Fusion Festival in the USA, a yearly event organized by Adam Ohana from Eyephunk Records (www.eyephunk.com) and his wife Jocelyn, began for my friends and I foggy Friday morning. The first thing I can remember is a houseful of beautiful people floating around in their brightest Psy gear, looking sleepy, but filled with excitement. After our ritual of Yerba Mate and a bit of the green, we piled our tents, sleeping bags, pillows, toys, fruit, vegan treats, art, and LOTS of water into 3 cars. Then we popped in our best Psy Trance and headed across the Golden Gate Bridge and toward our weekend destiny.

After crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, our ride became serene with sunflower meadows, Bison, Llama, rolling hills and large puffy clouds. If you havenÃt experienced an outdoor Psy event in California, youÃre seriously missing out on one of the most magnificent experiences to be had. The large redwood trees stretch to the heavens, the air is crisp and clean and the mountains majestic. There is no other place like it. It was actually advanced technology that brought our fluffy, happy ride to a brief pause. A huge electronic (how appropriate) sign that said:
Our caravan made a short lived pit-stop to discuss how this couldnÃt possibly be true, then jumped back in our cars and headed toward the party. We knew it was best not to give any energy to something we didnÃt want. And we werenÃt about to give ANY energy to the demise of Fusion. We just kept winding up the mountain, letting the PsyTrance pour out of our cars, visualizing our incredible weekend.

As we got nearer to the party we began seeing other colorful folks, playing with Poi, talking, listening to their car stereos and waiting. (Is there a more beautiful site than a group of multicolored people all laughing and playing deep in the forest?) They told us how the entrance was blocked by police and joined us in a little friendly art and conversation. We actually found an amazing site to chill, with a picnic table, fire pit and plenty of room to expand our growing family. We hung out, met others from all over the world and gathered energy for our weekend. To us, it wasnÃt even a hindrance, but just another part of the multi-faceted Fusion journey.

Around 7pm we finally got word that it would be okay for us to drive around the barriers and head into the campgrounds. We immediately found an amazing camping spot beside a beautiful creek. But even as we created our home, there was still no sign of a beat.... It was calm and tranquil. The absence of music allowed us to experience the silence of nature, unwind and get in touch with each other and our surroundings. After sufficient œquiet time”, we gathered musical instruments, from drums and didgeridoos to miscellaneous bottles and rocks. We decided that if we couldnÃt hear our beloved PsyTrance, then we would make our own music. We sang and danced and made as much noise as possible, howling at the moon, laughing at the stars and doing our best to shake off the city. We got realigned with Mother Earth “ and then we slept.



Sat morning was full of sleepy trancers and hot chai tea. There still wasnÃt an electronic noise to be heard for miles, but the venue we had to explore was magnificent. We were nestled deep within the Mendocino Forest on the land of Gino Mendoza, a highly respected Aztec Shaman. Gino runs the non-profit organization called Tloque-Nauaque Teocalli, home of Six Suns of Calmecac, a wilderness school that brings inner city troubled youth out of the city and onto their land to teach them how live in harmony with themselves, others, and the Earth, through ancient Aztec philosophies. Fusion was dedicated to raising money for this non-profit in exchange for use of their magical land. It was an incredible playground, complete with large swimming holes and some of the most beautiful trees IÃve ever seen. There was a nice selection of clean bathrooms, amazingly decorated main and chill out areas with lots of string art and Psy tapestries, and a friendly and yummy kitchen that served vegan treats on a donation only basis. In the afternoon the clothing/jewelry vendors began showing up, setting up their traveling stores and all of us trancers began to get a little hungry for that steady beat. Eventually someone pulled a car close to the main area, opened the doors and blasted the stereo. It was quickly surrounded by dancers. Of course, I jumped right in. But the absence of music wasnÃt the overall theme for Fusion Festival. For my friends and I, it was one aspect of the beauty and charm. It gave us a chance to talk, communicate, meet others and show our true colors. It was the perfect way to exercise all those things we work out on the dance floor: peace, non-judgment, less drama and the realization that everything is perfect at all times. The community aspect of our scene was enhanced. People were laughing, talking, playing and enjoying themselves despite the fact that things werenÃt going exactly as they planned. They found much more to talk about than the drama of cops, cancellations and barriers. We met more people than we would have, had we danced the entire time. But more importantly, it gave us the opportunity to broadcast our vibration of harmony within the chaos, and overcome an obstacle together, through simply being.

Eventually, late Sat. afternoon we heard our first sound of real electronics...the distinct high-pitched whistle of the mic being turned on. Everyone in the forest cheered and made their way toward the main stage. We were addressed by Adam, who filled us in on the details of the last two days: (read more here @ www.fusionfestival.com). Then we all took a seat on Gaia to listen to Gino share the details of his land, his non-profit, his work and his belief in freedom. He led us in a group meditation and then handed the mic over to a member of the sacred dance organization (www.sacreddance.org). She told us more about the legal dramas that had been playing out the last 2 days and informed us that Fusion was indeed cancelled...

But she was quick to let us know that a new event was about to begin. All we needed to do was leave the land, form a line that didnÃt block the entrance, and sign a sheet of paper to join the Sacred Dance Organization, a non-profit religious organization dedicated to the practice of community dance. She let us know that were joining a religious group and that the festivities for the evening would include shamanic-type music to dance to, music that induced a trance. :) If those in legal authority were not going to let us have music for our œparty”, then under law they would have to let us have music for our œreligion”. All 500 or so of us quickly left the land, formed the line, signed the paper and then prepared to DANCE.



10pm, Sat. night: By this time everyone was feigning for Psy sounds. Beat starved. Musically anorexic. But the excitement was like no other party IÃve ever experienced. The energy was intense. The build up was incredible. When we were met by Absolum, we were more than ready to begin our journey and the entire forest went FULL-ON for the entire duration of the music. Instead of the usual long intro into finding the sacred trance space where we reach the collective consciousness and practice for the cosmic party, once lift off had commenced, we were all instantly transported to our favorite state: The Trance State. Everyone was laughing and smiling and happier than ever...kicking up the dust and flying through space. Absolum was our guide from 10-4am and Dmitri brought us home from 4-9am. The dance floor didnÃt even begin to thin out, not as the hours wore on, not as the sun came up, and not as they informed us that it was time to go...at 9am. (The breaks/chill out area was occupied by Liam and Surge, both from the Eyephunk Family.)

While cleaning up the grounds I thought about all the people whoÃve never heard my music, felt this way or spent hours stomping their love into Mother Earth. Those who didnÃt spend the weekend lounging underneath the stars and watching the multi-colored dragonflies dance along the stream. Those who havenÃt realized the lightness and warmth of eating organic fruit and sipping warm chai tea in the early morning hours, and those who arenÃt free enough yet to dance like their very life depended on it...because it does “ and I sent them all my love and know that the energy that my friends, extended family and I have contributed to the planet this weekend helped to heal her and all her inhabitants.

Every time I dance at a party my intent is to heal myself, my earth, my race (humanity), and bring us all closer to our interconnectedness, and I hope that those who donÃt choose to participate in this particular healing method have their own rituals that bring them as much peace, joy and love as this one brings to me.

Thanks Fusion! I look forward to next year.

Epiphanies and Peace, Tea

Text: psytrancedancer@hotmail.com

Pics: spectra & joycelin

Bildergallerie



copyright: liese &