Lightning In A Bottle Opens Its Gates Again In 2010
Deep within a forest of oak trees, a world of pure delight was discovered by those seeking a festival featuring the stuff of dreams. This community structured on love, yoga, dance, music and art found a chosen family within the trees.
I admit it: I’m a Lightning in a Bottle addict, and I can truly say that this was the best one yet. The Do LaB, characters of creativity who have produced the green event since 2000, took 2009 off; needless to say, our community suffered a severe case of separation anxiety.
Shiva’s Yoga Trance, Photo By Adam Latham
Then 2010 delivered with a transcendent line-up: Primal Yoga and Trance Dance with Shiva Rea; guest speaker Reverend Michael Bernard Beckwith; world-class DJs Adam Freeland, Sandra Collins and Lee Burridge, camping by a lake, art installations surrounding three stages with musicians, performers and DJs; recycling stations and free filtered water.
Workshops at the Sustainability Stage fed the desire of those seeking education, including organic gardening with Jessica Viola; those longing to tap into their inner activist went on an interactive tour with Francis DellaVecchia’s upcoming Joyful Activist Playbook. Yogis aiming to increase self-love found fulfillment in Jesse Lombardi’s “Yoga in a Bottle” class, while environmentalists enjoyed numerous discussions, including one led by Chris Paine, director of the documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?
The abundance of trees and a lakeside view of Irvine’s Oak Creek Ranch created the perfect destination to cater the crowd of 7,000 attendees, yet the most impressive area, located at the top of a hill, was The Temple of Consciousness. Shiva’s session here was listed in the guide as Yoga and dance, but organically evolved into a worship of nature, as she placed attendees in a circle around a beautiful oak tree. Within minutes, each person had their hands on the tree and the group chanted in unison in a celebration of all united as
Lee Burridge, Photo By Adam Latham
While the days provided tools for finding one’s inner self, the nights were designed for one to get lost. Favorite acts included DJ/producer Adam Freeland, who succeeded in mind control of the crowd with heavy hitting break beats; William and the Earth Harp, who spanned his instrument’s strings hundreds of feet; DJ Treavor Moontribe, who unleashed acts of wizardry through sound; Terrakroma, a trio who took live production to a whole new level; and Beats Antique, who catered to dub step addicts. And who could live without Jesse Wright and Sammy Bliss, creators of the Woogie Stage, who blessed us with nonstop house music and funky dirty glitchy beats, day and night.
The close of the weekend brought a sense of fulfillment. Dancing hard eight hours for three nights, engaging in outdoor Yoga and eating organic vegetarian food was a much-needed prescription that could only be filled by Lightning in a Bottle. Until next year!
For more information about this annual festival, visit: LightningInABottle.org.
Adam Latham is a photographer whose innovative work has been seen throughout LA YOGA: angeladam.com.
When not sitting at her computer writing, jamming in the SoCal music scene, or practicing Yoga, Lori Denman is frequently seen on a surfboard, inhaling the salt air, and riding the waves.