NEWS & UPDATES
2026 Soul Sanctuary Schedule
Balance your Blue Ox weekend with a visit to the Soul Sanctuary. A space to slow down, breathe deep, and reconnect.
Offerings this year include various yoga classes, crystal bowl meditation, hula hooping, ecstatic dance and more!
Located within the Prairie to allow participants a quieter space for reflection and peace of mind. Offers lots of space and flatter ground which allows for an ideal foundation for yoga and other classes/workshops.
*Bring your own yoga mats, blankets, and other needed props for comfort. Times subject to change.
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS BELOW
Thursday, June 25th (4:00 – 4:30pm)
- Soul Sanctuary Activation, Opening Ceremony & Mantra
Friday, June 26th (9am – 4:00pm)
- 9:00 – 10:00AM – Unity Flow with Sara
- 10:30 – 11:30AM – Venus Gong & Sound Healing with Karen
- 12:00 – 1:00PM – Partner Yoga and Stretch with Emily & Nick
- 1:30 – 2:30PM – Hooping with Danielle Lee of Hoop Elation
- 3:00-4:00PM – Friends of Bill W. led by Jim Litchfield
Saturday, June 27th (9am-4:15pm)
- 9:00 – 10:00AM – Dynamic Flow Yoga with Sara
- 10:30 – 11:30AM – Crystal Bowl Sound Meditation with Mike
- 12:00 – 1:00PM – Hatha Yoga with Sammie
- 1:30 – 3:00PM – Ecstatic Dance and Closing Meditation with Nick & Emily
- 3:15-4:15PM – Friends of Bill W. led by Jim Litchfield
*Times subject to change
Thursday June 25th
4:00pm – 4:30pm: Soul Sanctuary Activation, Opening Ceremony & Mantra
Join the Soul Sanctuary Troupe in a ceremony that will mindfully open our circle for the festival weekend. Members of the troupe will dedicate, clear, bless and activate the space where we will gather throughout the weekend as a community. We will set a shared intention to cohabitate and co-create in a way that evokes the highest good of our collective. Please bring a mat, blanket, pillow or anything else you may need to sit for our gathering.
Friday June 26th
9:00am -10:00am: Unity Flow with Sara Curtin
Sara returns to Blue Ox, as Co-Producer of the Soul Sanctuary. Sara will offer Morning Yoga Classes both Friday and Saturday. Get your body and mind prepared for a full day of music and dancing by attending morning yoga! Unity Flow is a mindful, grounding yoga practice that connects you with your breath, body, and the vibrant energy of the festival. This slow-flow class blends gentle, accessible movements with subtle challenges to build strength, flexibility, and awareness. Move with intention, feel your rhythm, and deepen your connection with yourself and the community around you. Open to all levels.
10:30am – 11:30am: Venus Gong & Sound Healing with Karen Tlusty
Join Karen for an hour of exquisite vibrations! Sounds of the Venus gong, Native American style flute, Tibetan bowls and other instruments create a heightened meditation space that supports us in directly connecting to our deepest source of wisdom. Current astrological influences will be discussed, helping us align with celestial energies that assist our evolutionary growth and empower our intentions. Please bring a yoga mat, blanket, pillow or anything else you may need to lie still on the ground, as lying down is the most effective position to work with the energy of the gong.
Karen Tlusty-Rissman (Starsong) is a musician, astrologer and ceremonialist. Her practice is based on the belief that all life on this planet is One and brings this philosophy into all that she creates. She weaves the common threads from many Earth centered traditions to provide participants with a direct connection to their inner Source. She has played music for most of her life, playing Native American flute, concert flute, bass guitar, Tibetan singing bowls and the Venus gong. Karen is currently an astrology and tarot reader at the Quest Bookstore, part of the Theosophical Society. She has facilitated sacred circles for close to 40 years and has held the Community Drum Circle for more than 25 years. She has facilitated numerous ceremonies to honor life passages, seasonal transitions and for healing. Karen is available for private consultations, meditation classes, musical performances and lessons.
12:00pm-1:00pm: Partner Yoga & Stretch with Emily and Nick Weiberg
Join Emily & Nick for a nourishing partner yoga designed to cultivate connection, relaxation, and fun! Through gentle partner stretches, shared breath, and guided massage techniques, you’ll explore both giving and receiving support in an intentional, mindful way. Come with a friend or a partner, or just show up and we’ll get you paired up! All levels are welcome. No yoga experience necessary.
Emily Weiberg is a licensed massage therapist, energy healer, and yoga instructor with a passion for supporting others in reconnecting with their bodies and inner wisdom. Her work weaves together therapeutic touch, yoga, meditation, and sound/energy healing to create spaces for deep relaxation, self-awareness, and transformation. Emily’s approach is intuitive and heart-centered, guiding students and clients into a deeper relationship with their mind, body, and spirit. Through her classes, sessions, and workshops, she invites others to slow down, listen within, and experience the healing power of presence and embodied practice.
1:30pm – 2:30pm: Hooping with Danielle Lee of Hoop Elation
Never has there been an activity that brings together movement, expression, and mindfulness in such an uplifting way. In this session, you will learn foundational hoop dance moves through a beginner friendly dance. Absolutely no experience necessary, and all hoops are provided. Come as you!
Danielle Lee of Hoop Elation hails from Madison, Wisconsin and began hooping in 2004, and started teaching hoop dance in 2008. Since then, she has taught regularly in Madison as well as regionally and internationally. Her charisma and positivity have been the keystone for today’s thriving Madison hoop community. She is a founding member of the Madison Circus Space, a 24/7 circus arts facility and nonprofit, where she serves on their board of directors. Danielle is a professional hooper and certified instructor and lives to teach classes, lead events, perform, and do everything possible to share the transformational joy of hooping.
3:00-4:00PM – Friends of Bill W. – Led by James Litchfield
An open meeting format for anyone working through addiction recovery who would like to connect while at Blue Ox. Bring a chair, blanket, or mat and you will have a chance to enjoy the fellowship of others on this journey. A brief reading will be followed by a chance to reflect with the group. You are not alone in recovery, especially at Blue Ox.
Saturday June 27th
9:00am-10:00am: Dynamic Beat: Empower Flow Yoga with Sara Curtin
An energizing, music-driven Vinyasa flow designed to get you moving, breathing, and fully present. Set to an uplifting playlist, this dynamic class weaves creative sequencing that builds heat, elevates energy, and channels the vibrant festival vibe. Open to all levels.
Sara, a seasoned yoga instructor, visionary, and mother, is the founder and owner of Flower of Life Yoga & Wellness Center. Drawing upon her transformative experiences, she established Flower of Life Yoga and Wellness Center to support individuals in reclaiming their inner resilience, overcoming trauma, and cultivating holistic wellness. Sara offers a distinctive and expert blend of traditional wisdom and strength-based approaches to yoga, tailoring her teaching to meet the specific requirements of each student. With a strong foundation in traditional yoga, power yoga, and weightlifting, her objective is to create a secure and effective learning environment that prioritizes proper alignment and enables students to unlock their full potential. When not on her mat, she enjoys spending time with her family outdoors.
10:30am-11:30am: Crystal Bowl Sound Meditation with Mike McGuigan
Join us in the Soul Sanctuary for a unique experience of Sound Vibration Immersion. In this session, Sound Healer, Mike McGuigan will use the powerful vibrations from Crystal Quartz Singing Bowls to help restore, refresh, and rejuvenate your body, mind, and soul. Please bring mats, blankets, pillows, and other needed props for comfort.
Mike McGuigan returns to Blue Ox Festival for the 10th consecutive year, as Co-Producer of the Soul Sanctuary. Mike brings over 25 years of experience as a multi-instrumentalist, playing music professionally both as a live performer and as a recording studio artist. Mike and music have been synonymous since a very young age. An outstanding Music Program at Batavia (IL) High School helped earn Mike a music scholarship to Western Illinois University. After college, Mike continued performing professionally in various Jazz Ensembles and Rock & Roll bands in suburban Chicago. In 2015, Mike completed training with the Vibrational Sound Association, and began his career as Sound Therapist and Sound Healer. Mike now owns a Holistic Health Company, Emphasizing on Sound Therapy, Crystal Singing Bowls, and Reiki. Mike is a Reiki Professional, for both humans and animals.
12:00pm – 1:00pm: Hatha Yoga with Sammie Jasper
This guided Hatha Yoga class will honor space for both rest and gentle movements with the intention of breathing some life back into the sore, tired parts of your body. It will support slowing down, loosening up, and resetting so that you can continue being present for all of the music, dancing, art, and community here at the beautiful Blue Ox Festival. There will be intentional breathing, a specially crafted Asana flow with a simple guided-imagery practice weaved in, and moments of optional self-massage. Participate in what resonates and give yourself whatever else you need to get the most out of this time together.
Sammie Jasper, a CYT trained yoga instructor from Eau Claire, will guide you to a place of physical relief and tension release so that you can get the most out of the last day of Blue Ox! Sammie has been teaching a variety of yoga and movement based classes since 2018. She has found a special love for the slower, more restorative flows that provide time to notice how the muscles feel and relax into postures, helping give a sense of relief to areas of extra tension. She enjoys sprinkling in some spoken words, shoulder presses, and aromatherapy to help close out a practice. Outside of yoga, she has found a home in the circus arts with the Torch Sisters, which continually reaffirms the beauty in being, “perfectly imperfect,” and the balance of keeping things lighthearted while respecting a craft/practice.
1:30pm – 2:30pm: Ecstatic Dance and Closing Meditation with DJ Nick and Emily Weiberg
Join us for an Ecstatic Dance journey—an invitation to move freely, release tension, and reconnect with your body through music and rhythm. This is a judgment-free space where there are no steps to follow and no experience needed. Let the music guide you as you explore intuitive movement, emotional expression, and deep presence. Come as you are, move however you feel,and allow the dance to become a moving meditation. We’ll close out the 2026 Soul Sanctuary saying farewell and until next time with a closing meditation at the end.
Nick is a DJ and sound engineer with a passion for elevating vibration through music, frequency, and sound. Inspired by over a decade immersed in the festival and conscious music scene, he curates soundscapes that invite movement, presence, and deep connection. Through his work, Nick blends rhythm, energy, and intention to create immersive experiences that support healing and self-expression. He is excited to share this work alongside his wife, Emily, co-facilitating classes and events that bring people together through movement, music, and community.
3:00-4:00PM – Friends of Bill W. – Led by James Litchfield
An open meeting format for anyone working through addiction recovery who would like to connect while at Blue Ox. Bring a chair, blanket, or mat and you will have a chance to enjoy the fellowship of others on this journey. A brief reading will be followed by a chance to reflect with the group. You are not alone in recovery, especially at Blue Ox.