Wander: the innate desire to travel or roam.

This word, combined with ‘lust’ to create Wanderlust, has transmuted into a muse for its founders, who tend to think of wandering in both an internal and external sense. “Obviously externally is going to new places, experiencing new cultures, taking in adventure and exploration and all that,” explains festival co-founder Sean Hoess, “but then internally with yoga and meditation it is bringing you into yourself, helping you find your centre and learn things about yourself spiritually and emotionally.”

This is the essence of Wanderlust, and for the second year running, over the span of four days this summer (Aug. 1 to 4), Whistler and Wanderlust will go hand in hand with creating a community around mindful living.

Quipped a “summer camp for adults” by Hoess, it’s truly a festival like no other. Its recipe for success is deceivingly simple – take a sprinkle of soul-soothing yoga, stir in rousing lectures alongside divine food and wine, and top it all off with euphoric dance sessions to the beats of leading musical acts and DJs.

And Whistler has emerged as a fabulous backdrop for the festival, remarks Hoess, his gauge for success stemming from a sense of instant acceptance and belonging.

“It’s an attitude – people seem to feel that yoga, outdoor activities and music all fit Whistler and we’re looking for places that think that way.”

Hoess divulges his top three choices for an unforgettable Wanderlust experience. Join a thousand people on yoga mats lining the Olympic Plaza for a part-yoga class, part-inspirational talk, part-dance party. It’s free and open to everybody; partake in a prana hike. The wildly popular meditation hikes entail trekking to a designated place deemed perfect for meditation, then being soothed by tranquil music, courtesy of a stand-up bass player; Farm to Table dinner – sit on top of Whistler Mountain at the Roundhouse Lodge and sample a feast of local foods and wines, a colourful collaboration by regional farmers and chefs.

Read the rest of the article, published in the Vancouver Sun and The Province on July 23, 2013.

http://www.theprovince.com/health/Satisfy+your+wanderlust+Whistler/8695275/story.html