Yaga Gathering 2024 - Dr. Bravenstein

Yaga is an open-air gathering taking place in a lakeside location surrounded by Dzukija forests in Lithuania. The event was founded in 2003 by a handful of friends out of a desire to create a place where participants can bring a positive change, enjoy themselves, feel accepted, and be more connected. It is annually supported by over a hundred of artists, numerous volunteers, a committed organisational team, and the reinforcement of relatives, long-term friends and partners.

Yaga is dedicated to a multilayered array of art forms – a unity of performance, installation, video, and music at the heart of it. Hedonistic at night and wholesome by day Yaga aspires to bring a positive change into the lives of individuals, communities and broader society by creating a utopian playground, facilitating connections, self-exploration and artistic expression.

Transformation is an essential part of Yaga’s fabric. In Sanskrit, Yaga means sacrifice – an individual process of self-realisation where deliberate and involuntarily abandonments are made, become recognised, accepted and transformed into future benefits.

The 2024 edition:

'Who is Dr. Valorise Bravenstein? The answer is not so simple and greatly depends on whom you‘re asking. But most sources agree, Valorise Bravenstein is an enigma. The popular author was a future-thinking scientist, exploring the borders of human knowledge on fear. Yet, her personal involvement in unorthodox fear-fighting methods brought a great deal of controversy, especially after her controversial disappearance in Lithuania. It is said that only retracing her steps and facing your fears can lead to her final hideout and the possibility of meeting one of the greatest minds of the generation. Still, we must warn you, the endeavour is bordering on urban myth and can be quite a risky experience.' - prof. Gabriel Daringham, preamble for the “Journal of Abnormal Psychology”, 2024 Q1 issue.