Letting Go (and Catching Sticks) at Lucidity

My first experience at the Lucidity Festival came early on a Saturday afternoon, when I wandered into a workshop from Peace Sticks. The activity – led by brothers who make their home in Ojai – was a simple one: pass the sticks back and forth with a partner. Some of them were balanced ones that had been decorated, while others were likely accumulated on site. Didn’t matter. Neither did anything else other than getting in a groove tossing the “twigs,” adding spins as confidence grew, and, surprisingly quickly, using both hands to toss two sticks simultaneously with my partner. In a matter of minutes, I realized how connected I felt, wanting sympatico with my partner and his success to match or exceed mine, which – according to many personal growth paths – is one of the purposes of life. Lucidity? Yes!

Peace Sticks are back for Moon’s Eye View, the second festival in the new six-year cycle, and the eighth Lucidity overall. A “World Ceremony” takes place at 4 pm on Friday, April 12, in the Water realm, which also contains the Pure Energy/Love stage hosting a plethora of silent disco DJs (another unusual way of being together). That’s also where you’ll find “Jailbreaking Our Minds,” a workshop on Vocal Tonight, featuring 108 Oms and other sound meditations, followed by a Balinese Water Purification Ceremony on Saturday morning into early afternoon. Insomniacs needn’t feel excluded, as off-hour activities in the realm include a Mayan Cacao Ceremony at 12:30 am Sunday morning, and Torkom Ji’s 432 Hz sound bath at the (ungodly?) hour of 4 am. (Spirit Metacine’s version takes place the following late night, a bit earlier at 2:45 am.)

But that’s just one of the realms, not even the one that has actually has the word spirit in its name. At the Altar of Spirit, you’ll find a group healing meditation, “Channel Your Light Codes,” “Comic Mantra Meditation” (at the equally ungodly hour of 8:30 am on Sunday), “Chaos as the Catalyst for Change,” “BS-Free Spirituality & Communication,” and “The Art of Death.”

Over at the Altar of Air, offerings include “The Power of Purpose,” The Sacred Seven “Connecting to the Ancestors,” and the choose-your-own-vulnerability sentence stem game “If you really knew me.” “Embodying Shakti & Shiva,” “The Ritual of Intimacy,” “Twerk Therapy,” “Ecstatic Communications,” “The Art of Sensual Play,” “Tending the Masculine Fire,” “Consensual Cuddle Puddle,” and “Intimacy Alchemy & Sacred Sexual Artistry” are just a few of the spicy titles for the seminars taking shape at the Altar of Fire. Other areas host drum circles, sound baths, cacao ceremonies, fireside sing-alongs, and sharing circles and tea ceremonies.

But you don’t have to attend an official workshop to find connection at Lucidity, even if you show up alone. All kinds of healing arts are available for a fee and even for free, while kind words, non verbal exchanges, and hugs between strangers (or rather, soon to be ex-strangers) are common. And ecstatic dances are taking place on and off throughout the weekend. In short, just about every non-religious spiritual path can be pursued under the oaks, save for psychedelic medicine journeys (at least not scheduled ones). Even solitude and silence, if you can find the right spot. But why would you want to?

(Lucidity Moon’s Eye View takes place April 12-14 at Live Oak Campground, 4600 Hwy. 154, about halfway up the San Marcos Pass. Call (805) 686-5097 or visit https://lucidityfestival.com for details. Also see my Entertainment column for more.) 

Self-Growth Workshop is Q’d Up

Back down the mountain, the Q Process Workshop returns to Unity on Saturday, April 13, as – despite her husband’s departure as Unity’s minister – Rev. Denese Schellink, a Certified Q Coach, will once again lead the interactive workshop comprised of powerful exercises, multimedia presentations, and discussions to support participants in creating the life they desire. The Q Process poses the query, “What would your life be like if you lived from a deep place of peace, knowing that nothing and no one is against you?” – offering an approach that counters the concept that outer circumstances are holding us back or causing us pain. Details and registration online at www.santabarbaraunity.org/q-process-workshop-4.

Sing for Joy

Darren Marc’s monthly kirtan features Amy Bankoff on female vocals, Laura Tandy on violin, and other special guest musicians, helping out in the call-and-response singing of devotional music and chants that invokes the transformational power of sound vibration to still the mind and awaken the heart center. The $10 suggested donation can be offered at door for the 7-9 pm kirtan on Sunday, April 14, at 37 Colusa Drive. Visit www.awakenwithdarren.com or www.meetup.com/Kirtan-Ascension-Sound-Journey. 

The Breath of Bliss

Christabel Zamor, founder of Breath Bliss Academy, invites seekers to explore air as plant medicine at Yoga Soup on Wednesday evening, April 17. The sacred breath ceremony to connect with your heart, higher self, and soul includes connection practices and ecstatic dance before an hour-long visionary breath journey. The 7-9 pm workshop costs $44 in advance, $55 day of. Visit www.yogasoup.com/the-breath-of-bliss.