Beat” takes it low with Uttal’s longtime bass collaborator Mark Gorman, and even the Kirtan responses are deepened with Gaura Vani’s vocals. The Rama Sun CD ends as many of Uttal’s live appearances do, with his high-energy performance of “H.E.L.P. (Hari’s Ecstatic Love Potency),” a classic Krishna chant mashed up with The Beatles “Help.”

The Rama Moon CD starts with “S.R.I. R.A.M. (Supersonic Rescue Intervention Radiant Atomic Mantra)” that features the gentle cadences of samba and other Brazilian beats. “Heart of the Gopis” brings devotion with a vaguely Fleetwood Mac vibe, while going a bit Sgt. Pepper at the end. “Madhava Mystic” recalls “True Colors”, both songs ultimately about love. “Saudades de Radha” transports the Corcovado vibe from Rio to Varanasi and back to California on a wave of Randy Sutton’s vibraphone.

The first video from the album for “S.A.M.B.A. (Shiva’s Adoration of Mata Bhavani’s Ambrosia),” is coming soon (check out the video teaser at https://youtu.be/KhuW-da6HP0)! The song, co-written by Jose’ Neto continues the Brazilian/Indian/American trip courtesy of de Silva’s masterful percussion. The album ends with “Echo of Mercy (Om Namo Narayana), the classic Om Namo chant, bringing this exciting musical journey to a close. It all adds up to a two-CD album that’s vast in scope and deeply rooted in the ardor of devotion.

Shakti Fest 2017: Festival of Yoga and Sacred Music Celebrates Divine Feminine Energy in Joshua Tree Mother’s Day Weekend May 12 – 14

02/27/2017 by Susan von Seggern

Joshua Tree, CA – February 23, 2016 – Shakti Fest returns for its seventh season, this year on Mother’s Day weekend itself – May 12 – 14 at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, in Joshua Tree, CA. Organized by Bhakti Fest a leader in conscious festival events, Shakti Fest is a unique springtime celebration of the divine feminine spirit, described in Hindu philosophy as the ‘dynamic force which moves the universe’. The festival features world famous yoga teachers, Kirtan music stars, wisdom workshops, sound baths, and a healing sanctuary.… Read More

IgNight Fire Flow Conference Returns to Joshua Tree June 17 – 19

05/03/2016 by adminbolhuis

Ignight Photo - Credit Harmonic-Light.com Joining the amazing 2016 event schedule at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, the IgNight Fire Flow Conference returns for its second year at this unique high desert venue, from June 17 – 19. Flow, for the uninitiated, is an exhilarating transcendent way of being, in which effortless control and peak skill seems to erase a sense of time. IgNight helps attendees enter the flow state by offering over 190 classes in what are referred to as the “Flow Arts” – including Poi (aka fire dancing), juggling, circus arts, warrior arts, fan and wand movement, hooping, movement, yoga and more.
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