Festival yoga

I’ve been rummaging around in my storage boxes, looking for legwarmers; essential festival wear when it comes to yoga.

My teaching career begun at festivals, as a dedicated student I would practice daily in the morning quiet, often beside the canvas geo-dome that is my live-work structure, perhaps in a communal workspace. My face became familiar and eventually I was asked to teach.

What a wonderful experience it is! One is most often teaching from a temporary space, large structures with hand hewn wooden frames, covered in brightly coloured canvas. The floor, that is to say the earth, is pleasingly solid yet decidedly lumpy, it may be covered with tarps and rugs which adds to the uneven character.

Situated within the Healing Area of most events there is usually a pleasant soundtrack of didgeridoo, chimes, chanting or singing, however during large events the amplified music from the sound stages does tend to dominate: Last year I gave a session at Download, the heavy metal event at Castle Donington. Needless to say my usual suggestions to fall still and quiet seemed rather pointless as Zebrahead raged in the background.

Students are a highly diverse bunch, a mixture of serious yogis, first timers, children as well as those who have drifted in to see what’s going on. Sessions are generally free which allows for experimentation, most events will host at least two or three styles. It is entirely possible to turn Buddhafield or the Big Green Gathering into an eco yoga vacation, combining any number of classes between dawn and dusk with therapies, sauna and vegetarian food.

I love the randomness and unpredictability of festivals, especially the smaller events on the alternative festival circuit. A chicken wanders in from the horse drawn camp during meditation, a violent downpour ends and a rainbow appears, a bluegrass ensemble give an impromptu set across the way. It feels good to take my practice into this lively creative arena and offer a soothing counterpoint to the hectic stimulation of the event.

Join me for yoga in summer 2009 at the Sunrise Celebration, Buddhafield, the Healing Field Gathering and more…