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EARTHDANCE is celebrated in
five or more locations in California one weekend in September. It's
an annual event held around the globe held on the same weekend. Now
over a decade old, the event combines live music with a brief
interlude of prayer and a world peace OM (usually on Saturday
afternoon around 4 - 6 PST), to link up with other people around the
world celebrating EARTHDANCE at over 300 location in over 60
countries (those numbers are fluid, and keep changing annually).
Most people probably know what OM is but if you don't, it is a low
humming sound humans make, saying the word, "om" as they
concentrate, relax, and meditate. While Om is a universal word and
hum used in many meditative efforts, it has been derived from the
Dharmic religions and is placed at the beginning and end of a
reading of any prayer or mantra.
So at the EARTHDANCE, the
prayer for world peace and healing is one common thread that these
music festivals around the globe all share, with a selected issue or
subject the theme each year. In 2007 the theme was "healing the
earth's water". A percent of proceeds from the event are to be
given to nonprofit organizations and while some EARTHDANCE events
charge a fee, some are free.
In California the hub event is
in Laytonville, out in the redwood forests of Northern California.
Mendocino County where the event is held on a ranch is a three day
festival that sounds more like a new age commercialized event with
its trendy names for activities and attractions within the fest.
It's a new age Woodstock with all the trappings. Cafes, food vendors
and vendor booths where attendees can purchase stuff. The names are
clever and cute and have included Global Artisans Market, Late Night
Cinema, Healing Village, Kidlandia, Activist Alley, All Night Music
Cafés, Elders Council, Healing Village, Storytelling Tipi and Astro
Forecast. In today's world, you have to be savvy and plan
appropriately for the crowds or you will not get permits to hold
such events, nor will they be financially viable.
In addition to the hub
Laytonville event (which offers one of the most beautiful settings
on earth) complete with camping, Tehachapi in the stark, dry desert
of Kern County and Markleeville in the mountains of
Alpine County
both offer three-day events (subject to change). Meanwhile the
Southern California scene that's less conducive to campouts and
three day music festivals in the big city features one day events in
San Diego's Balboa Park and an afternoon celebration in
San Pedro's
Point Fermin Park.
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