{"id":36,"date":"2022-08-23T14:44:58","date_gmt":"2022-08-23T14:44:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/andreeacristinapopescu.com\/?p=36"},"modified":"2025-02-21T15:48:42","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T15:48:42","slug":"my-first-transformational-festival-unleash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/andreeacristinapopescu.com\/?p=36","title":{"rendered":"Dancing & Healing at Unleash! Festival-Retreat in Miami"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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At the Opening Ceremony. My highest self, in a new dress I adore, and with face painting that still makes me cry of happiness when I see the photos. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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It\u2019s been a challenge to write this article for a while now. It just seems like no matter how much I try to explain or tell stories to people about what I lived through at Unleash, it takes away from the magic. I almost feel like it’s so hard to put words to what I felt as if I’m doing it an injustice to try to belittle it to a bunch of words in a blog article.<\/p>\n

But truly a disservice would be to not write about it. Since I\u2019ve been working on an old draft of this article, I\u2019m choosing to start over. I have to be willing to rip up the pages of my previous writings and start over. Since Lyfe Reinvented is the theme for the next Unleash I’m attending in September, I feel it’s time to reinvent my Unleash story.<\/p>\n

How did I find out about Unleash?<\/h3>\n

I watched a video on Sky Life’s YouTube channel about a hippie gathering she attended in the desert. I was absolutely mesmerized by it and by the freedom I could sense. And through the magical forces of the Universe, I applied to volunteer for Unleash ~ Radical Play ~ Miami in March 2022<\/strong>. I got accepted and I walked through a bunch of barriers to get there.<\/p>\n

With all the barriers behind me, a beautiful valley of possibilities opened up. All I had to do was to take a leap of faith into the cliff of mystery.<\/p>\n

What Is Unleash?<\/h3>\n

Unleash! is a substance-free festival retreat- a 3 Day guided, transformational dance journey- featuring carefully selected artists, musicians, facilitators, and leaders in the health and wellness space. Unleash! is an all-in experience designed as a catalyst to activate your fullest self expression and creative power, releasing limiting blocks that have prevented you from being your truest self.<\/p>\n

What was my experience at Unleash?<\/h3>\n

On a Wednesday<\/strong>, March 9th, 2022, I arrived at Agri Retreat in Miami for Unleash Festival as a volunteer that will help set up the space on the first day, and tear it down on the last one. I felt like a kid thrown in the water and told “swim”, only that I was the one throwing myself in the water. I didn’t know anyone there but I had a strong feeling that I will fit right in. And that’s exactly how it was. That evening I met a few of the other volunteers, healers, vendors, and collaborators. I also met Anjuli, the incredible volunteer coordinator I got to work with during the next few days. Later in the night my friend Rachel arrived, we set up the tent together and we stayed up late talking about how we felt and what our intentions are for the next few days.<\/p>\n

Thursday<\/strong> morning we woke up to the beautiful land of Agri Retreat! Both Rachel and I arrived at night so walking around the location in daylight was magical. For the rest of the day, we inflated air mattresses, set up the tents, and did everything else we had to do to make sure that when the participants would arrive they would have everything ready. In the afternoon we were done so we had some time to swim in the pool, sing and play the ukulele, do some yoga, chat and get familiar with the space and the energy.<\/p>\n

That evening was beautiful. I kept meeting incredible people and having wonderful conversations. There was a little unofficial opening ceremony and after that an Acro Yoga session. I had to learn to trust myself and my partner Jess and not underestimate what we were both able to do. Then the first of 3 workshops about consent with Yossef Sagi. I learned what are boundaries, and how to be aware of my boundaries and other people’s boundaries. What is consent and what isn’t. Honestly, it was a profound experience because it opened up a lot of memories from my past that since then I got to process and make peace with. And I find it so inspiring that at Unleash consent awareness was hyper ultra important! Especially because the team wanted to create a safe space for everyone to open up emotionally, and physically by being able to walk around naked if that’s what they wanted, without fearing that there might be any misunderstandings, misinterpretations, or assumptions. Again, in total there were 3 workshops about consent!!! I don’t know how many festival-retreats prioritize consent and safety to this level, but I surely hope this will be the standard for the future.<\/p>\n

After the workshops, it was time to DANCE<\/strong>. On the incredible beats of Danny G we bounced our bums and hearts and it felt like we were in another world! This was the first taste of the Unleash energy: letting go completely and dancing fully as if no one is watching, and also witnessing everyone else being sooo freee no worries no holding back, so beautifully and magically themselves. And knowing that everyone was completely sober was such a special experience too because this was one of the first times when I saw how people can be HIGH on life!!!<\/p>\n

Important note:<\/strong> This was for real a substance free event! No alcohol, cigarettes, weed, mushrooms, or anything else that alters consciousness was allowed. Because the purpose of this gathering is to reach those frequencies through letting go and being present. But no worries, cause as I mentioned before, everyone was HIGH on their own supply. High on life, on community, on pure bliss, and on the possibility that if we all come together to reconnect to our most authentic expression, our purpose will shine through and we will continue to serve our mission on earth with more ease and inspiration.<\/p>\n

Friday<\/strong>, the first official day of the event, we started with yoga and breathwork. We had lunch, I got a new blue dress that feels like the ocean waves on my body, I received my tribal markings. And I sat down for the opening ceremony. Yarixa Ferrao, the Creatrix of Unleash<\/strong> came on the stage in a beautiful dress, and she talked from the depths of her heart about how she felt opening this Unleash event with her parents and little brother in the audience. I was moved to tears, and her vulnerability and the way that she showed up with so much honesty and authenticity touched my heart forever. I don’t remember what she said but I remember how I felt, and I was full of hope and trust in the path that was opening up in front of me.<\/p>\n

What followed was my first EFT (emotional freedom technique) tapping session with a whole group of 200 people. We were guided to connect with an emotion and while saying different affirmations we were tapping on different parts of our body. On the head, face, chest, ribs, hands, and fingers. And so many feelings that might have been stuck in our nervous system now get the chance to be released. The emotion that came to the surface for me was anger. I connected with the anger, and I released it through tapping and crying. I didn’t fight against it, I didn’t suppress it, and I didn’t gaslight myself to not be angry (like I usually do), this time I simply allowed myself to fully feel angry, to cry, and be grateful for being in a safe space where I can let go and release it into light.<\/p>\n

That evening we had the Unleash Transformational Dance<\/strong> led by the Creatrix Yarixa with music by Equanimous. UGHH it felt soo good to be free to dance however I wanted, to be naked, to move from the front to the back of the crowd, to look at others, and to take in every second of that feeling of infinite freedom and possibility. And it was a profound experience to know that everyone around me was absolutely sober! I have to admit that at some points my mind would go to the old pattern of playing tricks on me with different worries, but when I focused on returning to my body and to my breath, the thoughts all went away and I could reconnect with the moment. I felt truly present.<\/p>\n

Saturday<\/strong> morning I attended a workshop called “Enchanted tantric hatha yoga” and what took place was absolutely heart opening. We were guided through each of our chakras. And we were invited to connect with the emotions and experiences of the lower frequencies and higher frequencies of those chakras. And not by ourselves, because that would be too boring (I guess lol), we did that with partners. By standing in front of each other and eye gazing, feeling through the same emotions together, changing the partners with every chakra we moved through. It was a powerful practice because I felt that I’m not alone, that we all go through the same pain, the same sadness, the same joy, the same happiness.<\/p>\n

After that, there was a Break Through manifestation workshop with Yarixa. She told us her personal story, and then she invited us to write our dreams in present tense, as if they are happening. And then, taking the practice to the next level, connect with the person to our right and tell them our dreams (also in present tense). And after that listening to them tell us what they heard from us. What we’ve accomplished, how we live, who we live with, and what impact we have in our communities. It was so beautiful that I was brought to tears. I hugged my partner Sandeep and we told each other that we will meet again in a few years when all of that and more will be true.<\/p>\n

In the afternoon I was dancing in the wind and just returning to my body after so much awareness and intense presence. It’s weird when I’m part of these conscious events I’m waay more present, and that makes me more tired, which makes me reflect on how much of my life I’m functioning on autopilot to preserve the batteries. A dance between the two is very useful, and I like to be aware of the dance now. Between full on presence and tasks on autopilot.<\/p>\n

And of course, in the evening it was time for another Unleash Dance Journey<\/strong> with Yari and music by Danni G. During this dance there was a moment when we made a group of 5 people and took turns each of us dancing in the middle, while the others were cheering. And the person dancing in the middle was dancing for the ancestors. Sending them love, gratitude, freedom, healing, and thankfulness that they brought us here, in a time and space where we are free to heal the wounds of the past and create a more conscious future. It was absolutely magical to dance for my great great great grandparents and all my lineage before that, and to be cheered for in a group of another 4 gorgeous women.<\/p>\n

After dancing we all gathered in front of the stage to sing together and listen to a mini concert from Nicholas and Dpak. Their music took me to another planet and I felt like I was totally on a sober acid trip! The singing together turned into a performance, which turned into freestyling, and all of the sudden there were 6-7 people on the stage creating music to describe our experience on earth and at unleash. Wow! You had to be there kind of moment.<\/p>\n

Sunday<\/strong> morning there was a Theatrical Shadow Play workshop where we chose 3 emotions that we would label as negative or challenging and we embodied them. We told them “Thank you, I see you, I love you.” It was profound because I chose anger, loneliness, and laziness. After pushing them away with guilt and shame all my life, now I got to look my anger, my loneliness, and my laziness in the eyes, and tell them that I see them, that I love them, that I’m grateful for them. And finally, the veil was lifted from my eyes and I could see all the gifts and beauty that these emotions bring into my life. Absolutely magical!<\/p>\n

And then it was time for the closing ceremony. Listening to everyone’s words and epiphanies was such a gift. I’m grateful for each and every person who had the courage to take the mic and share what they lived during these 3 days. Moments of having goosebumps that don’t go away and tears flowing down my face. WOW! I got to say goodbye and thank you to everyone. I got their contacts and I told them that I hope that the Universe brings us together somewhere on earth, but until then I’d love to keep in touch on the instagram realms.<\/p>\n

After the closing ceremony, we continued our volunteering duties by tearing down tents. And then I blinked and I was back in Costa Rica, as it if was all a dream my mind created. If I didn’t have all these beautiful people I can ask if it was FOR REAL? maybe I would have thought that I made it up. And you have to imagine, that what I’m writing here is just the tip of the iceberg or the epiphanies I had and consciousness that was birthed in my life from this experience. I wrote here some of the workshops that impacted me, but just imagine that between these crazy moments of dancing and crying our hearts out at workshops, we were chilling, eating, meeting people, having deep conversations, and connecting in a way that is totally uplifting to the soul. Literally, not even a few seconds of small talk were possible for me at Unleash. It was like I was walking in the desert for 26 years and now I want to sip every ml of water I could get from these talks. Being part of this group, healing, and dancing together at Unleash is an absolute honor. An experience I never knew I needed, but I can’t imagine my life without it.<\/p>\n

As someone said during the debriefing call: “After that week, I know what I’ll spend the rest of my life doing.”<\/p>\n

And as someone else said on Instagram when they saw a video of people dancing at Unleash “This reminds me of the scene in the Matrix when they are dancing in Zyon”<\/p>\n

THAT is the essence of Unleash.<\/p>\n

Feel it for yourself<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n