SANGHA FEST Lineup
Yoga Classes, Interactive Workshops & Live Music
Ananda Das is a revered figure in the realms of Kirtan, Sattva Himalayan Kundalini Yoga, and the teachings of singing, mantra, and Bhakti Yoga. With a heart deeply rooted in devotional practice, Ananda Das has dedicated his life to exploring the intersections of music, yoga, and spirituality, guiding countless souls on their journey towards inner peace and liberation. Ananda Das’s teachings are a reflection of his own journey—a testament to the power of music, movement, and mindfulness in achieving harmony and enlightenment. His compassionate approach and dedication to the path of love and service inspire all who cross his path, making him a beloved teacher and guide in the global spiritual community.
Johanna Beekman is an internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter, chant/kirtan artist, yoga teacher, vocal teacher, recording artist, and event producer. Johanna is loved for her rich, soulful voice, her radiant spirit, and her inspiring songs and chants that tap deeply into our collective soul. She sings and teaches at leading festivals, studios, churches, and other live and online venues. Her songs have been nominated for several music awards and best-of-the-year playlists. In 2022 Johanna became a voting member of the Grammy Recording Academy. Johanna incorporates her music into her uniquely restorative Lullaby Yoga classes and her Free Your Soul’s Voice Playshops. Her highly praised Mantra Sangha video brings together artists from all around the globe to support the education of Nepali children. Johanna also produces and co-produces several yoga and conscious music festivals to celebrate our shared humanity. For more information about Johanna, visit johannasings.com.
Monica Mesa Dasi is a Tantrik yogini, intuitive, author of bestselling book WithYou Forever, mother of three sons, and devotee of beloved Gurus Neem Karoli Baba & Amma. She is a deeply trusted mentor, channeler, plant medicine woman, and an activist that leads the Soul on Fire movement. Monica has impacted the physical, mental, and spiritual lives of people around the globe with her message of self love, the power of daily practice, and the importance to claim your power, purpose, and passion, & be a beneficial presence on the planet. She is a presenter at festivals, retreats, global events, and is the creatress of Soul on Fire Mystery School for Women of Wisdom & Sacred Yoga Sadhana. Her message, “Love Yourself & You Love The World” is what she believes will give rise to personal and planetary healing for a more compassionate, healthy, and harmonious humanity.
Salamander Collective is a high vibration multi-genre psychedelic jam band, in service to the present moment. Straddling a space between neo-soul, gypsy rock and prayer.
The Salamanders weave musical journeys that transport, transform, and transcend. From soulful soundscapes & heart-felt ballads, to full out epic compositions and dance party inspiring grooves, resolving in a well curated and rich experience.
For the past year we have been touring our live band ecstatic dance sets around the beautiful communities of the country. Drawing on the spirit of collaboration, improvisation, flow and divine guidance to deliver music we hope inspires you to live deeply and truthfully.
Dr. Manoj Chalam
Manoj (people call him a spiritual standup comedian) uses an uniquely entertaining, interactive story telling style using Hindu/Buddhist deities in his workshops to illuminate Bhakti practices as well as deep non dual philosophy. He teaches at festivals, yoga events, his ashram and whoever wants to listen.
Manoj uses these deity archetypes to help people in their hero’s journey as elucidated by Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung. An Indian-born scientist with a PhD in Chemical engineering from Cornell University, Manoj helps individuals find their archetypes in Hindu/Buddhist Yogic deities and teaches the 5 practices to work with their archetype as a spiritual practice. He has also compiled a book on the symbolisms of these deity archetypes.
For over 25 years Manoj has held workshops and teachings. He has been key note speaker at Telluride Yoga Festival, and regularly brings his gifts to the greater Sangha of the world.
Website www.MurtisAndVedanta.com
Divino BetSatori‘s devotional world music combines ancient wisdom with modern insight. Borrowing the best from every major religion and spiritual tradition, we share kirtan, medicine music, and our original songs, which are best described as “indie-acoustic folk-rock, with hip-hop and reggae influence”. Our band is based out of Boulder, Colorado; and we travel the world on our mission to help you REMEMBER YOUR DIVINITY.
Divino BetSatori has played at all major yoga studios in the Denver area, and continues to expand its reach across Colorado, playing at festivals such as Sangha Fest, AWAKE Fest, Muse Fest, and BLISS, Colorado Chant and Sacred Sound Festival. Divino BetSatori’s 8-track debut album “Remember Your Divinity” is set to launch in 2024.
Andrew Ecker, with over two decades of dedicated research, has developed an evidence-based approach to utilizing recreational drumming and sound medicine. Merging his passion for contemporary drum circles with his deep knowledge of traditional Native American ceremony, Andrew’s approach transcends cultural specifics, focusing on outcome-driven results. His program, Drumming Sounds, has been successfully implemented in hundreds of healthcare-related communities, including skilled nursing facilities, memory care units, drug and alcohol treatment facilities, behavioral lockdowns, prisons, assisted living communities, adult day cares, and post-acute rehabilitation centers.
M.Div Interfaith Divinity, EOLD, 700 E-RYT
Rev. Satyajaiananda (formerly James Ratliff) is 700HR RYT specializing in Hatha Yoga and an ordained Interfaith Minister through All Paths Divinity School. He was bestowed the name Satyajaiananda when he was ordained at the Parliament of World Religions by Dr. Rev. Andre Van Zyl, a veteran member of the Advaita Vedanta Society in Los Angeles California, and co-owner of All Paths Divinity School.
He is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Interfaith Divinity studying the many truths of the world and how they are related.
Rev. Satya believes that all spiritual paths spring forth from the same well of divine being and brings the essence of many traditions to his classes and workshops.
Rev. Satya has served and studied in various parts of the world having finished his yoga studies in Nepal, being a member of Performers Without borders in Africa, and leading various retreats throughout Central America and Asia through his company Satsang Adventures
His main teachings focus on how to cultivate a healthy body, a peaceful mind, and a joyful heart.
Shauna Moore is certified in life purpose and mindfulness coaching. She started her path with foundations in Zazen and is a practitioner of Tibetan Vajrayana. She is a healer, guide and teacher on the path of awakening and has spent more than 25 years studying, along with cultivating and accomplishing the yogic skills of mystic heat/tummo, using the traditional chakra/pathways and clear light meditations.
As a teacher she is known for her gifts in working with her students to actualize their innate potential through the subtle body system of energies to awaken inner voice wisdom, connections to the divine and healing powers. Shauna is compassionate, full of life and committed to supporting those who want to develop transformational awareness and compassion for all.
Kristin H. Ratliff (@satsangbird)
Kristin has devoted her life to the teachings of Yoga Studies. Studying thousands of hours and practicing from teachers all around the world and higher education institutions, she curates classes that balance the body and mind through the incorporation of all of the valuable dynamics of Yoga.
She is currently pursuing a Masters of Arts in Yoga Studies and has taught for six years in environments all around the world.
Kristin continues to follow her heart’s mission, her dharma, of sharing this wisdom to audiences and individuals all around.
Join Elisabeth Lava as she guides a workshop on how to incorporate meditation into your daily practice/sadhana by blending yoga on the mat and meditation for spiritual growth. Bring a notepad/journal, pen, and your open mind.
Elisabeth sprinkles bhakti in the class with a brief spell of harmonium playing and chanting at the start and end of meditation to open your heart in devotion. Optional essential oil and gentle release in final savasana for support in letting go. Step back into the world with a deeper connection with the inner peace of your soul that awaits you in stillness.
I feel very fortunate to have been practicing yoga for over 20 years years. It has been a path of health, joy, transformation and empowerment since my teen years. Initially, it was the physical practice that captured my attention, but over the years this led me to study all the other facets including pranayama, meditation, tantra, and yoga’s sister science, Ayurveda, as well as other influential disciplines, primarily Buddhism, the Tao te Ching, and plant medicines. I have participated in over 1000 hours of yoga trainings, and am an affiliate of Shiva Rea’s Samudra Global School of Living Yoga, leading 200 Hour Prana Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Trainings.
As a Sacred Sensuality Guide, Yoga Teacher, Retreat Organizer, Podcaster (Your Inner Radiance) and Ayurvedic Practitioner, my goal is to guide others to embody a path of connection to their higher selves and to all other beings, and be empowered to access the great cosmic source of radiance, creativity, and healing. My deepest passion is connecting with women and guiding them to fully cultivate their natural feminine powers of sensuality, intuition, compassion, radiance and pleasure! www.lilyrussoyoga.com
Maria Joy discovered her love for music at a young age, the piano being her first love and inspiration. In an environment that wasn’t safe to express her true feelings she found an avenue to express her emotions in the sounds that she would create. She soon discovered the magic and power of vibration to activate trapped emotional debris to be felt and released. We must feel it to heal it.
She spends a lot of time in nature drawing inspiration from the birds and waterfalls sculpting sounds to bring her listeners on a journey to lead them into the heart of Mother Nature and therefore into our own hearts to feel our pain and longing so we can step into the fullest expression of who we truly are.
Evie has been in southwest colorado for 5 years now and teaching yoga for 4 years. she feels most alive in or near water and loves to help facilitate sup yoga. in her free time, evie loves to be playing in the mountains and attempting to homestead with her two kids. for this sup class, you can expect to spend some time getting comfy on your board, doing some guided breath work, and moving slowly through some asanas.
Caroline Lewis MA MFT MIM is an ecotherapist, ceremonialist, meditation teacher, published author, podcast host, creativity and leadership coach, as well as a facilitator of rewilding retreats and immersions. She guides and teaches highly sensitive people and brave souls to return home to their wildest true nature while fearlessly embodying their highest creative gifts for collective service and liberation.
She is passionate about honoring and restoring the Earth’s rivers during this time of climate change and Great Turning, and supports others in deepening both personal and community connection with inner and outer waters.
In 2019, Damon Zen Drummer and Lauren Sukha were invited to create a cacao ceremony for Grand Valley Yoga Festival. The Spirit of Cacao called them to facilitate, since then they have co-created Rhythm Ceremony and offer it at yoga studios, festivals and in-house settings .
Damon Zen Drummer has used his modern approach to fuse ambient sounds with the ancient drum and his resonant voice for many years both before and after training as a monk in the ashrams of Self Realization Fellowship. In 2020, Damon greatly enhanced the musical experience by layering vocals, his beloved djembe and ambient sounds in Ableton Live.
Lauren Adamo is trained in yoga, meditation, and cacao facilitation. She brings intention and deep inner work to all of her offerings. Lauren and Damon Zen Drummer weave the art of music, spirituality, meditation, and mantra together. They guide an immersive journey they call Rhythm Ceremony.
She is a lover of language and enjoys all aspects of creativity. She has a son who is flying the coop this year, while her 2 dogs will be taking another gap year. You might find Sheryl deep in projects around her land, cooking tasty food and part-timing as a wood nymph.
Jackie Just is a Prana Vinyasa and SUP yoga instructor, Ayurveda Wellness coach and Ayurvedic chef who lives in Crested Butte, Colorado. Jackie is passionate about supporting her students’ wellness on and off the mat and her approach is rooted in the ancient life science of Ayurveda. She loves to remind herself and her students that Ayurveda, even when practiced imperfectly, provides us with a road map toward greater ease, vitality and happiness and fun in all areas of our lives through small, gradual lifestyle shifts.
200hr YTT, Reiki Master, Akashic Record Reader, Arial Yoga Teacher, MBSR certified, Soul Alignment Coach
Lena Naico is a soul alignment coach, my purpose is to guide individuals on a journey inward, helping them connect with the essence of their being and align with their soul’s deepest purposes. Through introspection, mindfulness practices, and personalized guidance, I support clients in uncovering their true desires, passions, and strengths. By fostering a safe and nurturing space for exploration and growth, I assist individuals in breaking free from limiting beliefs, societal conditioning, and fear-based patterns that obstruct their alignment with their authentic selves. Together, we work towards cultivating self-awareness, clarity, and empowerment, empowering each individual to step into their true essence and live a life that resonates with their soul’s calling.
Cheryl Chaffee, E-RYT®500, YACEP®Ashaya Yoga® Teacher Trainer Ashaya Yoga® Virtual Administrative Assistant Online Yoga Classes at bodymindheartyoga Sign up for my monthly newsletter.
Bhakti Bliss Kirtan has a unique style which transports you to a deep devotional place in your heart, while also inspiring you to get up and dance and express your joy and bliss for life! Cheryl Chaffee is the group’s founder- she has been leading kirtan around the world since 2009. Each member brings their unique artistry to create a multi-dimensional sound. The combined vibrations lift you up and help you attune to your own inner resonance, as well as connect with the frequencies of the Divine. www.bhaktiblisskirtan.com
Brandy Wade and Brady Wilson (aka B-Dub squared) are thrilled to be returning to Sangha Fest
for the 3 rd year in a row! With over 30 years of combined Yoga teaching experience, they are
both currently staff teachers at Yogadurango, each often teaching several classes every week.
In addition to their unique yoga teaching styles, they often collaborate to offer sound healings
and Om Mantra meditations in Durango throughout the year. They are also the co-facilitators
of Soma Sound Space (affectionately known as Dance Church!) a monthly Ecstatic Dance
offering held in Durango on the first Sunday morning of every month. Brandy is an
Orthobionomy™ practitioner at Three Treasures Healthcare, where she specializes in subtle
body, psychosomatic techniques, and women’s health. Brady is the head medicine maker at
Dancing Willow Herbs and sole proprietor of Onda Body Spray.
Cat Wetenkamp intertwines the art of storytelling and kriya into her yoga classes to guide
practitioners through a transformative journey on the mat. Drawing from the wisdom of
ancient teachings, Cat illuminates the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit,
fostering a space for self-discovery and growth. Cat is passionate about helping others
remember their fullest potential. She is a reiki practitioner, sound healer, + plant
medicine facilitator located in Denver, Colorado. You can learn more about Cat’s
experience and offerings at: www.kintsugiyoga.org
Melanie Law is the director of the Ridgway Yoga Shala and draws from almost 30 years of experience as a Yoga & Bhakti teacher. She fell in love with yoga in the 90s and began a lifelong path of it’s traditions. She moved to Telluride, Colorado where she eventually founded the Telluride Yoga Center twenty years ago. Melanie is certified in both Hatha Yoga through the Eldorado Mountain Ashram and Ashtanga Yoga through Richard Freeman. She studied for many years with Jivamukti Yoga in NYC where she cultivated her style of weaving asana, music, chanting, poetry and sacred texts into an artful flow. She offers Bhakti courses and retreats throughout the year, leading students through the sacred realms of the human heart and its longing to be met by the divine. Melanie has deepened her Bhakti practice with a daily sadhana and memorization of the Hanuman Chalisa, an ancient 40 verse prayer to Hanuman, the God of Devotion. She leads weekly Kirtan in Ridgway and has studied with Kirtan masters Jai Uttal and Krishna Das who have inspired and deepened her roots in the Bhakti tradition.
Jitka Slanska
I have been a sensitive being since an early age. Navigating the rollercoaster of life I have always searched for ways to master my emotions, energy, and mind. In 2018 I was guided to Sattva Yoga Academy in Rishikesh, India. I have fallen in love with these complex integrated techniques that are rooted in ancient wisdom. Inviting us to search ourselves, our true nature, helping us to correct our intellect, and to experience present moment, connection, and joy. As of now I have completed 500 YTT. My favorite things are spending time in nature, experiencing and learning new things, dancing, traveling, and being with loved ones.
Kristin has devoted her life to the teachings of Yoga Studies. Studying thousands of hours and practicing from teachers all around the world and higher education institutions, she curates classes that balance the body and mind through the incorporation of all of the valuable dynamics of Yoga.
She is currently pursuing a Masters of Arts in Yoga Studies and has taught for six years in environments all around the world.
Kristin continues to follow her heart’s mission, her dharma, of sharing this wisdom to audiences and individuals all around.
Shua Mallin’s journey into grief coaching is rooted in his profound personal experiences with loss. A few years after the passing of his sister to cancer, Shua endured the heartbreaking loss of seven close friends to various tragedies over the course of a single year. This has fueled his desire to support others and has provided him with a deep and empathetic understanding of grief. Shua’s approach to coaching is holistic, considering the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of his clients. His unique blend of personal insight, academic acumen, and spiritual focus make him an exceptional guide for those navigating the complexities of grief on the path to healing and growth. He possesses a natural gift for listening and guiding conversations in a way that allows people to explore their feelings and find meaning in their experiences. Shua is patient, compassionate, and genuinely caring—qualities that are essential in the delicate work of grief coaching.
Foundation for Holistic Life Coaching certification – June 2024
Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering – May 2012
Registered Minister ULC – Experienced Wedding and Funeral Officiant
Joe Peloquin
Born in a small town in the temperate northeast, Joe’s life took a radical turn in his early twenties when he traveled to a tiny village in rural France on a one-way ticket to help a family he had never met build their straw-bale house. What began as a vague plan to see the world while living on work-trade became a path of devotion when he found his heart on a Buddhist pilgrimage. For the next decade Joe followed his teachers throughout India, Europe and the Middle East dedicating his time to Buddhist meditation and service. Following his 30th birthday his journey brought him back to the U.S. where his efforts have shifted from seeking to giving back what was given to him. Joe now lives in a yurt tucked away in a side canyon West of Durango with his two cats working on the land, facilitating meditation groups, offering spiritual mentorship and guiding soul-centric wilderness immersions.
Joe brings over 10 years of dedicated practice in the Insight and American Zen traditions with a particular focus on Engaged Dharma. Collectively he has sat over 2 years in silent retreat and has continuously brought his spiritual practice into active service in refugee camps, leprosy communities, prisons, street outreach, climate activism, grassroots peace work in Israel/Palestine and ecological projects in India, Europe and the U.S. His teachers are Christopher Titmuss, Zohar Lavie and Nathan Glyde.
Carrie Bliss
Teaching yoga and meditation since 1994, Carrie B is a registered YA EYT500, Certified Meditation & Breath Facilitator and Yoga Therapist, and holds a Master’s Degree as a Fine Arts Educator. She currently facilitates private and online yoga classes, “Meditate to Create: the POETRY of Yoga & Art” sessions, and creates Yoga-Inspired jewelry, drawings & paintings at her Bhakti Studio.
“Reach inside Yourself & Find Your Soul” ~ Carrie B
Janessa Herman
Hello it’s nice to meet you, I’m Janessa (she/her). I’ve been practicing yoga for over 10 years and it grows sweeter with each year. My offerings are grounded with an invitation to explore how shapes can impact us physically and mentally. I offer mindful practices like breath technique and subtle body cues to cultivate internal connection. I share from a space of curiosity and openness, knowing that yoga practice looks different for everyone. My goal is to create a space where you might practice authentically within the support of community. Alongside my E-RYT 200 in vinyasa, I have further training in yin, restorative, pranayama, aerial, and trauma informed yoga. As a forever student, I’m always expanding my understanding of yoga traditions and holistic practices. When not practicing with you, I’m out in the woods looking for moss with my dog or reading with my cats.
Chloe Kissner first began her personal practice 13 years ago when discovering a yoga class in college. The yogic philosophy and the spiritual wisdom she picked up in classes is what kept her curious and coming back for more. Exploring the capabilities of the mind, body, and spirit felt like a never ending and worthwhile journey in this lifetime and in 2021 she completed a 200 hour Ashtanga-inspiredVinyasa YTT, her practice has only deepened and expanded since. Chloe is the studio manager at YogaDurango in Durango, Colorado where she teaches a weekly Ashtanga class as well as a Hatha with Mantra class which incorporates asana and chanting, what she now finds to be an integral part of her practice. She wishes to share her gratitude for the impact yoga has had on her healing and wellbeing by offering her unique expression of movement and mantra.
Born in the shadow of Pikes Peak, Caleb Hall is a teacher whose heart is deeply rooted in the mountains of Colorado. Inspired by nature around him, Caleb teaches with creativity, connection, and the breath as cornerstones to his practice. He began practicing yoga in 2013 at the age of 13 and became a certified teacher in the summer of 2020. He uses his 10 years of practice to inform his own teachings.
Arts and expression play an integral role in his teaching. In August 2021 he completed his B.A. in Visual and Performing Arts from the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs. He currently teaches Yoga and Dance at Manitou Springs High School and is an instructor and YTT-200 at Cambio Yoga. A typical class with Caleb will involve invitations to explore the self and world in new ways— while enjoying the pleasure of movement. Expect sequences connected intelligently with the breath that become a dance of the mind, body, and soul.
Kaivalya
After a long steep in the warm transformational waters of yoga, Kaivalya shares from experience. She has been a practicing yoga teacher for over a decade now and a student since the young age of 12. Her background in Buddhism, tantra, storytelling, environmental science, meditation, and Acupuncture inform her teaching style. The style of classes she offers are Hatha and Yin. While invoking movement inwards to open the streams of consciousness into a deep conversation with the present moment. She is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, practicing in New Mexico and Yoga teacher at Santa Fe Community Yoga Center.
Venus and Andrea dela Rainbow
Venus evolved from a corporate Human Resources Director in Chicago advertising agencies, to an Energy Healing Consultant who owned and operated Lighten Up Energy + Yoga in Chicago, to an entrepreneurial self-help Love Guide based in Durango, Colorado. She has been polishing and refining her connection and communication skills since 2012. With 12 years of experience, she is ready to be your loving guide on the path to healthy, loving relationships.
Venus has experience in Transformational Breathwork, as a Reiki Master/Teacher, Bhakti Vinyasa Yoga Instructor (the yoga of love & devotion), 9 years of deep contemplation with the Gene Keys, extensive personal psychedelic journeying, non-violent communication, IFS parts work, somatic movement and dance, and a substantial background in music and voice work. The Venus Oracle is the culmination of her life’s journey to find love, satisfaction and fulfillment, and to share it with her fellow human beings on their respective paths.
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Andréa dela Rainbow serves the SW Colo community and beyond as a trauma informed certified Thai Massage Therapist, Reiki & Access Consciousness Bars Practitioner, transformational life coach, Tantric Embodiment Guide, and is currently training as a Tantric Sex/Love/Relationship Coach.
Andréa is passionate about sharing knowledge, wisdom, and practices that will lead you home to your own power. Her specialty is creating safe space for you to surrender and be nourished by the healing energy that is already flowing through your body as she guides exploration and expression into your fullest potential. She delights in introducing simple concepts that will empower you to tend to your needs and the needs of others with ease and grace.