Gaia Festival & Retreat, Community News

Save the Date Please mark May 16-18, 2008 on your calendars for next year's Gaia Festival & Retreat. May 16th - Evening Music & Dance Performances (TBD) May 17-18th - Retreat & Festival Temescal Gateway Park, Pacific Palisades, CA Registration begins January 2008 I have approached a few people to act as main presenters for Gaia Festival 2008 and am waiting to hear back. I will send out another email to announce the exciting news. I expect to hear back by August. Gaia Festival West Coast is now accepting proposals for community-based workshops until August 20, 2007. We are offering the Workshop Presenter Pass as a "Work Exchange" for full attendance to the festival for $110. If your workshop is chosen, you will be required to exchange up to 2 hours of time (teaching or otherwise presenting) for the Workshop Presenter Pass. The rest of the weekend is yours to do with as you please. You must also provide your own materials for attendee use at your workshop. If you have a workshop idea, please send me: Name of workshop Additional costs that will be paid by attendees (materials fee, etc) Brief description (100 words or less if possible) Your brief bio and any links if you have them A digital photo (attached to this email) Also, we're looking for healers- to work for a Healers Pass. Its the same idea as the Presenters Pass, volunteering 2 hours of their time giving mini-healing sessions in the Healers Area. The price of the healer's pass is $110. This year we will be assembling board members from the Gaia Festival community to vote on which workshops will be included in 2008's festival and to assist with planning. There is also a tentative plan to include a concert and performance the evening of May 16th. If you are interested in performing please send a tape or video of yourself and a description of your performance. Gaia Festival Community Calendar July 2007 07/11/07 Frame Drum Workshop with Miranda Rondeau 8:pm-9:30pm $20 for women & men Learn to play on of the oldest instruments in the world. It was used for  rites of passage, celebration, creating sacred space and communal bonding. Prema Darshan Yoga (home studio) Termino Ave/2nd St Long Beach,CA 90803 contact: mirandasmuse@yahoo.com http:myspace.com/mirandarondeau (562)925-0457 07/13/07 Divine Union of Body and Soul with Aparecida & Christo Pellani Live Music and Ecstatic Dance Celebration 9 pm $15 at door Get lucky on Friday the 13 Dance with your Beloved partner within to the amazing soundscapes of Christo Pellani Sacred Belly Dance performance and guided movement meditation by Aparecida Come ready to dance, sweat, pray, and feel the sensuous union of your own divine body and soul Earth and Sky Lodge 5521 S. Grosvenor Blvd. LA, CA 90066 Aparecida bodyprayer@gmail.com www.bodyprayer.blogspot.com 323-868-7491 Christo christodrums@soundformation.com www.soundformation.com 310-578-5174 7/21/07 Karen Tate Presents A Lecture and Slide Presentation Pagan Paris & Sacred Feminine at the Louvre Museum Magdalene Cultural Center - No. Hollywood A Mid-Summer's Magickal Eve A night of soaring, transcendent music, song, storytelling in a magical garden setting. Vendors, artist displays, healing body work, tarot, food and other magical offerings. 6:30-10:00 pm $15 advance, $20 at door Advance tickets available throught www.TheRAY.org Heaven on Earth Foundation - Home Campus 13907 Chandler Drive (at Ranchito Drive) Sherman Oaks Spiritwind Productions is a collaborative production co-op Mary Ellen Edwards, LCSW and The RAY (818) 726-8609,   Windjam989@aol.com, www.TheRAY.org http://www.maryellenedwards.com/ 7/22/07 Isis Birthday Salon and Feast - organized by Karen Tate Marakesh Restaurant Studio City, CA http://www.marrakeshrestaurant.com/client/marrakesh/homepage.htm Here is the menu - Look at the Fassi Dinner http://www.marrakeshrestaurant.com/client/marrakesh/studiocity-menu.htm $35 will cover the cost of gratuity and the meal, except for drinks that are not included with the meal. Please pre-pay for the birthday by 7/15. Make the check payable to, Karen Tate, and mail it to: Karen Tate 2554 Lincoln Boulevard Box 678 Venice, CA 90291 310/450-6661 August 2007 8/18/07 Resonant Voice of the Frame Drum Performance Presentation & Introductory Workshop with Miranda Rondeau & guests 3pm-5pm $20($15 early registration by 8/14) REMO Recreational Music Center 7308 Coldwater Canyon Blvd North Hollywood,Ca. 91605 818/982-0461 The frame drum is one of the oldest instruments in the world. It was used for rites of passage, celebration, creating sacred space and communal bonding. For more Info. contact mirandasmuse@yahoo.com 562/925-0454 8/31/07-9/3/07 Stephanie Hamberger of Gaia Festival and Soul Pilgrim presents, The Enchanted Mountain Goddess Conference Website- www.enchantedgoddesscon.com Camp Allegany, Town of Red House, NY Community-built workshops & ritual amongst the Enchanted Mountains of Allegany State Park. $75 per person- includes 3 nights dormitory-style lodging and breakfast each morning, tea & snacks Workshops include: Huichol Shamanic Journey & Fire Ceremony of Release with HPS Donata Ahern M.S.W., C.H.T. Sunset Yoga & Storytelling at Thunder Rocks Connecting to the Rythm of the Goddess, a Drumming Workshop with Rev. Rebekah Benner Shamanic Healing Waterfall Journey with HPS Donata Ahern, M.S.W., C.H.T. Herb Walk, Wildcrafting and Making a Walking Amulet TO REGISTER: http://soulpilgrim.wufoo.com/forms/enchanted-mountain-conference-registration/ September 2007 09/09/07-10/14/07 Work Study at Esalen Institute Maria Lucia Bittencourt Sauer & Aparecida Sauer A month with sisters Maria Lucia & Aparecida Sauer is for those who would like to release the burdens of the past and open up to more joy, compassion, and love in their lives. The program includes: ecstatic dance for grounding, centering, releasing, opening psychic abilities for healing, and the embodiment of our own divinity; rituals to focus on and manifest our deepest desires; and touch with the loving energy that can heal and uplift. The program offers Spiritual Massage, Brazilian shamanic practices, the ancient art of belly dance, teachings on the Divine Feminine, sacred art, and ecstatic poetry. contact: Aparecida bodyprayer@gmail.com www.bodyprayer.blogspot.com 323-868-7491 9/24/07-10/19/07 West African Roots Presents: Dance, Drum & Yoga Retreat Join us in beautiful, sunny Senegal to experience a holistic, culturally rich and spiritually enlightening workshop. Participate in shamanic drum, dance, yoga & ritual with Senegal's elite instructors, directed by Master Drummer, Dancer & Yogi Ken Doumbia and Naomi Doumbia, Ph.D. African Drum & Dance classes teach jembé, jun-jun and sabar styles. Bihar Yoga classes include pranayamas & asanas with live African drumming. African shamanic healing & divination workshops. Cultural Activities and Festivities, including story telling, rituals, guest artists and visits to artists' families' home fill the evenings and weekends of the workshop. Workshop space is located on beachfront property just outside of Dakar, with double-occupancy rooms. Three meals a day are provided. The total cost for drum, dance and yoga classes, room, board and ground transportation for four weeks is $3,000. Airfare is separate. Group discounts are available. For More Information: africanyogi@hotmail.com December 2007 12/02/07-12/07/07 Spiritual Massage: Lightbody Infusion at Esalen Institute Maria Lucia Bittencourt Sauer & Aparecida Sauer Spiritual Massage is a hands-on healing practice that works directly on the energy body, balancing the chakras, cleansing old thought forms, and gently facilitating release of emotional, physical, and spiritual blockages, allowing for infusion by the Lightbody. Maria Lucia and Aparecida come from a Brazilian family with a multigenerational tradition in shamanic ways and mediumship. In 1979 Maria Lucia came to Esalen and was sponsored by Esalen cofounder Dick Price while she learned Spiritual Massage from Brazilian healer Luiz Gasparetto. This work is accessible to anyone—nurses, bodyworkers, businessmen, therapists, and all those interested in working with energy and people's bodies. contact: Aparecida bodyprayer@gmail.com www.bodyprayer.blogspot.com 323-868-7491 General Announcements Stephanie Hamberger of Gaia Festival & Soul Pilgrim is organizing a sacred pilgrimage to Glastonbury, Cornwall and Dartmoor, England in September 2008. See the Soul Pilgrim website for details: www.soul-pilgrim.com. Karen Tate is organizing a sacred pilgrimage to Paris in May 2008 and another to Turkey in October 2008.  For more information, contact Karen Tate at karentate108@ca.rr.com Reginah E. Perlmutter LCSW, ACSW is a psychotherapist, healer, feng shui master, psychic, hypnotherapist, sacred dance teacher, as well as an animal communicator. Please  go to www.lightonlove.com/healing/ for more information. Reginah provides sage and flower remedies from a sacred mountain in Mexico available for purchase through the mail. Please see above website for more details. Reginah also provides services as an Animal Communicator/Healer available to do house/pet sitting. Excellent references. Will give your pet soo much love. Reginah E. Perlmutter LCSW - (818) 609-0532

Gaia Festival 2007 - A Successful Birthing!

Dear friends,

I thank you from the deepest core of my being for participating in Gaia Festival last weekend. This is our festival and as the years go by, we will welcome many new faces and build our community of soulful healers, artists, scientists, entrepreneurs and teachers.

There are so many moments that I will always carry with me - all of you so generously gave of your time and yourselves.

It truly is a dream come true!

If you attended Gaia Festival, please fill out the survey (will come to you in a separate email) to let us know how to improve the program for next year. Please also send any comments or thoughts to kris@gaiafestival.com.

At the closing ceremony, I pulled this first blessing out of the egg of potential:

"Through our raised awareness and combined effort, no longer shall mankind deem themselves the masters of Nature. Let us be gentle stewards and caretakers. Let there be environmental healing."

And the second blessing I pulled out of the nest of eggs was:

"After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say, "I WANT TO SEE THE MANAGER." ---William Burroughs

I will send a "save the date" invitation with next year's Gaia Festival information soon, once we have the dates reserved with Temescal Gateway Park. Stephanie and I have already started to plan next year's edition, and we are so excited to have had this strong, healthy beginning.

Tamara uploaded her photos of Gaia Festival on the web:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=e762yuk.57sqwkbo&x=0&y=-bnvssl

More photos and video to come later -- thanks to my partner Stephanie and Johnny Brazz of Topanga Magazine.

And be sure to scroll down and check out some announcements from the Gaia Festival community.

Bright Blessings,

Kris Oster
 
.......................................................................................................................................
 
Announcements from the Gaia Festival Community:
 
Temple of the Goddess, Pasadena
http://www.templeofthegoddess.org/home.htm
 
Temple of the Goddess Summer Solstice Celebration
June 23, 2007
6:45 p.m. arrival ~~ Ritual from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church
301 N. Orange Grove Blvd.
Pasadena, CA  91103
.......................................................................................................................................

Aparecida Sauer
po box 26258
Los Angeles, CA
90026
 
bodyprayer@gmail.com
www.bodyprayer.blogspot.com
323-868-7491 
 
Our Healing Tour to Brazil is coming together beautifully! We have only 3 spaces left!!

COST PER PERSON: $1650 - double occupancy 
                                 $1850 - single occupancy

INTERNATIONAL AIRFARE: $965 (all taxes included) through our group discount.   
This airfare is Los Angeles/Rio de Janeiro/Los Angeles. If you are leaving from another city, please call 323-868-7491 or email bodyprayer@gmail.com

PASSPORT: Make sure your passport is valid at least until February 2008

VISA: You need a visa for Brazil. 
 
DEADLINE FOR AIRFARE:
Friday, June 8: $ 965
 
DEADLINE FOR TOUR:
Friday, June 15:
$1650 - double occupancy 
$1850 - single occupancy  
 
I was able to get some good discount fees for airfare and hotels. We have to move quickly now to guarantee those fees, so please note the upcoming dates for deposit and balance.

In Rio, we spend a few days at a beachfront hotel in Ipanema, go to Casa de Padre Pio for Luiz Augusto's wisdom teachings and spiritual healing, experience an authentic Umbanda ceremony, plus great food, music, dance, beach and sightseeing.

We fly to Brasilia, the mystical and futuristic capital of Brazil, and take a bus to Abadiania, where we meet John of God, the famous Brazilian healer.  www.friendsofthecasa.org

In between sessions with John of God, you can go on optional tours for sightseeing, hiking, bathing in waterfalls and shopping for crystals. The whole area is a power spot, set on a bed of crystals deep in the heart of Brazil.
 
Maria Lucia and I will offer group sessions for guidance and integration of the profound spiritual, emotional and physical healing experiences. 
 
Contact Aparecida for more information:
call 323-868-7491 or email bodyprayer@gmail.com.
 
.......................................................................................................................................
 
Karen Tate
 
Saturday, July 21
Magdalene Cultural Center - No. Hollywood
Lecture and Slide Presentation
Pagan Paris & Sacred Feminine at the Louvre Museum

Sunday, July 22
Isis Birthday Salon and Feast
Marakesh Restaurant
Studio City, CA
$35 must be prepaid by 7/15

October......  Sacred Sunday Services begin again.
Interfaith services rooted in the Sacred Feminine, complemented by the Divine Masculine, open to people of all faiths and traditions.

For any information on the above, contact Karen Tate at karentate108@ca.rr.com
 
....................................................................................................................................... 
 
Miranda Rondeau
 
Long Beach WomanSpirit and the Temple of Isis Los Angeles
Present our 2007
 
Summer Solstice Fair
Saturday, June 9th
Unitarian universalist Church
5450 Atherton St
Long Beach,Ca.
 
10am-4pm $ 5 Donation-
Free raffle ticket with admission
 
**VENDORS**
Goddess themed Delights
*
All day Entertainment
12:45 Miranda
**
Hourly raffle
*
FOOD
 
For more info.
www.longbeachwomanspirit.org
www.toila.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Introduction to the Frame Drum
with Miranda Rondeau
For women & men

No drum experience
Wed. June 13th
8pm-9:30

Larisa's Yoga Studio

Long Beach

The frame drum is one of the oldest sacred
 instruments in the world. In the ancient cultures of
the Meditaerranean, the frame drum was used for religious
functions, rites of passage, and communal bonding.

 In this workshop we will learn in the upright position,playing with our hands. We will learn to play
the basic strokes and sounds of the drum, combine different rhythm and stroke combinations, and weave in the symbology and intention behind the drum strokes.
Frame drums  provided.
 RSVP  mirandasmuse@yahoo.com
562)0457

 ....................................................................................................................................... 
 
 Joan Norton
 
Joan sends her thanks to everyone who attended her Mary Magdalene workshop at Gaia Festival.  If you want to stay in touch with Joan email her at  JNorton4@socal.rr.com.
 
Summer Solstice.... an equilibrium moment of the
earth's spiritual energies.
Could there be a better expression of the equilibrium
of Sacred Union ?
 
The Magdalene Circle meets Sunday June 10  1:30-3:00 this month, because the 17th is so popular for graduations.
We'll share about the Starbird event, the Gaia Festival, and our own journeys with the Divine Feminine
The Circle Widens and We Welcome You
Joan Norton and Susan Kehoe-Jergens
 
The Magdalene Circle meets at the Woman's Club of Hollywood 1749 N. La Brea. Meetings are June 10 and July 15 1:30-3:00, in the Hospitality House.

Powered by IntelliContact.

Gaia Festival Info

Hello!! It's unbelievable to me that we will be converging for Gaia Festival this weekend! Where does the time go?

So, a few things to mention.

First off, my partner Stephanie, the Matriarch of Gaia Festival, is flying in from NY to be with us! I'm so excited you will all be able to meet her. She will be co-facilitating the evening campfire song and drum circle with me. She has a lovely voice and knows many Native American chants and Goddess songs.

1. Do not bring an altar item. We are planting seeds for our "living" altar this year, so no need for you to bring anything. The Temple of the Goddess will provide seeds for everyone to plant during the opening ceremony.

2. Try to arrive by 9:30am if possible. This will help me a lot with parking arrangements.

3. I did a weather check and all looks great. The forecast says partly sunny, high of 68 degrees F. Please be sure to dress in layers, and bring snuggly clothes to wear at night. It will get chilly! I get cold so easily, so I'll be bundled up.

4. You will need to sign up for each healer you want to see onsite. I recommend doing this in the morning. Also, you can only sign up for one 10-minute session from each person, and if they have extra spots you are then welcome to sign up for a second session.

5. If you have a drum, please bring it for the circle. I will have many drums on hand that you may want to try also.

NOTE: if you are a Healer, please bring a book or clip board and pencil. I will be printing out time sheets for people to sign up for your services and will distribute them to you in the morning on Saturday. Again, during the designated times, please only work on the folks wearing badges who have signed up on your sheets.

Many blessings and looking forward to an incredible weekend with all of you!

Much love,

Kris

Powered by IntelliContact.

2nd Annual Gaia Festival Debuts on West Coast

Kris Katsuko Oster
(805) 624-4361
kris@gaiafestival.com

May 17, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2nd Annual Gaia Festival Debuts on West Coast

Los Angeles-- Gaia Festival West Coast, celebrating multi-cultural, interdisciplinary and inclusive of all spiritual beliefs, debuts on Saturday, May 26 at 10:30 a.m. through Sunday, May 27 at Temescal Gateway Park, 15601 W. Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades. Tickets are available for full weekend passes ($180) and individual seminars ($10-$25).

Festival presenters are leading scholars and artists in their fields that have created dynamic, interactive workshops to engage the whole person: mind, body and spirit.

"Gaia Festival is a collaboration of diverse and multi-cultural artists, educators and business owners, to celebrate our connection to the living earth, Gaia, as well as pool our collective wisdom towards resolving the many issues and problems we are facing today," says Kris Katsuko Oster, co-creator of Gaia Festival with Stephanie Hamberger.

Ms. Hamberger organized the inaugural Gaia Festival on November 11, 2006 in New York centered on two workshops facilitated by Pagan author and activist, Starhawk. The energy and interest generated by the initial event led to the momentum necessary to develop the second event on the West Coast.

"We recognized a yearning for connection to our Earth Mother and conceived Gaia Festival to feed that hunger," says Ms. Hamberger. "Our goal is to begin a community that expands beyond the two day festival into a regular practice of goddess worship and earth nurturance."

Author, lecturer, Goddess advocate and native of Venice, California, Karen Tate (www.karentate.com), is the headline presenter and has played a major role in developing the festival program for this year.

"I was really interested in working with Kris and Stephanie on Gaia Festival because it's so in alignment with my own work, bringing the Sacred Feminine into mainstream consciousness," Karen explains.

Karen's workshop "Sacred Sites of the Goddess: Ancient Echoes of Herstory" will open the Gaia Festival program on May 26, 2007 at 1:15 pm.

Gaia Festival will share proceeds donated by sponsors and advertisers with its non-profit partners Temple of the Goddess Pasadena (www.templeofthegoddess.org) and global sustainability think-tank Empowerment Works (www.empowermentworks.org).

Xia and her attendant Priestesses from the Temple of the Goddess
Pasadena have developed a powerful and transformative opening ceremony to invoke Gaia and send healing prayers to ailing bee populations.

The opening ceremony will feature the drumming talent of frame drummer and singer, Miranda Rondeau.

Melanie St. James, Executive Director of Empowerment Works, is giving a lecture entitled "Social Permaculture" on Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 2:00 pm. Melanie's organization practices a model of support and collaboration that creates a sustainable future for our planet.

About the Gaia Festival Founders
Hamberger is a photojournalist who has led pilgrimages to Glastonbury, Cornwall and Bath, England for Lammas celebrations since 2001 and is currently authoring a book about the sacred traditions of bread baking around the world.

Oster is a percussionist, myth scholar, sacred event organizer and web developer. In 2006 she spent 2 and a half months in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil completing research for her Doctoral dissertation in progress, "The Heartbeat of the Mother: Ritual Drumming & Revisioning Images of the Feminine in Candomblé."

# # #

Powered by IntelliContact.

Gaia Festival - Mistake on Website Link

Gaia Festival News & Latest Additions! Link for Temple of the Goddess Hi everyone, my apologies, I sent this email out with a bad link on it. The link to the website for Temple of the Goddess should be www.templeofthegoddess.org! Here is the announcement again with the correct link: Gaia Festival May 26-27, 2007 Temescal Gateway Park 15601 W. Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 For more information: Phone - 805.624.4361 Email - kris@gaiafestival.com Website - www.gaiafestival.com In two weeks, Gaia Festival West Coast will be birthed. We have many exciting new additions to the festival! For those of you not registered yet, we still have room in the bungalows (shared quarters) for anyone who wishes to purchase a Full Festival Pass for $180, which includes all workshops and events, meals and overnight stay. Please register on or before May 21st so we can ensure we have plenty of bungalows and can inform our caterer of the correct number of folks needing meals. Andrea (www.cateringbyandreala.com) is doing our catering and the all vegetarian menu she came up with is wonderful. I will post the menu this weekend on the festival website. And of course my in-laws Nancy and Dave Oster, who now have their own bakery in Santa Barbara, will be creating delectible desserts, such as chocolate/chipotle brownies and fresh baked breads. If you wish to come to Individual workshops and events, here are the dates, times and prices: 5/26, 10:30 am CEREMONY: TEMPLE OF THE GODDESS -$5 donation 5/26, 1:15 pm KAREN TATE - $25 5/26, 3:25 pm JOAN NORTON - $25 5/26, 7:00 pm FUMBLING TOWARDS ECSTACY: JO COBBETT - $15 5/26, 9:15 pm FILM: "Signs Out of Time" – about the life and work of MARIJA GIMBUTAS. $5. 5/27, 8:30 am YOGA: AL TAVERA - $12 5/27, 9:30 am BELLYDANCE: APARECIDA - $15 5/27, 11:20 am FRAME DRUM: MIRANDA RONDEAU - $25 5/27, 2:00 pm SOCIAL PERMACULTURE: MELANIE ST. JAMES - $5 Donation 5/27, 2:30 pm WEST AFRICAN DANCE & DRUM: KEN & NAOMI DOUMBIA - $25 Plus drum circles, face painting, henna body painting, tarot card readers and vendors! Please see our website for the full schedule of events, www.gaiafestival.com. ********New Additions********** In case you haven't heard, Gaia Festival has two non-profit partners this year, Temple of the Goddess, Pasadena and global sustainability think-tank Empowerment Works. Xia and her attendant Priestesses from the Temple of the Goddess, Pasadena (www.templeofthegoddess.org) have developed a powerful and transformative opening ceremony to invoke Gaia and send healing energies to the ailing bee populations. We will be planting the seeds of our intentions to bring peace and well being to all living things we are in relationship to on Mother Earth. The opening ceremony begins on Saturday, May 26th at 10:30am sharp, and will feature the drumming talent of frame drummer and singer, Miranda Rondeau. We will be accepting $5 donations to go directly to Temple of the Goddess for those of you who wish to give something to a group of women who are helping create a Goddess and Earth-loving world. Of course, no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Seasoned event organizer and founder of Empowerment Works, (www.empowermentworks.org) Melanie St. James enthusiastically jumped on board recently to help out with some of her practical magic! Melanie is giving a talk called "Social Permaculture" on Sunday, May 27th at 2:00 pm. Melanie practices a model of support and collaboration that creates a sustainable future for our planet. The crisis humanity faces is of epic proportions and Melanie brings her education and vast experiences from the field to assist in creating bridges of understanding and cooperation. Like Gaia Festival, Melanie brings together diverse, multi-cultural artists, scientists and businesses in order to pool our collective wisdom towards solving the many issues and problems we are facing today. We will also be accepting $5 donations for Melanie's talk that will benefit her non-profit organization Empowerment Works. Another way to help support Gaia Festival and its two non-profit partners is to buy raffle tickets at the Festival for $5 each. No need to be present to win, just be sure to write your address and phone number on the back of the ticket in case you need to leave before the drawings - we will do one drawing on Saturday evening and another on Sunday afternoon. We have some amazing raffle prizes! The LA Philharmonic is donating two pairs of tickets for its concert series this summer at the Hollywood Bowl; YogaWorks is giving away one free week of yoga classes; Hollywood & Highland Center is donating a $100 voucher for the restaurant Vert and a one-night stay at the Radisson Hotel overlooking Kodak Theatre, the home of the Oscars; Toni O' Bryan of Be Light and Ka-ching (check out her amazing office, it's the lime green house on Abbott Kinney Blvd and her website: www.kaching-creative.com) is donating an Avesa Balancing Session worth $129. Toni will also be on hand during the festival to give 8 minute mini treatments with her Egyptian Healing Rods. More to come... Julie James, one of the Gaia Festival Healers, is offering an Herb Walk through Temescal Gateway Park to show us the native plants and herbs in the area and how some can be used for healing purposes. The walk will be gentle -- it's not a strenuous hike. The workshop is complimentary to festival badge holders only (pre-registered participants), and $10 for the general public. The Herb Walk will take place on Sunday, May 27th at 9:00 am. Copyright 2007

Gaia Festival - Two Weeks and Counting!

Gaia Festival News & Latest Additions! Event Announcement : May 11, 2007 Gaia Festival May 26-27, 2007 Temescal Gateway Park 15601 W. Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 For more information: Phone - 805.624.4361 Email - kris@gaiafestival.com Website - www.gaiafestival.com In two weeks, Gaia Festival West Coast will be birthed. We have many exciting new additions to the festival! For those of you not registered yet, we still have room in the bungalows (shared quarters) for anyone who wishes to purchase a Full Festival Pass for $180, which includes all workshops and events, meals and overnight stay. Please register on or before May 21st so we can ensure we have plenty of bungalows and can inform our caterer of the correct number of folks needing meals. Andrea (www.cateringbyandreala.com) is doing our catering and the all vegetarian menu she came up with is wonderful. I will post the menu this weekend on the festival website. And of course my in-laws Nancy and Dave Oster, who now have their own bakery in Santa Barbara, will be creating delectible desserts, such as chocolate/chipotle brownies and fresh baked breads. If you wish to come to Individual workshops and events, here are the dates, times and prices: 5/26, 10:30 am CEREMONY: TEMPLE OF THE GODDESS -$5 donation 5/26, 1:15 pm KAREN TATE - $25 5/26, 3:25 pm JOAN NORTON - $25 5/26, 7:00 pm FUMBLING TOWARDS ECSTACY: JO COBBETT - $15 5/26, 9:15 pm FILM: "Signs Out of Time" – about the life and work of MARIJA GIMBUTAS. $5. 5/27, 8:30 am YOGA: AL TAVERA - $12 5/27, 9:30 am BELLYDANCE: APARECIDA - $15 5/27, 11:20 am FRAME DRUM: MIRANDA RONDEAU - $25 5/27, 2:00 pm SOCIAL PERMACULTURE: MELANIE ST. JAMES - $5 Donation 5/27, 2:30 pm WEST AFRICAN DANCE & DRUM: KEN & NAOMI DOUMBIA - $25 Plus drum circles, face painting, henna body painting, tarot card readers and vendors! Please see our website for the full schedule of events, www.gaiafestival.com. ********New Additions********** In case you haven't heard, Gaia Festival has two non-profit partners this year, Temple of the Goddess, Pasadena and global sustainability think-tank Empowerment Works. Xia and her attendant Priestesses from the Temple of the Goddess, Pasadena (www.templeofthegoddess.com) have developed a powerful and transformative opening ceremony to invoke Gaia and send healing energies to the ailing bee populations. We will be planting the seeds of our intentions to bring peace and well being to all living things we are in relationship to on Mother Earth. The opening ceremony begins on Saturday, May 26th at 10:30am sharp, and will feature the drumming talent of frame drummer and singer, Miranda Rondeau. We will be accepting $5 donations to go directly to Temple of the Goddess for those of you who wish to give something to a group of women who are helping create a Goddess and Earth-loving world. Of course, no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Seasoned event organizer and founder of Empowerment Works, (www.empowermentworks.org) Melanie St. James enthusiastically jumped on board recently to help out with some of her practical magic! Melanie is giving a talk called "Social Permaculture" on Sunday, May 27th at 2:00 pm. Melanie practices a model of support and collaboration that creates a sustainable future for our planet. The crisis humanity faces is of epic proportions and Melanie brings her education and vast experiences from the field to assist in creating bridges of understanding and cooperation. Like Gaia Festival, Melanie brings together diverse, multi-cultural artists, scientists and businesses in order to pool our collective wisdom towards solving the many issues and problems we are facing today. We will also be accepting $5 donations for Melanie's talk that will benefit her non-profit organization Empowerment Works. Another way to help support Gaia Festival and its two non-profit partners is to buy raffle tickets at the Festival for $5 each. No need to be present to win, just be sure to write your address and phone number on the back of the ticket in case you need to leave before the drawings - we will do one drawing on Saturday evening and another on Sunday afternoon. We have some amazing raffle prizes! The LA Philharmonic is donating two pairs of tickets for its concert series this summer at the Hollywood Bowl; YogaWorks is giving away one free week of yoga classes; Hollywood & Highland Center is donating a $100 voucher for the restaurant Vert and a one-night stay at the Radisson Hotel overlooking Kodak Theatre, the home of the Oscars; Toni O' Bryan of Be Light and Ka-ching (check out her amazing office, it's the lime green house on Abbott Kinney Blvd and her website: www.kaching-creative.com) is donating an Avesa Balancing Session worth $129. Toni will also be on hand during the festival to give 8 minute mini treatments with her Egyptian Healing Rods. More to come... Julie James, one of the Gaia Festival Healers, is offering an Herb Walk through Temescal Gateway Park to show us the native plants and herbs in the area and how some can be used for healing purposes. The walk will be gentle -- it's not a strenuous hike. The workshop is complimentary to festival badge holders only (pre-registered participants), and $10 for the general public. The Herb Walk will take place on Sunday, May 27th at 9:00 am. Copyright 2007

Margaret Starbird Workshop on Sunday, May 6th, L.A.

Event News & Reviews Event Announcement : May 6, 2007 Joan Norton, who is a main presenter for Gaia Festival, is organizing a wonderful event with Margaret Starbird, the best-selling author of "The Woman With the Alabaster Jar" and "Magdalene's Lost Legacy" on this upcoming Sunday May 6, 2007 from 1-5pm. I'm definitely going and hope many of you can make it as well. "Mary Magdalene: Bride and Beloved" will take place at the Woman's Club of Hollywood, 1749 N. La Brea, Los Angeles. Tickets at the door, $25. Bring your friends and have a good time also listening to Ki Longfellow, author of "The Secret Magdalene"....as well as seeing the fantastic art , the wonderful and nourishing books, and food, too. Plus, a wedding cake to symbolize Divine Union...As Above, So Below. For more information about the event, visit Joan's website http://www.marymagdalenewithin.com/ Also, I wanted to tell all of you about a wonderful event I attended over this past weekend at Remo, called Women's Drum Day. This was the first time I attended, mostly to meet a new friend and potential healer/presenter at Gaia Festival named Joy Krauthammer. Joy performed a heart opening/awakening, and ethereal piece on Tibetan and crystal bowls. My heart chakra was activated and it was deeply moving. Joy is an eclectic mix of gypsy and faery, angel and trickster, and her music shimmers just like her lavender, gold-speckled scarves. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she will be able to make it to Gaia Festival this year, I know everyone will be completely entranced by her! Second to facilitate was Christine Stevens, who is very well-known and still so humble and kind! She almost moved to Colorado and I'm so glad she decided not to go! Christine has so much love and positive energy radiating out of her too - she magnificently led us through fun and empowering movement exercises. My favorite was when she had us each pick a colored scarf and then find the person who had the same color. Once we found our color-twin, we took turns being the mirror for each other in a dance. My twin, no big surprise here was Joy! We were in complete sync and everything flowed easily and naturally. (That sounded really egotistical, but Joy and I are two wild birds of a feather! Thankfully, my husband Shaun calls this a healthy "ego system") Next, Chris Gasci tore it up on the congas with a brilliant beginners class on Cuban rhythms and conga technique. I've played this style for many years and still learned so much from her. Cuban conga drumming is difficult to teach and she did it with grace and humor. The last facilitator was Janice Hope and I had no idea what to expect. In case you ever do a workshop with her, I'm not going to say much because it would spoil it for you! I was really resistant at first, grumbling about how much my back was hurting and I could tell that my breathing was really constricted in my chest. She had us doing deep breath work to release "stuff," "crap" whatever you want to call it...well, let's just say I did some major releasing of old sadness and it felt really good. Janice's work is really powerful. Remo's Jerry Zacharias really took care of the ladies...oops, that sounds kind of kinky, but seriously...he was there all day long, running around and getting drums for us. He was so helpful and kind, and has the coolest positive energy. I think Jerry facilitates a weekly drum circle at Remo on Tuesdays so check it out - http://www.remo.com/portal/events/index.html The program as a whole was perfectly balanced - fun, heartfelt, sacred, opening, releasing, healing. And there was a lot of really good food! Email or call the fabulous Laney who organizes this event twice a year and ask to be placed on her mailing list - Laney at joyfuldrumming@cheerful.com or 818 353-6628. You won't regret it!!! Blessings to all, Kris Copyright 2007

Gaia Festival Schedule At-A-Glance

Gaia Festival - Celebrate our Ancient Connection to the Sacred Feminine
May 26-27, 2007
Temescal Gateway Park
Pacific Palisades, CA.

Gaia Festival Workshops & Events:

May 26, 2007:

10:30-11:00 am Opening Ceremony - "Invoking the Divine Feminine"
Gaia Festival opens with a ritual circle of all participants and presenters, led by Rev. Karen Tate and members of the Temple of the Goddess from Pasadena.  Public Ceremony. $5 suggested donation to the Temple of the Goddess of Pasadena.

1:15-2:45pm - “Sacred Sites of the Goddess: Ancient Echoes of Herstory” workshop with Karen Tate. $25 fee.

3:25-4:55pm - “The Magdalene Circle: Connecting with Mary Magdalene Within” workshop with Joan Norton. $25 fee.

7:00-8:00pm - “Fumbling Towards Ecstacy” - A Dance Workshop with Jo Cobbett. $15 fee.

9:15pm - Film Screening of “Signs Out of Time” – Documentary about the life and work of Marija Gimbutas. Film duration is 58:40 and will be followed by brief discussion. $5 suggested donation to Gaia Festival.

May 27, 2007:

11:20am-12:50pm - "A Musical Journey Through the Elements: An Introductory Frame Drum Workshop” with Miranda Rondeau. $25 fee.

2:00-2:30pm. "Social Permaculture" - 30 minute lecture by Melanie St. James, MPA of Empowerment Works. $5 suggested donation to Empowerment Works.

2:30-4:00pm - “Celebratory African Drum/Dance Workshop and Performance” with Adama "Ken" and Naomi Doumbia. $25 fee.

4:30-5:00pm - “Closing Ritual of Thanksgiving”
Gaia Festival closes with a ritual circle of all participants and presenters, led by Rev. Karen Tate and members of the Temple of the Goddess from Pasadena.  Public Ceremony. $5 suggested donation to the Temple of the Goddess of Pasadena.

Note: If you wish to stay for the weekend, we have a festival pass available, all workshops, overnight stay and meals inclusive. Please see our website for prices: www.gaiafestival.com. Or call Kris at 805.624.4361 for more information.

Gaia Festival - Celebrate the Feminine Divine

Gaia Festival, Pacific Palisades, California. May 26-27, 2007 Date & Time: Saturday, May 26, 2007 - Sunday, May 27, 2007 Starting 10:00 AM Location: Temescal Gateway Park 15601 W. Sunset Blvd. Pacific Palisades, CA More Info: 805.624.4361 www.gaiafestival.com

Remembering our Ancient Connection to the Sacred Feminine Please sign up early - space is limited! Hi [fname], Please sign up early - space is limited! We are actually running low on lodging, but have about eight spaces left. Trying to find out also if I can reserve more bungalows, so please let me know asap if you want to stay overnight. Register today: www.gaiafestival.com/registration.html Please forward this on to your friends by using the "Forward to a Friend" button on the bottom of the email. Bright blessings, Kris Featured Events / Workshops: "Sacred Sites of the Goddess: Ancient Echoes of Herstory" 1.5-hour workshop will be followed with a book signing. Date & Time: 5/26/07, 1:15 pm Facilitator: Karen Tate "The Magdalene Circle: Connecting with Mary Magdalene Within" 1.5-hour workshop will be followed with a book signing. Date & Time: 5/26/07, 3:25 pm Facilitator: Joan Norton "Fumbling Towards Ecstacy" - A Dance Workshop with Jo Cobbett Followed by a Campfire Drum Circle 2 hour costume optional dance/drum circle. Please wear non-restrictive clothing for ease of movement and feel free to dress up as the goddess that you are, or your favorite deity. Faeries, angels, druid, sorceresses, wizards also welcome! Use your imagination! Date & Time: 5/26/07, 7:00 pm Facilitator: Jo Cobbett Location: Stewart Hall "A Musical Journey Through the Elements: An Introductory Frame Drum Workshop" 2-hour workshop. All levels welcome. Frame drums provided, but please bring your own if you have one. Date & Time: 5/27/07, 11:00 am Facilitator: Miranda Rondeau Location: Woodland Hall "Celebratory African Drum/Dance Workshop and Performance" 1.5-hour workshop will be followed by a 30 minute performance and a book signing. All levels welcome. Drums will be provided, but bring your own if you have one. Date & Time: 5/27/07, 2:30 pm Facilitators: Ken Adama and Naomi Doumbia Location: Woodland Hall Members of the Temple of the Goddess from Pasadena (www.templeofthegoddess.org) will be facilitating a magical opening and closing ritual, not to be missed! Plus yoga, drum circles, art exhibits, and complimentary body and energy therapies from onsite healers.

Recorded Teleconference with Karen Tate

Recorded Teleconference from 4/19/07 with Karen Tate: Author, Goddess Advocate, Ritualist, Sacred Tour Operator Did you miss the teleconference? No worries! We recorded it!

The teleconference was a great success - except for my intermittent stammering!! However, Karen Tate was brilliant as usual and had a lot to say about the new face of Goddess spirituality, her favorite sacred spots and thoughts on the divine masculine. Click on this link or copy it into your browser to listen to the recording: http://www.gaiafestival.com/Teleconferences/Karen_Tate_041907.wav It's a pretty big file so it may take a few minutes to load if you're on a slower connection. Enjoy!
Copyright 2007 Soul Pilgrim and Gaia Festival