Check out this video montage from the 2016 festival and scroll down to learn more about the Midwest Yoga & Oneness Festival
(The soundtrack is Sadie Nardini's "Fire Ceremony" that she performed live at the 2016 festival)
DYF 2016 from Kip Hoffmann on Vimeo.
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FESTIVAL:
The Six Pillars of the Midwest Yoga & Oneness Festival are:
1) Friday Intensives
2) Friday Opening Celebration
3) The Morning Sangha Gatherings
4) Saturday and Sunday Yoga & Spirituality Sessions
5) Saturday Evening Session
6) Sacred Closing Ceremony on Sunday
All festivals place great emphasis on providing wonderful yoga workshops but not all give the same importance to the other components that provide a broad and embodied experience of oneness and spirituality. At The Midwest Yoga & Oneness Festival we focus on creating inspiring, fun, transformative and soulful experiences with all six pillars of the festival experience. We begin building sangha (safe, sacred community) with the Friday intensives and Opening Celebration, cultivate it's expansion with morning "Sangha Gatherings", workshops on Saturday and Sunday, and the Saturday evening Candlelight Yin Yoga, then bring it to a powerful conclusion early Sunday afternoon with the closing ceremony. Our wonderful festival yoga instructors will be attending the transformative closing ceremony and we hope that you will too. We strongly encourage you to arrange your schedule so that you can receive the powerful benefits of all six festival pillars.
1) FRIDAY INTENSIVES - Opportunities for a full day experiences with internationally acclaimed instructors. 9:30-4pm
2) FESTIVAL OPENING CELEBRATION - For some inspiring and unique entertainment, the general public is warmly invited to attend Friday's opening celebration even if attending the daily sessions doesn't work in their schedule. Admission is only $10.
3) MORNING SANGHA GATHERINGS - The morning Sangha Gatherings are powerful rituals that will energize you with prana and ground you in your intentions for the day. Instructors will join festival producers Scott & Julia Theisen in leading us as we embrace and embody oneness and love and beam that out to the planet.
4) SATURDAY & SUNDAY SESSIONS - Rich and diverse sessions reflecting the deeper spheres of existence from the realms of yoga and spirituality.
5) SATURDAY EVENING SESSION - Gather with your sangha to relax, release and reflect with the evening session.
6) CLOSING CEREMONY 12:45-2 pm - The closing ceremony is always a highlight of the festival. We encourage all participants to give themselves the gift of participating in this intimate and transformative experience. We will gather in Oneness one last time with fellow participants, facilitators, entertainers and organizers to share our “take-aways” from the incredible festival journey. Indu Arora who will lead us in sacred chant. The closing ceremony is a wonderful, conscious way to join hearts and voices together a final time and collectively bring the festival to a powerful close.
1) Friday Intensives
2) Friday Opening Celebration
3) The Morning Sangha Gatherings
4) Saturday and Sunday Yoga & Spirituality Sessions
5) Saturday Evening Session
6) Sacred Closing Ceremony on Sunday
All festivals place great emphasis on providing wonderful yoga workshops but not all give the same importance to the other components that provide a broad and embodied experience of oneness and spirituality. At The Midwest Yoga & Oneness Festival we focus on creating inspiring, fun, transformative and soulful experiences with all six pillars of the festival experience. We begin building sangha (safe, sacred community) with the Friday intensives and Opening Celebration, cultivate it's expansion with morning "Sangha Gatherings", workshops on Saturday and Sunday, and the Saturday evening Candlelight Yin Yoga, then bring it to a powerful conclusion early Sunday afternoon with the closing ceremony. Our wonderful festival yoga instructors will be attending the transformative closing ceremony and we hope that you will too. We strongly encourage you to arrange your schedule so that you can receive the powerful benefits of all six festival pillars.
1) FRIDAY INTENSIVES - Opportunities for a full day experiences with internationally acclaimed instructors. 9:30-4pm
2) FESTIVAL OPENING CELEBRATION - For some inspiring and unique entertainment, the general public is warmly invited to attend Friday's opening celebration even if attending the daily sessions doesn't work in their schedule. Admission is only $10.
3) MORNING SANGHA GATHERINGS - The morning Sangha Gatherings are powerful rituals that will energize you with prana and ground you in your intentions for the day. Instructors will join festival producers Scott & Julia Theisen in leading us as we embrace and embody oneness and love and beam that out to the planet.
4) SATURDAY & SUNDAY SESSIONS - Rich and diverse sessions reflecting the deeper spheres of existence from the realms of yoga and spirituality.
5) SATURDAY EVENING SESSION - Gather with your sangha to relax, release and reflect with the evening session.
6) CLOSING CEREMONY 12:45-2 pm - The closing ceremony is always a highlight of the festival. We encourage all participants to give themselves the gift of participating in this intimate and transformative experience. We will gather in Oneness one last time with fellow participants, facilitators, entertainers and organizers to share our “take-aways” from the incredible festival journey. Indu Arora who will lead us in sacred chant. The closing ceremony is a wonderful, conscious way to join hearts and voices together a final time and collectively bring the festival to a powerful close.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFO
The Midwest Yoga & Oneness Festival is a life-enhancing celebration of yoga for EVERYONE – all shapes, sizes, ages, genders and levels of fitness and experience welcome – beginners included.
Don’t be intimidated – It’s not uncommon for people to feel they’re not good enough to attend a yoga festival. If you have any such concerns, please see the article “Common Misconceptions about Attending a Yoga Festival” further down on this page. If you have concerns about yoga sessions being too intense, select sessions that have less emphasis on the practice of yoga postures. Feel free to rest at any time and just observe while absorbing the wisdom and good vibrations. Yoga is not a competitive sport. The festival is a wonderful opportunity for adventure, connection, expanding your creativity, and learning new perspectives from a variety of geographically diverse teachers -- all this in our own backyard along the banks of the mighty Mississippi.
Register for 1, 2 or 3 days, or just come for Friday and/or Saturday evening inspiring and exceptional entertainment. Friday and Saturday passes include lunch.
What you need to bring – Wear comfortable, breathable clothes, wear layers and bring a yoga mat. If you don’t have a mat, you can buy a used or new one at the festival (used mats are $5 and is yours to keep – quantities are limited). You can wear a shirt that is loose or some prefer one that is a little more form-fitting since in many yoga poses your head goes below your hips and your shirt can slide down. Any exercise pants or shorts will do. Yoga is typically done barefoot so you don’t need any special shoes.
Yoga Festival Marketplace – 15-20 vendors will be selling a wide range of products including, yoga apparel and props, jewelry, mind-body-spirit gifts, books, food items and much more.
Festival Meditation Vigil
Yoga Festival Marketplace – 15-20 vendors will be selling a wide range of products including, yoga apparel and props, jewelry, mind-body-spirit gifts, books, food items and much more.
Festival Meditation Vigil
We are deeply honored that three experienced yogis (Jai Ram, Jim Earles, Jeff Wright) generously offered to hold a meditation vigil throughout the festival. They will be sitting in silence while holding sacred intentions for festival participants, the Dubuque community, and beyond. Practice is revelation … especially in the company of others. All participants are welcomed and encouraged to join them in the atrium that overlooks the Mississippi River, if even for a few minutes. Bring your cushion or grab a chair and spend as much time as you like in their pleasantly infectious climate of silence. (While the experienced need no instruction and all methods are honored, for those new to the practice of stillness its recommended to just sit comfortably erect with eyes closed ever so gently. Be friendly to all thoughts, but partial to the sensations of breathing)
Chair Massages
Loosen up those tight muscles with our onsite licensed massage therapists offering chair and table massage. $1 per minute. Massage therapists will typically be available during breaks, lunch time and at the conclusion of the sessions on Saturday.
10 COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS
ABOUT YOGA FESTIVALS
It’s not uncommon for people to have mistaken ideas about who is suitable to attend a yoga festival. The fact is that everybody and every BODY is suitable and welcome to attend the Midwest Yoga and Oneness Festival. Here are some of the most common misconceptions that need to be cleared up:
1. You must be flexible
Although some yoga postures might require an agile body, the first rule of yoga is to only do that which feels good for your body-mind-spirit and not to push beyond your edge. The purpose of yoga is not to tie ourselves in knots but to un-tie the knots in our hearts.
Our expert yoga instructors understand that there may be great variability in the flexibility of participants and many will offer modifications for poses. Remember that instructions from yoga teachers are just suggestions so do what you like and be compassionate with yourself. If a suggested pose feels good to you, just do it to the best of your ability and don’t worry whether or not you look like the others in class.
2. You must be skinny
If you’ve seen models in yoga magazines you might believe that to be so but the truth is that any “body” can do yoga. All shapes and sizes can reap the fantastic benefits of yoga. If you find certain poses challenging simply move in the direction of the pose without forcing or pushing. For example, some poses involve bending so just bend to the degree you can comfortably do so and focus on your breath. Yoga is more about a mental practice than a physical practice. If negative thoughts or comparisons creep into your mind, practice breathing them away and returning your mind to the posture and to enjoying the moment.
3. You must have a lot of yoga experience
Although it is helpful to have some yoga experience, complete beginners are most welcome to attend this yoga festival. Again, feel completely free to make adjustments so that your yoga experience feels good!
4. You have to have special yoga clothes
Yoga isn’t a fashion show. Just wear comfortable, breathable clothes and bring a yoga mat. If you don’t have a mat, you can buy a used or new one at the festival (used mats are $5 and is yours to keep – quantities are limited). You can wear a shirt that is loose or some prefer one that is a little more form-fitting since in many yoga poses your head comes below your hips and your shirt can slide down. Any exercise pants or shorts will do. Yoga is typically done barefoot so you don’t need any special shoes.
5. You must be young
Yoga is wonderfully beneficial for anyone of any age. You are absolutely never too old for yoga! As before, just work within your abilities so that the practice feels good for you. If you’re working with any injuries or other limitations, just let the instructor know before the session begins.
6. Yoga is only for women
In some parts of the world the majority of yoga students are women, and some men may have gotten the idea that yoga is not for them. The fact is that all people are searching for inner peace and all people wish to live a healthy life and feel vital in their mind-body-spirit. Nationally and locally more and more men are availing themselves of the incredible benefits of yoga helping them to be more fully themselves. Come and give it a try guys!
7. You have to be spiritual or possess certain spiritual beliefs to do yoga
While yoga philosophy is based on the understanding and practice of moral precepts and living a life in harmony with self and society, anyone from any religious background or spirituality can enjoy the mental and physical benefits of yoga. Physical benefits include improved flexibility, strength, breathing, balance and posture. Mental benefits include stress reduction, greater mental calm and clarity, and enhanced body awareness. Many find that yoga enhances their connection to their higher power and chosen religious practice.
8. You must be really fit
Although it’s always recommended to have a physician’s clearance before starting any new exercise program, yoga does not require a particular level of fitness. If you can breathe, you can do yoga. That being said, your enjoyment of the festival might be optimized by selecting sessions that are complementary to your level of fitness. If unsure about which sessions might best fit you, just email julia@relaxlivewell.com for some suggestions. There are numerous class options that are less vigorous, and remember that yoga’s first rule is to work to your own edge of exertion and never beyond. It’s pretty common for participants at yoga conferences to experience some soreness from doing more yoga than they are used to or because the use their muscles in a different way at a yoga conference. The soreness will subside quickly but remember to always honor your body and not to try to do too much. If you’re not doing yoga regularly, you might want to explore increasing your practice frequency prior to the festival to help prepare your body.
9. You have to do everything the instructor tells you to do and practice the same postures as everyone else
As mentioned previously, instructions given in yoga are simply suggestions. The needs of individuals vary according to their physical structures and level of yoga fitness. If you have any injuries or physical limitations we ask that you let each of your instructors know prior to the beginning of your class. Depending on the size of the class, the instructor may be able to suggest postures that are best suited to your particular needs. In the end, it is always your responsibility to work within your own limits. Yoga is supposed to help you feel good; not frustrated and overly-fatigued or sore.
10. Yoga is a competitive sport
One of the important components of yoga is the practice of physical postures. Due to this physical aspect of yoga, some people think of yoga as a sport just like tennis or basketball. The fact is that yoga is the art and science of physical, mental and spiritual development. Being able to do more advanced poses doesn’t make you better than someone else. Although yoga postures may look like stretching exercises found in some sports, yoga is not a sport nor is it a “stretching class”. The postures in yoga are just one part of an all-around program of mind-body-spirit development.
1. You must be flexible
Although some yoga postures might require an agile body, the first rule of yoga is to only do that which feels good for your body-mind-spirit and not to push beyond your edge. The purpose of yoga is not to tie ourselves in knots but to un-tie the knots in our hearts.
Our expert yoga instructors understand that there may be great variability in the flexibility of participants and many will offer modifications for poses. Remember that instructions from yoga teachers are just suggestions so do what you like and be compassionate with yourself. If a suggested pose feels good to you, just do it to the best of your ability and don’t worry whether or not you look like the others in class.
2. You must be skinny
If you’ve seen models in yoga magazines you might believe that to be so but the truth is that any “body” can do yoga. All shapes and sizes can reap the fantastic benefits of yoga. If you find certain poses challenging simply move in the direction of the pose without forcing or pushing. For example, some poses involve bending so just bend to the degree you can comfortably do so and focus on your breath. Yoga is more about a mental practice than a physical practice. If negative thoughts or comparisons creep into your mind, practice breathing them away and returning your mind to the posture and to enjoying the moment.
3. You must have a lot of yoga experience
Although it is helpful to have some yoga experience, complete beginners are most welcome to attend this yoga festival. Again, feel completely free to make adjustments so that your yoga experience feels good!
4. You have to have special yoga clothes
Yoga isn’t a fashion show. Just wear comfortable, breathable clothes and bring a yoga mat. If you don’t have a mat, you can buy a used or new one at the festival (used mats are $5 and is yours to keep – quantities are limited). You can wear a shirt that is loose or some prefer one that is a little more form-fitting since in many yoga poses your head comes below your hips and your shirt can slide down. Any exercise pants or shorts will do. Yoga is typically done barefoot so you don’t need any special shoes.
5. You must be young
Yoga is wonderfully beneficial for anyone of any age. You are absolutely never too old for yoga! As before, just work within your abilities so that the practice feels good for you. If you’re working with any injuries or other limitations, just let the instructor know before the session begins.
6. Yoga is only for women
In some parts of the world the majority of yoga students are women, and some men may have gotten the idea that yoga is not for them. The fact is that all people are searching for inner peace and all people wish to live a healthy life and feel vital in their mind-body-spirit. Nationally and locally more and more men are availing themselves of the incredible benefits of yoga helping them to be more fully themselves. Come and give it a try guys!
7. You have to be spiritual or possess certain spiritual beliefs to do yoga
While yoga philosophy is based on the understanding and practice of moral precepts and living a life in harmony with self and society, anyone from any religious background or spirituality can enjoy the mental and physical benefits of yoga. Physical benefits include improved flexibility, strength, breathing, balance and posture. Mental benefits include stress reduction, greater mental calm and clarity, and enhanced body awareness. Many find that yoga enhances their connection to their higher power and chosen religious practice.
8. You must be really fit
Although it’s always recommended to have a physician’s clearance before starting any new exercise program, yoga does not require a particular level of fitness. If you can breathe, you can do yoga. That being said, your enjoyment of the festival might be optimized by selecting sessions that are complementary to your level of fitness. If unsure about which sessions might best fit you, just email julia@relaxlivewell.com for some suggestions. There are numerous class options that are less vigorous, and remember that yoga’s first rule is to work to your own edge of exertion and never beyond. It’s pretty common for participants at yoga conferences to experience some soreness from doing more yoga than they are used to or because the use their muscles in a different way at a yoga conference. The soreness will subside quickly but remember to always honor your body and not to try to do too much. If you’re not doing yoga regularly, you might want to explore increasing your practice frequency prior to the festival to help prepare your body.
9. You have to do everything the instructor tells you to do and practice the same postures as everyone else
As mentioned previously, instructions given in yoga are simply suggestions. The needs of individuals vary according to their physical structures and level of yoga fitness. If you have any injuries or physical limitations we ask that you let each of your instructors know prior to the beginning of your class. Depending on the size of the class, the instructor may be able to suggest postures that are best suited to your particular needs. In the end, it is always your responsibility to work within your own limits. Yoga is supposed to help you feel good; not frustrated and overly-fatigued or sore.
10. Yoga is a competitive sport
One of the important components of yoga is the practice of physical postures. Due to this physical aspect of yoga, some people think of yoga as a sport just like tennis or basketball. The fact is that yoga is the art and science of physical, mental and spiritual development. Being able to do more advanced poses doesn’t make you better than someone else. Although yoga postures may look like stretching exercises found in some sports, yoga is not a sport nor is it a “stretching class”. The postures in yoga are just one part of an all-around program of mind-body-spirit development.