I started my third day at the Interfusion Festival with the WORST workshop I have EVER taken in all my four Interfusions. "Clearing Chakras & Blocks" was nothing more than a hundred or so of us sitting in the dark doing nothing! Zee Kong mostly sat on stage in silence, every once and while waving his hands down his face and torso. When he did say anything, he spoke like a surfer dude stoner, saying things like, "Well, you know, it's like...yeah...maybe like...you know?" And I'm thinking, "No, I don't know, because you haven't actually said or done anything." He actually said things like, "Don't pay attention to what I'm doing up here," even though he was supposed to be leading a workshop! One woman was very nice about it, saying, "I am feeling anxious since I am not sure how I should participate in this workshop," and he replied, "Well, it's hard to explain what I'm doing." YOU ARE A TEACHER! Explaining things is what you are supposed to do in this role! The only time he did ask people there to participate was when he asked people what their fears were. For EVERY person who gave an answer, he without fail psychoanalyzed them with this phrase, "That probably comes from your childhood, like your mom or your dad." He's not a psychiatrist, and that's not what we were there for! The whole thing was so ridiculous that I left early and read my book until the next workshop started.
I was supposed to take a Kundalini Yoga class afterward, but the location had changed from the old schedule, so I couldn't find it. Instead, I did some more AcroYoga, this time with Bassam Kubba from Om Factory and Mendel Romanenko. Their energy was amazing! They were so much fun, and they joked around with "commercial breaks" for New York AcroFest, which they are organizing for this summer. We did a lot of exercising beforehand just to warm up and get the blood flowing, which was great for someone like me who usually works out in the morning. Once we got into the actual Acro part, it was much harder than other classes I've taken. Trying to get into poses by jumping, or just doing star pose at all, was pretty much impossible for me. But it's always fun to try, and if you're a successful base for a flyer, that's just as much fun.
Here's an amazing video of them performing AcroYoga together a few years ago:
Next was the workshop I was looking forward to most: "Foundations of Crystals" with Joseph Adams. I have always been curious about crystals and their supposed powers, so I was looking forward to learning more: different names of crystals and what they look like, what each one is used for, etc. Adams did give us some of that in the beginning, teaching us that crystals themselves are consciousness, they reflect/amplify our own vibrations, and they help us reach harmony with our surroundings (i.e. nature). But the class was mostly just a 30-minute nap while crystals were laying on top of your body. While I did feel like I had an out-of-body vision for just a moment (I could actually see a yoga class taking place as if I were looking down from the ceiling), that was the only interesting thing I experienced. At least I learned that moldavite is good for opening the third eye; I have a ring with that stone, so maybe I should wear it more!
At one point Adams said, "You don't need to know anything to succeed. You just have to want it." Of course this is absurd, but it also reminded me of this hilarious SNL skit:
After my little nap, I needed to start moving again. Ann Kite's "5 Rhythms" was not on the original schedule, so thank goodness my friend Courtney said it was happening. I loved trying this several years ago, so I was excited to do it again. At first I wasn't sure how comfortable we would all be dancing in the middle of the day in a well-lit room (we were in a sky-lit area, which I wouldn't recommend for future festivals). But once the music got going, we all flowed into it. This is similar to ecstatic dance, and it's so freeing to just let your body move however it feels like it! I especially liked when we got to the "chaos" stage, when we were supposed to let our head and neck move while we were traveling; it's definitely a crazy, dizzying sensation! Dancing for 90 minutes is a great workout, too! It felt so good to just let go and dance it out!
Here's a video to show you what 5 Rhythms can look like:
Next up I took another class with Kelly Marburger and Eric Sipes. But this time it was Thai massage, not AcroYoga, and I didn't realize they taught both! This was a huge class, and we ended up separating into four circles (eight I guess if you count inner and outer circles). Then we took turns doing some Thai massage techniques around the neck and shoulders of different partners. It was really relaxing, and I met a woman named Melissa who was really nice. One thing I love about Interfusion is that you get to meet so many wonderful, nice people!
I ended my day with another Thai massage class, "Vedic Thai Yoga Bodywork: Part II." I was glad that my friend Courtney and I could partner again, since we took the first class together. I was still impressed by Dr. Debmalya Nandy as a workshop leader; both of his classes were great! During this class we focused on more of the back body, and I was so relaxed I actually fell asleep! I think my favorite part was when Courtney would step on the backs of my feet; you never think to stretch your feet!
That was my last full day of Interfusion. It went by so quickly!
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