elephant journal is proud to serve as media sponsor of the Hanuman Festival. Enjoy their weekly column:

From conception to implementation, creating a yoga festival must be backed by intense devotion.

People often ask, “Why would you put yourself through all the stress and intensity, all the long hours and worries?” Well: seeing an idea come into fruition is one of the greatest gifts, and when everything falls into place beautifully, you know that you are aligned with the universe.

Hanuman Festival is based upon bringing together community and sharing the depths of yoga with all, not just one “scene.” The power that community has to stand behind a cause and create positive change has also been a fundamental motivating force for this festival. These elements have allowed Hanuman Festival to start its long journey towards becoming a high-vibration event in the national yoga community.

We are blessed to be in the Front Range of Colorado. The yoga communities in Boulder, Denver and throughout Colorado is one of the strongest and mutually supportive in the U.S. The high concentration of conscious commerce in the state has brought together alliances and partnerships with top-level companies like Gaiam, Be Present, White Swan Records, [cough: and elephantjournal.com & Walk the Talk Show with Waylon Lewis ~ ed.], and others. Start here and we have the makings of a beautiful event.

Then…all the work begins.

Months of planning, roadblocks, breakthroughs, re-dos. The level of detail is mind blowing and wouldn’t fit into one article. In a nutshell: sites are located and production company is secured. Instructors are gathered from the national community. The website is launched. Partners, sponsors and vendors sign on. Support from the festival host community grows. National awareness develops. People start buying tickets. It is a force that has built up energy through the support of all involved. A good friend and one of the Hanuman instructors says, “The fun is in the fear!”  We wouldn’t change anything. Not even the hiccups.

Do things slip through the cracks? Sure. Can fear creep in? Of course! Are there things we are learning that will not happen next year?  You bet! This is when we stop and remember that Grace exists in both the light and the dark moments.  The support and love of friends and community make every moment worth it.  We also make it a point to step on the mat, breathe deeply and take it one asana at a time.

Hanuman Festival would like to thank the talented people who are involved in the creation of this festival. Alumni from Yoga Journal Conferences, Wanderlust, national music festivals and conscious commerce have gathered in Boulder to make this festival happen. Add to this a production company, legal department, accounting, assistants, a digital content team and countless other roles which together create an organization that has an incredible amount of moving parts with a beautiful flow. The saving grace for Hanuman Festival has been the caliber of talent; people who could see the vision and share in the passion to raise the vibration of our Yoga community.

We don’t feel it necessary to name anyone, because you know exactly who you are. Thank you deeply from the heart.

Namaste.

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The Hanuman Festival is Boulder, Colorado’s community-oriented yoga and music festival, set at the foot of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Seane Corne, Kathryn Budig, MC Yogi, Waylon Lewis and elephant journal will be there. Come celebrate – June 16-19, 2011 with world-class yoga instructors, mind-blowing music, inspirational experiences and a nourishing community. Immerse yourself in body, mind and heart as you relax and rejuvenate, dance and devote, connect and expand, have fun and just be.