As Byron Spirit Festival prepares to move their festival of barefoot elegance into their namesake town for their 6th year, leaving the nurturing years in the arms of Mullumbimby, they are excited to present the first round of offerings from the 2018 program….
YOGA PROGRAM
Yoga is championed as the undisputed elixir of life, a moving meditation that is open to everyone, anywhere, at any time! A philosophy Angel and Gopala from Byron’s Rainbow Yoga subscribe to, with their family friendly approach to teacher training focusing on kids, partners and families, bring the whole tribe to enjoy their workshop.
As does world renowned yoga teacher and author of The Yoga of Heart and The Promise of Love, Sex and Intimacy, Mark Whitwell who has been working to make yoga accessible to everyone for the past 25 years, teaching in the US, Asia, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Zenthai Shiatsu founder Gwyn Williams began his first steps into the foundation of Zenthai as a teenager, a self-confessed life force fanatic, Gwyn developed this unique therapy that combines yoga, partner flow, body work infused with features of Chinese medicine.
Bondi Rescue Lifeguard, star of the channel ten hit reality TV series, and Lululemon ambassador, Deano Gladstone started his wellness journey as a result of a recovery mission from injury. It led him to yoga and a more rounded view of fitness and nutrition. He completed his yoga teacher training recently and is now sharing all of that knowledge.
Founder of the Byron Yoga Centre, John Ogilvie is one of Australia’s most respected practitioners with over 30 years of experience to share. Learning from a number of masters over this time, he developed his signature style, Purna Yoga after practicing both the Iyengar method and Ashtanga.
Dena Kingsberg is a devoted practitioner of Ashtanga yoga and a senior student of the late Sri K Patabhi Jois. With 30 years of unwavering practice she is deeply inspired and committed to the immense healing potential of this practice.
Also having 30 years of practice under her belt, Sydney teacher Beth Borosky invites you to move at a slower pace, giving time for muscles to heat, energy to build and an opportunity to delve deeper within, both physically and emotionally, and so discover the true medicine that is yoga.
Sophie Sofree is a collector of ethnic rhythms, tribal vibes, downtempo BPM’s and soul healing elements. She is the resident DJ for ecstatic dance at Bali’s Yoga Barn. Her Kundalini Yoga classes are active meditations focused on raising and transforming energy. Weaving movement, mantra, dance, pranayam, mudra and drishti alongside uplifting soul-shaking playlists
Since her mid-twenties, Flo Fenton has been on a quest for healing and transformation. Yoga has been a constant ally since then, and along with meditation, homeopathy and Ayurveda, has been the means to achieving happy and functional relationships and life in general. Her style is both meditative and enlivening, balancing the active and the passive sides of our nature.
MUSIC & SOUND HEALING PROGRAM
Byron Spirit Festival is honoured to be welcoming the incredibly talented Amaru Pumac Kuntur to Australia, this will be the first time they have ever left their homeland to tour. Amaru Pumac Kuntur is the Inca trilogy, the snake, the puma and condor, the most sacred animals. They mix traditional music with modern elements, and a mix of Spanish and Qechua vocals. Last year they collaborated with American soul singer Joss Stone, you can watch the clip here.
Sacred Earth’s Jethro & Prem have been traveling the world for 12 years performing live the music, undoubtedly Australian’s highest selling artists in the ambient music genre, they have sold over a quarter of a million records. If you have ever had a massage, it is more than likely their music has been your nourishing soundtrack. Prem shares with us her heart felt devotion for Spirit and our precious Mother Earth through mantra and songs from the heart.
The Temple Step Project, led by Australian music producer, Benjamin Last, will deliver the ultimate ecstatic dance journey. Bringing the vibration of sacred ceremony to the dance floor, where progressive dubstep meets middle eastern and shamanic, spiritual music, this is a dance journey to awaken your spirit and move your body into freedom.
Australian based international Bhakti-Yoga couple, Lulu & Mischka will share their voices and soulful songs with you to chant together. Ancient mantras meet English lyrics, modern melodies fuse with magical harmonies enriched by Lulu’s lush vocals. This couple offers a chance to join their radiant journey into the powerful practice of chanting.
Multi-instrumental musician and composer Haitch bringing a fresh twist to the world music, devotional and yoga scenes. His uniqueness lies in the moving fusion created with both uncommon and classical instruments. Including Native American flutes, bamboo Suling, slide didgeridoo, electric Indian zither, trumpet, resonant vocals and live looping.
CULTURAL & HEALING PROGRAM
Delta Kaye local Arakwal Custodian will be curating a new Indigenous program to share the rich wisdom of the local arts and culture. Byron Bay, traditionally known as Cavanbah has always been a ‘meeting place’ to share culture, music and dance.
Jemma Gawned (Jemmita) has trained extensively with some of the best Maestros of the lineage she has been adopted into in the Andes Mountains of Peru. Having come from a diverse background in Australian television and fashion, to raw food entrepreneur, Jemma now leads groups of people from around the world to the Andes to work alongside her teachers in the shamanic practices and plant medicines of the mountains. Jemma also works with the Medicine of Cacao in Ceremony at festivals and events globally. This has given her the honour and opportunity to bring large groups of people together in Ceremony, Connection and in Celebration as a modern-day Medicine Woman
Matiu Te Huki has a background in traditional Maori performing arts, theater and fronting great bands with his powerful yet smooth, unique voice. He has performed with the likes of Fat Freddies drop, Rhombus, Pitch Black, Tiki Taane, Anika Moa and many more of New Zealand’s top artists.
Bliss is your birthright! And Christabel Zamour from Breath of Bliss Academy is going to lead you to yours! empower heart-centered leaders to get into their bodies, claim their voices and create life-changing transformative events through somatic, tantric and shamanic teachings.
DANCE PROGRAM
Dance is a way to awaken the soul, shed layers of suffering and awaken into our full potential. These dance facilitators embrace the power of dance as a force for healing and transformation.
Travers Ross is a well-known Australian creative artist, musician, dancer who was born to traverse cultures, genre’s, stereotypes and audiences to bring people together for an adventure through sound, movement, art, expression, events and healing. He has worked extensively with indigenous mobs choreographing for cultural healing and harmony, as well as huge productions like So You Think You Can Dance, the ARIA Awards, Bliss n Eso, 360, Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams and more.
Geash Bowler has been dancing the 5Rhythms since 1999 and was trained by Gabrielle Roth, the founder of 5Rhythms® to teach in 2008. She has taught classes and workshops in Scotland, Vanuatu and New Zealand. Her practice is enriched with her evolving embodiment of Vanda Scaravelli’s offering to the yoga world, following the deep intelligence of the body to unfold and open into a more connected, comfortable, beautiful place to be.
Since moving to Byron 7 years ago, Suebee Fae has been sharing dance medicine with the community – facilitating sister circles and dance workshops. Suebee has a gentle and playful nature, and is passionate about people finding their own unique rhythm and freedom in their dance. For Suebee, dance is more than movement, it is medicine, it is connection to the divine, and a way to express the language of the soul.
There will be a plethora of additions to the 2018 program to come over the coming months, so stay tuned!
The festival’s new Byron Bay home will see the program running between Byron’s premiere new events complex Cavanbah Centre and the luxurious surrounds of Elements Of Byron. With over 50 workshops and panels on yoga, music, dance, healing, creative arts, sustainability and various cultural ceremonies over three days on April 20th – 22nd 2018. Byron Spirit Festival is an opportunity to check out of your every day, and choose your own spiritual adventure in the idyllic surrounds of Northern NSW.
This year’s theme is ‘We Are The Mandala’, focusing on co-creation and the concept of human design and our connection to the natural world. We’ll explore how we can live in the greatest harmony with ourselves and everything else!
Byron Spirit Festival 2018
April 20th – 22nd 2018
Byron Bay, NSW
www.spiritfestival.com.au
