Loose Leaf Notes

At the 12th annual Floyd Yoga Jam, life-passages officiant Katherine Chantal opened the festival with the traditional opening ceremony, bringing attendees together to set the sacred and joyful intent for the four-day festival of yoga, wellness workshops, music, dance, art, children’s activities and camping in the great outdoors. Watch HERE.

The Theme this year is Tranceformation.

The weather couldn’t be more perfect.

Part of the Opening Ceremony, included passing the Yoga Jam torch from Yoga Jam founder and 11-year director Shirley Ann Burgess to new owners Elaine Braley and Katie Turman. Katie is the daughter-in-law of the Turman family, whose have provided land and festival infrastructure, which is why we say ‘it’s all in the family.’  Back in 2005 Elaine owned a Salon and Day Spa, which I wrote about for The Floyd Press HERE.

The torch was actually water, taken from the Greasy Creek that runs along the Yoga Jam site. There was also some water in the variety of tears for this moving ritual.

Honoring the change of hands holding Yoga Jam was followed by Kirtan music and Dances of Universal Peace, shared by Bhaki Kulani, a Floyd County-based kirtan band.

“For over a decade Floyd Yoga Jam has brought a four-day music, yoga, dance, and art festival to Southwest Virginia. We offer an impressive variety of music from Kirtan to late-night DJs.  Four massive yoga tents offer around the clock classes and workshops.  Numerous food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, teachers and healers complete the Karma Culture community.  Held every Labor Day Weekend FYJ includes camping, yoga classes and a healing village located near a meandering creek, nestled in the Blue Ridges mountains, “ reads the festival’s website.

After the ceremony, we enjoyed some local Chantal artisan coffee.

Followed by food, libations, friendship and music at the Dance Hall Tent.

And of course some main stage dancing (Yam Yam).

Some of us attended Chakra Dance Yoga at the Brahma Nirvana tent with Kat Harman.

She led the yogis (watch for some familiar faces) in a Soul Train Dance Line, among other things.

There’s always time for hammock time along the creek.

And visiting friends who are vending their art.

I’m always up for some night life.

Especially if it involves a light show.

And this was just Thursday, the warm-up 1:00 opening.

The festival is in full swing with Friday, Saturday and Sunday still to go. Four day general passes are $200 but one day tickets are also available at the gate. Katherine Chantal and I will be reading poetry at the Yoga Jam Tea Shanti on Saturday at 1:45 and our books are available at the Merch Tent.

I have written extensively about Floyd Yoga Jam over the years. You can type in “Floyd Yoga Jam” on the sidebar to the right and see festival posts over the years. HERE is the first story that came out in 2012 in The Floyd Press.