Bali Spirit Fest 2019!
Cover Photo By Wari Om
By Courtney Alex Aldor
Well I wasn’t going to go to Bali Spirit Festival this year. When friends reached out about it, I’d pretty much decided I’d had enough yoga, qigong, meditation, spirituality and healing practices to last the rest of the decade. But when a friend messaged me and told me he’d gotten ‘music only’ tickets and actually quite inexpensive ones for the incredible lineup they had, I decided I couldn’t not go. Because what is it that I truly get out of conscious festivals? And Bali itself, really? Well, aside from a super fun experience, it’s connecting with like-minded people, and always meeting new friends. It’s the reminder that even when I think I’m the only one who can’t live without hugs, will invite friends over just for good cuddle time and smiles, there are tons out there like me who are just the same.
And of course, the music was epic. From musicians I’d never seen before like Giselle World wailing on her flute, with Maninas Da Lua, a bunch of badass Afro-Brazilian drum-playing mamas to Matiu Te Huki, a New Zealand Maori tribesman who performed an entrancing ancient warrior dance for us to musicians I know and love, like Porangui, DJ Dragonfly and more. There were tons of local Balinese dancers and musicians like Atira Sajrina and Eka Sabeh as well as local ex-pats like Ryan Whitewolf and Anna-Maria, Noelani Love and Yujoi, a sweet little duo who played some beautiful tunes together even though they’d only just met on stage.
There were cacao ceremonies and pool-side dance parties, massages and healing services of course, all set in a beautiful but also easily accessible jungle of Southern Ubud. And then there’s Bali. Oh, Bali. What can be said about the magic of togetherness, the creative cauldron of this place, and the interesting people it attracts? Words can’t describe it, actually. Guess you’ll just have to come and see for yourselves.
To learn more about Bali Spirit Festival visit: www.balispiritfestival.com.
