Bhakti Fest in Joshua Tree Sept. 5-8

 Bhakti Fest, the originator of yoga and kirtan festivals in the now wildly popular yoga festival scene is pleased to announce the kirtan talent at the fifth annual Bhakti Fest West, September 5-8 at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center. With over 50 of the top kirtan artists performing non-stop for the entire four day festival, Bhakti Fest is the largest and most significant kirtan festival. These devotional chants of love will ring throughout the hills of Joshua Tree.

All of the top performers in the genre are scheduled: Krishna Das, Deva Premal & Miten, Jai Uttal, Snatam Kaur, Dave Stringer, Donna De Lory, C.C. White, Sean Johnson & the Wild Lotus Band, Govind Das & Radha, David Newman, Kirtan Rabbi, DJ Drez, Arjun Baba, Karnamrita, Deepak & Breath of Life Tribe, The GuruGanesha Band and many other inspiring performers.

In addition to the kirtan, Bhakti Fest West features twelve hours of daily yoga classes in three large halls facilitated by incomparable and world-renowned yoga teachers such as Dharma Mittra, Shiva Rae, Bryan Kest, Elena Brower, Micheline Berry, Mark Whitwell, Sianna Sherman, Kia Miller, Saul David Raye, Ashley Turner, Hemalayaa Behl, Suzanne Sterling and many others.

With over 20 workshops on a wide variety of spiritual themes, Bhakti Fest West brings the physical asana and chanting practices into greater context for attendees. Workshop leaders include The Journey Home author Radhanath Swami, Philip Goldberg on “The Beatles Yoga: Let it be,” Google+ for Brands Evangelist Gopi Kallayil, Michael Baker on “The Resolution of True Intimacy & The Unification of the Atman,” Zat Baraka on “Manifesting Our Lives Through Self-Initiation: A Tantric Breathwork Workshop,” and many more. Additionally Bhakti Fest’s spiritual godfather Ram Dass has filmed a special two hour interview with festival founder Sridhar Silberfein that will be played each night of the festival.

Bhakti Fest provides a complete physical, mental and spiritual health experience including a healing sanctuary with massage, bodywork, energy work, and other unique wellness enhancing modalities. There are a variety of raw, vegan, vegetarian and other high vibrational food and beverage options available. Additionally there is an extensive marketplace with eco-friendly vendors offering yoga gear, clothing, devotional art, musical instruments, CDs, crafts, jewelry and much more.

There will be two separate ticket intensives around Bhakti Fest West, a pre-festival intensive with Saul David Raye and a post-festival intensive with legendary yoga master Dharma Mittra.

The Joshua Tree Desert Retreat Center, is the perfect setting to foster inner reflection and spiritual reconnection because of its peacefulness and natural desert beauty. Accommodation options include en suite rooms with baths, camping and RV parking, all on site. There are also several hotels within a few miles of the retreat center.

Tickets for Bhakti Fest 2013 are available at www.bhaktifest.com. The festival donates monies to a variety of non-profit organizations including Food for Life, Love Serve Remember Foundation, Ramana’s Garden, Seva Foundation, Share Your Care, and Woman’s Earth Alliance.