Photo by Curious Josh
Conscious festivals change lives.
This is the mantra that One Love Festival has imprinted in my mind. At first look, this modest festival seemed “barebones”- but after such a fast-paced and sensory-overloading festival season, it turns out that it is absolutely what I needed: Simple. Straightforward. And making space for genuine connections to take place.
Located at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds in Southern California, One Love Festival took place on Friday, October 20th to Sunday, the 22nd. The landscape surrounding the festival was absolutely breathtaking- it isn’t very often that Southern Californians get to enjoy a lake, so this was something to be cherished in itself. This festival featured some of my favorite vendors, amazing falafel, and yoga classes galore. One factor that at first shocked me, but I soon learned to love was that One Love did not sell alcohol; it was a feature that I believe fully added to the authentic experience. However, what stood out more than the scenery, the food, and the music (will I ever top that Polish Ambassador set? Probably not.) were the people.
Photo by Sage Thomas
One Love brought out the innovative, the passionate, and the creative. This made for amazing life-altering conversations to take place that I believe I couldn’t have achieved elsewhere.
I met a beautiful artist who traveled to the festival from the Netherlands, and then was making her way to Colorado after to visit the birthplace of her favorite guru. She was in the United States for the first time- alone- and showed so much emotion when discussing how loving and accepting the people around her were. Her genuine and kind-hearted spirit stuck with me and reminded me to start each day with a sense of curiosity and wonder.
My paths crossed with a man who gave me crucial advice on how to re-kickstart my yoga practice, and then we continued on to have a vulnerable conversation about hope, love, and bravery. To have a conversation about the horrendous Las Vegas attack with a complete stranger, and be brought to tears, was something I never thought I would experience. It was that moment that also reiterated what is truly important in this life (hint: love, love, love).
And, on the last hours of the last night of the festival, I had an interaction with an amazing and vibrant woman, Michelle Anderson of Awakening Code Radio, who gave an insightful look into why conscious festivals such as One Love are important for humanity:
When we come together in the spirit of Unity and we enter a state of JOY, we emit an energy of Open Heartedness and have the ability to raise the Vibration for the Collective. I feel it’s crucial to the awakening and uplifting of humanity that we continue to support Conscious Music Festivals like One Love Fest and do our part to balance out discordant energies by creating a Cohesive Container of Divine Love. Music and Unity do just that.
These people all played a pivotal role in my One Love Festival experience and reminded me that love and innovation can be found even in the most intimate gatherings. Conscious festivals are an amazing catalyst for change and provide all in attendance a chance to make meaningful connections. This is why I cannot wait to return to One Love!
