VeganMoFo Day #29: Being Vegan at MantraFest Miami

I woke up before dawn. I went to MantraFest in Miami. I just got home. It's been a long, wonderful day.

The view as we head out of the Keys.
Magic.

Two friends and I headed up to Miami as the sun was barely rising. By 1pm, I'd been through a drumming and chanting session, a sound bowl meditation and shamanic journey, and finally a sound bath.

This really is how I need to roll much more often.

Lunch was an incredible feast of vegan food. When we got into the cafeteria, save for 2 desserts, EVERYTHING WAS VEGAN. I went with a rice bowl, which had mixed rice with diced veggies, then all this: portobello mushroom quinoa, hummus, falafel, more vegetables, tabbouleh, hm.... I'm missing something... what what what...... cannot remember, darn it. Then it was covered with a balsamic vinaigrette. We had choices for desserts, and I went with an apple. Yes, I turned away the sweet potato cake (vegan, really, what was I thinking.... I should've gone with the cake), and then finished it all with fresh chai made with almond milk. ALMOND MILK! We were living large today.

There's so much piled here, you cannot even see.
It was enormous.
It was delicious.
It was appreciated.
It is all gone.
Insert smile.

GuruGanesha Band

After lunch, we watched the GuruGanesha Band. I think these are some of my new favorite people. At one point, they even did Raga, Rasta style. I didn't want it to end. The headliners today, Deva Premal and Miten with special guests Manose and Maneesh de Moor were up later in the afternoon. I am relatively new to chanting. I couldn't bring myself to take photos during Deva and Miten's appearance. I was too busy immersed in the experience.

I should write more. Part of me wants to write more. I'm tired, and done for today. I will leave you with this beautiful mantra, chanted for healing our Mother Earth.

ra ma da sa, sa say so hung

Hard to believe, but it might sound even more beautiful with a vegan cupcake in one hand, and a vegan pumpkin chai latte in the other. There's no rules in chanting, at least no one's mentioned that I've broken any yet.

Om. Om. Om.