Did You Make The Mistake of Missing Wanderlust?

Not to worry, I’ve got the goods for you on what you missed at thee sexy yoga dance party to date. We’re still starry-eyed from the mountain top wonders of Wanderlust  in  Squaw Valley. On an endless list of utterly amazing offerings, the very tip-top is clear and sparkling as Lake Tahoe itself…

The music.

In all honesty, the line-up for Wanderlust 2013 didn’t tickle us too much pre-fest. In previous years they hosted heavy headliners like reggae legend, Ziggy Marley,  king of kirtan, Krishna Das and indie icons, Thievery Corp.  But we didn’t see this year’s set list with such glowing glory until…

Quixotic on the D’Om stage

BAM! Here’s a little Quixotic to hypnotize your eyes and ears, and how about a bit of East Forest poolside for your ambient afternoon listening pleasure? Lest not forget the sexy violin stylings of Hannah Thiem who bowed beautiful tunes from atop a floating stage.

Oh, Blisstival not totally familiar with Gramatik you say? Here, listen and let equal parts hip-hop, funk, jazz, and booty bass not only blow, but vaporize your mind! To top our ignorant asana, Random Rab dropped some dreamy jams that sent us to our tents with lush vibes that made our nylon sleeping bags feel like crushed velvet.

That first day and night of surprisingly epic acts stunned every ounce of our Blisstival beings.  It set the tone and flavor for even more tasty music to be devoured over the weekend.

Random Rab DJ-ing a lullaby at the Shala stage

Saturday we mellowed out just be mashed up. GSol stroked our groove spot just right with slithering Spanish Flemenco style that blends with full-bodied seventies funk reminiscent of Bootsy Collins–but on tranquilizers. Incredible performance artists Ahni Radvanyi and Chris Filkins of Troupe Royale brought brilliant romance to the sultry party with astonishing choreographed AcroYoga.

Meanwhile, the oh-so sexy Euro house of French DJ duo, Caravan Palace picked up the fest pace with their own  je ne sais quoi. During a sundown set, they pumped up Wanderlustians with their  playful, electro-swing. A spellbound sound any gypsy yogi would gulp down if poured into a fancy glass.

Caravan Palace giving us a taste of French electro-swing! Yummmy!

We kept it kicking into the eve with MC Yogi and DJ Drez who bumped high vibes a notch even higher with a new track, “Forward”. MC Yogi led the crowd with a super catchy dance sequence that got us moving “inward, forward, upward, and outward” under the glittering stars.

MC Yogi & DJ Drez helping us go “Forward”

…and start a Yogi Revolution

The delectable dance appetizers prepped us perfectly for the main course that master chef of EDM, Moby, served. The first tracks he laid down completely pummeled the crowd with old-school warehouse rave, then progressed into bone crushing drum and bass. He teased us into the late night with build ups that had no drop to their endless ascent, leaving us begging for more mad noise. Bob Marley might say he “brutalized [us] with music”.

No words  can truly capture the mind and body explosion that is Moby. But to put it simply, it felt painfully good. Like the kind of good you feel after jumping out of an airplane, then drift down through clouds back to Earth. Or the first time you have… well, you get the picture.

Moby brutalizing with bass

Sunday’s sound wound us down from the high alti-tunes of Moby. Fabian Alsultany spun nothing but Hollywood house fabulousness, followed by the chilled out stretchy jams of DJ Hyfi.

In closing, Moby shared his full spectrum of Goddess given talent during his acoustic set when he strummed renditions of his own sing-a-long songs like “South Side”. He weaved in timeless covers such as Joplin’s “Me and Billy Mc Gee” in which Moby confessed has, “One of the most romantic lyrics of any love song [he’s] ever heard.” You had to be there to guess what that line is…

On that note, we’re head-over-heels, butterflies in the tummy, perma-grin from ear to ear in LOVE with Wanderlust.

So much so that, we’ll cover other awesome experiences in coming posts. Stay tuned for more adventures of Blisstival at Wanderlust Lake Tahoe...

If you were there, comment below about your own blissed out musical experiences while in the happy village of Wanderlust-ville!

What Lucid Dreams Can Teach us About Reality

Tucked away in a lush crevasse of the Santa Ynez Valley, an estimated 8,000 dream seekers came to realize a colorful waking life at the Live Oak Camp where Lucidity Festival grounded its roots.

We here at Blisstival reflect on those magic moments in time and space when mythic dreams collided with hard reality at Lucidity in Santa Barbara, California.

Only in its second year, Lucidity produced a truly amazing event for all those who came (especially yours truly here at Blisstival!). Using a Go Pro fixed to a DJI Phantom (remote control mini helicopter),  innovative videographer, Trent Siggard captured the multifaceted, multimedia wonderland where the theme of spirit animal totems framed the fest with rich, wild character.

‘California Dweamn and business boxer’ Photo courtesy of David Pricco- www.davidpricco.com/photography/

Running a perceived risk of holding the fest during the same dates as the opening week of Coachella, the Lucidity crew committed to the event for their faithful festies and to the quality experience they created.

What did they offer that Coachella didn’t? A focus on expanding consciousness, mind-altering artwork, active participation, green camp living and heaps of healing cuisine. Lucidity producers also strongly encouraged festival goers to engage in radical co-creation by inviting attendees to build their own themed community camps.

Princess Ariana Devé Adya Radhika of the Jade Now Mermaid Village– Photo courtesy of David Pricco- www.davidpricco.com/photography/

With “The Totem’s Return” theme, attendees were invited to awaken their spirit animals to initiate an understanding of a deep-rooted nature that perceives and acts from intuition and instinct, rather than the spinning thoughts of ordinary human self.

‘Animal spirit awakens for Lucid Dreamer Brian Barnicle’ Photo courtesy of David Pricco-www.davidpricco.com/photography/

Lux Moderna facilitated an opening ceremony where participants were guided through a moving meditation to honor and activate consciousness, and “invoke the blessings of the Spirits, unify as One Heart, offering ourselves fully to the realization of The Dream.”

Afterwards, invigorated animal spirits were set free to dance, feast, pray and play for three days through the audio, visual, culinary woodlands of Lucidity!

‘Giraffe Animal Spirit’ Photo courtesy of David Pricco- www.davidpricco.com/photography/

A Pandora’s box of multi-sensory activities were offered through interactive fine art, dynamic DJs, World Sound stages and  global gourmet offerings. Workshops of all wonders were held to explore unique educational opportunities that were endless in their variety…

One could  learn, of course, “How to Lucid Dream”, or uncover hidden skills in flow arts and fire dance with a sword, fan, poi or bow staff. Yoga and martial arts classes of all kinds helped festies stretch their minds, bodies and souls in the Warrior’s Arena, while others restored themselves with ayurveda, somatic, or aroma therapies and a multitude of massage arts in the I Am Healing Tent constructed by the Sacred Spaces Village.

‘The Way Bhakti Fest Warriors Train’ Photo courtesy of David Pricco- www.davidpricco.com/photography/

In the throbbing heart of the Lucid City laid the Branches Fine Art Gallery. A cozy space where attendees could admire a stunning display of mind-blowing masterpieces by established and emerging Visionary Artists such as Michael Divine, Hans Walor and Brian Paul Smith (fractal art pictured below) while sipping a warm cup of fresh brewed Puer tea.

Fractal Art and Puer for the People-Photo Courtesy of David Pricco- davidpricco.com/photography/

Onlookers stopped in the their dancing tracks transfixed by the work of  Darren Minke during live paintings he produced on the path toward the main Lucid Stage. Minke is featured in Alchemistas- Beyond the Veil, a newly released, multimedia Visionary Arts book composed of collective works from the most progressive and active individuals within in the current conscious art community.

Live oil stain painting by Visionary Artist Darren Minke- www.facebook.com/pages/Darren-Minke

‘Sunset Under a Mantle of Stars’ Digital Image Courtesy of Darren Minke Art- www.facebook.com/pages/Darren-Minke

Other highlights included a screening of breakthrough festival documentary The Bloom Series Episode 1, the first ever to be projected at a transformational festival since its 2013 Spring release. The Zeitgeist Movement Dome encapsulated a truly giving space in which all Zeitgeist media materials including full feature DVDs were free for the taking to spread awareness and education about The Venus Project and a sustainable, resource-based economy.

We danced ourselves delirious each night to the heart-pounding bass and ethereal sounds of headlining world music DJs including Phuturprimitive, Zion I, ill.Gates and Kaminanda. Our hip-hop and trap taste buds were tickled by Liberation Movement, Luminaries and Tropo.

Other small-stage day acts kept the lucid vibration nation alive from the classical, beat-box stylings of Cello Joe, to the hard, sexy House spun by DJ Hogg and afternoon Jungle pumping by Porkchop. And, we of course got bhaved out while chanting with the Kirtaniyas and in the Hare Krishna Dome. Into the wee hours, we kept kickin’ around our dancing feet at the Silent Disco in the Audiowaska woods. Always a good nightcap!

‘Dance the Day Away’ Photo courtesy of David Pricco- www.davidpricco.com/photography/

‘Krishnas are always the last to cap out!’ Photo courtesy of David Pricco- www.davidpricco.com/photography/

We nourished ourselves with alchemic food creations after exhausting energy adventuring through the electric Lucid Forrest with sustainable bites served by Lydia’s Lovin Cuisine, Organic Circus Cafe, Sol Food Kitchen, and Harvest Santa Barbara who provided a fresh farmer’s market daily. Many other veggie friendly vendors served various plates of pure, delicious food love.

On Sunday, we surrounded an Intention Tree with our Blisstival hearts burst wide open during a sundown ceremony centered in the Healer’s Sanctuary. We offered our most sincere gratitude for the Lucidity Fest experience while Om-ing and swaying in a close circle of sacred reverie.

In what evolved to be the most spiritual, suspended moment of time spent at Lucidity, we honored Mother Earth, Father Sky, Sister Moon and Brother Stars for the bounty and the beauty we were blessed with during  the transformative trio of days. We couldn’t have been more blissed basking in refreshing rays of sunshine, wandering under starry Spring nights.

Lucidity proved not to be a  dreamy illusion, but rather a consecrated space grounded in reality where the pillars of co-creative community, divine arts, inspiring vibration and rising consciousness are holding up a natural home where all those in the One World Family are warmly welcome.

‘Look up Towards the Future of Transformative Fests’ Photo courtesy of David Pricco- www.davidpricco.com/photography/

Lucidity Festival…Pre-Dream Intentions

Typically, Blisstival reviews events after they happen and our writer(s) have experienced them. However – rules are made to be broken, right? Especially when it comes to this festival. A recurrent theme for Lucidity‘s festival is the notion of lucid dreaming. Remaining aware enough of the fact that one is dreaming to drive and truly enjoy your dreams. According to Jonah Haas, Lucidity’s Marketing director and Co-Founder, there are some incredible reasons one might desire to have lucid dreams. That was a hyperlink to his article on said reasons, in case you missed it 🙂 

Well, one of the key elements to lucid dreaming is setting intentions. Intentions to remember your dreams, identify dream signs (hints that you are in fact dreaming) and reminding yourself that once you know you are dreaming, it’s time to have some fun. Intentions, as it were, must be identified and decided upon beforehand. So Blisstival has decided to cover some pre-festival yumminess and set some intentions. Mind you – we all know how valuable intentions can be, but one must be careful of becoming too committed to expectations. Expectations can ruin a perfectly good – anything. That said, Lucidity – The Totem’s Return offers more than just a few things to be excited about.

Photo courtesy of Lucidity Festival LLC

Lucidity’s 2nd annual festival in Live Oak Campground near Santa Barbara, CA continues an established commitment to highly participative art, individual growth and healing, the expansion of consciousness, green living, responsibility to communities, reciprocity, transparency, and most of all – creating a safe environment in which people of all ages can learn to remember how to play and enjoy each other and each experience as it comes (Paraphrased from Lucidity’s Core Values). Through interactive art exhibits, musical performance ranging from Phutureprimitive’s genre bending and blending electronic music to the Kirtaniya’s (who will play sets of both more classical Kirtan call and repeat mantra music and their latest creation, Kirtaniyas BassMantra – which is basically the result of Kirtan and Electronic Dance Music falling in love, getting married, and having a beautiful child they raised together) – the music alone is set to expand minds and blow hearts wide open. But that’s only the beginning.

As part of Lucidity’s commitment to green sustainability, no throw-away paper maps will be distributed – instead, all 3-day participants and performers will receive this reusable and useful bandana with the grounds map printed upon it. Image and design Copyright and Courtesy of Lucidity Festival, LLC.

Healers from all modalities will be gifting their services to festival attendees – and will likely accept any form of love donation in return, be that other services, tangible gifts, or hugs. Knowledge Keepers from all walks will share their wisdom on such topics as the Divine Feminine, Extraordinary Relationship building, Religious Acceptance (as opposed to mere “tolerance” – that’s a whole conversation in and of itself), Food Sovereignty, and Social Transformance – just to name a few. With Workshops on Essential Oils, Ecstatic Dance, Tantric Yoga, Sacred Geometry, Belly Dancing, and even Blisstival’s own Jai Bhakti (aka John Apt) giving a talk on Bhakti – the path of devotion – Lucid Dreamers will need to wake up early to take in all of the blissful learning that will be available.

Custom QR code designed by Quick Recognition Media, LLC  for Lucidity Festival, LLC

A few other major highlights of the festival’s lineup are the incredible films that will be screened at the event. Awaken to Lucidity, a documentary showcasing the festival’s 2012: Awake in Your Dreams event will connect first-timers with the history and past experience of the legacy. Electronic Awakening, director Andrew Johner’s inquiry into the spiritual movement intimately entwined into the Electronic Music scene, will explore the relationships between sound and consciousness that are nothing new, only reinvented time and time again. Last but certainly not least, Jeet-Kei Lung’s The Bloom Series: Episode 1  explores the phenomenon of transformational festivals springing up all around the world – and ties Lucidity’s attendees directly into that web of transformance.

Art is Life is Function is Love is Lucid Awareness. Intentions for this festival are to see and experience with complete openness and awe – to seek and find that which resonates – and to live and breathe that authenticity fully, lovingly, and lucidly. By the way – there are still a few tickets available for this amazing, transformational journey – so enough with reading articles about how awesome Lucidity: The Totem’s Return is going to be – go buy your ticket. A special, promotional surprise awaits those called to click here and invest in their transformation.

Become One: A Soulful Art Show Party

Between bliss and beauty, there is but One–and at the Become One Art Show, the works of many became just that. On a brisk September evening in Sherman Oaks, CA,  bloomed the vision of artist and curator, Aaron McElligott. McElligott, an actor, poet and overall creative junkie, envisioned an organic art event in which a rich mix of creatives, craftsmen, and performers could express their talent together in living, breathing unity.

Aaron McElligott, curator and organizer of “Become One” speaks beats

Artists offer one-of-a-kind jewelry and hand-made accessories

Live portraits by the hand of painter Stephen Romio

Painters, photographers, film editors, sculptors, leather jewelers, illustrators, jam making mamas,  musicians and fellow spoken word smiths gathered at the intimate venue fusing their creative sparks to burn a community fire free to all. Talents such as Sean Hill, poet and song writer, declared in his poem, “Love In You,” that saying “you’re beautiful” to someone is actually “a fact, not a compliment.” New York native and color field painter Anaya Brunson, shared solid shades on canvas, while bohemian leather making beauty, Angel Annet draped one-of-a-kind pieces on artists and attendees alike.

Virgina Val sculpts a head change for the crowd

An audience sits to view the film future of Become One

Angel Annet models her unique leather necklaces with Aaron and her daughter Galleri

Spontaneous poetry tattoos brought by writer Bernadette Lynn Ignacio

Spoken word poet and pal, Sean Hill smiles and rhymes with Aaron

Cohesion and interactivity weaved connecting threads through the showcase of work. Everything from live gesture portraits by Stephen Romio, to hand-stitched accessories of Omar Castro, and community poetry tattoos, along with tastegasmic bites of sweet, organic preserves by Mami Molly Jam, were among the array things that one could enjoy or admire. Guests also viewed a live screening of the trailer for Become One the film, edited by independent director, Dirk Ellis. The visual center piece of the creative space was occupied by sculptor extraordinaire, Virgina Val, who hand-carved a clay piece for an on looking crowd. But last, and furthest from least, McElligott himself free styled spontaneous poetry for the people, filling the air with riddles, statements and rhymes. In keeping with the growing, organic theme, guests could add their own art with blank posters and colors of the rainbow provided, or, offer their own flesh as canvas for a henna tattoo.

Henna happened at Become One with Joe Fernandez

Amber the Jam Girl serves love in dollops with Mami Jolly Jams

A rustic leather collection by Oscar Castro

Guests get colorful with their contributions to Become One

Become One  indeed became a beautifully put together, soulful art show party made possible with the gift of giving by all those who participated. At the evening’s end, Aaron announced that he plans for the exhibition to evolve into a monthly event. Through the manifestation of his own making, McElligott and many others found their bliss in becoming one. Hope to see you there in the future when finding yours.

To see the full album of photos shot by Aaron McElligott, LIKE! the Become One Art Show page on Facebook!

For further details on future shows or submissions please visit http://www.become1art.com/

Lovestock 2012 at Avalon in Hollywood

In the west coast line-up of new age festivals and gatherings, there’s a new kid on the block. Sunday, September 16th 2012 witnessed the first annual Lovestock Festival at The Avalon in Hollywood. Perhaps witnessed is too passive a word. Birthed? Blossomed? Manifested? At any rate, the event was an historic moment – Kute Blackson’s vision of empowered, loving oneness came to life in one of Hollywood’s premiere venues. The event, which was initially as mysterious as it was timely, was a literal who’s who of the L.A. county’s bhakti, yoga, kirtan, and new age scenes.

Kute Blackson Electrifying the people

The free event was marketed primarily through social media and quickly went viral within the genre. The event was moved to Avalon after over a thousand attendees registered, outgrowing the initial location. With free food, decadent flower-infused cocktails (non-alcoholic), and world renowned DJs, the allure of the event was irresistible to local bhaktas returning to L.A. county from Bhaktifest the week before.

Guests were greeted with a hug and a gift wristband from Think Love LLC which was later synced with all attendees to vibrate simultaneously in ecstasy. Local musicians, artists, healers, and gourmet raw vegan chefs highlighted the early hours of the event while DJ Cheb i Sebbah, Deepak Ramapriyan and the Breath of Life Tribe, and finally DJ Drez (among others) later ignited the fires of love and light, setting the night ablaze with unity.

The event likely saw a few firsts for L.A. county – for starters, a rarely-seen-in-the-west Balinese Monkey Chant; a playful, devotional, and unifying experience. Dwarkoji Sundrani, a 91 year young disciple of Mahatma Gandhi graced the audience with his presence and blessing. Dwarkoji founded the Samanvay Ashram; all proceeds from donations given at the event went to benefit the Ashram.

In the end, participants were asked to silently connect with their eyes and their smiles and offer a blessing to total strangers, to see and accept the divine in each other – truly a remarkable exercise. All left the event with love in their hearts and smiles on their faces. Two things are certain; Kute Blackson knows how to throw a party, and next year, Avalon won’t be big enough for this ever-expanding crowd of love enthusiasts.

Welcome to the Blisstival, Loves

Bliss

n.

1. Extreme happiness; ecstasy.

2. The ecstasy of salvation; spiritual joy.

Phrasal Verb: bliss out Slang To go into a state of ecstasy.

fes·ti·val

n.

1. An occasion for feasting or celebration, especially a day or time of religious significance that recurs at regular intervals.

2. An often regularly recurring program of cultural performances, exhibitions, or competitions: a film festival.

3. Revelry; conviviality.

 

adj.

Of, relating to, or suitable for a feast or festival; festive.

 

bliss·ti·val n.

1. Occasion of celebrating, in pure ecstasy, the love and oneness of all humanity

2. Any and all meetings of yoga/unity/love/new age/hippy/festie/bhakti minds, bodies, hearts, and spirits.

Phrasal Verb:

blisstivaling Slang

Attending said blisstivals.