WHAT A YEAR OF FESTIVALS!

          Are you a festival goer? I AM. Do you love music, community, sharing, art, and high levels of energy? I DO.  I feel like I haven't been living properly before this last past year. My first festival I ever went to was in 2010 in Austin TX at an art outside festival. I had no clue what I was getting myself into. It was fun but I didn't go to another festival until November 2012 when I went to BEAR CREEK at the Spirit of the Suwannee. It was like a love bomb went off in my face at that festival.  As of today I have gone to 17 music festivals and 16 of those were within the past year since November '12.  I was asked to go there by a dear friend who said I would be volunteering at Hoola Monsters. I was like COOL I WOULD LOVE TO GO!! I am hired to work there every year now and I am so stoked because Bear Creek was one of my favorites. It is SUPER HARD to pick a favorite though!

            I have never felt this much love in my whole entire life from anyone, anything or any place.  It was truly a breakthrough for me. This I must say is the power of self love. The festivals have helped shape me and who I am as a human being living at this time right now. I am not just a human being but most importantly I am a spiritual being, and always will be. I am free of fear and I am free to live as this and share with others how to do so. This is why we learn something new everyday, this is why we have come here. It may be music festivals, dancing, art, or music but we are a community. Not only are we strong but we know how it feels to do something that helps ourselves for the higher good. I am so thankful for each and every festival I have been to because each one helped add self love in it's own way. 
         After Bear Creek- November 2012, I went off to HOME TEAM FESTIVAL in Lakeland Florida Dec-Jan 12-13. What an amazing community there is at that festival. I mean you will meet the some of the most heart-felt people there. I met some of my closest friends at this festival. They will definitely be life-long friends. Rising Light was introduced to me and that was huge for me! I love the messages and playshops we all give here. We are everyone's reminder. We are powerful beyond measure and forget sometimes. I love spending time with those caring people.  Free Range Roosters, Cope, Green Sunshine, omg I loved all the acts here. You really can not beat local musicians. 
           February I went back to the Spirit of Suwannee for the Aura Festival. WHHHOOOOAAAA WOO  HOOOO how fun!! I do not remember too much of this one if that tells you anything lol.... It was pretty earth shaking. I just remember seeing all the amazing GODDESSES that were there EVERYWHERE. 
           March was my year's first road trip to Austin Tx. I went by myself to most of these events. If you have read previous articles (especially the one about freeing your heart) you will know I am very picky about who I spend my personal time with for GREAT REASONS. Austin had a SXSW festival that had a bunch of artists worldwide come to preform. MY HIGHLIGHT was definitely hanging with BLACK TAXI, out of NY,NY

Black Taxi From NY, NY

after all the shows. We had a fun little party out at their ranch house with all their close friends. I love those guys. I stopped in at New Orleans, LA to get a quick tour! I got to see the whole town because my friend happened to be there and gave me a whole city tour in his convertible. SO BLESSED to know so many kick ass friends. I was headed home and stopped in Lake City FL to see a girlfriend and she was like come to SPRING FEST. I was like well what the hell why not?!! SPRING FEST WAS MUSICALLY THE BEST. I loved Elephant Revival, they were my favorite act here. I loved that after the music ended at night everyone camp fire had musicians there jamming.
       

WAY DOWN UPON THE SUWANNEE RIVER!

WANEE FESTIVAL WAS NEXT! Of course the highlight there was meeting Tyler and having the best time of my life with masculine energy. I fell in love and it was the highest feeling of love I have ever received from anyone my whole life. He really melts my knees every time and did a mighty fine job of it every day after this. Some way or another being in separate states did not matter after this festival! He was not letting go of me, lol. It is sad in my journey, I see how hard I tried to fight his love and push it away. It reminds me of how hard I fought myself from loving myself growing up. I see why hating myself and doing terrible things to myself had a hold of me still. I wanted to push away the love that was clearly strong there, not only from him but still from myself. Thank God for love- first comes self love then the rest falls into place. Wanee was a miracle festival and I tell you what; it was definitely up there with Bear Creek :) Dumpsta Funk and Michael Franti were my favorites acts here. 
         

Where the sun shines brought the Orange Blossom Jamboree and WOW. This festival was ONE OF A KIND.  May brought the perfect season to us on semi windy and free of wind days. The community in St. Petersburg/Tampa is one hard to beat. I am super HAPPY to be apart of this community, even if I do not reside there at the moment. I will always feel the love from this festival. I really opened up and started stepping into my creativity side and starting making flower headbands! I love making them and started selling them on etsy! THE COMMUNITY AT THIS FESTIVALS WINS IN MY BOOK!
        Brandi and I were about to leave to go on our road trip, and we decided to go to Disc Jam to start it right.  DISC JAM in JULY was at the SOSMP. (Spirit of Suwannee) It was really small and REALLY PASSIONATE! I loved seeing Cope and being with all the Waneetopian family members! 
       

Summer Jam was a JAM! Although it was really rainy, and muddy this intimate festivals was really fun! I remember working really hard to whole time with Rising Light and selling my head bands to raise money up for the road trip tour Brandi and I went on. Which we made just enough to get us up there in OH for All Good! ALL GOOD was kind of shitty for me. I worked the festival picking up trash and they pretty much slaved us. I WILL ALWAYS PICK UP MY OWN TRASH, please do the same.... DUH. Anyways had to get that out since I am reliving everything again lol. I got to hug Nahko when he was walking through the crowd and that was one of my highlights! I missed Yonder because I was so tired from working so that was totally LAME. Although I really REALLY enjoyed my special night with Brandi and Buddha during Furthur. 
       

NEXT WAS Gratifly ! That was a fly FLY FLY FLY AWAY beautiful festival. I enjoyed this one greatly. The play shops with reiki, yoga, Entheogens, and RISING APPALACHIA ! I loved the tulip forest with the fairy land and the creek was perfect because it was so hot. I will definitely love to come back to this one. 
          Unitus was GREAT! I felt the love from this one for sure. RISING LIGHT was here as well with Tribal Council and NEON JESUS! I love that man, he is a highlight for me at this one. I loved that I got to meet dear new friends. I also remember talking to John from Copius Jones and actually asking him what he does with his time. HAHAH he just got done drumming but I was not paying attention.... I knew that was to happen at one time or another. I never pay too much attention to the band members and knew one day I would talk to a band member and not have any idea. ;) silly girl.... Anyways Thank you for putting this festival on. Will go back next year. 
          I went to Qi Activation, which actually wasn't a music festival but it was a highlight of this year for me. I received a lot of good vibes from this event. Practice of Qi Gong, Breath empowerment, foot reflexology, and energy healing. Check it out! 
         GRAND FINALLY OF OUR road trip was Interlocken. It was probably one of my least favorites. Terrible entry, long walks, dusty, but the music was AMAZING !  String Cheese was my favorite. 

                                                                     

  HULAWEEN! STRING CHEESE!!!!! HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JELLY DOME!!!!! FERRIS WHEEL! COSTUMES! SCI! HUGS! LIVE OAK! HUGS! DANCING! SCI! THE BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!
      

Bear Creek this year was breath taking. I got to hug Zach Deputy. I did not think I was going to make it but I did. Universe was like yeah, um SHAWNEE, why aren't you there? GO!! lol :-) 
      Got miracled two tickets for XMAS Jam. Got to boogie to some Phil Lesh and Widespread so that was fun ! <3 
         IF you made it this far reading my adventures I congratulate you! :) it was quite an experience and I feel like a new person with receiving all that love. Bear Creek last year help influence me to start writing. I have a years worth of blogging and I love to reread what I write. Most of my writing is not only to share it with the world but to share it with myself. When we allow ourselves to open up and receive love, we do. When we ask ourselves "What would someone that love themselves do?", doors open up. When we believe in those doors opening up, they do. Don't ask how, why, where, when.... Just ask for it, believe in it and receive it. <3 Thank you for writing and thank you for reading. With much love. 

My MAIN SQUEEZE <3 

Check out these recommended sites:
Rising Light
Bella Healing Affirmation Page
Spirit of Suwannee