The Yoga Issue
Yoga—it’s certainly an ongoing favorite subject here. I often say that every issue is a yoga issue, just under a different cover. And speaking of covers, we’ve been fortunate that Jasper Johal has contributed his sublime images for an annual succession of September covers. Thanks again, Jasper.
In this issue, we introduce another friend, Kadri Kurgun, a terrific photographer who has contributed a pictorial titled “Strength and Grace.” This, to my knowledge, is a magazine first—a men-only yoga photo spread. We think you’ll enjoy it. Kadri has a great eye. For the first part of his career, he was a model. Fascinated by the craft since he was 10, Kadri is now grateful that he is able to devote the second part of his career to being behind the camera.
The fact that men are underrepresented in yoga classes has become a subject of personal interest. In our People in Your Neighborhood interview, we broach some of the topic with Mark Schillinger and Antonio Sausys, experts in the fields of yoga and men’s work. We think you’ll find it fresh and compelling. The same is true about “Make Room for the Luscious Yogi” by Anne Falkowski, about body image in the yoga world, particularly with respect to full-figured women.
We have an interview with Deepak Chopra, who needs no introduction. What a fascinating figure!
We also have an article called “Yoga on a Pedestal: Advanced Practice with Anusara Founder John Friend.” Thanks to Carolyn Brown not only for taking the time to thoughtfully pull this together, but also for the courage to. longtime Anusara practitioner, Carolyn examines the lessons we can all learn when we put a yoga teacher on a pedestal. A must-read.
In a similar vein, I am proud of an article that Greg Smith has contributed on the subject of spiritual bypassing. This piece examines the pitfall of sidestepping our psychological health in the quest for transcendent bliss.
Other wonderful topics: Fight Club yoga, the yoga of grief, hot yoga, and Vinyoga—all interesting and useful and very different from one another. Our senior editor, Carrie Grossman, plumbs the challenges of the ultimate yoga, the practice of surrender, known in the scriptures as Ishvara Pranidhana.
On a lighter note, Prajna Vieira has researched the South Bay yoga scene to profile 10 unsung teachers. Where once it seems the South Bay suffered from a dearth of go-to teachers, forcing South Bay yogis into San Francisco and Berkeley, according to Prajna, this is no longer the case. In fact, she is arguing that the time has come for a reverse commute.
We hope to see some of you at upcoming yoga events, some outside the Bay Area, starting with Bhaktifest—one of my personal favorites. We will try to make it out to Estes Park in Colorado for the Yoga Journal Conference. The Yoga Alliance Conference, for teachers, takes place in October. The Acro Yoga Festival takes place too in October, and closer to home. And this time with a new yoga rave event. Woo-hoo!
As ever, thanks for supporting our sponsors. All feedback is welcome at [email protected]. October is our Women issue. Please consider becoming an advertiser.
Sun salutations,
ROB SIDON, PUBLISHER/EDITOR