I have been attending all manner of festivals since I was a teenager, from my first Renfest at King Richard’s Faire back in the 80’s (yes, I am dating myself here) to Rainbow Gatherings and Bread & Puppet to name a few.
My gypsy heart and spirit come alive at festivals.  From the moment I embark on the journey, and I have happily packed up to get to events that sometimes even involve a plane ride, I feel my soul soar with freedom.  A nomad at heart?  perhaps.
It has been at these events that I have met and experience amazing folk doing amazing things that helped to facilitate amazing awakenings within myself.  Some so memorable, I remember them now with detail from almost 20 years ago!
There was a really great regional Rainbow Gathering in Vermont back sometime about 1989.  I had the opportunity to attend empowering sister healing circles and a parent circle.   The Parent Circle was profound and inspiring; to come together with other like minded parents working to raise their children with earth centered spiritual consciousness was awesome for me.  This circle held so much positive energy that at one point a snake, yes, a live snake, slithered over a woman’s  lap (she was seated directly across from me)  There was such energetic alignment and respect within our group that she remained calm as did everyone else.  The snake stopped dead center and raised it’s head and peered around.  Everyone in the group could feel that this snake was connected to Spirit and not a threat.  We all paused and waited.   Then the snake put it’s head down and continued on its way across the circle (which by the way was headed right for me and while I respect snakes and enjoy from afar, I wasn’t excited to have it slither over my lap!) However, the snake choose to exit peacefully between me and the man sitting beside me.
As I would come to learn, powerful moments like this happen spontaneously at Gatherings with the people come together and hold Sacred Space.  Creating and holding Sacred Space allows Spirit to move and flow between us, the Earth and all its relations.