I am in Phoenix, Arizona today where we just finished a three-hour live broadcast of Good Morning Arizona from Summit Yoga and featuring a series of segments about the Yoga Revolution taking place in this part of the country. Some of the features include the story and artists behind the Yoga Revolution CD, segments on the health benefits of yoga promoted by National Yoga Month, a live yoga class with show host Britney Shipp participating, coverage of Yoga Recess programs for kids including beautiful children practicing and sharing the joy they get by practicing yoga, a guest appearance by Here II Here performing music from the CD, offerings of free yoga classes, and ticket giveaways for this evenings local concerts by both Here II Here and Yoga Revolution featured artist Michael Franti.

We are entering the final week of Yoga Month 2010 and there is something truly revolutionary taking place.  The yoga buzz seems to be vibrating everywhere: Los Angeles and Philly are offering free yoga classes throughout the cities today, Kirtan is echoing out of studios and living rooms across the country, Yoga Journal is wrapping up their 10-day Yoga Conference in Estes Park, Colorado with a concert by Krishna Das, Sarah McLachlan adorns the September cover of Yoga Journal with a contest to win free copies of the Yoga Revolution CD, Michael Franti launched his barefoot Sound of Sunshine tour, over 1500 centers around the country are offering One Week Free Yoga to beginners with many of them holding special Yoga Month and Yoga Mala celebrations, Yoga Health Foundation premiered their Titans of Yoga film to a sold-out crowd in Santa Monica and Bhakti Fest brought together the world’s largest gathering of Western Kirtan artists in Joshua Tree for 4 days of continuous music performances.

The Yoga Revolution is not only breaking through old cultural boundaries and stereotypes here in the United States, but is crossing boarders to unite people around the world in a unifying move toward higher consciousness and mind-body-spirit integration by helping Yoga Month bring people together in Brazil, Mexico, Canada, England, Hong Kong, Australia, Chile and many other nations.

I am personally filled with gratitude and inspiration to see how two of my own passions, and two of the greatest tools I have found for creating greater personal balance, harmony and well being – music and yoga – are coming together and spreading across the globe.  I am also happy that we are re-awaking to the realization of how important these two forces are for our children and that so many angels are working hard to give our young revolutionaries the resources they will need to stay balanced, healthy and connected in a world that continues to present with challenges created by our generation and those who preceded us. My heart and love goes out to all the teachers who are helping our youth through programs like Yoga Health Foundation’s Yoga-Recess, Snatam Kaur’s work and Los Angeles-based Yoga for Youth (to barely scratch the surface).

Who could have imagined that somewhere in America there would one day be a festival featuring 4 days of around-the-clock bands performing their modern day interpolations of traditional Indian Kirtan? Well it is true. Bhakti Fest started today in the sacred piece of California desert known as Joshua Tree and will feature 2 stages going around the clock with dozens Western Kirtan and mantra-inspired artists performing to blissed-out crowds, as well as a full array of yoga classes, workshops and lectures by noteworthy teachers from the yoga community.

A western Kirtan and Yoga event of this scale certainly makes Bhakti Fest part of the growing Yoga Revolution. And what makes this celebration of Divine Love even more auspicious is the choice to celebrate it on the anniversary of 9-11, a potent reminder of our need to come together and promote universal love and connection in the world.

So we will be there to represent. Yoga Health Foundation will have a booth offering a Bhaki Fest-only special for attendees to receive the Yoga Revolution CD and new Titans of Yoga DVD for any donations supporting the Yoga Recess program for kids. Yoga Health Foundation and the Yoga Recess Program will also be one of the charities benefiting from the Sunday night closing event- Love. Peace, Yoga. Some of the featured Kirtan artists from the Yoga Revolution CD that will be performing are Krishna Das, Deva Premal, Donna De Lory, David Newman and Wah!. I will also have the honor of sitting in on guitar to help spread the Bhav with Saul David Raye, Steve Gold, Donna and Yevette.

Shiva Rea is the Ambassador for this year’s festival, and many other dear friends and inspiring talents will be both performing and offering classes and workshops. Last year was the first year of the festival. The energy was extremely high and air was saturated with love and good vibrations. This year is expected to be twice as big, so I’m sure the Bhav will be overflowing. Hope to see you there.