Wanderlust: a yoga and music festival - but also so, so much more.
Dancing. Meditation. Local and sustainable eats. Trail runs. Bungee jumping. Horseback riding. Hiking. Happy hours. Surfing. Speakeasies. The list goes on...
When I signed up for my first Wanderlust festival in Aspen-Snowmass, these were the types of things that drew me in - that and the opportunity to see old friends and meet new ones (not to mention all of the awesome Instagram material to follow...) When I went to sign up for my second festival in Great Lake Taupo, New Zealand, it was for all of the same reasons. There's something irresistible about the experience of being surrounded by like-minded people for a long weekend of mindfulness, moving and grooving.
So picture this: after a fun, playful, soul-filled class led by Jason Te Patu and Duncan Peak, a class of 100+ yogis gathered around in a huge heap of sweaty goodness - myself included. With our hands placed on the backs of our neighbor's hearts, we found ourselves intertwined in a web of pure light and love (not that we aren't always all connected, but you know what I mean). There's something so deeply profound about feeling the heartbeat and breath of another human being - I've never felt so alive, so vulnerable. We sat there on the floor chanting our mantra, eyes closed, but souls wide open. And once the chanting came to an end, we sat in silence for a moment - oh, what a sacred moment. No one was looking at me, but I felt seen. No one was speaking, but I felt heard. Even though I was thousands of miles away from my family, it felt like home. It was such a gift to feel a part of something bigger than myself - bigger than all of us, really. I practically floated out of the room after that transcendent experience.
Photo by Ali Kaukas
When I sat down to journal about my second Wanderlust experience, this was the first thing that came to mind when my pen hit paper. I got out of my head and into my heart, and the words started flowing. When I finished and went to reread, I realized that everything I had taken away from this four-day extravaganza had to do with people - the sense of community and the way-past-the-surface-level-connections, the big bear hugs and even bigger belly laughs, the eye contact and the highest of vibrations.
So, when the time rolls around for me to sign up for a third time, it won't be because of the farm-to-table dinners or the stand-up paddle boarding yoga classes - those are more just like an added bonus moving forward. I'll keep coming back time and time again to cultivate deep-rooted connections and to feel the gratitude, joy, and pleasure in being apart of such an extraordinary experience.