Amisha Ghadiali At BaliSpirit Fest This Year

By Autumn Feldmeier

The BaliSpirit Festival is happening April 2nd - April 8th of this year and we can not wait to go! One of the things I love about this festival, is that their mission is to fully embody the traditional philosophy of island life on Bali Tri Hita Karana. Tri Hita Karana literally translates to the "three causes of well-being" or "three reasons for prosperity." The three causes are: harmony among people, harmony with nature or environment and harmony with God.

Through the traditions of yoga, dance, healing and world music, the BaliSpirit Festival attracts over 7000 people from all over the world every year. Last year, I had the pleasure of attending and I was struck by the lush surroundings, cultural awareness and community outreach. They have partnerships with AYO! Kita Bicara HIV & AIDS , the Bali ReGreen bamboo reforestation program and Yayasan Kryasta Guna, a social entrepreneurship movement. 

This year, before heading over to Bali, I was lucky enough to interview one of the main speakers, Amisha Ghadiali. I learned about her projects, her passions, and what we can expect to hear from her seminars at BaliSpirit Fest.

I was drawn to Amisha because she has a passion for sustainable fashion, politics and yoga so I had to ask her, how does it all intersect?

For me the intersection of these worlds was very natural! I believe in the care of humanity and the environment. I have an interest in what we are creating as humanity and that coupled with my interest in creative expression and in knowing and caring for myself it led me down these different explorations. I found the places where these worlds collide such as the sustainable fashion movement which I was a big part of.  

Amisha believes it is important have alignment between style and the awareness of the ethical footprint fashion creates in the world. She has been part of the ethical/eco/sustainable movement for all over a decade and her work continues to move forward.

How do you connect it all?

I believe that these silos that we live in is part of the issue. We have a society that tends to be fragmented. I like to weave different areas together because this is what can lead us to a more integrated whole way of being. That's actually why I have started my podcast The Future Is Beautiful. I weave together politics, spirituality, creativity and sustainability. I interview people whose work and life is challenging the dominant story and creating a more beautiful future. Each week I alternate between a male and female guest. You can listen in here.

When I first started researching Amisha, I have to admit I was a bit overwhelmed. She seems to be everywhere doing everything! I had to ask her, how can an average yogi like me tackle these large issues?

It's about starting somewhere but first you need to know what your values are! In my book The Future If Beautiful, I actually have a list of questions for people to ask themselves to help people find out what their values are. There is so much in the world that needs to be done, it can feel like there is too much and that it's hard to get started. When you pick one or two things you are going to give your attention to, get educated on the issues that relate to them and the you can can start taking action. And, this is how it starts. 

Where does yoga fit into all this?

Of course you need to also look at yourself and your sub conscious patterning. How can you clear up your relationship with yourself, as it's this on a collective scale that makes the world what it is today. 

When I asked her for final words of inspiration, her answer made me more even more excited to hear her speak in Bali Spirit Fest. Here is what Amisha had to say:

Rise up and do what we can, live with integrity. Find your voice. Speak your truth. Embody your values.

If you focus on your spirituality and avoid being an activist in the world it can be very narcissistic. And likewise activism without deep grounding of the self can mean you are projecting a lot and can essentially do more harm than good. 

To learn more about Amisha Ghadiali, visit amisha.co.uk. 
To get your tickets to BaliSpirt Fest, visit balispiritfestival.com.

See you all in Bali!