This past weekend I was beyond blessed with the opportunity to attend the first annual Love Yoga Festival in Cape Cod!
Magical is the best word I can use to describe my experience, but it digs so much deeper than that. Practicing with my favorite teachers by the ocean on a beautiful sand bar that I used to call home. Chanting into the wind with one of my favorite artists and dancing in disco lights with a musician I’ve been trying to see for YEARS! (And then going on stage with him!!) Opening so many of my chakras that I needed a giant burger to bring me back down to reality. Friends… so many of my beautiful friends. Announcements that made my heart giddy. Homemade local juice, laughter and crystal bowls. It was pure perfection!
My day started the evening before. I drove over the bridge after my Friday evening class and met my friend Dana for an overnight! I stayed at her place and we checked our schedules for the following day, trying to create the most magical alignment of classes we could. The following morning we awoke at 5:00am in order to arrive in time for Dana to volunteer her time. We made coffee and snacks before venturing out into a day of spiritual bliss!
I started my morning with Jacqui Bonwell, a beautiful soul who will be teaching her famous Chakra Cleanse class at the Shala in December!!! (I can’t wait). She is one of the most beautiful, open souls I have ever met and I am so blessed to know her. As I practiced in her sunlight I felt the ocean breeze running through the tent while each of my chakras (energetic alignment) were opened. I felt more in step and in line with my self than I had in a long time. The waves of emotion began to flow and tears ebbed at the surface. I was so grateful for her gift of allowing me to completely surrender.
As with most classes, we set an intention and recently my intention has been Isvara Pranidhana. It’s one of my favorite sutras and mantras and in the last few weeks it has given me the opportunity to release any old emotions and create a beautiful & loving environment for not only my students, but also my life. I felt every moment of release in that class, and for Jacqui I am so grateful. Deep bow mama. THANK YOU!
Next on my list was a nice, long break! I went to lunch at Green Lotus Cafe (damn, why did you open when we left the Cape!? SO YUMMY) and then ventured into the music store. Hubby says I need a good pick for my guitar so I went in to chat with this local drummer & music store owner who explained the differences in picks and helped me select a few. Who knew there were different kinds of picks?! 🙂
I then had the crystal bowls lined up. For some reason, I accidentally signed up for all the charka opening and spiritual classes. As I set down my mat, the beautiful Jacqui practiced next to me and shared her energy. She told me that nothing is an accident and that my body and soul needed this space to be as spiritual as possible. Her presence alongside the energy of those bowls set me over the edge. As the effervescent Bettina lead us through flow and the ever talented Kathleen played the crystal bowls to each of our chakras I was in a state of bliss and surrender for one full hour. I cried but I also smiled the entire class. It was so magical to feel the curtain blowing in the ocean breeze, surrounded by my friends and mentors on a perfect August weekend afternoon. What more could I ask for?!
The day was nowhere near done: I attended a yoga mudra class with Diane Kovanda and learned how to open my chakras with hand movements, was unexpectedly brought to a Detox Flow class that rinsed out the rest of my release and ran into more friends than I could imagine. My teacher Coral Brown was there (and looked radiant from teaching the morning class), my beautiful friends Leigh & Rhia were roaming around and The Local Juice was available for my eager yearning for a delicious treat!
The vendors were a treat as well! I finally got to meet Dolly Moo as I have been following them on Instagram for over a year now and loved their profile and products. I also met with many local vendors whom I missed having in my everyday life.
The end of the evening brought MUSIC & burgers! Chanting with my favorite local musician, Alicia Matthewson as I sat with her beautiful partner and sang along to every song I knew so well and heard a new release (I cannot WAIT for her new album). Burgers and a drink to bring my energy back towards neutral with Dana and then the MC Yogi concert, which was literally the icing on the cake for a day well done. I went up on stage, danced with MC Yogi, hugged my beautiful friends, danced for HOURS and heard the most amazing announcements from some of my favorite people in the world!!! It was a blessing beyond belief.
- Rhia, Andrea & I at MC Yogi
The next morning I awoke in some severe pain (I think the last time I felt like that was when I used to go clubbing with my girlfriends 5 years ago — haha) and decided to walk the beach and take my slow time arriving back north of the bridge. I arrived at one of my favorite beaches, taking pictures, picking up ocean presents and chanting aloud Om Shanti. I grabbed coffee & pastries at our favorite French locale and spent over an hour speaking with one of my favorite people as I crossed the bridge back into reality.
Thank you so much Annika, Amanda, Jen & Kate for a beautiful festival. JOB WELL DONE! I cannot wait to attend the second annual and promise to be there with bells on. Jai ma!! Love love love.