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Who Is The Beloved & What
Does It Have To Do With A Festival?
"In truth everything and
everyone
Is a shadow of the Beloved,
And our seeking is His seeking
And our words are His words...
We search for Him here and there,
while looking right at Him.
Sitting by His side, we ask:
'O Beloved, where is the Beloved?'"
-Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi
Through the ages, we have called
upon the One for Whom we yearn in countless ways, through myriad
names. The term "The Beloved" embraces all of these names and forms of
the Divine, affirming their Unity.
Beloved is also a 4 day camping, art, and music festival on the Oregon
Coast. Central to the concept of the festival is our collective
understanding that any sacred music can eliminate the illusion of
separation from each other, from the earth, from The Beloved.
We believe that the presentation of diverse expressions of sacred
music at a single venue demonstrates their single Origin and our
shared relationship as a global community of contemporary devotees.
Therefore, the festival includes both traditional music—from as many
geographic regions as possible—and electronic dance music.
Through spiritual practices, we listen to the Divine communicate in
the language of the Divine; through art and music, we express to
humanity in the language of humanity. Each tradition communicates the
Mystery and Love of the Divine in the language of a people, place and
time. The current emergence of electronic dance music is for millions
the language of their people, place and time.
We wish to treat the main stage as a mandala, concentrating and
holding the energy of the festival throughout its duration, rather
than dispersing the attention in too many directions. This allows for
the carefully chosen sequence of artists to tell a continuous story of
the Inner Journey, to perform an Alchemy of the Heart.
What the musicians share on stage inspires us to deeper engagement
with the spiritual practices that we bring with us or that we discover
in the many workshop offerings. These practices then allow us to soar
higher into the bliss and meaning of what is shared on stage.
All the little details express our vision with authenticity, integrity
and polish. The festival hosts the following main areas, all of which
help to enunciate our vision:
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A single stage hosting
musical, educational, performative and ceremonial content; the
programming on the stage will strive to serve as a narrative
describing the true unity of all people, the planet, spirit and
matter;
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A “Temple Meadow,” which will
be designed as a place for individual and group prayer and will
also host workshops in Yoga, Qigong, etc. designed to give
non-denominational guidance in prayer and meditation;
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A health and well-being area,
which includes a sauna, showers, and massage and bodywork
offerings;
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A “Village” featuring a small
selection of local artists selling thematic goods, sales of
treats, beverages and tonics, whole foods, an information booth
helping patrons know where everything is and assisting in any way
possible, a first aid booth that will assist with physically,
mentally and psychically challenging states.
We encourage all participants to prepare for the event by working on
their own practices and by cultivating an awareness that everyone
they meet is a reflection of the beloved. At the same time as we
request clarity from participants regarding their objectives for
participating, we will work hard to ensure that the festival will
avoid taking itself too seriously. Beloved’s ability to be a party
at the same time as it is a teaching platform serves as an example
to both organizers and to participants.
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