As an ancient teaching, the Moksha sutra has been used for thousands of years to help students achieve freedom, liberation, and release. Through yoga, meditation, art, and music, the organizers of Santa Monica’s Moksha Festival aim to promote the time-honored practice and its ability to bring relief from the stresses of modern living. More than 100 vendors gather each year, showcasing healthful foods, exercise products, and services to bolster conscious lifestyles. Live international bands also perform throughout the weekend, leading Sanskrit kirtans along with spiritual music from various worldly philosophies. All classes, workshops, lectures, and performances take place at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, which acts as a cocoon in which guests can transform into more self-aware butterflies.