Loose Leaf Notes

-The following first appeared (with a varied spread of pictures) in The Floyd Press on September 6, 2018.

The theme of the 7^th annual Floyd Yoga Jam, “Illumination,” was incorporated into the festival’s opening ceremony midday on Friday, August 31.  Facilitated by ceremonialist/herbalist Katherine Chantal it incorporated Acro Yogis in poses, the lighting of lanterns, a guided meditation and written prayers that were put into a prayer drum to be spun throughout the weekend.

The sun shone more than the rain fell, but rain (sometimes in torrents) was an integral part of this year’s four-day festival, featuring Yoga, Music, Art and Community on Burnette Farm in Willis.

A double rainbow was captured by some photographers on Saturday afternoon. A fiery sunset filled the sky that same evening, and the closing ceremony on Sunday included a bonfire.

Lullaby, Laughter, Revival, Lucid Dreams, Super Hero School, Taming the Mind, and Yoga for Recovery were some of the Yoga practice themes offered in classes.

Acro Yoga, which combines yoga and acrobatics and is practiced with a partner, was popular with Yogajammers. Children’s Yoga offerings included Robot Yoga.  An interactive Puppet Show and a Suitcase DJ were big hits with kids.

Plant Walks, a Labyrinth, Mandala Art, Meditation, Fire Performances and Poetry at the Tea Shanti Speakeasy Tent were some of the festival offerings that contributed to the mix of weekend highlights.

Genres of the music performed included Space Age Folk Wave, Progressive Americana, Folk Flamenco, Hip Hop, Roots Rock, Reggae, Funk, Soul, Indian Classical and Devotional.

Musical talents from Floyd were showcased and included Richie and the Wildlife, Nianng and the Land of Joy, Music Road, Morgan Wade and the Stepbrothers, Seph Custer, The Wildmans, Jam Sandwich and more.

Other headliners included Wah!, Wayne Henderson and Helen White, The Get Right Band, Dangermuffin, Oddisse & Good Company, Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band.

Speakers included Jeff Tiebout on The Nature of Illumination using sacred literature, David Rodwell of the Climate Reality Project, Sitar and Tabla musician Ustad Shafaat Khan on the spiritual and devotional aspect of Indian music and more.

Arts Vendors, Food Vendors, Merchandise Vendors, a People’s Park and Non-profit booths rounded out the scene.

First-time Yoga Jam attendee Sean Kitson said, “I didn’t know what to expect, adding that “the people have been great and so friendly.”  Kitson came from Durham, NC, with his girlfriend, a member of the Global Breath Yoga Studio.  “I’ll be back,” he said. – Colleen Redman

A few more photos and captions follow.

Yoga teacher Dana Flynn played music by Aretha Franklin during her class on Sunday.  “Lean into the love,” the Flow Yogi told students.

Yoga Jam co-founder Shirleyann Burgess stops to pose with a festival volunteer.

Floyd’s Mystic Witches Yoga incorporated a “Do the Hocus Pocus” dance with poses.   The witches’ performances raise money for local charities.

Mara Robbins poses with a community flag representing waterways in the region. The 1000 Flags / 1000 Waters project flags flew in the Art Village. Learn more at waterflags.org.

Flirting with Chemicals played at the Boogie Down Tent and was made up of a constellation of local musicians. You know who you are!

Acro Yoga and cheerleading teacher Robert Lu has taken on a challenge of lifting 10,000 people around the world with Acro Yoga.   Li went to college with Ryan Turman, whose family owns the property of the Yoga Jam site and is one of the festival sponsors. Li has lifted people in Chicago, Miami, Philadelphia, New York, Florida, and now Virginia. Here, he is lifting massage therapist Elisha Reygle in the festival Yoga Lounge.

See you next year!  / Our World Tuesday