Interactive healing: Celebrating Wellness Festival in review

May 3, 8:35 AMTampa Yoga ExaminerDanielle Hope Hier

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Zan Benham's Act Your Way Into Being Improv.

When I sat down to lunch with Kimberly Braun, director of Sarasota's Celebrating Wellness 2009, I was skeptical.  But she had such an animated and excited look on her face, like a little kid who's discovered Lightning Bugs (aka "Fireflies") for the first time, that I knew I had to hear more about her uniquely interactive festival.

Sharing a dish of vegan curry "chicken" salad and dairy and meat-free lasagna, she told me about her upcoming festival's new approach to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.  Having been to many-a-festival (and having even helped plan some large ones myself), the "doubting Thomas" in me was yet unconvinced that this festival would stand out among the many others.  But, like the suprisingly wonderful fake tofu chicken, beef and cheese in the curry dish and lasagna, I was in for a surprise...

 I was a volunteer for the event held at Phillipi Estate Park on May 2nd, stationed in the Body and Spirit Alley, the walkway on the river that connected the presentation tents to the exhibitor and vendor area, where I got to meet people like Thai Massage practitioner Stephanie Lubow (demonstrating what she jokingly referred to as the "lazy man's yoga", where they stretch you!), and writer and motivational speaker Linda Maree of Women Being Wimyn, who helps people to find their true and empowering life path.  This was the quiet space among the crowd, if you wanted to experience massage therapy, intuitive readings, and bodywork.

 After my shift, I meandered over to the exhibitor spaces just around the bend, where an array of earth and people-friendly wellness products were being sold, everything from natural energy drinks to aromatherapy candles to gifts and accessories for the home.  Still somewhat of a healthy convert in training, I settled on an organic beer and reuben sandwich from WSLR's SoundWaves Booth and the Daily Grind Coffeehouse for lunch on a picnic bench in the shade among friends.

And then there was Zan...

I got to work off my lunch calories at the Expressive Arts tent, where spiritual coach and emotional improvisation leader Zan Benham guided the group through an Act Your Way Into Being improv where we were given a few simple words and sentences like "Get out of here", "no" and "It's mine!" to act our way through negative emotions, becoming those emotions and expressing them in creative ways (with a Southern accent to boot!). 

 Following this, a large group of us attended Stephanie Heidemanns' Authentic Voicework class, where we all got to truly find out gift of sound, through vocalization exercises, chants and rythmical song that allowed us to connect with our own inner voice (and I gaurantee that by the time you are done, you will learn to love the way you sing).

This, my friends, is what it was all about...providing a way to not only unite the healing arts community through networking and fellowship, but by providing workshops and audience participatory discussions that engaged visitors, inviting them to experience it all: Dance, music, art, yoga, vocal work, acting, movement arts and more.

If you missed this year, you can still catch the fantastic exhibitors, food vendors, bodyworkers, performers and healers year 'round.  Their information can be found by visiting the Celebrating Wellness Festival website.  Visit often for information on how you might become involved next year.