When I found myself going to yoga after work practically every day and on the weekends, I suspected I was hooked—like, seriously interested in yoga.

I remember sometimes justifying the expense of doing yoga frequently by telling myself that eating out would cost about that much (or more), and I wouldn’t be eating out because I was going to yoga instead. Then, somewhere along the way I began to trade my graphic design services for classes at the yoga studio, which meant that I could go as much as I wanted!

Once, I was hanging around in a bookstore in between work and yoga class, looking at Yoga Journal. I wanted that magazine. I wanted that dream world that the images and stories seemed to hold for me at that time. So I decided to buy it. But, I remember feeling a bit ashamed—like I was buying pornography, or something. I mean…yoga just seemed to be so body-based, and I had thought that I was more cerebral, or something…but I was really into this yoga thing.

I ate, slept and dreamt yoga. When I was at work I thought about yoga. When I was with my boyfriend I thought about yoga (oops).

Yoga, yoga, yoga…

And now, about 11 years later, I flipped through the pages of the November 2010 issue of Yoga Journal—an ordinary activity by now. On page 59 I came across the Toesox ad featuring yoga teacher, Kathryn Budig totally nude (except for Toesox) as photographed by Jasper Johal.

And on page 98 there is a Yoga Journal Conference ad featuring topless (modestly so) yoga. The model is in Pasasana (noose pose). And I wonder: Do we inadvertently put a noose around ourselves when we seek to limit the expression of other beings?

The human form is beautiful. I’m all for celebrating it. But after all the intense interchange around Judith Hanson Lasater’s (she was a part of the group that started the magazine) letter in the September issue where she made a request…

“My request is that Yoga Journal doesn’t run ads with photos that exploit the sexuality of young women in order to sell products or more magazines.”

…I was a bit surprised to see Yoga Journal’s ad, above, after all of the dialogue and drama. Has anything changed?

Looks like the answer is a big, “No.” “Request denied.”

…guess we just need our sexy ads, sorry.

Thing is, I like Yoga Journal in spite of the many ads that fill the magazine. [ed: they have to run a sustainable business, after all, and, still, most of the ads are yoga or health-oriented]. And, yes, sometimes I am grateful for the ads (when I see something I want to buy). Some of the articles are good. It is often beautiful to look at.

The second definition of “porn” according to the Apple dictionary on my computer:

“television programs, books, etc., regarded as catering to a voyeuristic or obsessive interest in a specified subject”

Hmmm. Yoga porn. “…catering to a voyeuristic or obsessive interest,” doesn’t seem far off the mark. Maybe we do need to just practice yoga more, instead of requiring this extreme representation. Or perhaps yoga is just intense.

It is for me. So the representations might need to be as varied and extreme as our imaginations can accommodate.