Discovering the Full Spectrum of What It Means to Be Human at Envision Festival 2023

After a three-year hiatus, like-minded people from round the world rejoiced in the utopian jungles of Costa Rica.

Envision Festival encourages those that really feel the name to merely “Come as You Are,” in the phrases of the late Kurt Cobain.

While inclusivity is a standard theme for many occasions lately, no collective can encapsulate the full spectrum of what it actually means to be a human fairly like Envision. A daring assertion, sure. But after attending this 12 months’s version of the award-winning vacation spot competition, allow us to break it down.

Globally famend as “much more potent than just a good party,” every year Envision is deliberately curated to instill a way of oneness through eye-opening experiences. It’s straightforward to get disconnected by the mundane trivialities of day-to-day life, overlooking the actuality that every one of us performs an important function in the wellbeing of the collective.

Sometimes we simply want to disengage so as to reconnect with that reality. 

Taking a more in-depth look, the competition’s bedrock contains seven pillars: Sustainability, Education, Art, Health, Movement, Spirituality and, of course, Music. 

The expertise is a pure draw for many due to founder Josh Wendel’s spectacular curation of each native and worldwide expertise. But the sonics solely make up a fraction of what the weeklong journey has to supply at Envision’s gorgeous house in Uvita, Costa Rica.

2023’s enlargement from a four-day competition to a weeklong occasion gave attendees ample time to take all of it in. In years prior, those that opted to keep up late and dance the night time away have been typically too drained to bask in Envision’s transformative daytime actions. By spreading out the workshops, yoga lessons and performances, you possibly can get pleasure from the finest of each worlds, must you select. 

Finding your divine female internal healer 

At 10am on Tuesday morning, dozens of ladies gathered in the Red Tent. A secure house designated for girls solely, the construction was superbly adorned with crimson and white silk tapestries draped throughout the bamboo framework for privateness. 

Speaking from expertise, I am unable to recall the final time that I sat with a bunch of all ladies—whole strangers, may I add—and everybody shared so vulnerably about themselves. In this “Finding Your Divine Feminine Inner Healer” workshop, the Gaia Guardians prompted us with questions to ponder in small teams.

The conversations have been designed for us to focus on what we imagine our biggest energy is—and in what methods we could also be holding ourselves again. 

Instead of feeling judged—as ladies so typically are in society—we have been all there to assist each other and assist elucidate some deep-seated beliefs. It’s powerful to describe simply how profound it was to unravel our perceived truths alongside different females in a secure and supportive sanctuary. It was ineffable.

When we come collectively, it feels secure to unlock our divine female, internal wild girl.

Lotus flower ceremony

On Wednesday morning, we have been handled to an academic lotus flower ceremony. The lotus is an iconic image in Eastern cultures, revered for its magnificence and purity. This aquatic plant has been used for hundreds of years in varied religions and philosophical traditions, together with Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism, the place it’s thought-about a sacred flower.

Apart from its non secular significance, the lotus flower can also be admired for its medicinal properties. The plant is wealthy in nutritional vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, making it a beneficial ingredient in conventional medication. 

After studying about the plant and sharing extracts to style and take a look at on our pores and skin, workshop host Ilup Gravengaard guided the group in an angel circle. The group fashioned two circles, one inside the different, whereas its members walked in the center with their eyes shut. Those who fashioned the outer circle shared compliments and affirmations, and bodily guided their blinded group members by way of the circles again to their authentic spots. 

Cacao ceremony

On Wednesday night time, Stephen Brooks, one of Envision Festival’s co-founders, and his associate Andrea Belen hosted a sacred Cacao Ceremony at Templo de las Estrellas.

All-natural, ceremonial-grade cacao—cocoa in its uncooked, unprocessed kind—is packed full of nutritional vitamins and minerals. And a Cacao Ceremony is a ritual that has been practiced for hundreds of years as a way to maintain us centered and related.

By consuming it, we are able to enter into euphoric states, and destructive feelings dissipate as we join to ourselves and the loving power round us.

Tree-planting ceremony 

In Costa Rican native tradition, respect for nature is ingrained in on a regular basis life. The act of planting timber is considered a sacred duty.

The authorities has set bold targets for reforestation and carbon neutrality, they usually’ve applied quite a few initiatives to promote sustainable practices. Envision partnered with native environmentalist teams Tierra Mía and CostasVerdes to assist do their half to contribute to this aim. 

After we heard the story of how Envision began this program, the native indigenous group made a blessing and a bunch of over 50 volunteers adopted them as they walked to the website earlier than planting timber. A small contribution in concept, however one that may final perpetually.

Remember how to play

Another memorable expertise was a motion class referred to as “Remember How To Play,” hosted by Emelie Rose and soundtracked by Costa Rican beatsmith Funka.

For this class, everybody in attendance was reminded of the significance of not taking life too critically. We have been inspired to decelerate and join with our internal youngster by taking part in leap frog, freeze tag and skipping, amongst different actions. It was outstanding to see nostalgia elicit such an emotional and energized response.

Relationship communication

This workshop was held in an exquisite, shaded space of the competition grounds, surrounded by timber and the sounds of nature. The group consisted of individuals from all walks of life, united by a need to enhance their communication abilities and construct stronger relationships.

The workshop began with a bunch meditation earlier than its contributors have been requested to share their largest errors when speaking with companions from their previous.

The major train concerned roleplaying completely different situations resembling an argument over funds or a disagreement about plans for the night. The information offered considerate, tangible recommendation on how to categorical points in a selected and goal method, which helps when attempting to perceive their wants and considerations.

The music 

Standout performances included Ruby Chase, a DJ, rapper and singer who had a spellbinding stage presence. She blended hip-hop, Latin, entice, downtempo and home music as a charming crew of dancers gyrated in coordinated outfits.

The Lapa Stage got here alive with the entrancing tribal and Afro-house grooves of EDM.com Class of 2023 star AMÉMÉ and the funky disco flavors of The Sponges. Meanwhile, the Luna Stage—with its humanoid stage design and mind-blowing projection-mapping—hosted excellent performances from the likes of Bonobo, Opiuo, Maddy O’Neal and Daily Bread, amongst others.

Envision Festival returns March 4-11, 2024. You can discover out extra right here.

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