It’s true. I can’t deny it, nor would I ever, ever want to. Wanderlust 108 made thousands of people bond together with smiles on their faces and freedom in their souls to run, dance, flow, meditate, learn, play, and share in incredible moments under the Seattle sunshine, propelled by perpetual beats and rhymes. I for one caught onto the momentum of my true north and had an incredible day. Quite simply, we #CameTogether, #FoundOurTrue North, and indeed had the #BestDayEver!

MC YOGI lead each step of the day, even more than I had experienced on the Santa Monica Pier a couple of years back. And, it was awesome to see him take the lead. Albeit, this might have been his last Wanderlust 108. (Please say it isn’t so!) He brings a beaming light, deep reflection, and so much energetic fun to everything he touches.

Our “Mindful Triathlon” (the only one of its kind, mind you) kicked off with MC YOGI amping us up with high-fives, words of intention, inspiration, and music that drew the crowd together as one. And, man, did you know that along with his wife, Amanda (Check out her 10,000 Buddhas), the pair was named as ambassadors by Michelle Obama for her “Lets Move” initiative and taught at the White House three times. Wow! Needless to say, he rocks from the inside out. Check out his book Spiritual Graffiti to catch onto his drift.

Next up on the mic. was the absolutely adorable Adidas Run Leader, Niki Classic of SugarySixPack. Chosen by Health Magazine as a 2017 Fitness Account to Follow, Niki shares her enthusiasm for fitness and holistic nutrition as an ACE certified trainer. She lead us through a warm up that even tapped into memories of aerobic moves from the 80’s, evoking some giggles from the crowd of thousands.

And then, we settled into some deep moments of reflection and intention with world-renowned Buddhist and mediation teacher, author, counselor, and good friend of MC YOGI, Noah Levine. Levine has spent years creating and sharing a process of addiction recovery that has reached the hearts and minds of people who have needed and found his cause to reach them. He spoke to us about the tenants of mindfulness and set the tone for our run – not to run to something or to run away from something, but to take each step as it is and be in the moment with every breath. His thoughts shifted my perspective and guided me through my 5K experience. I felt aware, appreciative and at ease, running alongside Lake Sammamish through the tall grass and seriously green trees under the bright blue sky. Hello, summer in Seattle! Noah also lead us through a wonderful meditation for the third leg of the triathlon experience. Besides lifting my head up to snap a couple of pictures, I drifted into a mindful meditation with Noah’s lead that drew me into a settled, deep space.

There is something about yoga outdoors that makes me feel alive and connected within myself, to others and with spirit of the earth and beyond. With a myriad of motions, emotions and sweet creative soundscapes by DJ Sol Rising (Check out his album I Am Soul), MC Yogi and Mary Beth La Rue created a balanced tandem of sessions that gave us 90 minutes of pure yoga bliss.

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For the main stage finale, Danielle LaPorte spoke to us in her Speakeasy about finding our own White Hot Truth (gotta get that smokin’ title in my hands for sure), not necessarily others’. She talked about the importance of stripping down all the layers of protection and guidance that we’ve possibly accumulated via others’ suggestions (or stronger). She encouraged us to engage in a prodigal relationship with those modalities. Then, she asserted, we may be afforded the opportunity to find the spiritual path that we need from deep within us and with a voice of clarity, to in essence #FindOurTrueNorth.

Finally, we were off to a host of activities from hooping with Mary Gargett (my personal fav ‘cuz I felt 7 again), more yoga with local instructor from Be One Yoga, AcroYoga with Deven Sister, AIReal Yoga, OM walking with Be One Yoga, creating a play list with Sol Rising, learning about essential oils, and how to take the best social media photos ever.

Ooh! And, then there was the shopping at the Kula Marketplace, showcasing local craft vendors, including clothing, jewelry, and handcrafted items, local and organic food vendors, as well as “The Conservatory,” a retail store and juice bar collaboration between Wanderlust and adidas!

Festival shopping is always fantastic. I found some TopFavs for sure! YogiRu just launched this October and already has accrued a serious Insta. following. Owner, Shayne Ebrahimi, creates beautifully and artfully made yoga apparel with unique designs by a variety of artists. She’ll be part of our upcoming LaLaScoop/Andiamo Body/Sweetgrass Food Co. event in Seattle on June 11th, and I can’t wait. Her one of a kind pieces are to die for and she is as sweet as it gets.

I also couldn’t get enough of Buddha Pants. They’re not kidding when they say that they are #ThePantsThatMakeYouDance! They’ll be at our June event too! Woop! Wrapped up into portable bags gleaned from a pocket, these breezy, fabulously printed, MC Hammer-esque pants are easy to take on the road and slip on in a flash, as well as evoke a smile for sure!

I also loved the feminine beauty of wearable blankets and kimonos of Nomad by Elroy, made from fabrics found around the world for the bohemian in you. Each fabric is hand-picked from villages and towns from Indonesia, Mexico, Vietnam, India and Guatemala and then designed into home and beach essentials that wrap you up in pure loveliness.

Kashi has a new bar too that’s seriously scrumptious! I could a million. Well, not a million, but a bunch! Natural, organic, vegan, sweet, tasty and good for the body, Coconut Cashew Macaroon Chewy Nut Butter Bars are the perfect thing to nosh upon for a quick fix of energy. Yum!!! Can you say, throw that in your yoga bag?!

What’s awesome about the Wanderlust 108 Festival is how each accumulating factor just makes people feel so good! It’s just one big bundle of a fantastic experience. I’m already looking forward to the next Wanderlust or Wanderlust 108 Festival I get to go to. There is a heart at the festival, evidenced by the vibe, openness in people’s faces and body language, as well as what Wanderlust does with part of the funds to help others in need. This year Wanderlust has partnered with No Kid Hungry to help end childhood hunger in local communities across the United States. So, for every ticket sold, Wanderlust donates $1.08 to No Kid Hungry. This contribution can help connect a child facing hunger to 10 meals.

In 2017, Wanderlust events will take place in over 60 cities in more than 17 countries on 5 continents. Wanderlust’s mission is to help you find your true north — to cultivate your best self — and Wanderlust 108 was created to support that mission at a large-scale. Wanderlust 108 will foster individual wellness and positive social change by building community around mindfulness practice such as yoga and meditation. Mindfulness practice has been proven to have many benefits, including anxiety reduction and improved cognition. Wanderlust 108 provides an entry into mindfulness that is accessible, affordable, inclusive and fun.

Ford Motor Company aims to deliver great products, a strong business and a better world. From our factories to our dealerships and into the communities in which we serve, our purpose is to Go Further so all people can move freely about the world. Ford is proud to be the Official Vehicle of Wanderlust. Event attendees can stop by the Ford display for exclusive activities, to learn more about our full line-up of vehicles and to take home some incredible giveaways.