THE FESTIVAL
Who we are
We are Laboratorio Sin Fronteras – Arts for Human Development. Our purpose seeks the healing and expansion of the human being through meditation, projected to artistic creation. We were born in 2013 within Laboratorio Escuela, an experimental theater school founded by Jessica Walker in 1999 in Barcelona, Spain.
The mountain
Considered as the physical manifestation of Lord Shiva, Arunachala has been a place of pilgrimage and devotion for thousands of years. A point of high vibration that concentrates an intense spiritual activity during the year, with pilgrimages en masse each full moon. The energy of Arunachala is a direct inspiration for the creation of the event.
The Festival
Arunachala Bhakti Lab will take place on february 16th to 22th, 2019. It´s a one week celebration, a journey to the soul through Theatre, Dance, Yoga, Music, Art and Meditation. It is a joyful gathering in a beautiful ashram in nature, near Arunachala. Throughout classes and activities, we will have an experience of connection and creativity, working the body, mind and spirit.
To check out fees of the Fest, click here.
The stage is a place to find your soul
Jessica Walker
PROGRAM
Arunachala Bhakti Lab offers six days of group coexistence, spiritual training and creative activity in contact with nature.
We offer you a powerful program, with classes, workshops and activities from morning to evening.
We´ll have tasty vegetarian food to help the cleaning process you will experience during those days.
| 06:00 AM | Sungazing |
| 07:00 AM | Yoga |
| 08:00 AM | Breakfast |
| 09:30 AM | Laboratorio Class |
| 12:30 AM | Lunch |
| 15:30 AM | Workshops |
| 17:00 PM | Tea and fruits |
| 18:00 PM | Laboratorio Bakhti |
| 19:00 PM | Dinner |
| 20:00 PM | Kirtan / Open Stage / Jams |
ACTIVITIES
SUNGAZING
Every day, at dawn, we will hike to the small temple of Durga - just 10 minutes from the ashram - where we will have a Sungazing session: a meditation watching the sunrise behind Mount Arunachala. The session ends with a prayer and a Vedic chant.
YOGA
Every morning there will be a Hatha Yoga class, a session of asana and pranayama practice by the shade of the trees: we energize the body and focus the mind for the day. There will also be two special sessions of Acro Yoga in the afternoon: it is a creative combination between yoga and acrobatics that is practiced in pairs, where balance, listening and trust are developed. For all levels.
LABORATORIO
The Laboratorio classes with Jessica Walker take place each morning, and offer a physical, mental and spiritual training where you generate, create and give yourself. We will focus on Body Perception, Body Knowledge and Perception of the Divine, through Breathing, Concentration and Meditation. We will improvise from the state, from the emotion. We will delve into bodily, gestural and dramatic creation. Each evening, Jessica Walker will offer an additional one-hour session: Laboratorio Bakhti. An outdoors spiritual practice: focused, direct and spontaneous.
WORKSHOPS
In the afternoons, we offer a varied menu of workshops for you to choose the activity that best suits you. Each day we will put at your disposal three different workshops, so that you select according to your mood of that day. Dance, yoga, singing, meditation, philosophy, creative drawing...
THE EVENINGS
During the evenings we will offer a varied program. There will be two Kirtan sessions, hosted by different guest musicians from Tiruvannamalai. A deep devotional experience through music and collective singing. Another couple of nights we will have an Open Stage session, for the participants to show their art. Music, theater, poetry, dance, songs... An invitation to bring your beauty and share it. Finally, there will be two nights of dancing: the Laboratorio Jam Session and the Final Party, the last evening of the Festi.
TEAM & TEACHERS
JESSICA WALKER
Creator of the Arunachala Bakhti Lab.
Founder of the Laboratorio Escuela in Barcelona.
“Spirit Calling Up Spirit!!!!”
Camilo Zaffora. Chief Coordinator.
Yogesh Arunachala. Kirtan.
Aina Casillas Luque. Production.
Prem Kumar. Production.
Maria Martin. Chief Coordinator.
Mincho Fuertes. Musician.
Priyanka Xavier. Workshop.
Loida Farelo. Translator.
Fedora Fonseca. Yoga.
Sangeeta Lavin. Kirtan.
Fakeera Baanwra. Teacher.
Isabel Solana. Satsang.
Sarah Dorneles. Hatha Yoga.
Gonzalo Santos. Photos & Video.
THE PLACE
The place where the Festival will take place is Sri Anantha Niketan Ashram, created by the devout hearts of Gopi and Chitra about 10 years ago. This small and welcoming sanctuary is located 9 km from Ramana Maharishi Ashram, and its landscape is dominated by the majesty of Mount Arunachala.
The ashram impresses with its pure and serene energy, which makes it a perfect setting for the journey of introspection and connection we offer. The space is prepared to attend all the needs of the attendees, to provide an atmosphere of care and provide nutritious meals and rest to their guests.
HOW TO ARRIVE
The Ashram where the event is held is located on the outskirts of Tiruvannamalai, in the state of Tamil Nadu.
The nearest airport to Tiruvannamalai is Chennai (3 and a half hours) and Bangalore (four hours). From the airport you can access the city by Bus or Taxi.
We provide you the contact of a taxi that charges good price to bring you from Chennai airport to Tiruvannamalai. His name is Logu, his telephone number is +91 9787 163 123 and his mail is tirufarmtaxi@gmail.com. Be sure to contact him a few days before your arrival, to make sure he picks you up at the airport. The trip from Chennai airport to Tirumannavalai is 3200 rss.
If you want to travel by bus, here are the schedules.
The way to arrive at the Sri Anantha Niketan Ashram from Tiruvannamalai is by taxi or rickshaw.
We provide you the contact of a rickshaw that will charge you good price from Tiruvannamalai to the Sri Anantha Niketan Ashram. He’s called Kamal, his number is +91 94428 09982. The price is about 200 rss, but it all depends on where you take it (200 rss costs from the Ramanashram).
We will open a Facebook group for the attendees of the Festival, so that they organize themselves in sharing the taxi or rickshaw.
GALLERY
