Only 10 days until the 13th BaliSpirit Festival begins. We are super excited. The venue is taking shape, presenters and musicians are confirmed and everyone is getting ready to make it the best festival experience ever. 2023 ARTISTS FIRST LINE UP SCHEDULE has been released! We express warmest gratitude to all the music enthusiasts who will make The Grove Stage lit. Get ready to immerse yourself in the ultimate celebration of music, yoga, dance and healing. It’s time to get our groove on! Abink | Indonesia Abdullah Bilbas Rusdianto also known as Abink is a Musician originally from Malang, East Java, Indonesia. Often performing as a jazz and R&B singer before, Abink has now found his new world by blending soul and modern beats with Javanese music. Rahayu! Shopie Sofree | SINGAPORE Sophie Sôfrēē was born at BaliSpirit Festival ~ with her opening debut 8 years ago which lit a flame that still burns brightly. She serves up a sacred fun approach to Ecstatic Dance DJ’ing, encouraging dancers to liberate bodies through the vehicle of music. Weaving a broad span of musical flavours ranging from ethnic african rhythms, cumbia, melodic ethnic house to funky spunky flavours. Blending this range of global dance tracks with her infectious energy and embodied feminine wisdom, she’s recognised for creating beautiful spaces for sacred celebration and healing. Yogetsu Akasaka | TOKYO Yogetsu Akasaka is a Tokyo-born musician and Zen Buddhist Monk who combines Buddhist chanting with live looping, beatboxing, and handpan to create a unique musical experience. After starting his musical career in 2005 as a street performer, Yogetsu became a Zen Buddhist Monk in 2015 to deepen his spiritual growth. He practiced at the Soto Zen Buddhism Monastery for 2.5 years before returning to music. If you have visited BaliSpirit Festival before, you know about its magical music experience – and if you haven’t attended yet, it is definitely one of the many reasons to buy your ticket and join the 2023 event. Book your 1 or 4-day Spirit Pass NOW, and make sure you get to experience the full range of our magical offerings.

The post 13th BaliSpirit Festival ARTISTS LINE UP appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

The BaliSpirit Festival embodies the core mantra of Balinese Hinduism – Tri Hita Karana – to live in harmony with our spiritual, social, and natural environments. Back after a two year shutdown, The BaliSpirit Festival summons yoga enthusiasts, dancers, musicians and spirituality seekers from all corners of the globe, joining together to inspire one another and nourish each individuals potential within. Through the traditions of yoga, dance, healing and world music, the BaliSpirit Festival attracts over 5000 people from all over the world every year. The Festival offers you a wide range of events to choose from, such as interactive workshops & seminars, a lively community market & healing center, a children’s activity zone, yoga classes and vibrant night time programs of live Bhakti music concerts, ecstatic dance and DJs, set among the picturesque rice-fields of Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. BaliSpirit Festival offers a robust workshop schedule from 7am-6pm daily, with a variety of inspiring teachers offering deep experiences in ceremony, expressive arts, dance and styles of yoga such as Anusara, Yin, Hooping, Acro, Kundalini, Hatha, Tantra, Mantra, Prana flow, Vinyasa, Astanga, Silks, Restorative, Pranyama, Meditation, Breathwork, Sound Healing, Cacao & more. You can start with a rockin’ vinyasa in the morning and continue with Blissology yoga in the afternoon, culminating your day with a breathwork ceremony. The options are endless! This is a festival of culture and altruism and as such, it is held on a very inspiring place, the Indonesian island Bali. The visitors can enjoy: Concerts that are held during the day and the night Diverse workshops Activities for children and for the whole family Organic health food Healing activities according to various traditions Traditional fair, etc… The festival’s program, venue, lineup information show time / schedule of events, tickets, how to get & travel tips etc, is present in the festival’s link website, under “Event Related Information” section. And if you cannot attend, not to worry: you can get a little taster of the BaliSpirit Festival from the comfort of your own home. Sign up to their FREE email list to experience everything from yoga to dance, music, healing and more. Lots of videos, ebooks and exclusive discounts waiting for you. This is the closest you are going to get to the festival without actually going. Opt in to experience everything from yoga to dance, music, healing and more. With so much variety at the festival we have something for everyone.

The post BALISPIRIT YOGA FESTIVAL 2022 appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

I often participate to cacao ceremonies in different events, but the one I attended at BaliSpirit Festival 2019 was definitely the best life experience! Hundreds of people reunited with outstanding artists in the main pavilion to drink lots of cacao. I can still feel the huge energy and emotion that arise when uniting such a big group of people. Ceremonial cacao is raw chocolate, which when consumed leads to a release of endorphins and an opening of our hearts. The Spirit of the Cacao is a Master Plant Teacher and is also known as the Cacao Goddess. She is gentle and nurturing, but at the same time very powerful. When we use Cacao we are often invited to work with forgiveness and acceptance, leading us to increased love for ourselves and others. The main stimulant found in high grade ceremonial cacao is Theobromine (which means ‘the food of the gods’). The amount of caffeine in good ceremonial grade Cacao should be very low. You will find that cacao will give you a great burst of energy, and will at the same time help you focus and do deep inner works such as meditation and shamanic journeying. If you drink Cacao regularly, it will improve your memory, increase your serotonin levels and therefore help with low level depression, and it can help you if you suffer from high blood pressure. Cacao is also considered to be the best creativity enhancer and is used by authors, artists, yoga and meditation teachers, dance therapists, tantric practitioners. The list goes on. It is a super food that contains a wide range of vitamins, minerals and 40 times more antioxidants than blueberries. It is especially high in iron, magnesium and calcium, and is wonderful for women to drink during their moon time.  Cacao is gentle in a way that it lets YOU decide if you are ready to let go. Maybe just listening to other peoples’ stories will help you make the necessary changes in your lives. The aim of a Cacao Ceremony is to empower you to release what doesn’t serve you any longer, and helps you see and re-connect with what is truly important in your life. Cacao compared to other medicinal plant is easy to integrate. With Cacao we can laugh, sing, dance, be creative, think, do yoga, and most importantly, share our love and joy with each other. In Mayan culture, Cacao was used ceremonially to commune with the Gods. Today, we continue this sacred traditional by drinking Cacao to reconnect with the deep wisdom of our own precious beings. In fact, this ceremony invokes guided meditation, breath work, sacred song, creativity, joy and release. At BaliSpirit Festival 2019, Cacao was not the only component, though quite powerful in itself. The main power was coming from the people: a big group of yogi, artists, healers and common people with a great heart and energy. A mix of music and dance which connected all together and created a positive vibration. Thank you BaliSpirit Festival, you have the power to let people touch the greatest and most powerful feeling of unconditioned love.

The post Cacao Ceremony at BaliSpirit Festival 2019 appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

Cacao ceremonies are experiential journeys meant to open your heart, heal blockages, let go of negative energy and….have a blast! In this article, we’ll deep dive into why they are so popular, taking a look at the history and the benefits of cacao and where to find a cacao ceremony in Bali. Cacao ceremonies create a powerful unique energy. It’s a collective experience, where the community deeply connects and forms a unique voice and body, singing mantras and dancing for the Universe. A flow of positive vibes that keeps everyone high – on nature, on people, on music. What does this all mean? It’s simple: after a cacao ceremony you will feel lighter, happier, more connected. You’ll keep humming and smiling like never before. And yes, you’ll drink hot cacao! This is most likely why they are so popular with New Agers in Canada, Australia, London and New York; and in Ubud, Bali’s holistic and cultural centre. If when you are done reading you’d be super keen to join one, we’ll also give you some suggestions on where to find cacao ceremonies in Ubud. What is a Cacao Ceremony, and where did they come from?  Cacao ceremonies trace back to thousands of years, originating in Central and South America in the Olmec, Mayan, and Aztec civilizations. The Spirit of Cacao was one of the most worshipped deities and the name of the plant itself, theobroma, translates to “food of the Gods” –  theo meaning gods and broma meaning food. The Mayans believed that cacao was discovered by the gods in a mountain, hence it was regarded as a sacred, medicinal, psychoactive plant. Cacao beans were valued so much that Aztecs used them as a currency, together with feathers and jade. Precious!  For ceremonial, medical and spiritual purposes, cacao was prepared as a strong and foamy beverage. The cacao was grounded with a stone and reduced into a paste then mixed with water, chilli, honey and other local spices, herbs and flowers. Drank both hot and cold, it was used during rituals as a mean of connection, healing, revelation and awakening.  How is cacao different to cocoa? It might be a bit confusing but cacao and cocoa/chocolate are actually not the same thing. During cacao ceremony you will drink hot raw cacao..and the taste is very much different from the hot chocolate you may be used to! The terms cacao refers to any food deriving from cacao beans – the seeds of the cacao tree – including cacao nibs, butter, paste and powder. The latter derives from the cold-pressing of cacao beans. Cocoa powder instead is made by cacao beans roasted at high temperatures, which lowers the enzyme contents and the overall nutritional value – making it taste sweeter. What are the benefits of cacao? The properties of cacao are physically, mentally and spiritually powerful. There are many physical benefits of consuming cacao. Raw Cacao, like most plants are full of flavonoids (plant chemicals) which are natural antioxidants, which protect the body’s cells from disease. The flavonoids in cacao prevent fatty substances building up in the bloodstream, reducing the risk of strokes and cardiovascular disease. Cacao is also rich in magnesium (an essential electrolyte) which increases your energy levels, elevates your mood and general wellbeing. Spiritually, a cacao ceremony is a huge heart opening, shamanic journey. Accompanied with devotional music and sacred prayers practiced during a cacao ceremony ritual, drinking raw cacao can be an aid to meditation, healing and connecting to your higher Self, as well as enhancing your creativity, masculine and feminine balance in the energetic body and an overall sense of euphoric joy. So this explains why cacao ceremonies are getting more and more popular!  What happens in a Cacao Ceremony? Cacao ceremonies differ slightly depending on the facilitator (or shaman), but the joy and euphoria you will experience will be a constant. They usually begin with the shaman clearing the space energetically with sage, and calling people to sit and connect in a circle. Intentions are set for manifestation and prayers to honor God, the earth and spirits take place. The cacao is sipped consciously, where your intention flows towards your heart. Devotional mantra music or kirtan can start, which often builds up into an ecstatic dance as the power of cacao comes to life. Imagine singing, dancing and letting go of what no longer serves you? You’ll feel part of a family, united by the power and the joy that cacao brings. Where to find a Cacao Ceremony in Ubud? If you end up being in Bali around the end of March or beginning of April, you have only one place to be: BaliSpirit Festival. At the festival you’ll have the chance to experience cacao ceremonies almost every day, with leading facilitators from all over the world. You’ll dance ecstatically, sing your heart out, fill and open your heart with hot flowing cacao joy. You might ask yourself: a cacao ceremony a day, with over 100 participants each time…where does all this cacao come from?  UBUD RAW Chocolate Factory The cacao used in ceremonies across Bali usually comes from UBUD RAW, the island’s leading raw chocolate maker, and one of the world’s favorite suppliers of ceremonial cacao. UBUD RAW is a revolutionary force in the chocolate business: creating natural, untempered raw chocolate made from just two healthy plants: Cacao and Coconut. Freshly handmade every day, their refrigerated chocolate is 100% vegan, tastes smoother and creamier than milk chocolate, while having a potent cacao flavor like dark chocolate. The ceremonial cacao from UBUD RAW comes directly from their organic farmers in West Bali, who do ceremonies for the cacao at every stage of the planting, growing, harvesting, and fermenting process. If you are not in Bali during BaliSpirit Festival, not to worry, you will have plenty of opportunities to join and experience a cacao ceremony in Bali, and where better than Bali’s biggest center of yoga, wellness, holistic health and healing: The Yoga Barn. Following the Balinese Hindu tradition, new moon and full moon are sacred days. Often every full moon, cacao ceremonies take place. Each ceremony differs from the other,...

The post CACAO CEREMONIES IN BALI appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

With only a few days to go until BaliSpirit Festival starts, we are super excited and hope you are too. This is just some useful information to help to prepare for your trip, as well as the latest program updates. If you need more inspiring reading until BaliSpirit Festival starts, we can recommend two new articles of our blog: Is Breathwork the New Yoga Is Breathwork the New Yoga and About Helping Yourself by Helping Others, both written by BaliSpirit Festival presenters. The Schedule is Being Published The detailed schedule for the first couple of day is out now. You can start your festival with inspiring morning workshops like a Body Awakening Morning Ritual, Urban Flow Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Guitar Meditation and so much more. Check out the schedule here.  There will be updates every day and our team is still adding more sessions and details so please check in again or download our festival app, to stay up to date. Available for Android and iPhone. PRE-FESTIVAL EVENTS PechaKucha Night – Tuesday, March 19 | 7pm Inspiring Talks and BaliSpirit Festival Special features: six festival guests present in the fast, fun & engaging 20×20 format: 20 images, each for 20 seconds. Uncover the unexpected. Tickets start from IDR 80,000 Vedic Astrology Special Event – Sunday, March 24 | 10am – 2pm At the luxurious riverside Fivelements Resort & Spa, featuring a Dharma Talk with world reknown Vedic Astrologer, Jeffrey Armstrong & a gourmet Plant-Based Luncheon. More info here This optional event has additional fees of $50 OPENING PARTY At The Yoga Barn – Sunday, March 24 | 7pm onwards  Join us for a magical night featuring dance performances, a DJ set by Sophie Sofree and other surprises to start this amazing week. More Info here. If you have an Abundance, 7-Day Spirit, 7-Day Music or Teenager Pass, you will be able to get your festival wristband at the Opening Party. All other passholders can get their wristband at the entrance of the festival. PRACTICAL INFO How to move, where to live, what to do besides the festival…there are so many questions that might come up when getting ready for BaliSpirit Festival. Don’t worry. With our practical information below you should be prepared quite well. We can’t wait to meet you at the festival or even better, already at the Opening Party on Sunday, March 24 at The Yoga Barn.

The post BaliSpirit Festival 2019 – pre-festival events etc appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

The increasingly global BaliSpirit Festival will take place from March 24-31, 2019. The BaliSpirit Festival, a Global Celebration of Yoga, Dance & Music offers rejuvenation and inspiration to all who enter its tropical grounds. Over 300 Workshops, Seminars, and Master Classes for 7 days, including Yoga, Dance and Movement, Healing, Personal Development, and Breathwork facilitators. Styles of Yoga and movement include Ashtanga, Acro, Power, Zenthai Shiatsu, Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, Laughter Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Jivamukti, Anusara, Qi Gong, Kundalini, Sound Alchemy, Esalen Massage, Hangab Therapy, Watsu, Gong Bath Meditation, Crystal Bowls, Sound Healing, Breathwork and Meditation, Ecstatic Dance, Qi Gong, Hula Hoop, Capoeira, Embodied Flow, Latin, Balinese and African Dancing, Reggae and Dancehall, Mental Health, Spirituality, Nutrition, Ayurveda, World and Cultures, Motivation & Life topics, Sexuality, Sacred Cacao Ceremonies, Kirtan, Soul Music, African Drumming, Balinese Music Performances, and many more. Our musical vision this year is to create a more connected and intimate concert experience, to ignite the quality of attention and heart-centered presence that leads us into deeper connection, brighter joy and truly sacred celebration. To this end, the concerts will take place under the stars at our lush and beloved original venue, Bali Purnati. The Coco Love Stage located in the Dharma Fair captured over 50 diverse music artists from all over the world. Coco love stage celebrates passions for collaboration on its East to West jamming sessions. The musicians showcased a variety of genres including: Traditional Indonesian dancing, Balinese Gamelan, Acoustic, downtempo melodic DJ’s, Ecstatic Kirtan, Indian, African, Conscious Hip-Hop, Folk & other forms of World Music fusion. The Coco-Love Stage continues to be a valuable addition to the festival, promoting a dynamic vibe and offers festival participants a chance to relax and enjoy live music and additional community events. The last day of the Festival and by far the most popular, is dedicated to children. Hari Cinta Keluarga provides a multi-lingual, free program for the Balinese community, welcoming them to join in the festivities. Don’t forget to check out our Dharma Fair & The Night Market, with over than 60 vendor booths feature locally made products, food & beverage services, performance stage, + NGO and sponsor booths. In the weeks leading up to and following the Festival, Bali is alive and pulsating with the energy of the presenters and participants who have come to town. A number of music and yoga events are additionally held in venues Island-wide. Now in its 12th year, international leaders and a surging audience of empowered consumers from across the globe gather for this 7 days/8-night event to awaken and nourish each individual’s potential within, leading to positive change in our homes, in our local communities, and thereby, around the world. Through the beneficial and inspirational traditions of Yoga, Dance, Music and Healing, The BaliSpirit Festival illustrates the Balinese Hindu concept of Tri Hita Karana: living in harmony with our spiritual, social, and natural environments. Guests often describe The BaliSpirit Festival as “life changing”, “inspirational” and “being positively impacted by the festival’s successful blend of energy, passion, personal awakening, social consciousness, and high-quality entertainment.”. One attendee in 2018 said, “It is a highlight of this festival to connect with beautiful, conscious souls, just coming together on a sacred space in Bali. It is such an honour to share passion and to come from a heart space, connecting over yoga, dance, expression and music, vegan food, plant-based food, gluten free food…all of this is heaven on earth.” Save up to $125 in Super Early Bird Passes for the 12th annual BaliSpirit Festival, known as one of the Top Yoga Festivals Around the Globe. We will be releasing additional ticket types later in the year. Check http://www.balispiritfestival.com/tickets/ to sign up as the super early bird opens now. Experience one of the world’s most inspiring yoga festivals, celebrating global community, world music and well-being!

The post BaliSpirit Festival 2019 Super Early Bird Pass appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

My week at BaliSpirit Festival 2018 started when we landed at Denpasar airport on a warm afternoon. Outside, a long cue of waiting taxis frenetically offered their fares to our destination: Ubud. We bargained a ride and boarded the taxi. Bali roads are narrow and the traffic is usually murder, but we managed to get to our final destination, Ubud, in less than one hour.  Ubud is an historical small city dotted with ancient hinduism temples and surrounded by rice field. Along the way, we noticed scores of small shops selling crafts of local manufacture: statues, wood carving, colorful blanket and more colourful items.    BaliSpirit Festival grand opening kicked off at 7pm at the Yoga Barn, and after barely a few minute there, I felt so involved! All around us, artist and yogis coming from all over the world exchange words, and I immediately recognized some of my beloved teachers whom I had already meet in other festivals.  The atmosphere was warm, everyone was relaxed and cheerful, and we felt at home and loved. The evening proceeded with a short presentation of what the week ahead would offer us. A few of the masters were introduced, and the special event continued with music and dances that involved everyone present. The rhythm was great and we all joined in the warm and friendly dancing. I was impressed by the number of kids running around, in a so peaceful, lovely and alcohol-free environment! The following day we ready to rock! A very convenient shuttle service brought people from Ubud to the festival grounds all day long. BaliSpirit Festival 2018 was hosted at the Bali Purnati Center, a twenty minutes ride from Ubud Town. Bali Purnat is a resort with huge garden grounds surrounded by rice field and submersed in the lush Bali nature. For this famous event, the organizers decorated and furnished the entire area with bamboo roofs and colorful tents. There were at least ten different pavilions and workshop areas, all of them isolated enough from the others in order to achieve a quiet atmosphere. BaliSpirit Festival is branded eco-friendly, as the grounds provide several differentiate trash bins and access to free water. There is free WiFi access in the whole aerea and a food court that serves a huge variety of delicious vegetarian and vegan food. Dishes are served in banana leaves and crafty, hand made leaf spoons. There is no plastic at all and participants seems enjoy this eco-friendly way to eat! Whith more than fifty yoga masters and thirty dance and movement artists,  BaliSpirit Festival is indeed considered one of the most impressive festivals in the world! There are so many activities that I wished to attend, and I was helped on my choices by BaliSpirit Festival application that I freely downloaded to my smartphone. There, I got all the information and I was easily able to organize my daily schedule.   BaliSpirit Festival lasted six days and seven nights. Workshop were divided in ten different groups: dance, daytime music, healing, kids and family, martial arts, massage, night time music, seminars and dharma talks, sound healing and breathe work, yoga and meditation.  Not only I had a chance to practice my favourite activity, but most of all I also could get to know so many new workshop and techniques I had only heard about until then, and some that were completely unknown to me. My daily schedule was more or less the following: yoga and meditation from 8am to 10am, dance from 10am to 12am, a short break having a delicious vegan lunch while listening to the day music (everyday a cool different group), 2pm to 4pm workshop activity and 4pm to 6pm a rocky power yoga class or a relaxing meditation class, depending on how much energy was left in my body. At 6pm, after a full day of activities, I had a chance to shower in one of the many areas designed for rest and restore, and I was ready for the night music! But not until I had a delicious dinner at the food court. Once again, every evening I was spoiled and tried several different food, some dishes I had never tasted before, and others I knew already but cooked in a way that turns into a vegetarian even the biggest meat lover on the planet.  BaliSpirit Festival was one of the greatest experience I could have! Spiritual feelings, awesome people and a huge amount of knowledge that you can get from so many artists in a cool natural environment!  There is so much more to say about BaliSpirit Festival, so read on my articles about ARTISTS AT BALISPIRIT FESTIVAL and about BALISPIRIT FESTIVAL FOR KIDS. Namaste from BaliSpirit Festival.

The post My week at BaliSpirit Festival 2018 appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

One of the best decisions I have taken this year has been taking my five years old daughter Nadia to the BaliSpirit Festival, happening every year in the amazing Indonesian island of Bali. The advertising stated that it was a ‘family friendly festival’, but there I found out that BaliSpirit Festival is a real full-time campus for kids! BaliSpirit Festival management organized a friendly and safe area to host kids aged from two to twelve years old. In the area, at least twenty prepared and patient volunteers were busy entertaining kids with book colouring, face paintings, storytelling and several other activities. The center were hosting in kids from seven in the morning to eleven in the evening, with a short break between 6pm and 7pm. During the day, by following the schedule on BaliSpirit Festival App in the smartphone, parents could book special activities for their kids, like learning painting, active storytelling or yoga for kids. The teachers were not only volunteer but also accredited international artists. Let me tell you about some of them: Curly Kids Story-light UK Curly is a beloved children’s storyteller from the UK, on a mission to ignite joy in the hearts and imaginations of all. He has become well-known for his enigmatic performance tales that engage audiences in the infinite magic of story craft through improvisation, music, puppets and comedy. My daughter Nadia particularly loved Curly as he was so patient and available to play with her even after his scheduled activity was over. One night they spent at least an hour dancing reggae music in front one of the stage!  For more information about Curly, check www.storylight.org  Stephen Bennet USA ‘The Portrait Painter’ One of the most impressive artists at Kids zone was Stephen Bennett. He is a quite well-known American portrait artist the world over, and no wonder: he had so much patience and passion to share with all little kids attending is painting course. The objective of his workshop is to celebrate a local hero through the creation of a large portrait painting. Stephen conducted the workshop in the Kids Zone along with children and adults to create a portrait of Ibu Robin Lim, CNN Woman of the Year and founder of Bumi Sehat Birthing Center. The large canvas was divided up into several sections and then reassembled. Stephen workshop teaches about painting, colors, light and having fun while creating art.  I later learned that Stephen has traveled to over 50 countries over the last 30 years. He seeks out indigenous people to capture their soulful faces and ritual adornments through colorful paintings on a grand scale. Bennett’s mission is to preserve and celebrate the world’s diversity through a unique style of realism using interpretive color. The focus of his paintings is on the eyes that invite us to enter and experience our common humanity. To know more about Stephen, check on www.stephenbennett.us  Lela from USA Lela offered Mindful Awareness classes for kids. Lela studied Child Psychology and began her work with children as an Early Years educator for five years at UCLA, and this was her 4th year at BaliSpirit Festival. When I think of a class on mindfulness, huge mental work on understanding the meaning of this technique comes to mind. I therefore thought that to teach this discipline to kids was a kind of an impossible mission. I had to think again after seeing how Lela impressively managed to convince several kids in one time using games and stories. She was amazing at developing children attention, playfully achieve a balance, and explain compassion through awareness-based activities. Well done.  Jasper Sircus Contact Improvisation Dance for Kids Bali Jasper Sircus is a yogi, a breath work facilitator, a musician, a dancer, an entrepreneur, a teacher, and a father engaged with many practices and traditions from different cultures that focus on presence, passion, and practicality. I had the feeling that Jasper knows exactly what the kids really like, and as the result his class, attended by so many happy boys and girls, was a great success. Jasper managed to keep all these little kids interested, and to get them to express their self with dance and funny movements. These are just a few of the artists involved in the kids zone area; there were many more I could not watch or write about, but overall I can say the quality of teachers was high. BaliSpirit Festival Kids Zone was not only a playground where our kids could learn and practice wonderful new activities, but also a center where parents could have interaction with world-wide educators and parents. The result of this experience was for me absolutely positive and the greatest feed back was from my own daughter: “Can we come back to BaliSpirit Festival next year, daddy?” 

The post BaliSpirit Festival is ideal for kids appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

This year I have had the fortune to cover the BaliSpirit Festival in Bali for Asian Itinerary. The schedule of classes at the festival was really tight so I had to be quite selective in choosing those that best suited me.  One of the classes, the “Asana based: Scripting Your Joy”, had a description that inspired me. It went like this: The class is a vinyasa flow practice that integrates the wisdom and art of writing throughout the practice. Intermittently throughout the journey, students are given writing prompts that aim to enhance their levels of self-awareness both on and off the mat. By taking both the writing and the asana practice to the mat, it creates the perfect body-mind equilibrium. Wow, I thought, and right on the first day of the festival I tried the class. The speaker, Nadine McNeil – https://universalempress.com – is a yoga teacher , transformational coach and humanitarian. Her mission involves igniting others to create and dwell in infinite possibilities, and share the tenets of yoga within communities where it has been largely inaccessible. What an exciting concept, one that made me even more excited about the class.  This class required all attenders – and we were a lot indeed – to bring a notebook and a pen. Nadine started the class with 5 minutes of vinyasa flow as a warm up, and then asked us to write about a topic she stated for 2 minutes. I can honestly state that it was the first time I have felt so free to write without having to put much thought about the topic. After that, Nadine continued the class with the same sequence: vinyasa flows followed by writing about an unexpected topics that she would give us at the very moment we ended the yoga flow. When the participants later got the chance to share their own writings, I found amazing pieces that people put down from their hearth. And we were all amazed to realize that, as the yoga practices evolved to body purifications and breathing exercises, so our writing became more natural, more straight from our hearts.  At the end of the class, Nadine told us that it was intended to be an experiment, and that she was so happy for the outcome. I had chance to ask her about her inspiration for this class, and she replied that the idea of a workshop that dealt with the embodiment of the words into the body came to her while she was meditating. And she was pleased to see that today’s class happened the way she had wished: as it was mainly attended by experienced practitioners, she only had to work on holding the space for each of us in the class to trust themselves and return to their joy. Using the yoga to take us out of the mind and into the body through writing.  I loved this class at the BaliSpirit Festival in Bali and felt really happy I had chose to attend. I found a new tool to improve my writing and get cured from the struggle in my putting down words as I always worry so much about how my readers may judge me. Now I know how yoga practice can help me in that too.

The post Scripting my joy at the BaliSpirit Festival appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, March 2018 – BaliSpirit Festival is a Global Celebration of Yoga, Dance & Music. It is located in Yayasan Bali Purnati, Batuan, Bali on April 2-8, 2018. This festival seeks to awaken and nourish the potential inside every individual, leading to positive change in ourselves, our homes, in our communities, and around the world. Commencing on April 2, there are over 100 different daytime workshops and events at BaliSpirit Festival, where attendees can freely move between an unlimited number of workshops and events. Workshops and events range from yoga classes, health seminars, satsangs, sound healing and meditation to kirtan and music performances from world class teachers, guest presenters, yogis, artists, healers, innovative thinkers and musicians from around the world. Together to celebrate wellness, music, tolerance, peace, cultural curiosity and joy in the stunning tropical setting, presenters are passionate about sharing their knowledge to inspire and enlighten everyone to join the festival. This year, BaliSpirit Festival is proud to announce that the festival has been selected by the Tourism Ministry of Indonesia in their selection of Wonderful Indonesia’s 100 Festival. No less than 100 events and 10 national events are included in the Calendar of Events of Wonderful Indonesia (CoE WI). For yoga lovers, there are classes for all levels, for absolute beginners to handstand lovers across all traditions of yoga including: Vinyasa Flow, Kundalini, Hatha, Jivamukti, Ashtanga, Power Yoga, Children’s yoga and more. BaliSpirit Festival also provides dance classes, many discussions, music workshops, seminars, and in addition to the many healing and breathwork workshops part of the main program of BaliSpirit Festival, attendees can also book individual healing sessions offered at the Healing Huts area. The Dharma Fair is the heart of the festival community with a thriving market place with the Community Pavillion for all activities, and community daytime music stage: Coco Love Stage. The Coco Love stage features artists from all over the world and offers a unique experience, features a wide range of uplifting music and dance performances throughout the day. From local Balinese performances to world music and kirtan, this area is for people wanting to visit and soak up the community atmosphere of the festival. Dharma Fair showcases the diverse selection of healthy, organic and vegan food prepared by some of Bali’s finest restaurants and vendors. Market Stalls of locally made handicrafts, jewelry, clothing and gifts with an emphasis on artisanship and ethical commerce. There’s also the non-profit organizations information area and the Kids Zone, with experienced daycare providers so kids can enjoy a full program of games, creative workshops, arts and crafts, storytelling, bouncy fun and much more. At night, BaliSpirit Festival also has a lively music concerts ranging from ecstatic dance to ceremonies and kirtan. Nighttime Music concerts take place on April 3-7 followed by a closing ceremony at the end of the last day on April 8. The closing day is dedicated to Hari Cinta Keluarga (Love Family Day), a special Community Day which offers the local community a space to find connection with families through an inspiring program of bilingual classes, performances & family-friendly workshops with some top guest presenters for all ages. The family-friendly program offers a variety of interactive activities and experiences. This year’s BaliSpirit Festival presenters includes: Eoin Finn (Canada), Duncan Wong (Japan), Mark Whitwell (New Zealand), Papermoon Puppet Theatre (Indonesia), Ronan Tang (China), Anthony Abbagnano (Italy), Latonya Style (Jamaica), Minuk (Columbia/Sweden), Deborah Langley (Australia), IB Candi (Indonesia), Tina Malia (USA), Arif Sentosa (Indonesia), Young Ho Kim (Germany), Kula (Portugal), Noviana Kusumawardhani (Indonesia), Julian Silburn (Australia), Diena Haryana (Indonesia), TyeZan (Switzerland), Jennifer Ann (Netherlands), and Joe Crossley (UK), while in Dharma Fair booths from among others, Ultra Jaya, Jory Best, Bali Yoga Shop, Aum Rudraksha Designs, Ubud Raw Chocolate, Dapur Kopi Bali, Kebun, Om Prakash & Sons, Alchemy, Sudiana Design, Yin Jewellery, We Ar, KAFE, Indigo Luna and Utama Spice. For complete listing of Presenters and Parties involved, you can check www.balispiritfestival.com.

The post BaliSpirit Festival 2018 is soon! appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

BaliSpirit Festival is one of South East Asia’s biggest and longest annual yoga, dance and music festivals. The goal of the BaliSpirit Festival is to awaken and nourish each individual’s potential for positive change within, leading to a greater positive change in our homes, in our communities and around the world. BaliSpirit Festival is a non profit event and operates 3 year-round outreach programs: AYO! Kita Bicara HIV & AIDS (HIV & AIDS awareness and education program for schools in Indonesia) Bali Conference (A music and arts education and community program) and Bali ReGreen (A bamboo reforestation program in impoverished areas in Bali). The next BaliSpirit Festival will be the 11th edition and will take place in Ubud, Bali from April 2-8 2018. There is a new format for 2018: 6 days of full programming including yoga, dance, meditation and breathwork workshops and 7 nights of night music concerts, all taking place at Bhanuswari Resort, Ubud. WHY TRAVEL TO UBUD, BALI FOR YOGA? Bali and particularly Ubud, is one of the leading destinations for yoga, healing and wellness. More and more people are visiting Bali as a destination to pursue yoga and meditation, and to journey into self-discovery. Yogis flock to Ubud, Bali’s cultural hub to immerse themselves into the plethora of yoga and healing centers, temples, the spirituality and rich culture of the Balinese, healthy vegetarian and vegan restaurants and breathtaking scenery. Ubud is a small but busy town that provides plenty to see and do, as well as a tranquil environment for reflection, spiritual realization and for travelers to take their yoga practice to the next level. THE BALISPIRIT FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE What makes BaliSpirit Festival unique is the diverse West meets East cultural fusion across the festival programming and venue. Attendees experience Balinese culture, spirituality and mesmerizing nature, the perfect setting for attendees to evolve, connect to each other and be creatively inspired. The feeling of community and practice of karma yoga and giving back is strongly felt at BaliSpirit Festival. Over USD $100,000 has been raised by BaliSpirit Festival for its annual outreach programs and partner charities which includes environmental conservation, multi-cultural and performing arts education, healthcare and HIV & AIDS awareness. The scenery and overall environment of Bali makes it a perfect destination for attendees to deepen their understanding and transform their yoga practice and way of living, whilst knowing their actions are making a difference in giving back to Bali and Balinese communities. Over the last 10 years, BaliSpirit Festival has continued to grow and now attracts approximately 7000 people from over 50 different countries each year to Ubud, Bali. Past BaliSpirit Festival attendees have described their experience as ‘life changing’, ‘uplifting’ and ‘inspirational’. BaliSpirit Festival attendees connect to themselves and each other through yoga, meditation, movement and breathwork in a safe community of likeminded people. BaliSpirit Festival provides transformational and spiritually enhancing experiences for attendee’s year after year. BALISPIRIT FESTIVAL FORMAT There are over 200 workshops in yoga, healing, personal development seminars, music, dance throughout the week and a range of different tickets to choose, from 1-day Spirit Pass to the all inclusive weekly Abundance Pass. Yoga styles include: Vinyasa, Yin, Ashtanga, Jivamukti, Acro, Hatha, Power, Children’s Yoga, Laughter Yoga and many more… Monday April 2nd – Special events and the opening party Tuesday April 3rd through Saturday April 7th: Daytime programming of yoga, meditation, dance, seminars and breathwork workshops between 7am and 6pm. Followed by Bhakti night music performances until 10pm. Sunday April 8th: Community day (for kids and family) followed by the magical closing party. PRESENTERS AT BALISPIRIT FESTIVAL 2018 BaliSpirit Festival attracts a large number of world-class yoga teachers, healers, breathwork and movement facilitators from all over the globe to share their knowledge and practice. Full daytime line-up will be released soon, the current line-up for BaliSpirit Festival 2018 can be found here. CONFIRMED HEADLINERS FOR BALISPIRIT FESTIVAL 2018: Dana Trixie Flynn (Laughing Lotus Yoga Founder) Janet Stone, Danny Paradise Tymi Howard, Duncan Wong, Petros Haffenrichter and over 50 more MUSICIANS AT BALISPIRIT FESTIVAL Our music line-up will feature established conscious-festival headliners, authentic world music masters, and up-and-coming underground artists. Headline musicians for Bhakti night concerts will be revealed soon. As we move into our 11th year, we’re happy to announce that BaliSpirit Festival’s day-time and night-time events will finally be unified in the same venue! We aim to create a seamless experience with less travel between locations and more time to relax and enjoy the good vibes and great music – Rob Weber, BaliSpirit Festival Musical Director and Co-Founder Our commitment to the environment and the people of Bali is not just in our message, but in our action as well – I Made Gunarta, Festival Co-Founder and Cultural Liaison The unifying principle is simple: BaliSpirit’s artists are inspired by a higher power and transmit that love through their music. Expect uplifting, inspiring concerts charged with love and positivity – Rob Weber, BaliSpirit Festival Musical Director Check the program out and buy your tickets at www.balispiritfestival.com 

The post BaliSpirit Festival 2018 appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

The BaliSpirit Festival embodies the core mantra of Balinese Hinduism – Tri Hita Karana – to live in harmony with our spiritual, social, and natural environments. Through the traditions of yoga, dance, healing and world music, the BaliSpirit Festival attracts over 7000 people from all over the world every year. The 5-day, 7-night Festival offers you a wide range of events to choose from between 8am – 11pm each day over 1 week, from April 2 – 8, 2018.       On offer are: interactive workshops & seminars, a lively community market & healing center, a children’s activity zone, yoga classes and vibrant night time programs of live Bhakti music concerts, ecstatic dance and DJs, set among the picturesque rice-fields of Ubud, Bali. Explore BaliSpirit Festival 2018 line-up on http://www.balispiritfestival.com – please note that everything is subject to change and they are still adding more presenters so check back regularly for updates.

The post BaliSpirit Festival 2018 appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

BaliSpirit Festival is a Global Celebration of Yoga, Dance & Music, located in Ubud, Bali at March 19 until March 26, 2017. Over 200 different daytime workshops, events and local delicacy were presented. Attendees can freely move between an unlimited number of workshops and events. Workshops and events range from yoga classes, health seminars, sound healing, meditation and music performances from leading teachers, artists and presenters from all around the world. For the day session, the BaliSpirit Festival is held at the Bhanuswari Resort, a 10 minute drive from Ubud center, while for the evening session the events of Bhakti Night and One World One Stage will be held at ARMA where music and diversity are celebrated. On 23th of March, BaliSpirit held a press conference about community. The conference discussed about how we – as part of our community – engage on developing and empowering the community, so we can independently be the agent of change. Communities invited to the discussion were Bali ReGreen represented by Kadek Gunarta, Ayo! Kita Bicara HIV & AIDS represented by Raka Sutariyani, and TRI Handkerchief represented by Ben the founder who, amazingly, happens to be a 14 years old boy. All three presenters are true examples of how community can create a better way of living, transform how people think and, most importantly, inspire people to do something better for their life. At Bali Regreen, Kadek Gunarta and all member of his community use bamboos to empower people so they can live more prosperously without forgetting the ecology aspect. At Ayo! Kita Bicara HIV & AIDS, Raka and all of the members of Ayo! encourage young people to speak louder about HIV&AIDS so the awareness about this phenomenon can wide-spread. Ben with his TRI Handkerchief is trying to get people to stop using paper towels and tissues, finding a more sustainable solution to drying their hands or blowing their noses. Ben explained that rainforests are being illegally cleared and burned in Indonesia partly by companies that make paper. “People just keep on consuming and wasting paper products without thinking of the impact. Humans and animals are dying because of the bad air from the fires, and orang-utans are rapidly losing their habitat.”  That is why Ben is proposing an alternative that will help save orang-utans and the forests they live in: handkerchiefs. Last but not least, stay positive, spread the love, be inspired and be the light to your community! BaliSpirit Festival 2017 bigger than ever  

The post Be inspired at BaliSpirit Festival appeared first on Asian Itinerary.

Taking place on March 19th to March 26th 2017 and celebrating its 10th anniversary, BaliSpirit Festival is now one of the longest yoga festival in the world, and will be back bigger than ever! To mark its 10th year in the running, BaliSpirit Festival, a global celebration of Yoga, Dance and World Music, has introduced a range of extensions to its programme to make the experience at the Festival even more special and life-changing. BaliSpirit Festival is a global celebration of Yoga, Dance and World Music offering rejuvenation and inspiration to all participants and providing over 200 daily classes in yoga, meditation, healing, dance and music along with seminars focusing on health, spirituality and personal development. The new extended programme includes five days of group wellness classes, an extra community day and seven nights of music programme which now makes BaliSpirit Festival one of the longest yoga festival globally. In addition to the main programme the festival will also offer a range of extra Special Events at stunning venues around Ubud. In order to allow for even more people to come and join the celebration, new types of festival passes have been introduced for 2017 in addition to the usual ones: Abundance Pass: comfort at both festival venues, priority shuttle, full inclusion of everything on offer, priority booking for Special Events Teenager Pass: enjoy the benefits of the Full Pass at significant discount for teenagers (only $250); perfect for families. 5-Day Community Pass: gives access to Dharma Fair at daytime, community classes, daytime and night time music stage. Perfect for those who don’t wish to participate in the full range of yoga classes but want to enjoy the music and the overall festival vibe. Taking place at the beautiful new venue introduced last year, Bhanuswari Resort and Spa, the place offers a spectacular backdrop for your spiritual practices and festival entertainment, surrounded by rice fields, beautiful river views and lush tropical vegetation. The festival brings together dozens of top international performers and world-class musicians, attracting a truly global audience to the annual event. The 2016 BaliSpirit Festival was a huge success with over 1,500 attendees each day coming from over 40 countries, uniting together in a global celebration of dance, music, yoga and healing. The year 2017 sees another sensational line up of Yoga instructors, Healers, Dancers and Musicians (full line-up to be announced). Along with the myriad of workshops offered, the daytime event features a Dharma Fair for those who want to indulge in a little conscious shopping!  Featuring the Healing Huts area, Kids Zone, healthy, local organic food stalls and the Coco-Love Stage showcasing World music throughout the daytime festival, you’ll love the truly dynamic and engaging festival vibe. Additionally, BaliSpirit Festival‘s devotional Bhakti Nights and its vibrant ‘One World One Stage’ night concerts, provide a vast diversity of performers across 2 stages over 5 nights, featuring over 100 extraordinary international performers committed to delivering inspiring messages through their music. Participants have described BaliSpirit Festival as a ‘life changing experience’, ‘inspirational’ and having ‘being positively impacted by the festival’s blend of energy, passion, personal awakening, social consciousness and high quality entertainment’. To purchase your ticket, please visit: http://www.balispiritfestival.com/tickets View images of the 2016 Festival here: http://www.balispiritfestival.com/gallery/2016  Additional Information:   Website: www.balispiritfestival.com General Information: info@balispiritfestival.com Media enquiries: media@balispiritfestival.com  Facebook: www.facebook.com/BaliSpiritFestival Twitter: https://twitter.com/balispiritfest Instagram: https://instagram.com/balispiritfest

The post BaliSpirit Festival 2017 bigger than ever appeared first on Asian Itinerary.