A transformative festival experience in the magical land of Cornwall
Featured Image: Ceremony at Paradhis Festival led by Abbey Lakshmi Astara
There are only two places in the world where I have felt the vibration of the primordial sound of OM. Southern Costa Rica and Cornwall, England. I am drafting this article as I sit in a bustling cafe in Alcalá de Henares, the birthplace of the infamous author of Don Quijote de la Mancha, Miguel de Cervantes. Right now, I am an island of creative thought amongst throngs of squawking tourists demanding their coffee and pastries. They aren’t as bad as the seagulls on the Cornish coast, but there is an uncanny behavioral resemblance. In the background, the words para, para, paradise are echoed by Chris Martin, and as my foamy café con leche touches my lips, I have finally received the inspiration to finish this article for the Yoga Trade community.
Grey skies and bright summer rains
The literal translation of Paradhis from Cornish is “paradise.” Pronounced [Para-dees]. Cornish language is an old tongue with deep roots lodged in a Celtic past. The words, sounds, and expressions of this language are saved and tucked away in the beautiful and heritage-filled southwest corner of the United Kingdom.
Cornwall in the tourism board photos is a sunny and green paradise with turquoise waters that shimmer and sparkle like the Caribbean Sea. The only difference is that the water will only warm up to 18 degrees Celsius on a perfect summer day. My friend’s mum suggests one should wait until September for sea dips, as the rocks have warmed up from sunlight. These are the magnificent sunny days, but this exposed peninsula is also privy to tumultuous storms that bring forth the clouds, the rain, and the wind. We all grumble and groan at the prospect of rain, but the changing nature and moods of this land is what makes it so special.
Undisclosed cove in Cornwall
When you build a bridge, walk across it
In the middle of the Costa Rican jungle, amidst the towering trees, humidity, and the buzzing cicadas, I had the opportunity to connect with two special people who host festivals in Cornwall. Cornwall was already on my radar because of friends and surfing, but it often felt too far out of reach. I never felt as if I could connect with a distant northern land which was too far removed from the exoticism of Indonesia, Central America, or Northern Africa. It was too cold, too rainy, too grey…and the excuses go on. People even tried to persuade me that my sunny California expectations and my jungle baby Costa Rican way of life would bring me difficulty. But when Paradhis festival was announced, the wheels of imagination and possibility began to turn in my mind. The festival would be held in early July (what better time for my first visit to the UK). It would showcase music, workshops, talks, yoga, and even blacksmithing! Previously meeting the festival organizers gave me an idea of how well thought out Paradhis festival would be, but the actual experience exceeded my expectations.
“But when the Paradhis Festival was announced, the wheels of
imagination and possibility began to turn in my mind.”
Entrance to church at Boconnoc – home to Sound Waves venue at Paradhis
The importance of connecting to the land
I arrived in Cornwall a few weeks before the festival and gave myself time to settle into the land, my new place, and to learn how to drive on the left. Once I had locked down the driving (minus the roundabouts…that took longer), I took my camping gear in my bright red car with me to Boconnoc Estate. Boconnoc is a beautiful estate with a stretch of woodland that would serve as a home to thousands of festival revelers for three days. This land is home to ancient trees, beautiful gardens, walking paths, and a sacred church.
Upon arrival, a misty grey sky greeted us, but as volunteers, most of us were eager to begin setting up our tents and to meet one another. My neighbor, Anne, invited me for a warm cuppa inside her car, and we began to chat about our lives and what brought us to Paradhis. Another neighbor, Tim, helped me set up the rain fly on my tent, and I was told about the importance of owning a good pair of wellies (aka rain boots). The conversations continued and I eventually found my volunteer post with the Yoga in the Stars tent. Yoga in the Stars is a talented collective of soul-centered artists that create sacred spaces and experiences wherever they go. Basia and Tarin, the founders, were already unloading when we arrived, so I quickly jumped in to begin setting up the space. How we set up a space helps define the grounding energy guests receive. It’s a ‘mi casa es tu casa” philosophy, and the Yoga in the Stars crew always puts forth their best intentions into welcoming all.
“This land holds ancient trees, beautiful gardens, walking paths, and a sacred church.”
Dancing under the rainbow after Anne’s sound bath
Time is all you have, so just enjoy it!
I have this belief that the first few moments of any beautiful adventure begin as a slow crawl. The hours or days seem a little sluggish at first, but as time passes, it begins to accelerate. You suddenly find yourself facing the last two days of your beloved holiday, and time just flies. So, my little drop of wisdom to you, is to just enjoy it!
Paradhis festival is the perfect balance of music, connection, wisdom, and a good ol’time. My days were spent hanging fairy lights with my fellow volunteer Aisha, eating Cornish pasties, giving wilderness cooking a go, enjoying Morcheeba play on the main stage, and raving to jungle/tribal/house during after hours. There was always a space to dance and be social, but there were also spaces to reflect and sit with oneself. The thoughtfulness behind festivals such as Paradhis is that anyone can enjoy it, and it can be enjoyed in any type of situation. Yes, the rainstorm was grizzly the first day, but eventually the clouds cleared, and an amazing rainbow appeared over the festival right after my friend Anne’s sound bath. Shoes off, we danced as our bare feet splashed around in the muddy grass. Thanks to experiences like this, I felt at home. So much at home in fact, that I decided to extend my stay in Cornwall.
“My days were spent hanging fairy lights with my fellow volunteer, Aisha, eating Cornish pasties, giving wilderness cooking a go, enjoying Morcheeba play on the main stage, and raving to jungle/tribal/house beats during after hours.”
A few moments before Morcheeba played
OM is where you find it
Paradhis opened the door to some great experiences and friendships. This is the beauty of festival magic. Festival gatherings always remind us how important community is and how we must simply be brave and take a chance with the people around us. I took as much as I could from Paradhis and it helped me open myself to people and experiences that truly felt like home. Inside and outside the festival!
Collaborative sound bath at Yoga in the Stars tent
Festival gatherings always remind us how important community is and how we must simply be brave and take a chance with the people around us.
Three days at a festival turned into bonding with my Airbnb host turned sister who always keeps her head up and her heart open. I met my friend Abbey, whom I ended up staying with. We bonded over food, relationships, and life experiences. We eventually collaborated on a work-trade, where I needed reiki and soul guidance, and she needed help with her sacred sprays and oils business. I must say we did a fantastic job with that!
There was also the magic and synchronicity of meeting other Latina friends at a screening of a Mexican artist and poet’s work in a small Cornish town of only 15,000 inhabitants. The first and best Sunday roast dinner I will ever have with my friend and his family. A friend sharing his secret and special rock along the Cornish coastline. Late night talks over wine and pizza, realizing how friends who grew up on opposite sides of the world can share so much. For those of you who love wine, we coined the phrase ‘wine accountability buddy.” There were also chats in the surf and nights out at the pub, getting creative in art classes, and road trip adventures to Glastonbury.
But most of all, Paradhis, gave me the virtue to realize that it sometimes rains, and it storms, the wind is howling and mean, but there is always a rainbow on the other side.
After all, that is what Chris Martin sings about in his lovely little tune.
Life goes on, it gets so heavy
The wheel breaks the butterfly
Every tear, a waterfall
In the night, the stormy night, she’d close her eyes
In the night, the stormy night, away she’d fly
And dream of para-, para-, paradise
Para-, para-, paradise
Para-, para-, paradise
Group bonding during the Human Mandala Experience by Aleksandra Karpowicz
A big thank you to Yoga Trade!
Thank you to Paradhis Festival! Check out what’s happening in 2025: https://www.paradhis.co.uk/
Cornwall is a beautiful stretch of land that has experienced a tourism boom in the past few decades, but it is also currently facing a housing crisis. To learn more about sustainable tourism and how to keep beautiful places beautiful to those who call it home, please check out these links:
Welcome to Cornwall! Please don’t ruin it for us local people
Secrets of Cornwall in the Winter
Maggy is a yoga teacher, healer, and an advocate for human and environmental rights. She teaches as she travels and works with grassroots non-profits. She is currently back at uni, studying international studies with a concentration in global media, communications, and culture. Her other passions include surfing, writing, and photography. She has studied for several years to have a deep understanding of asana, meditation, breathwork, and the Akashic records. If you are interested in learning about her offerings, you can contact her through her website: www.maggytorreshealing.com
