Spirit Fest Africa: A Journey of Consciousness, Connection, and Growth

Four years ago, I attended Spirit Fest Africa, a transformative festival that combines consciousness, connection, and personal growth. As someone who brings grounded strategy and no-nonsense advice to businesses, I often find myself navigating the world of consciousness and spirituality.

Navigating the World of Consciousness and Business

Many of my clients incorporate the word “Soul” into their program names and branding, from “Business by Soul™” to “Ignite Your Soul Brand™” to “Success-Soul Living™” and I recently helped a client create “Soul Brand Certified™” a new certification program for photographers who want to learn how to offer professional level brand shoots. While I love this for them, it’s not a word I use in my program names. It’s just interesting that I seem to be the support for Soul businesses.

Our Previous Spirit Fest Experiences

My family and I have attended Spirit Fest before, with our first experience being in Citrusdal, a stunning location surrounded by citrus fruits and farms. My daughter, Saharah, was only four years old at the time. The last one we attended was in Swellendam, another beautiful venue a bit closer to home. At Sprit Fests, I often end up bumping into past clients, students and friends.

The festival is interesting because it’s entirely vegetarian and vegan, with no drinking, drugs, or meat allowed. The food is incredibly tasty, and even non-vegetarians don’t miss the meat.

The Last Spirit Fest Before the Pandemic

In March 2020, just before the world shut down, we attended our last Spirit Fest. On our way to the festival, I learned about the first few COVID-19 cases in South Africa. Despite the uncertainty, we decided to attend, and fortunately, no one from the festival contracted the virus.

A Last-Minute Decision to Attend

This year, I made a last-minute decision to attend Spirit Fest with my now 10-year-old daughter, Saharah. My husband, Craig, stayed behind to look after our 18-year-old dog, Marley, who we brought with us from the UK to the Caribbean and then to South Africa.

Glamping vs. Camping: Lessons Learned

Saharah and I went with our Belgian friends, and I quickly realised that I’m too old for camping. Truth be told I’ve not been that into roughing it ever, it’s not only because I’m now over 40. Next time, I’ll opt for the glamping option, with everything set up and ready to go, especially after experiencing a heavy rain on the last night.

Opening Fire Ceremony

Aaah what an epic opening ceremony! Such a highlight of the four days. Fire dancing, juggling, bonfire, jembe drumming and signing around the bonfire. Now this is how you kick off a festival.

Unexpected Health Challenges

Our friends had been to the Transkei the week before and had contracted tick-bite fever without realizing it. We weren’t sure if their symptoms were due to the breathwork and different modalities we tried, some of which can send you to another plane of consciousness.

A Safe and Incredible Festival Experience

Despite the challenges, the festival itself was incredible. It’s a safe environment for kids, with no drinking, drugs, or alcohol allowed. People participate in ceremonies, enjoy chai tea, and immerse themselves in incredible music, yoga, breathwork, gong baths, sound healing, and various other activities.

Activities for Everyone

There are activities for couples, such as covering each other with mud, and separate men’s and women’s resonance areas, including the red tent. These adult-oriented activities are kept far away from the children’s areas.

Lessons in Letting Go and Being Yourself

Spirit Fest teaches valuable lessons in letting go of self-consciousness and being true to yourself. The talks and exercises for both kids and adults focus on breaking down barriers and not worrying about what others think.

Letting Go of Self-Consciousness

The activities, such as acting like animals, remind me of the drama classes I took at high school. These exercises help you break out of the mold of self-consciousness, as you can’t be self-conscious when you’re on stage acting.

Reconnecting with Yoga and Breathwork

I reconnected with yoga at Spirit Fest, having not practiced much in the past year due to a kidney infection and a knee injury. It felt wonderful to participate in yoga classes again.

The Power of Breathwork

The two-hour breathwork session was an incredible experience. Breathwork can send people on a high or bring them to tears. The effects of oxygenating your body can last for months. I enjoy longer meditation and breathwork sessions, I find them more impactful.

Nourishing Vegetarian and Vegan Food

The vegetarian and vegan food at Spirit Fest was amazing, with options like dahl and mild curries from the Hare Krishna tent and delicious Indonesian cuisine. The nourishing, healthy food, juices, and smoothies added to the overall vibe of the festival.

Connecting with Friends and Clients

Attending Spirit Fest allowed me to connect with friends and clients, including a best friend from school who volunteered at the event and past clients who participated in my Brand Your Expertise Online group program. The connections made while unplugged from technology were invaluable.

Spirit Fest: A Metaphor for Life

Spirit Fest serves as a metaphor for life, with its mix of challenges and joys. From dealing with spiders and biting ants to the contrast between social media perception and reality, the festival mirrors the ups and downs of the human experience.

Have You Been to Any Conscious Festivals?

I’m curious to hear about your experiences with conscious festivals like Spirit Fest, Africa Burn, or Burning Man. Share your stories and insights with me.

Embracing Audio Content

As I explore new ways to connect with my audience, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this audio version of my blog post.

Thank you for joining me on this journey of reflection and growth.

Until next time…

* All pics taken on my iPhone, no fancy camera this time, just simple and mostly unplugged for 4 days

Visit the Spirit Fest website