A festival in celebration of the Warrior Within

With the sound of airplanes passing on one side and the chatter of children on a field trip on the other, you would have thought that Parabvrutti of Swayambhu's sound journey session would leave more to be desired. 
 
However, a calmness takes over attendants as they open their eyes after the session. As the instructor goes around asking about their experience, some say they were able to touch on their intentions while others say that they were able to let go of their stress, wanting to be present in the moment. 
 
This session was part of the lineup of Dhaka Flow's new event, 'Warrior Within Wellness Festival' at Air Force BASECAMP in Agargaon. The three-day event started off on 13 February and ends later tonight(15 February), from 10 AM till 8 PM.
 
 As I attended the sound journey session, I had fully expected it to struggle amidst the chaos all around. However, the outcome of the session proved me wrong. 
 
"The noise is always there, it doesn't matter where we are. The basics of meditation is to always turn inwards, never outside. I think it was more appropriate so people could navigate how to feel the silence amongst all the noise," shared Parabvrutti of Swayambhu.
 
Aside from the sound journey, the event has many other sessions scheduled for visitors to connect with their inner peace, including Brush Story with Fatima, Cardio with Britto, and a concert by Kaaktaal and more. 
 
The location itself seemed like an unlikely one with the sound of planes in the background and the barbed wires that surround the venue. 

Yet, Dhaka Flow was able to add their touch to the venue, ensuring that visitors would be surrounded by a sense of peacefulness. 
 
"We really love basecamp because they're eco-friendly and they've built this sanctuary in the middle of nature. On top of that, we would like to expand to a new audience and location," shared Shazia Omar, CEO and co-founder of Dhaka Flow. 

The event truly embodies wellness from a variety of aspects, such as yoga, art therapy, theatre, music, and more. Each event is rooted in mental health and physical wellbeing, which continues to be an important motivator for Dhaka Flow.
 
"Breaking the silence around mental health is the first step towards healing. Too many suffer in isolation—whether from trauma, abuse, depression, or addiction. But healing happens in community, through movement, mindfulness, and meaningful connection," shared Shazia. 
 
The event also invited mental health experts to emphasise on the importance of mental health. 
 
"There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding mental health. Sometimes this concept is taken to the extremes, people consider those suffering from mental health issues to be crazy, unable to finish their education, and so on. But it is not so," shared Farin Khan of Serene Space Wellness.
 
She continues, "We work to break this stigma and to raise awareness, and to make it accessible to people,"
 

Adding to the theme of mindfulness, the Warrior Within festival also consists of an assortment of local brands that visitors could browse through and support. From jewellery and clothes to handcrafted pieces of art, the event had something to offer for everyone.