Vibrate Higher At Beloved Festival August 10 - 13, 2018
Cover Photo by Matt Gonzalez
By Autumn Feldmeier
We are super excited to be attending Beloved Festival - a festival whose goal is to, "dissolve the boundaries that isolate us through music, dance and play." Beloved is taking place August 10 - 13, 2018 in Tidewater, Oregon.
Beloved offers 'typical' Yoga festival offerings like Metamorphosis Sound Healing with Sophia Ocean, Yin Yoga Massage with James Kapicka and the super-fun Acro Yoga Solar Flow with Deven Sisler and Susan Holland. Beloved will also take us deep with a whole series of classes structured around Examining Power and Privilege with speakers like Abby Jensen confronting gender identity to Safer Sex Talk for Consensual Encounters by Evelin Dacker and Priestess of the New Paradigm - Niema Lightseed speaking on the Power of Words to Disarm Oppression.
One of the workshops we are really looking forward to is Bibi McGill's Vibrate Higher. Bibi is a guitarist who toured with Beyonce. Her Yoga practice, including the use of essential oils, is what kept her healthy on the road. She is now a rocker on a mission to help the world vibrate higher. Bibi leads classes and workshops around the globe and in her hometown, Portland, Oregon. Bibi has a passion for including everyone in Yoga and will carry this over into Beloved, a festival which she has taught at six times and has attended nine of the eleven years. She feels that she is part of the Beloved family. We had the incredible opportunity to catch up with Bibi!
What can we expect from your Vibrate Higher workshop at Beloved?
To me, Yoga is Yoga. Beyond the catchy marketing, each teacher is different but Yoga is the same. By vibrating higher, I mean-stopping long enough to pause and pay attention to your energetic flow, to notice when you are allowing your energy to leak out. It includes what you say, think and even what you're eating.
As white person of privilege, what is my responsibility as a Yogi?
We need to realize that Yoga came from people of color. There is evidence that people from Kemet, which is ancient Egypt, practiced Yoga long before it was in India. A Nubian civilization from Sudan brought Yogic practices to the Indus Valley, an area that used to be Pakistan that is now India. But now, so much about Yoga in the Western world is Westernized and “so-called" white. It's important for descendents of white Europeans to realize that the mentality that everything is theirs is factually false. Part of the Yoga practice is to take responsibility and stand up for what's right.
What keeps you grounded and sane in difficult times?
That's easy and that's TRUTH. We have spent the majority of our lives being taught lies. It may be easy to follow the status quo, but everyday I am uncovering stones and shining light in dark spaces to make them bright and that makes me unstoppable!
Remember: knowledge is power.
You can catch Bibi twice at Beloved this year. She is teaching both Friday and Sunday at 12:45. To get your tickets to Beloved Festival visit belovedfestival.com. To learn more about Bibi McGill visit bibimcgill.com.
