Eco-cup

I’ve never been on a skateboard in my life. Ok, maybe once, sitting and racing across a parking lot while a friend pushed. But I just got a whole new respect for skateboarding as a sport and an art form. Even if you’re not a fan of skateboarding, I suggest everyone take a walk near the Eco-Cup skate ramp. There’s a highway overpass next to the ramp and so far, every skater I’ve seen has jumped higher than the overpass. Contemplate the height of that for a second. Scroll back up to that first picture for a second and contemplate.

Fan-freaking-tastic people. The skater starts at the top of the ramp near the tree tops. The TREE TOPS. And here’s a random pic of someone pulling off a cool jump:

The Harmony Festival 2009 Speaker Lineup

We have a great speaker lineup this year...

Caroline Casey has been dubbed "a Visionary Activist Astrologer, devoted to the principle that Imagination lays the tracks for the Reality Train to follow." Those familiar the The Secret and the Law of Attraction will find her perspective helpful for manifesting dreams into reality. She hosts the Visionary Activist radio show which can be heard live on the web, by going to www.KPFA.org at 2pm PT on Thursdays.



Eco-activist and neo-Pagan author Starhawk has authored many books including The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess, long considered the essential text for the Neo-Pagan movement, and the now-classic ecotopian novel The Fifth Sacred Thing. Starhawk's newest book is The Earth Path: Grounding Your Spirit in the Rhythms of Nature.



Founders of the Agape spiritual community, the Rev. Michael and Rickie Byars Beckwith bring a message of a vision of a trans-denominational spiritual community whose doors are open to all seekers in search of authentic spirituality, personal transformation and selfless service to humankind. In his own words, “My aspiration is that every individual who is touched by the vibration of Agape is inspired to cultivate a heart of love as wide as the world."



Daniel Pinchbeck is the author of several books including most recently, 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, which examines possibilities of the meaning of ancient prophecies. Daniel will be a major player in Transforming Through 2012, and hosts a social network known as Evolver.net, which provides people and organizations a forum for conscious interaction.



Organic and living food nutrition expert David Wolfe will be discussing nutrition from the benefits of cacao to raw foods.

It's That Time Again...Harmony Festival 2009 Is Just Around The Corner

The first round of the performer lineup has been confirmed, along with the speakers and a theme for this year's festival, "From the Roots Up."

Our hottest headliners are Michael Franti & Spearhead, India.Arie, CAKE and Matisyahu. Exciting new developments in the emerging revolution in consciousness will be brought to light by astrologer Caroline Casey, Michael & Rickie Beckwith (from 'The Secret'), and 2012 researcher and author Daniel Pinchbeck. Note: This is only a partial list, and more will be featured in the next blog entry.

To counter-balance the "Top Down" approach that has brought us tough economic times, "From The Roots Up" spotlights the ingenuity and achievement of creative individuals and encourages networking and the exchange of ideas for a sustainable future. This means YOU! Stay tuned for ways to participate and get recognition.

For those that are unfamiliar with any of our headliners, I dug up some jumpin' performance footage (Youtube shorts from other venues). Here's Michael Franti:



Check out India Arie:



"Oh Yeah! I've heard that song." Well, here's CAKE!



Ethiopian Hassidic beatbox freestyler Matisyahu:



More to come. See you there!

John Courage

I keep finding great things in my camera that I forgot to write about yesterday. This is John Courage (the curly haired one) and he put on a great show. The music is original folksy western swing which was definitely a different sound from a lot of what I heard this weekend. John has a superb voice and an excellent lyrical style.



http://www.myspace.com/johncourage

Ron the Magician

Friday night as I stood around waiting for the boyfriend to conquer the men's room line, I saw a magician walking up to various folks in the crowd performing silly tricks using LED lights and occasionally creating small puffs of fire. This is Ron. I saw Ron again on Sunday while I was wandering between stages, this time onstage in the Magical Playground. His magic show has a great deal of community involvement and really seemed to keep the audience amused if not entranced, kids and adults alike.

Women's Council of Elders

I'm pretty sure I got this one right, the Women's Council of Elders was on the Goddess stage providing us with a taste of many different cultures, singing selections from various lands. Today's schedule seemed to be off based on hitting a few different stages and not seeming to be able to find the folks that were set to be on. It was still a lot of fun though and gave me a chance to go wander around and see what was happening in other areas of the festival

JGB

JGB featuring Melvin Seals kicked off the day
with "The Gospel According to Jerry". Starting out with some funk-filed gospel and winding through other favorites, JGB got the day started by getting everyone up and moving. I had to find some shade after this show so I could cool down from dancing. It was a hot one out there today!

My favorite part of festivals...the spontaneous drum circle

While I was perusing the food vendors for a tasty lunch treat, I came across a drum circle. Well, more like a drum triangle as pictured.















When I happened by about three hours later, this group had grown like crazy and was seriously rocking out! Assuming you can actually hear the audio that follows (or go check it out at http://harmonyfestival.blogspot.com/), you'll see what I mean. I just love the fact that a group of total strangers with different backgrounds and skill levels can come together and improvise such an amazing performance.

Dr Solar and the Magical Playground

The kiddie area of the festival, the Magical Playground, hasn't gotten the attention it deserves in blogland. To be honest, I was cutting through looking for a bathroom that didn't have a billion people in line as Kat mentioned earlier. When I was cutting though I came across the scene in the image; loads of little kids crowded around a gypsy-style trailer. Well, technically it was a scene like five minutes before, but you get the idea. The reason for this crowd is Dr Solar and his "Good Time, Sunshine, Traveling Medicine Show". I haven't seen someone with a presence like his in a long time, let alone real life. So if you're tired of beer, not feeling the artist on the main stage, whatever, go check out the Magical Playground and maybe they'll let you join in on a craft session or two.

The Devil Makes Three

The Devil Makes Three rocked as always with their combo of folk, bluegrass, and this amazing vibe that makes you feel like you just woke up on the barroom floor... again. Despite the feedback-inducing ghost haunting Cooper's guitar, the bloody nose, and a snapped banjo string, the show was excellent in all ways. A huge crowd gathered at the People's Stage and though there weren't a majority dancing, those that were were in it with zeal. The frontman was taking suggestions for the set-list and certainly didn't let the crowd down. We heard some old favorites and some new destined-to-be hits. I've been keeping an eye on this trio for a few years now, and they just keep getting bigger and better.

Lovelutions with Fantuzzi

Take one part jam band...well maybe two or three, mix in a little salsa, and a shake of tribal sounds and you've got Lovelutions with Fantuzzi. If you want to dance, the Goddess Stage seems to be the place to come shake it.

http://www.fantuzzimusic.com/

Mayan Self-Care for Women with Madeleina Boldue

During this session in the Lotus Tent, Madeleina gets the ladies in touch with their feminine side with the ultimate goal of recentering yourself. And I mean that in the most literal sense, she instructs on the hows and whys of adjusting your own uterus. Taught as a self-healing tool, this is a common practice in Mayan culture where midwives "recenter" you to help deal with issues from PMS to disorientation to pain. If you're interested in instruction, Madeleina can be found practicing this as well as herbalism and other Mayan cultural healing techniques in Berkeley.

Galaxy Glider

Have $10 burning a hole in your pocket? Looking for a high? Check out the Galaxy Glider, a huge metal functional art piece that takes you on quite a ride. This piece is located smack in the middle of the Healing Sanctuary. A sacred space is created, the traveler lays in a basket surrounded by caretakers, the traveler and musician are linked via a set of headphones and you're off!

Mickey Hart Band

All hail the greatness that is Mickey Hart. Former drummer for the Grateful Dead, Mickey certainly didn't stop when Jerry passed. He just kept on going and growing as an artist and a hugely influential being. The show last night on the main stage was impressive; I have never seen such a large percussion section in a rock band. And did it ever rock! Music ranged from new covers of Grateful Dead songs to amazing drum solos. The crowd was moving with the beat and happy to have a way to keep warm! If you go to the fest tonight, bring your favorite hoodie and maybe throw some socks under those sandals to keep your feet warm. ;)

Suzanne Sterling

It's unfortunate that the press booth never quite got setup yesterday. Because I didn't get to tell you about the sheer awesome-ness that is Suzanne Sterling. Playing on the Goddess Stage is exactly the right place for this band, as they combined music, beauty, and amazing instrumentation for a show that had people dancing and cheering. Plus, the main singer, who I assume to be Suzanne, plays a sort of table accordian, which my fellow blogger Mister Bean can probably put a name to. (edit: Mr Bean rightly named this as a harmonium)

Hopi Snake Ceremony with the Cousins from Hawaii

Radford, the Hopi Snake priest was called back home, but his adopted cousins from Hawaii filled his place. We became the snakes, our spines our consciousness twisting and writhing in accord with those around us.

There were two major messages that came out of this session. The first came through a Healing Ceremony where you are lead through the process of forgiving yourself and those in your life that need forgiveness. Letting go of the stress and the anger; filling the void with white light and love.

The second message came through a ceremony borrowed from the native Hawaiians; reminding ourselves of the connection that exists between us all. This came in a very physical sense; you touched your partner's heart, feel the rhythm of their breathing and the flow of the earth coming through your feet and out your upraised hands. Touch is something reserved in our society and generally frowned upon. This lack of physical connection allows our minds to forget the connections that run between us all.
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Part of this connection is being here, now; aware of those around you and aware of yourself. Replaying the "old tapes" the negative memories causes a further disconnect and this is what we must try to avoid. So enjoy yourself, whether you're here at the Harmony Fest or at home. Enjoy yourself, enjoy your family, and remember to just be.

Prana Flow Yoga w/Shiva Rea

Parked the RV, acquired your pass, and ready to get right into the Harmony Spirit? Prana Flow Yoga with Shiva Rea is an excellent way to start! Look for the big white dome that is the Earth Temple, come in, take off your shoes, and get ready to de-stress. Everyone from yoga newbies to instructors are benefiting from this calming and strengthening activity. Shiva's voice and music lead you through instruction. Look for her throughout the fest as she is teaching yoga throughout the weekend.