Sex and Relationships, Yoga, and Plant Medicine: We Take a Look at Unique Bhakti Fest Workshops
Bianca and Michael Alexander will be leading a workshop about Yoga On and Off the Mat—Ancient Wisdom of Eight-Fold Path of Yoga at Bhakti Fest 2019.
Bhakti Fest, Southern California’s largest yoga and sacred music festival, offers an exciting array of workshops and classes. This year, spiritual-seekers from around the world will head to Twentynine Palms, California from September 25-30, 2019 to experience yoga, meditation, sound baths, conscious workshops, and more. We caught up with four workshop leaders to learn more about the unique and transformative experiences they will be offering.
Read More: Top Tips for Bhakti Fest 2019
Spiritual and Personal Relationship with Yoga
Bianca and Michael Alexander will be leading a workshop about Yoga On and Off the Mat—Ancient Wisdom of Eight-Fold Path of Yoga at Bhakti Fest 2019.
Workshop Leaders: Bianca and Michael Alexander
Workshops: Yoga On and Off the Mat—Ancient Wisdom of Eight-Fold Path of Yoga
Can you share a little about what attendees can expect from your workshop at Bhakti Fest?
Attendees will deepen their spiritual understanding and personal relationship with yoga, both on and off the mat. They will learn the essence of Patanjali's original eight-fold path of yoga and how practicing it can help them access more joy, freedom, and serenity in their everyday lives. This fun, interactive workshop will provide participants with a sacred space to dive deep into their own experiences to uncover blind spots and hidden triggers that prevent them from enjoying happiness and peace. Through the ancient wisdom of the eight-fold path of yoga, they will learn how to be—in the words of the Indian Saint Paramahansa Yogananda— "a prince of peace, sitting on the throne of poise, amidst the crash of breaking worlds."
What is one thing that you hope attendees will take away from your workshop?
We've found that participants are able to discover that the love, happiness, and joy they seek on the outside is available within themselves by spending time in meditation each day and practicing the true teachings of yoga, off the mat.
Best advice?
Meditate, meditate, meditate. Many people resist meditating because they don't have time or think they're "doing it wrong." When we first started meditating, we practiced just five minutes a day for years before working our way up to meditating deeper and for longer periods. Surprisingly, meditating just five minutes a day can slowly begin to provide access to an eternal part of ourselves that we cannot see, taste, touch, or feel.
By developing a strong inner practice, we gain a greater sense of peace and ease in our daily lives—no matter the circumstances. For inspiration on developing your own meditation practice and becoming a spiritual millionaire, read Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. The audio book is read by Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley, and is as entertaining as it is awakening to our soul’s great potential for joy and freedom.
Sex and Relationships
Workshop Leader: Zat Baraka
Workshops: Coed Co-ed Conscious Sex and Relationship Workshop-Communication of the Feminine and Masculine (singles or couples), The Deep Masculine-Men’s Confidence, Purpose and Presence Workshop (Men only), and The Fierce Lover-Am Men’s Deep Inner Work Workshop (men Only)
Can you share a little about what attendees can expect from your workshop?
For the Co-ed Conscious Sex and Relationship Workshop, people will have an opportunity to see what limits them from going deeper in intimacy. They will gain insight not from an intellectual place but from a place of embodiment, seeing into old neurotic tendencies and then practicing shifting their relational patterns. For the Men's workshop, attendees can expect to do powerful practices that can immediately shift how confidently and skillfully they show up in relationships, in their purpose, and intimacy.
What is one thing that you hope attendees will take away from your workshop?
I hope they will take away more self-awareness and self-responsibility on the things that limit them and an embodied experience of more presence and loving. This is deep inner work and it can have an immediate effect on your life. I hope male attendees will have an experience of presence in brotherhood!
Best advice?
Show up open and ready to practice. This is life-yoga!
Plant Medicine, Native American Medicine, and Men’s Workshop
Workshop Leader: Greg Friedman
Workshops: Men’s (a better understanding of how to navigate with masculine energy in a spiritual world), Plant Medicine (we are the medicine and anything else is simply an aide in helping us realize our authentic selves), Native American Medicine Wheel (helping us recognize ourselves and operate with awareness in the world.)
What is one thing that you hope attendees will take away from your workshop?
Their more empowered selves—happier, healthier, and awakened.
Best advice?
Try it on. If it resonates, groovy, and if it doesn't, that’s groovy as well.
This year at Bhakti Fest, headliners include Krishna Das, Mike Love, Dharma Mittra, Radhanath Swami, MC Yogi, Fannah Fi Allah, Saul David Raye, Sianna Sherman, Mas Vidal, Girish, Govind Das & Radha, Kia Miller, Dawn Cartwright, Ram Das (via video), Porangui, Mark Whitwell, and many more. For more information, visit bhaktifest.com.
Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning digital content writer/editor. She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals. When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar. Follow her on Instagram: @zillizy