Why Asheville?

For several years, from 2015 thru 2019, I spent countless weeks in Asheville completing my Advanced Yoga Studies at Asheville Yoga Center, under the tutelage of some of the best yoga teachers in the business. For these 4 years Asheville was my second home. Not only did I have my favorite AirB&B’s that I frequented on my stays, but I had my favorite cafe’s and coffee shops, my favorite places for a great dinner, and enjoyed the nightlife and outdoor amenities as if I were a local. So much of who I am as a yoga teacher and a yoga studio owner is influenced by my time in Asheville.

I loved Asheville so much that I hosted my first out of state, destination retreat there, at the beautiful Bliss Farm Retreat center. The beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains in fall, coupled with the welcoming Asheville hospitality of our hosts made for one of the most memorable times we’ve had together as a community. Sadly our second retreat at Bliss Farm was cancelled due to COVID, and Bliss Farm no longer exists as a wellness retreat facility.

Did you know that the concept for Raise The Vibe Fest was born in Asheville? In July 2023, after several years of the timing being off I was finally able to attend the Love.Shine.Play Festival, one of the nation’s top yoga festivals, which is held in Dowtown Asheville every summer.

The Love.Shine.Play Festival brings together some of this country’s top yoga teachers, showcases some of Asheville’s best, and is a weekend of high-spirits and high vibes that is infectious. If you’ve ever been to Asheville then you know it’s a city that values health and wellness, and because of that value there’s a thriving community of like-minded people that support not only the community’s healers and practitioners, but also support and lift up each other. I believe part of what makes Asheville so special is that people take their health and wellness seriously, keeping their own vibe high, with a contagious positive energy that ripples through every aspect of the city.

I knew, at the end of my weekend at Love.Shine.Play that I wanted to start that ripple right here in our own small community, and Raise The Vibe Fest was born.

As many of you know, the remnants of Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina leaving behind enormous destruction. Knocking out power, cell service, and water to hundreds of thousands of people, washing away major routes into and out of the area, leaving many stranded and cut-off from what emergency help is available, and damaging and destroying countless homes, businesses, and other properties. I have been devastated watching the news come out of Asheville, a place that feels like home to me.

As far as I know, everyone that I know in Asheville is safe. However, many are still assessing the damage, and will have a very very long road to recovery. One of my teachers lost her home when a tree fell on it. Another is stranded in her neighborhood, with the only road (a mile and a half country road) in or out completely washed into the Swannanoa River. Her neighborhood is completely cut off, with no access to water, communications, or food, and they are being told it could be months before the infrastructure to get into or out of the neighborhood is repaired. And another acquaintance lost his entire hemp farm, his family’s only source of income. And these are just the ones that have cell service, or internet access long enough to check in. I still haven’t heard from a handful of people I know in the area, and I’m praying that they are all safe and well.

Because Asheville means so much to me, and because this festival would never have come to life without the inspiration of that city, we will be donating 30% of the profits from Raise The Vibe ticket sales, and 100% of the profits from merchandise sales to recovery causes that directly support Asheville residents.