View Active ThreadsCreate an account on HarderFasterLogin to HarderFaster Information for Promoters Information for Advertisers Search HarderFaster About HarderFaster Link to this Page
[HarderFaster] - Work Hard, Play Harder!
Home | News | What's On | Annual Poll | Photos | Forums | DJs | Features | Music | Venues | Reviews | Links |

  Features
Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’!
Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases!
Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme!
Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works.
Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain!
Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September!
NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases!
Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup!
Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast!
Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music!
SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023!
The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023!
NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music!
Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project
The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22!
A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden
Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma
Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino
New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik!
PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records!
Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters!
N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood!
Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna
A Catch Up with John Phantasm ahead of his upcoming set at the Tribal Village 4 Day Outdoor Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022!
'The Maestro that is Tristan talks barn owls, Shazamming and keeping it Psychedelic ahead of his upcoming performance at the Tribal Village 4 Day Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022!
DJ talk with Psyrenzo ahead of his debut set at Tribal Village, the Steelyard this Friday 14th January 2022!
TENZO aka Overdrive talks freely about launching his new act which will be showcased at Tribal Village, Steelyard on 14 January 2022!
A long overdue catch up with JourneyOM ahead of his next Tribal Village party this Friday 14th January 2022 at the Steelyard, London!
Goa based party animal and artist extraordinaire Nirmal talks punk concerts, metal sculptures, flying and rippin' it up on a High Tide!
DJ Wired talks to us about the Rise of the Hope and parties, ahead of his upcoming set at Tribal Village on 14th January 2022!

Manifesting the intention for Earthdance London 2018: interview with Amoriah Ka aka DJ Shakti

Reported by Tara / Submitted 19-09-18 13:36

Quite possibly the biggest synchronised dance event in history (or at least that’s how I described it when I interviewed Mark Sinclair for Earthdance 2007!), Earthdance has been held in over 1000 locations in 80 countries around the world since its inception. This weekend sees this very special event return to London’s Steelyard, with an epic Goa trance line-up that includes Total Eclipse, Blue Planet Corporation, Shakti, NEO and Lauren Lyon in the main room and an awesome alternative psy chill room featuring the likes of Robin Triskele, Indigo Herder, Nimi, Bubblewrap, Anu and yours truly, FlibbertiGibbet.

As well as being a celebration of life, Earthdance doubles as a sacred ceremony and for this edition, the original voice of the prayer for peace, Eeshi-Ra Hart, will lead the live spoken prayer, which will be streamed on YouTube alongside the other Earthdance events worldwide.

With the countdown to Earthdance 2018 on Saturday 22nd September well and truly underway, we spoke with organiser, DJ and shamanic energy worker Amoriah Ka aka Shakti about this incredibly unique anniversary party, where all profits go to the London homeless charity Thames Reach and grassroots refugee organisation Calais Action




Hi Amoriah, welcome to HarderFaster! We know you’re incredibly busy right now planning your next London Earthdance event, so thanks for taking some time out for a chat.

First, for those who don’t know you on here, can you please tell us a bit about your background and how you discovered your calling for Goa trance. How was Shakti born and what instigated this transformation?


Hello Tara! It’s a pleasure to talk to you. Shakti was born a long time ago before stepping out publicly. Since I first heard it many many years ago, Goa trance touched me and moved me on levels and depths that words cannot do justice to! It literally spoke to my soul and opened my heart in the most beautiful and powerful way, and, it still continues to – even tracks I’ve heard hundreds and hundreds of times, they still have the power to reduce me to tears or ecstasy. It is the music and sounds of my soul, and of the stars and source (in my humble opinion!).

I’ve always been passionate about music. Music and dancing is a part of me and my life; it’s integral, it nourishes my soul, and my passion is infectious and infinite. I can see now that it was only a matter of time before I would make the shift into becoming a DJ and event producer.

As well as DJing and organising events, you’re also a healer, and shamanic energy worker. How do you see this serendipitous synergy spilling over into performing, promoting and putting on parties?

It’s all completely interwoven. My spirituality is my life, there is no separation. I do my daily practices every morning: meditation, movement, energy work – centering myself, clearing, activating my energy and attuning to my highest stream and to the divine.

I ground deep into my womb, where lies the seat of my power and creative shakti, awakening and activating this luminous creative spiritual fire within. Every day I offer myself to be a vessel for the love and shakti of the divine to pour into the world into all my creations, interactions, offerings. So whether I am teaching, doing one to one energy work sessions, DJing or working on events, the same energy and stream of consciousness is flowing through me, and all are part of the same web that I am weaving.



You only started DJing in 2013 and have already played some fantastic gigs, been signed to Suntrip Records and had the recording of your Earthdance 2014 set hit the number 1 psy trance spot on Mixcloud – all the result of a shed load of dedication and hard work. What would be your advice to up-and-coming DJs who are looking for their big break?

I’ve been very lucky and had some amazing opportunities. It’s been very encouraging to see how many people still love to hear Goa trance, including the newer music, and enjoy what I do. My advice to any up and coming DJs is to play what music moves your soul and stay true to your passion. Be authentic, be you. Creativity and musical taste is as diverse as people are. Let your unique creativity flow in a way that is authentically you!

Also don’t be afraid to let yourself be known and seen. Stand up tall, own your creative expressions, share your work, let people know about you, connect with like-minded friends, maybe put on your own events and share yourself and your gifts with the world. Believe in yourself.

You’ve played on the same line ups as the cream of UK psy trance at the likes of Boomtown Fair alongside Hallucinogen, Shpongle and Dick Trevor. Playing after Hilight Tribe was certainly an incredible achievement! What have been the other achievements of your DJing career to date? And what goals do you still have for the future?

Yes that was crazy, I was sooooo nervous! But wow what an amazing opportunity and I am still humbled to this day. I am super lucky to have played at some amazing events over the years. To be honest I don’t think much of it has really sunk in, I still look back at some things and wonder how on earth that came about!

One of my proudest moments has to be opening the party for the Return to the Source 21st Anniversary event back in 2014. I warmed up for Medicine Drum! I was honoured and thrilled beyond words. Whilst I hadn’t been to any of the older parties, I had a huge amount of respect and honour for them, their conscious party concept and history. They were definitely a source of inspiration for me.

And as Earthdance was born out of Return to the Source parties back in 1997, it felt very beautiful to me that these connections with RTTS had come together that year, as that was also the first year of the new wave of Earthdance London parties that I and my team were putting on. It felt like a wink from the universe that everything was aligned, supported and super cosmic. I felt supported by spirit that we were doing something amazing and that we were supported all the way.



You used to put on Trancendance Events in your hometown of Nottingham for a couple of years and in that time put together a team with the same ideals of consciously creating events with love. Was this something you deliberately set out to do, or did it grow organically as you met more like-minded people?

I started out with a vision – I am a visionary. I wanted to create events that were held in a sacred space, an activated high vibrational space that would serve to provide a space for all who entered to come and find themselves, to remember their divinity, where they came from, their power, each other, connection, remembrance, joy!

I shared my vision with friends and we came together to put on the events. My husband is a sound engineer, and also had over ten years of experience putting on the Pure Filth techno parties in Nottingham. So, he came on board to deal with all things sound-related and general stage managing, which he is great at.

One of my dearest friends, Brendan aka DJ Indigo Herder, is a lighting wizard and paints rooms with light. He also already had over ten years of experience of working his lighting magic at the Nottingham psy trance event Psycle.

The decor team has changed over the years but everyone we have worked with has been amazing. This year we are working with the amazing Graham of Geomatrix Designs, who I believe worked with us on our very first Nottingham event!

We met our VJ Guillaume for the first time at the first event we did back in 2012 and the bond was instant. The rest of the crew are also friends, all of whom get involved and do what they do with love and devotion. And behind me of course are some amazing supportive women for which I am so grateful for their encouragement and support of me doing my shakti thing!

So, love seeps into this event at every level. I personally have felt so supported as a creative woman by the men surrounding me and assisting me. Symbolically I feel that the feminine is being very respected, supported to go forth and wildly create the vision and world of her dreams. This is her nature, this is Shakti. This support means a lot to me, and I can feel that these simple acts of honouring between our crew sends ripples of love and balance out into the world.



Earthdance 2018 at The Steelyard is just around the corner. First conceived by Chris Decker and Leyolah Antara, Earthdance has been held in over 1000 locations in 80 countries and just keeps on getting more special. What is your connection with Earthdance and what compelled you to get involved with it?

I first came across Earthdance around 2004-05. From what I remember, I bought the first Earthdance compilation CD from a shop in Glastonbury as I was there regularly training in Esoteric Soul Healing. I had no idea what I was buying, I was just drawn to the cover and what I read on the back and bought it.

I will always remember the first time I listened to it. The first track on CD1 is an absolute stomper; I loved it, I turned it up so loud. The first time I heard the Prayer for Peace on CD2 was a powerful moment for me. I cried and cried so deeply. It moved my entire being, it opened up my heart in a way that it had not been opened before. It melted my heart open in a profound way. I felt that track so deeply. The music, the words, the energy, I felt it ripple within my entire being. I felt like I was crying from my soul. It was so very deep. It opened my heart to new levels: I could feel the opening and expansion, the deep love within me.

I don’t know if I had ever experienced something quite like that before, it was a huge opening. Looking back, I realised it was a profound heart opening moment, that I will never forget and would continue every time I heard that original Prayer for Peace track.

After that somehow Earthdance would keep coming into my awareness now and then and I started to look for parties. I went to the Waveform festival in 2007 where Eeshi-Ra Hart (formerly Ashera Hart) did the Prayer for Peace live.

In 2008 I got involved and coordinated Earthdance for the first time in Nottingham at our local psy trance night Psycle. It was also the first time I did my thing as an energy worker and cleared the energy of the venue, set up a high vibrational field and also crystal gridded the entire venue.

Then some years passed and against many odds, we held the first official Earthdance Nottingham event in 2013, then, to cut a long story short realised we were meant to put it on London – so, we brought it to London!

I was compelled to get involved because from the moment I read about the concept, it resonated with me. I was and still am a huge believer in the power of global mass meditation and especially synchronised intention. I knew that there is immense power available to us in this way, if we choose to utilise it.

I loved the concept of the global parties and the idea of all dance floors connecting at the same time. I also loved the fact this was a conscious event, but also a music event and party too! I had a strong resonance with the events, both conceptually and vibrationally, so much so that my passion and enthusiasm led to me wanting to get involved and in particular, get the UK back on the Earthdance map, as there were currently no major Earthdance events going on and hadn’t been for quite some years.



You’re returning after a two-year break stronger than ever. How did you go about putting together such an amazing line-up for Earthdance 2018?

I followed my intuition, inspiration and excitement and this is what happened. It all came together beautifully with a diverse line up and also a definitely strong Goa flavour this year.

Earthdance 2018 has a very strong female line up: was this deliberate or did it just turn out like that? Gender equality has been a hot topic at many festivals over the summer with women demanding to see more female artists on the line ups of big events and the lack of diversity questioned. Do you reckon that a tide change is happening, or do we still have a long way to go?

It was a conscious choice; every event line up is. Including female artists on the line up has been important to me from the very beginning. Our events strive for a gender balanced line up. At the last event in 2016 it was completely balanced between male and female artists across all 3 rooms. This was intentional, though we don’t tend to publicise or draw attention to it as I feel this is something that should be normalised and not a ‘special thing’! I hope that we can inspire others to do the same.

I really hope the tide is turning, I have noticed some promoters are actively looking to improve this, and some that are already very inclusive – I really respect that and am hopeful for the future!
I’m sure I don’t stand alone in my frustration at the lack of female artists on many line ups. It’s reflective of the imbalance that is prevalent in modern society: macrocosm, microcosm. In a scene that likes to think of itself as forward thinking and conscious, we should be leading the way…

I would love to see more diversity in general – gender, ethnicity etc. If there is variety and diversity that is clearly seen, it encourages and inspires the next generation of all races, colour, genders and gender identifications to step up, follow their dreams and realise their potential.

I would love to see this this scene really step into leading by example. The phrase ‘be the change’ come to mind.



Earthdance is a truly unique event with an incredible intention to really make a difference. Can you please tell us a bit more about that?

Energy follows thought. What you think you create. Imagine focusing that energy on a particular subject and amplifying it by thousands, or hundreds of thousands!

There is a huge power in the focusing of our intentions on a specific subject or outcome. Numerous studies have been done proving the effects of mass mediation. Our thoughts do have the power to change our daily reality and create what we experience!

Our intention with the global prayer moment is to vision and anchor peace, within ourselves, for humanity, for the earth. Focusing our unified intention and energy on peace, anchoring that vibration into manifestation. Alongside this, each event supports a cause or local charity and donates their profits to them, making ripples of change and support in their local communities, through their donations.



Earthdance London really takes things to the next level as you weave incredible skills as an energy worker/shamaness and sacred space holder into the event and create a true sacred space that serves as a pop-up temple. Why this huge amount of work to raise consciousness?

I feel it is part of my soul calling, an aspect of my sacred purpose in this life. I have a deep desire to support the awakening, empowerment, and healing of humanity en masse, through the vehicle of psychedelic and Goa trance music, dance and celebration.

We all have unique callings and gifts. One of my gifts happens to be that I am naturally skilled at creating and holding a higher dimensional sacred space, a pop up temple if you like, for large amounts of people. I’m super passionate about creating sacred spaces, and anchoring the frequency of love! I am an awakener, an activator and I love the idea that I can reach so many people at once, by holding events or DJ’ing.

There is no time to lose when it comes to the raising of consciousness on the planet. The more people that awaken, who start to raise their frequency or consciousness, the faster we will reach the critical mass that’s required for us to collectively shift into the higher vibration of love, unity and ultimately, peace.



Finally, why should readers make sure they get down to The Steelyard for Earthdance 2018 before midnight on Saturday 22 September? What’s your message to those who aren’t sure whether they should come?

We are an annual event, just one night a year! To get the full experience we recommend arriving early to savor every minute of this special party! We have some amazing DJs opening up both rooms: we promise you will love them!

One of our headliners, Blue Planet Corporation, are on early at 11.20pm, so you for sure want to be there in good time for that, as they will take you on a magical journey you will never forget!
And of course the whole point of the party, the powerful global Prayer for Peace, will be at 1am!

We are super honoured to have Eeshi-Ra Hart with us, who was the original voice for the Prayer for Peace, and also the first international Earthdance Global Coordinator between 1997–2001. She will lead us into a LIVE spoken Prayer for Peace, which is also going to be live streamed to Youtube with all the other Earthdance events!

Words cannot do justice to how epic this party is! Come and join us and find out for yourself, you won’t regret it – this one is set to be the most amazing yet, we can feel some serious magic building!

Plus all of our profits are supporting the London homeless charity Thames Reach and the grassroots refugee organisation Calais Action, so by coming to party with us, you are helping change lives too. <3

Big thanks for your time Shakti and looking forward to seeing you on the 22nd! Much love and light, Tara xx

Don’t miss Shakti at Earthdance 2018 this Saturday 22nd September alongside an all-star line up that includes Total Eclipse, Blue Planet Corporation, NEO, Lauren Lyon, Robin Triskele, FlibbertiGibbet & many more! Advance tickets were still available at the time of writing from Access All Areas.



Links
Shakti on FaceBook
Shakti on Mixcloud
Earthdance London on FaceBook
Earthdance London's website
Event info for Earthdance 2018
Buy tickets for Earthdance 2018


Images courtesy of Kamila Szwalbe and Earthdance London. Not to be reproduced without permission.
Share this :: Facebook : Digg : Stumble Upon : Delicious
Follow HarderFaster :: Twitter
Other Features By Tara:
Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast!
Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project
A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden
Telling Cosmic Tales with DJ Strophoria
Tom Psylicious aka EarthAlien takes 50 Spins Around the Sun: Raising Awareness Through the Power of Music
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
Comments:

HarderFaster Jump
Bookmark and Share
All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective companies. All other content is (c) 2001-2024 HarderFaster.

Terms and Conditions | Privacy Statement | Text Mode