Education, Culture, Art, economy

t is a truth not universally acknowledged, that if you want to throw off any association with Nazi forebears, there is no better place to look than England’s Jane. For in what may be one of the most bizarre cases of image management, a US scholar has found that Jane Austen has been co-opted by the US far right to whitewash its image.

Nicole M Wright, assistant professor of English at the University of Colorado, found thst the author has been invoked by white supremacists online as a symbol of sexual purity who advocated marriage, despite the fact that her heroines never emerge from the altar, and happy marriages are the exception rather than the rule in her work.

Rather than seeing Pride and Prejudice’s Elizabeth Bennet as a feminist icon, or Emma Wood-house in Emma as a challenge to aristocratic entitlement, the far right are holding up both books as examples of how Austen supposedly pioneered their style of conservatism.
and Prejudice] is going to be imposed, again, in an ethnostate, we must behave like gentlemen" Wright also found Austen used as a standard-bearer for a “vanished white traditional culture” and “exception that proves the rule of female inferiority” (because there are so few women in the literary canon).

Neither claim stands up to close examination,Austen’s protagonists express little of the populist boosterism and preoccupation with ethnic heritage that foster an ethnostate"

The scholar was prompted to dig into the far-right devotion to Austen after hearing her misquoted by the disgraced “alt-right" flag-bearer Milo Yiannopoulos in a characteristic diatribe against feminism.Not only did the far right co-opt Austen in support of a mythologised past, but Wright believes the appropriation “also subtly panders to the nostalgia of the Brexiters, with their vision of a better, bygone Britain" .

Fellow Austen scholar Bharat Tandon, is sceptical that Austen’s far-right fans have actually read her books. Citing Ayn Rand, another of the far right’s favourite female writers, he said: “[Austen] would have had Rand for breakfast. That rootsy post-Randian demagoguery that they all follow would have been completely alien to the society Austen chronicled."

According to Tandon, the only character in Austen’s work who could possibly have voted for Donald Trump would be Mrs Norris, Fanny Price’s cruel and snobbish aunt in Mansfield Park. “She’s a nasty, greedy and abusive piece of work,” says Tandon. “Trump would speak to her."

Claire Tomalin, whose biography, Jane Austen: A Life, revealed a woman more radical than her popular image allows, doubts the writer would find anything in common with white supremacists. “ [Austen] loved the poetry of William Cowper, who was opposed to hunting and shooting,” she says.

Trump has yet to tweet his opinion of Austen, but her ascendance to global celebrity in the wake of myriad TV and film adaptations may well have endeared her to him, too.

Danuta Kean

ndia's leading apparel manufacturer, J.G. Hosiery recently unveiled their newTVC for Amul Comfy innerwear starring Ajay Devgan. Conceptualised by Lowe Lintas the ads celebrates the resilience of the Indian masses by introducing a product as tough as them.

With summer fast approaching the objective of the TVC was to shift the focus away from the conventional feature of 'comfort', 'fit' and 'attraction'. The economy segment of innerwear is in the cusp of transformation and is usually considered as a neglected segment or 2nd quality segment, the brands only win the price battles. Durability is what the consumer wants and at a price doing just to his pocket. Amul Comfy products are relatively superior in quality and tend to last longer, boasting around 30% longer life than other competition brands owing to better and more scientific manufacturing processes.

The commercial featuring actor Ajay Devgan and Makarand Deshpande stems from the idea 'yeh fatti nahi, lamba tikti hai
Navinn Seksaria, Director, J.G. Hosiery said, "humor is the best way to get the message across to the consumer, hence all our commercials of Macho and Bodywarmer has been laced with very good humor." He further mentioned that the brand is hopeful regarding the message that the new TVC is sending out and ultimately the products that last long, sells well too.

Talking about his appearance and the product Ajay Devgan said, "I have a lot of International innerwear and when I wore Amul, I felt that it's standard was at par with theirs. And the TVC definietly sets the mood for the brand promise." Commenting on the TVC, Arun Iyer, COO, Lowe Lintas mentioned that horror the agency thought was a very unique concept and would be good to sell and market innerwear using this concept as that would make the idea stick out.

Amul Comfy offers Men's Innerwear, Gym Vest, Bermuda and Kid's Innerwear. All of which will be available across India starting at an attractive price of Rs. 60.

Revolutionizing the Apparel Industry with its distinctive class & designs, Body care International Ltd., the leading manufacturer and supplier ofInfants and Kids innerwear, Thermals, Lounge wear for the complete family has justlaunched a super cool collection for the kids.

ts the Pokemon collection that the brand has brought out to add some style to every kid's wardrobe this summer.

"Since pokemon collection is for kids and every kid today will certainly associate with the well renowned character named "Pokemon”. We are in no doubt that this association will help and encourage us to lead the collection more effectively," commented Mr. Mithun Gupta,

Director, Bodycare International.

Bodycare have the official license to use Pokemon in their kidswear range. Apart from that Bodycare International has recently acquired license of Motu Patlu character and the entire range with this character is almost ready for launch. Bodycare International believes that Character licensing is surely one such trend that
is not going away. "We definitely have high market expectations from this collection as the craze for Pokemon is building in the market because of game launched by Dream Theatre in association with Reliance Jio," mentioned Mr. Mithun Gupta.

Since this range is meant for kids therefore, the brand has kept the colors bright and so as to attract the tiny tots and their parents alike.

The products are body friendly and superbly cute, just the right mix for every kid. The entire range available in a wide size spectrum is also priced affordable and extends with an exclusive panty and vest collection. The collection is priced between Rs. 80 - 120.

DeModa presents summer special collections to flatter the woman in you!

Summer is here, bidding adieu to the old, its time now to bring in the new with the spring summer season.
Glimpses
t's about a fresh feel, it's about renewing the old with a new fervour. And DeModa is ready to bring in the summer with a renewed hope and energy and has a wardrobe full of newness just for you!

T-shirts

DeModa brings a collection of trendsetting, yet comfortable t-shirts to all you stylish chicas out there! Finding the right foot has never been easier. Just browse through their newly launched collection of tees to find your fit. Pick from a wide range of designs to find the ones you love.

Nursing T-shirts

Taking care of your little one and feeling gorgeous and comfortable at the same time is no longer a dream! DeModa presents Nursing T-shirts, a part of our maternity wear range, for all you new moms out there who love to stay in style. These t-shirts are trendy and are made from soft fabrics that let you stay comfortable as you focus on caring for your baby. The t-shirts are specially designed to ensure that feeding your child is accessible and easy.
Maternity Pajamas

Pregnancy is a special time. You find your glow and the anticipation of a baby's laughter and giggles is exciting. But it can also be quite distressing and uncomfortable. To ease your trials, DeModa brings all you expecting mommies out there a range of maternity pajamas available in a variety of designs and colours. The fabric is soft and aims to ease the discomfort to make you feel relaxed and refreshed. Choose from a wide range of trendy designs to add to your wardrobe and spice it up!

Beat the summer heat like Josephine Skriver in Sauvage swimwear campaign
he's best known for strutting her stuff on the Victoria's Secret runway.
But Josephine Skriver swapped lingerie for swimwear as she starred in a sizzling new Sauvage Swimwear campaign.

Designed and manufactured in the USA, high quality standards and attention to detail make the Sauvage collections stand apart.

Luxe-Sauvage is a resort style collection, unique prints featuring luxury cover-ups.

Sauvage is fashion forward, sexy and always glamorous, always on trend, and features gorgeous Swarovski crystals -the best in the world.

Showing off her phenomenal physique, the Danish model, 23, oozed glamour in the sexy shots as she smouldered down the lens.
The Vogue covergirl slipped into a skimpy cobalt bikini that barely contained her ample bust. The bra is accentuated with bold straps and cutouts. Bottom features cut-out sides on the hips, and is available in full or partial back coverage.

• Cutout styling • Removable padding • Ties at neck and back • Available in full or moderate back coverage. • 80% Italian Nylon, 20%Xtra Life Italian Lycra

For a second playful shot, Josephine held a purple water pistol as she modelled a black bikini with a leopard print trim.

Her golden locks were sodden as she swept them over to one side, framing her flawless features and highlighting her heaving chest.

Josephine looked equally as breathtaking in a yellow bandeau bikini and a glittering gold two-piece.

Stephanie Seymour released her own vintage-lingerie line, Raven & Sparrow. She has upped her fashion status beyond supermodel to add lingerie entrepreneur. The former Victoria's Secret model has unveiled the Raven & Sparrow collection at Barneys New.

Seymour's interest in lingerie extended beyond her former career on the catwalk and the supermodel tells us that she keeps an archive of
historical undergarments, many of which inspired the pieces in her range. This collection's colour and fabric palette includes mint green charmeuse and georgette, saffron gold washed silk, champagne blush charmeuse, and our custom floral print.

Their 18-piece lingerie collection will retail from $200 to $950 with the average item retailing between $500 and $600,

Paul said.

Lucy Mecklenburgh Stuns for Boux Avenue's

New Campaign    •
Lucy Olivia Mecklenburgh is an English glamour model, television personality and entrepreneur, Mecklenburgh is probably best known for her self-role in the British reality TV series The Only Way Is Essex.

The 25-year-old flaunted her flawless figure as she modelled Boux Avenue's SS17.

Lucy Mecklenburgh, who looks incredible in Boux Avenue's new campaign, modelling pieces from their SS17 collection. And this pretty little lace set is ourfavourite look of the loti

The non-wired design and triangle cut makes it more comfortable than your average bust-boosting balcony bra, and we
love the scalloped lace edge.

Lucy's toned body is in perfect shape as she raises her arms above her head and sultrily gazes into the camera, while holding three dark red roses.

She also stunned in a simple black highlegged brief and casual bra with flower patterned detailing.

Montana Cox, 23 is an

Australian model, best known for being the winner of cycle 7 of Australia's Next Top Model.

She has now become the newest face of Bendon Lingerie, having posed in a series of intimates to announce the exciting new role.
The brunette stunner posed in a variety of different colours and styles of intimate apparel against a grey backdrop. Highlighting her petite upper frame and ample assets in the new range, Montana worked the angles that landed her the title of Australia's Next Top Model.
Beginning in a comfortable nude bra, she lent back with her strewn brunette locks. Montana then posed in a sexy red matching set, with her toned arms on display as she reached above her slender frame.
Later donning white looks from the range, her cleavage was showcased as her am pie assets became pushed-up with the supportive, padded bra.

She also modeled blue designs and activewear in the Autumn/Winter 2017 campaign, Montana's tresses were styled in a low ponytail with tousled fringe and layers falling over her face.
he model's makeup was flawlessly applied, with a focus on highlighter and blush a shiny nude lip.

Carmen Electra Focuses On Her Brand 'With Love From Carmen'
t { Baywatch" star Carmen Electra kicked off 2017 by rolling out a collection of her own, titled “With Love From Carmen," which consists of consists of four different affordable lines; nylons, lingerie, home wear and swimwear with a widespread appeal to woman all over the world.

The entire collection is designed with an international focus, extra attention to detail and produced of high
quality materials, ensuring a perfect fit and look.

The site describes the 44-year-old actress/model's ensembles as being “made of soft and smooth fabrics, designed to fit every curve of your body." To create the line, the American bombshell teamed up JBS Textile Group in Denmark.

The Danish JBS Textile Group is managing the brand in close collaboration with Carmen Electra. The family owned company has existed since 1939, and is one of Scandinavia's leading textile groups.

“Really excited that my lingerie line with @jps_underwear launched today in #scandinavia I'm also excited to share the rest of my collection with the rest of the world," she captioned in an Instagram post. “Everything from sexy to comfy or playful and edgier designs for every woman." Electra's rep told Fox News that the line is only available in Europe at this time, but is expected to debut in the U.S. soon.

Ariel Winter puts her curves on display in new shoot!
Ariel Winter is one of Hollywood's most promising young talents with notable roles in both television and film. Ariel stars on ABC's critically acclaimed and Emmy® winning hit series, "Modern Family."

She recently shared behind-the-scenes video clips and photos from her newest photo shoot.

The 19-year-old actress rocked a black, sheer bustier with a deep V-cut that showed off her ample cleavage in an Instag ram post, which she shared with her 2.3million Instagram followers.

The actress snapped photos from her glam session,
showing her makeup artist Allan Avendano who paints the faces of the likes of Chrissy Teigen and Jenna Dewan Tatum as he

contoured, highlighted, shaded, and glossed.

Her makeup featured a heavy golden smokey eye with dramatic false lashes, a strong brow, and a shiny pink pout. Giving the camera a sultry bedroom-eyes look with a coy smile, Ariel was a curvaceous bombshell in the bodysuit-and-skirt ensemble.

With her hair and makeup artist and photographer in shot, the LA native posed seductively in the mirror with one exposed leg over another.

Bond girl Naomie Harris undresses to kill!
Admittedly, she played a stonking sidekick to Daniel Craig for blockbuster hits Skyfall and Spectre, yet this sassy Londoner has a successful career which started as a child. Naomie's big film break came in 2006, where she played voodoo witch Tia Dalma in Prates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. She resumed the role which saw her decked out in dreadlocks and intent on defeating Davy Jones a year later, for follow-up Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

She is now starring in new cinema release Collateral afterwowing in Barry Jenkins'gritty    coming-of-

age tale Moonlight.

She oozed sex appeal as Eve Moneypenny in not one but two of the special agent flicks, both as sidekick to sexy1 Daniel Craigs James Bond.

She made history as the first black actress to play the role, and the first ever Moneypenny to be given a first name.

Her first stint in the glamour puss role came in Skyfall in 2012 then three years later she resumed her character in most recent movie Spectre.

The 40-year-old Londoner has been
nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category at the Academy Award ceremonies for her portrayal of a drug-addicted abusive mother in Moonlight.

The star has also released a sultry lingerie snap showcasing her flawless, toned figure and signature poised glamour. But she has definitely won our hearts with her lingerie stint, rocking a blue patterned one-piece with elegance.

Posed on a pink towel and wearing killer white stilettos, Naomie is caught gazing into the distance as if unaware she was being photographed.

Matching rings complement the outfit and the star's makeup free face and glossy straight hair lend a natural effect to the shot.

Alexis Ren embraces her bohemian side for Beach Bunny ublished and Instagram-famous model who was signed by Nous Model Management. She aspires to be a Victoria's Secret Angel. Her self-titled Instagram account has earned over 8 million followers.

Alexis Ren is the new face of swimwear label Beach Bunny, appearing in the latest campaign rocking a series of cossies from the brand.

If you're jetting off for some winter sun or just want to get organised for summer there's plenty to choose from!

One of our favourites is the aqua
blue and cream crochet two piece which has a boho chic aesthetic about it.

The colour just screams holidays; meanwhile the triangle shape is super flattering.

A gold body-chain offers the summer-ready look a bohemian flourish as she raises her arms aloft, thus drawing attention to her undeniably athletic body.

Fully embracing an alternative theme the model looks equally alluring in a gold bikini while giving fans a glimpse of her pert bottom by posing with her back to camera.

Benefit

Re-energises the body and aids digestion by stretching the ascending and descending colon

Instruction

1 Sit in Dandasana (Staff Pose) with your legs extended in front of you, toes flexed, quadriceps contracted. Place your hands next to your buttocks on the floor and lift the bottom of your belly and the sides of your waist.

2 Bend your right knee, placing your right foot against your inner left thigh, and your right heel close to your perineum, just below your pubic bone. Gently swing your right knee away from your left foot so your thighs form an angle greater than 90 degrees -preferably an angle of 135 degrees.
3 Fold forward over your left leg from the left hip crease. Reach with your right arm first and hold your left foot from the inside. Contracting your left quadriceps powerfully, use your left hand to grasp the centre of the hamstring muscles and - tipping your body to the right - pull toward your left sitting bone to release tension in the tendon that connects your hamstring muscles to your pelvis. Then, press your left hand into the floor near your left hip and push, lengthening the left waist. Keep twisting your body toward the left, working to bring your bellybutton over the center of your left thigh.

4 Hold your left foot with your left hand from the outside. Move deeper into the fold by holding your right wrist with your left hand. Make a fist with your right hand. Bending your elbows away from each other, pull your left foot with your arms,
lengthening the sides of your waist. Rest your forehead on your shin. Breathe deeply for 9 or more breaths. Inhaling, lift your head and chest, then release your hands to push the floor away and come out of the pose. Change side

HOME PRACTICE
A home practice tore-energise and

find greater joy
By Alanna Kaivalya
THE HOLIDAY SEASON can leave even the calmest among us feeling frazzled, and now is the perfect time to refresh. This sequence will help you ease tension by putting your spine through its full range of motion. Not only will these poses stretch muscles that stress can leave stiff, they'll also boost your energy levels by increasing blood flow to
the large muscles that support the back, leaving you rejuvenated and energised. By moving your body around its central axis - the spine - you'll feel more supple and free: A flexible spine clears the lines of communication between mind and body, helping you stay calm and connect with positive feelings like gratitude and joy.
1 Sukhasana Easy Pose
OUR PRO Teacher Alanna Kaivalya holds a PhD in mythological studies, lives in New York City, and teaches at Yoga Journal LIVE! and the Kripalu and Esalen retreat centres. Her third book, Yoga Beyond the Mat, was released in October 2016.
4 Ardha Chandrasana Half Moon Pose, variation From Gate Pose, place your left hand on the floor. Extend your right hand and lift your right leg until it's nearly parallel to the floor. Stay fora breath.
Come into Tabletop - on your hands and knees, with your knees under your hips, and wrists under your shoulders. Inhale, drop your belly, and arch your back. Exhale, draw your belly in, and round your back. Repeat 5 times.
CONTINUE SEQUENCE ON NEXT PAGE.
2 Cat-Cow
Sit with your legs crossed and rest your hands on your knees. Place your left hand on your right knee and twist to the right. Inhale and lengthen your spine; exhale and tone your belly. After 5 breaths, switch sides.
Do poses 3 and 4 on the right side, then repeat on the left.
PHOTOS: MICHAEL WINOKUR; MODEL: WESLEIGH ROECA; STYLIST: LYN HEINEKEN;

HAIR/MAKEUP: TAMARA BROWN/ARTIST UNTIED; TOP: PRO-FIT; LEGGINGS: NUX; BLANKET: BAREFOOT YOGA CO.
april 2017 yogajournal.com.au
3 Parighasana Gate Pose, variation

Kneel and extend your right leg to the side. Reach your left hand to

the sky as you slide your right hand down your right leg. Stay for a

breath.

Our thoughts affect our own lives, the lives of those ■'
around us and our environment ... embrace the potential'

 positive mindset, understand why a foundation of



gratitude is crucial, and believe in the power of love.

WE HAVE ALL HEARD the benefits of eating healthy food, exercising, practicing yoga and meditating, but what is equally (if not more) important, is how you use your mind. Throughout history, many great teachers, researchers and philosophers agree on the power and importance of developing a positive, loving thought life. Earl Nightingale said, “You become what you think about most of the time.” Buddha said,

“ What we think, we become.” The Bible says in Proverbs 23:7, “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Marcus Aurelius stated, “A man’s life is what his thoughts make of it.”

Our thoughts not only affect our personal lives but, according to a number of studies, our thoughts affect those around us and our environment. Dr. Schilz’s research indicates that loving thoughts from one person towards another affects the blood flow of the person receiving the loving thoughts. Dr. Marsaru Emoto’s decade of tests reveal a significant difference between how positive, loving thoughts verses negative thoughts affect the crystalline structures of water. The bottom line is that our minds are very powerful and how we use them affects the outcome of our lives, and the lives and environment around us. The good news is learning to use your mind as a positive transmitter is a simple process that can produce big results.

Over time, with regular practice, it can become your natural way of thinking.

Loving positive thoughts towards self

Since having a positive thought life is so important, what do you think about most of the time? Are your thoughts loving, understanding, accepting and forgiving toward yourself? What do you think about your circumstances and your future? According to the Law of Attraction, like attracts like. If you
harbour on negativity, you will get more negativity in you life, whereas if you focus on what is positive, you will receive back positivity. Although we cannot control everything that happens, adopting a positive, nothing is impossible mindset is what shifts you from pessimism to optimism, stagnancy to action and failure to success.

Here are some ways to set your mind and keep it set on what is positive, loving and good, which will in turn give you positive, loving, successful experiences in your life.

Make a list of the things you are thankful for in your life

This is a great way to appreciate the wonderful things that have already happened and are happening to you right now. In order to receive new positive experiences, you must first learn the art of appreciating what you already have. “If the only prayer you said inyour whole life was ‘thank you’, that would suffice.” - Meister Eckhart. Gratitude is the foundation of optimistic thinking yet we often overlook the blessings each day brings.

Start each morning with a positive affirmation or mantra

Such as “something good is going to happen to me today” or “I’m living an abundant life full of experiences and opportunities greater than what I ask, imagine or think”. Not only speak it, believe it! Believing and being positive is not wishful thinking, it’s a conscious shift in perspective.

See what can be done, not just what is

Ask yourself, if there were no obstacles in your way, what would you want your life to look like? Create a list of all the
experiences, goals and opportunities you would like to bring into your life without judgement or doubt. Think big and write from the heart! From this list, pick the item that you are the most passionate about and would like to see happen in the next six months. Visualise it coming true every single day. Don’t get caught up in how it will happen, simply allow yourself to believe. As Napoleon Hill said, “Setyour mind on a definite goal and observe how quickly the world stands aside to let you pass. Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve.”

In an ideal world, plan out what you want to see manifest

In one-two years, three-five years, and ten years ... in every area of your life. There is power in writing down your vision and keeping it in front of you. Again, think big! Replace limiting words within your vision. For example, replace the word enough with words like plenty or abundance. According to The Magic of Thinking Big, how big we think determines the size of our accomplishments.

Take note of your influential environment

What television shows and movies do you watch? What music or radio shows do you listen to? Who do you hang around with? Author Jim Rohn states, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” The external influences you surround yourself with affects your thinking which in turn affects your life. Choose, positive, uplifting media, publications and friends!

Loving positive thoughts toward others

When you think about your friends, family, spouse, co-workers, neighbours, boss, homeless people, spiritual leader, politicians, and others, what comes to mind? Are your thoughts loving, compassionate and understanding, or
Laura Burkhart
april 2017 yogajournal.com.au hateful, jealous, judgmental or competitive? As I mentioned, our thoughts towards others affect them, which in turn affects us. Work toward thinking loving, kind, and positive thoughts toward others, no matter whom that person is. “Where there is love, there is life,” said Mahatma Gandhi.

Remember that no matter how easy or hard it is to get along with someone, we are all created equal. For the most part, we are all doing the best we can based on the information we have from our personal experiences and background. This doesn’t mean you need to agree with everyone or allow injustice to go unquestioned. It means that no matter how great the differences are in opinions or character, you are able to see through these external circumstances and appreciate the humanity within them.

Practice compassion and empathy. Listen to and appreciate the viewpoints of others, try to understand their passions, experiences and the aspects
that make them similar and different from you. Look for ways you can help others, recognise their gifts, encourage them, believe in them and help them believe in themselves. The last thing we need in this world is cruelty and competition among our peers, fellow students, teachers or co-workers.

Last but not least, think loving, positive thoughts toward our environment and other animals living in this world. They, too, deserve a positive, loving, life-giving experience and happy existence. Think about what you can do on a bigger level to help make this world and all those who inhabit have the best experience and life possible. Let the optimism, love and compassion you cultivate within yourself overflow and extend to every being on earth. Practice thinking loving, positive thoughts on a regular basis and watch your life transform in ways you never thought possible. The possibilities are endless; all you need to do is take the first step in believing all things are

YOGA IS NOT ABOUT FLEXIBILITY. Yoga (at least in the traditional sense) begins with consideration of the following question: Do I want to be flexible or do I want to be free? This critical question is an invitation to a radical state-shift from yoga student to yogi. What does this have to do with love? Everything.

According to tradition, the cultivation of stability is paramount when it comes to our practice both on and off the mat. According to both the Yoga Sutras and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, there is nothing that rivals stability. Each text in its own way claims that it isn’t until body and mind have been made steady that the real world of yoga opens up. Why? Because stability is the precursor to self-knowledge. Tradition says that love exists at the deepest level of our being, but in order to access its quality we must first sift through more superficial layers of personality; only then can we understand what stands in the way of an open expression of love. Without self-knowledge, real self-love cannot occur. Without stability, self-knowledge is out of reach. The idea that yoga is about flexibility is a new one ... a misunderstanding birthed by modern minds — modern minds with legs under coffee tables nervously twitching, minds that are addicted to scrolling on smartphones, minds that find solace in yoga practices that distract those same minds from looking at how distracted they truly are. Don’t buy into the modern yoga hype.
Yoga begins when we slow down, get steady and deal with what needs to be dealt with - namely, ourselves. Then, once the fluctuations of the mind have ceased, we can glimpse that aspect of self that exists beyond the mind and beyond all things that change. Then, we can sit in remembrance of our pre-Prakritik state of being, remembrance that we are the One beyond the many whose home (according to tradition) is the almondsized flame within the heart itself, the Vishok Jyotir, the light that allows no suffering to enter. Love is our source point.

Self-knowledge is self-love and selflove is the source of all love. The system has been laid out for thousands of years. It’s a shame that so few yogis nowadays follow it, instead choosing busy, rajasic practices over those that promote stability. Personally, I know first-hand the devastation caused by a rajasic mind amplified by rajasic practices. I have the divorce papers to prove it. Not all practices are good practices. Not all practices move us towards the light in our heart. Not all practices suit all people, because the forces that govern the universe and therefore us, calibrate themselves differently depending on our specific reasons for being here.

We are all here with a grand spiritual purpose to live out. Tradition is clear on that and also that every person’s mission, set in motion by the indestructible essence of our own pure nature, is unique. This being the case, how could all yoga practices suit all people all of the time? This is not good science and yoga, to be clear, is humanity’s oldest science, the science of awakening. In my opinion,
it is best we don’t water it down. Whether we like it or not, in this guna-bound dimension of manifest reality we are subject to universal laws, or laws that govern the turnings of our life. The first is the Law of Alternation which states that everything we do, say, eat, believe, think, surround ourselves with and expose ourselves to (including other people), affects us. The gunas, or attributes of nature, are in everything. There is nothing that they are not in, including our minds.

Heavy words, dense, lifeless foods, dark thoughts and habits will become us. They will not touch the truth of who we are, but they will become our conditional experience nonetheless. Likewise, fast-paced lives and habits will sculpt an agitated nervous system and a mind that will never find the peace afforded by the silence of meditation. It can be no other way. Mental clarity stems from clear choices, including practices that lead us toward meditation, which is considered the direct path to selfknowledge and therefore to self-love.

The second law, the Law of Continuity, can be summed up by the age-old axiom, “like attracts like”. Whatever attribute is most dominant within us, be it clarity, momentum or inertia, will continue to be reflected in the things, people and choices that arrive within our orbit because this is what allows us to maintain the status quo. If we are out of balance then we will be drawn to the things that keep us out of balance: foods, people, practices, environments, professions and partners. The Law of Continuity states that the reverse is also true; being in balance
inspires us to make choices that keep us in balance.

The issue is that the majority of us do not know (or want to accept) that we are out of balance and so most of the time we know what we want but not what we need. Here is the inconvenient truth: the majority of modern yogis are rajasic in nature and therefore would benefit most from slower practices than the ones they most likely do.

The vast ocean of cardio-heavy yoga practices is evidence of an unstable, unbalanced yoga culture. The absence of meditation in daily drop-in classes only further highlights this point. Perhaps hard to hear but true all the same. The upside of this, however, is that we are at least up for doing the work. The will is there, just not the knowledge. Nor are the teachers that are willing to stand up and give students what they need, not what they want. Being a yoga teacher is a big commitment. It is not about making friends or being popular. It’s about service and it’s about serving the core of people, not the condition.

So, back to love and the path we must tread to access it. That journey must be a slow and steady one. When we humbly yet tenaciously address the fast-paced state of our practices and minds and choose freedom over flexibility, stability over style, actual work over just working-out, then we will arrive back to our self, a self that is primed for love because it is love. Love is our nature and to touch it we need to do less, not more. Don’t take my word for it though; put down your phone, pick up the ancient texts, find a teacher that cares about yoga and cares about you, then sit still and remember yourself, your real self. The invitation has been there all along: slow down to the beat of love and everything else will fall into place.

Octavio's mission is simple: to share yoga with the world in the way that it was intended - as a spiritual science designed to awaken us to our highest potential.

His greatest wish is to be of service to humanity and simultaneously honour his teachers and the great tradition of yoga. Octavio believes that when practiced correctly, with the right guidance and attitude, the reach of yoga is limitless. Keep up to date with Octavio's mission at www.thepracticebali. com, enjoy online classes and philosophy at www.thepracticebali.com/the-practice-online/ or jump on board the next 200-hour teacher training from September 1-30 in Bali.
april 2017 yogajournal.com.au
 

Baring all

Creator of Nude Yoga, Rosie Rees, shares her love of practicing yoga while wearing nothing at all, and explains how shedding our clothes can be symbolic of releasing the mind and letting go.AYJ Why did you create Nude Yoga?

ROSIE My own body image issues and learning to love my imperfections inspired me to start Nude Yoga workshops. I found that when I did my yoga practice naked, I felt a deeper sense of self-acceptance, body love and freedom in my skin. Initially when I practiced naked, I felt insecure and embarrassed, but then a comfortability and a heightened feeling of both presence and letting go of my mental chatter came to me that didn’t come as easy as when I was restricted by clothes. For me, shedding the clothes was symbolic of shedding the mind.

AYJ Tell us more about the practice of nude yoga and the workshops you facilitate ROSIE The practice is not your typical yoga class. The first half of the immersion is getting to know the women through sharing, partner work and workshopping a topic like body image, self-love or vulnerability.

The second half is integrating through breath, sound and movement in a gentle, feminine yoga sequence designed for women to surrender their armour and fall in love with their mind, body and heart.
AYJ What has teaching this taught you? ROSIE It’s taught me that every woman could benefit from this workshop — women who already love their bodies and women who are resistant to coming. When I tour Australia I consistently sellout, which demonstrates that women are becoming more open to stepping out of their comfort zone to be vulnerable, and they have a desire to love and accept themselves in ways they never thought possible. It has taught me that women of all shapes, sizes, ages and races are beautiful, and when I look around the candle-lit room at women in their most vulnerable, bare and raw state ... it’s one of the most heart-opening, exquisite experiences of my life. More than anything, it’s taught me that having courage reaps unbelievable rewards!

AYJ What experiences have your students had during the practice?

ROSIE For some women it’s the first time they have sat in a circle of women, so they feel a sense of uniting and sisterhood. I have had women feel safe to be themselves and be “seen” for the first time. Women who have never been vulnerable, and for the first time can speak their truth. Women who have had babies come to a place of acceptance and gratitude about their belly and breasts and the life they have created with their body. A lot of women go home to have the best sleep of their life, or the best
love-making of their life, with the lights on, because they feel free in their body. Amazing things happen when women relinquish their armour, masculinity and barriers to love. When a woman feels safe, she can soften and surrender.

AYJ What’s the greatest lesson you’ve learned about relationships, and how has this influenced your teaching?

ROSIE Relationships are where we implement our life lessons; without them we don’t receive the fullest growth our soul needs to experience in this lifetime. As Yogi Bhajan says, “Relationships are the best form of yoga!”

Although I feel comfortable being naked on a yoga mat, my growth has been in allowing myself to be fully vulnerable in a relationship - the true test of vulnerability. Sharing my greatest insecurities with another person and them still loving me was such a powerful lesson. It is the essence of what I teach; come to me with all your scars, cellulite, rolls, and wrinkles, and I will still love you. This is unconditional love. I believe relationships to be the foundation of life, and the first relationship to cultivate is the one with our self. Since experiencing this unconditional love, my fear of commitment and intimacy (moving away from love to experience freedom) no longer runs the show, nor does my fear of rejection and abandonment (moving away from freedom to experience love). When my cup is overflowing with my own love,
 

Baker’s
delight

Sharing desserts with family and friends is a treat to love and cherish.

But these days, more and more people are avoiding traditional staple baking ingredients such as wheat flour, butter, and eggs. Fortunately, your favourite sweets can be just as delicious without them. Sceptical? Our easy tricks and recipes will convince you.

FOR VEGAN BAKING

ANIMAL-FRIENDLY SWEETENERS

Instead of honey, which vegans leave to the bees, you can use agave, maple syrup, or a fruit-based honey replacement.

REPLACING EGGS

To bake without eggs, you need to replace the binding power of egg whites. Use binders made from ground flaxseeds or starches, such as arrowroot, potato starch, or tapioca. To replace 1 egg, whisk 1 tablespoon of finely ground flaxseeds with 1/4 cup water. Or whisk together 1 teaspoon arrowroot, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon guar gum, and 3 tablespoons water. A shop-bought egg-replacer powder combines a few starches with some leavening. For moisture and body, use a puree of banana, pumpkin, or tofu. Silken-tofu puree is great in cheesecakes and can replace half the fat in biscuits and muffins.

PANTRY STAPLES

Vegan sugar, ground flaxseeds, maple syrup, egg replacer, pumpkin puree, silken tofu, raw cashews

FOR GLUTEN-FREE BAKING

FLOURS

Most supermarkets now carry at least a few gluten-free flour blends. They typically contain four kinds of flours, including starches like potato or tapioca to help bind and tenderise. If you are trying to go low-carb, seek out nut- or bean-based blends, which are generally higher in protein, fibre, and other nutrients; use them in recipes with chocolate, spices, or other strong flavours that mask the flour’s slight beany notes. For lightly flavoured cakes, such as angel food, choose a mild-flavoured blend with white-rice flour at the top of the ingredients list. Single flours like almond, coconut, and quinoa work well, too, but be sure to add a binder.

BINDERS

When baking without wheat, you need to add a binding ingredient to recreate the gluten-based structure that forms when wheat flour is mixed with liquid and that serves to hold ingredients together. Otherwise, your goodie will fall flat or crumble. Replace 1/4 cup liquid with one egg. For a vegan

alternative, mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds with 1/4 cup water in place of one egg, or try xanthan or guar gum,
powdered binding ingredients sold at health food shops. For bread, use 1 teaspoon of gum per cup of flour; for cakes and biscuits, it’s just half a teaspoon; any more and they turn out rubbery.

PANTRY STAPLES

Gluten-free flour blend, eggs or flaxseeds, xanthan and guar gums

FOR NON-DAIRY BAKING

VEGETABLES OILS

Replace butter with liquid plant-based oil rather than using margarine, which contains processed or partially hydrogenated oils. It’s an easy swap in buttery biscuit recipes: Just use io tablespoons oil for each cup of butter. Choose a heart-healthy option like extra-virgin olive oil (rest assured, the grassy flavour bakes off), or walnut or canola oil. For flaky results in pastries, such as pie crusts, scones, and biscuits, chill the oil first and drizzle it into the flour slowly, then quickly add any remaining liquid and shape the pastry. Or replace butter in pastries with equal parts chilled and solidified coconut oil. To use, simply grate oil into flakes and toss with the flour. Try raw-nut purees or nut butters to add richness in baked goods: Replace half the fats with peanut or almond butter in granola bars, cookies, and cakes.

CREAMINESS

Replace milk or cream with non-dairy milks; almond and coconut are the most neutral tasting and have good body for baking fluffy cakes and muffins. Higher-fat canned coconut milk is more like cream, great for ganache or ice cream. To make “whipped cream,” chill a can of coconut milk overnight. Pour off watery liquid and scoop solid cream into a chilled bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar and whip until fluffy. Chill until ready to serve. For a stand-in for cream cheese or sour cream, make cashew cream: Soak 2 cups raw cashews overnight, drain, then puree in a food processor, gradually adding water until creamy. This yields 2 1/2 cups thick or 3 1/2 cups “pourable” cream. Sweeten with agave or maple syrup.

FOR VEGAN BAKING

ANIMAL-FRIENDLY SWEETENERS

Instead of honey, which vegans leave to the bees, you can use agave, maple syrup, or a fruit-based honey replacement.

REPLACING EGGS

To bake without eggs, you need to replace the binding power of egg whites. Use binders made from ground flaxseeds or starches, such as arrowroot, potato starch, or tapioca. To replace 1 egg, whisk 1 tablespoon of finely ground flaxseeds with 1/4 cup water. Or whisk together 1 teaspoon arrowroot, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon guar gum, and 3 tablespoons water. A shop-bought egg-replacer powder combines a few starches with some leavening. For moisture and body, use a puree of banana, pumpkin, or tofu. Silken-tofu puree is great in cheesecakes and can replace half the fat in biscuits and muffins.

PANTRY STAPLES

Vegan sugar, ground flaxseeds, maple syrup, egg replacer, pumpkin puree, silken tofu, raw cashews

FOR GLUTEN-FREE BAKING

FLOURS

Most supermarkets now carry at least a few gluten-free flour blends. They typically contain four kinds of flours, including starches like potato or tapioca to help bind and tenderise. If you are trying to go low-carb, seek out nut- or bean-based blends, which are generally higher in protein, fibre, and other nutrients; use them in recipes with chocolate, spices, or other strong flavours that mask the flour’s slight beany notes. For lightly flavoured cakes, such as angel food, choose a mild-flavoured blend with white-rice flour at the top of the ingredients list. Single flours like almond, coconut, and quinoa work well, too, but be sure to add a binder.

BINDERS

When baking without wheat, you need to add a binding ingredient to recreate the gluten-based structure that forms when wheat flour is mixed with liquid and that serves to hold ingredients together. Otherwise, your goodie will fall flat or crumble. Replace 1/4 cup liquid with one egg. For a vegan

alternative, mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds with 1/4 cup water in place of one egg, or try xanthan or guar gum,
powdered binding ingredients sold at health food shops. For bread, use 1 teaspoon of gum per cup of flour; for cakes and biscuits, it’s just half a teaspoon; any more and they turn out rubbery.

PANTRY STAPLES

Gluten-free flour blend, eggs or flaxseeds, xanthan and guar gums

FOR NON-DAIRY BAKING

VEGETABLES OILS

Replace butter with liquid plant-based oil rather than using margarine, which contains processed or partially hydrogenated oils. It’s an easy swap in buttery biscuit recipes: Just use io tablespoons oil for each cup of butter. Choose a heart-healthy option like extra-virgin olive oil (rest assured, the grassy flavour bakes off), or walnut or canola oil. For flaky results in pastries, such as pie crusts, scones, and biscuits, chill the oil first and drizzle it into the flour slowly, then quickly add any remaining liquid and shape the pastry. Or replace butter in pastries with equal parts chilled and solidified coconut oil. To use, simply grate oil into flakes and toss with the flour. Try raw-nut purees or nut butters to add richness in baked goods: Replace half the fats with peanut or almond butter in granola bars, cookies, and cakes.


CREAMINESS

Replace milk or cream with non-dairy milks; almond and coconut are the most neutral tasting and have good body for baking fluffy cakes and muffins. Higher-fat canned coconut milk is more like cream, great for ganache or ice cream. To make “whipped cream,” chill a can of coconut milk overnight. Pour off watery liquid and scoop solid cream into a chilled bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar and whip until fluffy. Chill until ready to serve. For a stand-in for cream cheese or sour cream, make cashew cream: Soak 2 cups raw cashews overnight, drain, then puree in a food processor, gradually adding water until creamy. This yields 2 1/2 cups thick or 3 1/2 cups “pourable” cream. Sweeten with agave or maple syrup.

PANTRY STAPLES

Olive or canola oil, non-dairy milk, canned coconut milk
Robin Asbell, is a chef and author of eight cookbooks, including Sweet & Easy Vegan.


Olive or canola oil, non-dairy milk, canned coconut milk
Robin Asbell, is a chef and author of eight cookbooks, including Sweet & Easy Vegan.
 

IN THE YOGIC TRADITION a key to

following through with your intentions is tapas, or self-discipline. Derived from the Sanskrit root tap, which means “to heat”, tapas is about burning off your bad habits through restraint and even purification. It’s all about lighting a fire under - and within - you.

Sometimes, tapas can literally be felt as heat in the body- like the burn of a deep Utkatasana (Chair Pose) that transforms weakness into strength.

On a psychological level, tapas can be interpreted more metaphorically: It’s the friction or resistance that arises when we go against the overwhelming momentum of our ingrained habits. “Tapas is the discomfort generated when one habitual pattern rubs up against a new one,” says Nicolai Bachman, a Sanskrit scholar based in Denver and author of The Path of the Yoga Sutras:

A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga.

The yoga greats, including B.K.S. Iyengar, knew the power of the seemingly simple concept that self-discipline allows for growth and transformation. As Iyengar wrote in his seminal book Light on Yoga: “The whole science of character building may be regarded as a practice of tapas.” The good news is that you can easily tap into tapas, which is one of the five niyamas, or principles that guide behaviour in yoga philosophy. For example, perhaps 2or7 is the year you want to start a daily morning meditation practice. The first few weeks or even months, there may be days you wake up and immediately hit snooze. But the more you force yourself to get up, sit on your meditation cushion, and reap the benefits of your practice -despite the friction between your new habit and the old, less demanding one of sleeping in - the easier it becomes and the sooner the new, healthier habit sticks. The same persistent process, always applied gently, can also help us shed undesirable patterns like negative self-talk, binge eating, and unhealthy
ingrained reactions, says Marla McMahon, a clinical psychologist and yoga teacher in Sacramento, California. “Being able to be with that suffering, ultimately, that’s where we grow,” says McMahon. “I see growth and transformation when clients are able to put tapas into daily practice even if I don’t use that term specifically. And it does get easier the more you practice it.”

There are few better tools than asana practice to help you hone your tapas training. Holding a difficult-for-you pose on your yoga mat can prepare you for staying with discomfort in your daily life, helping you to launch into serious selfstudy and not be controlled by that which makes you uncomfortable. (“Discomfort” in this case refers to situations in which you’re not in imminent danger, not extreme situations like abuse.) “When we practice tapas on the mat, we practice sitting with whatever sensations and conversations arise for us, without running away,” says Heather Lilleston, a Los Angeles-based yoga teacher and co-founder of Yoga for Bad People, an organisation that hosts international retreats that aim to help you shift your perspective. For instance, for a yogi with tight hips, staying in Pigeon Pose for an extra io breaths may mean experiencing a truly transformative hip stretch. For a practitioner of intense Ashtanga Yoga, moving through the discomfort of a slow, restorative class, knowing that it will eventually breed clarity and calm, could be considered tapas training. “Sometimes what we need to see is that if we stay, we are actually OK, that we do have the strength and are able to get through it, and in that way the world slowly becomes less scary,” says Lilleston.

On the following pages, Lilleston offers a heat-building practice to help you create tapas - physically, mentally, on the mat, beyond the studio walls, and on into 2oi7.

BOBBI BROWN

Who: Beauty icon and author of the new tome Bobbi Brown Beauty From the Inside Out: Makeup • Wellness • Confidence (Chronicle Books).

Role models: "This book gave me the opportunity to interview cool women I admire, like Olivia Munn, Laila Ali, and Hannah Bronfman, and share their keys to confidence and staying healthy."

Must-have supplements:

"My current obsessions are Dr. Kellyann's Slim Bone Broth Protein Isolate in chocolate [$68; drkellyann.com], which you can add to a smoothie, and AmyMD Balance + Restore Supplement [$48; amymdwellness.com]. I'm always on the lookout for products that either work better or taste better."

Travel tip: "I carry my vitamins in small Muji containers. Or use Ziploc bags. I learned that the hard way when a container of vanilla protein powder exploded in my suitcase!"

Go-to breakfast:

"Two poached eggs, avocado, fresh berries, and espresso blended with coconut oil."

Instant skin fix: "Stay hydrated. I mix it up with aloe water and coconut water. Plus, an old-school trick: Pinch your cheeks for your perfect shade of natural blush."

Life motto: "Breathe. You've got this."

Spore Subject

’Shrooms are the superfood of the moment—and we’re not talking about the psychedelic ones that open your third eye. The chaga mushroom in Four Sigmatic’s coffee helps neutralize the bean’s gut-abusing acidity. Sun Potion’s reishi powder, high in beta-glucans, can strengthen the body’s immune response and has antioxidant properties. And Om’s mushroom powder blends Cordyceps militaris and lion’s mane, fungi containing naturally occurring biotin, a mineral that supports hair, skin, and nails for beauty-boosting power... no tripping necessary.

ity

SLICKER

Fashion’s love affair with athletic outerwear continues this spring: Meet your new friend, the anorak. Water-resistant and breathable, these jackets are tailor-made for April showers. Dion Lee and DKNY sent versions down their spring runways, but we’re especially into this thigh-skimming one by Sacai, which adds drama for when you’re feeling extra badass post-Spin class.

COAT $1,330, TOP $655, PANTS $975, SOCKS $45, BOOTS $1,020, Sacai; sacai.jp for stores.

@PEAK
E & SEX
to honor the journey that you had,” she says.

Since Wevorce launched, the site has collected a gold mine of data, including this nugget: In heterosexual marriages, the wife initiates the divorce 74 percent of the time, and in most instances, she has been considering a breakup for about 18 months. Despite the fact that they set the process in motion, many of these women depart their marriages conflicted.

Suzanne Riss, coauthor of The Optimist’s Guide to Divorce: How to Get Through Your Breakup and Create a New Life You Love, based her book on a divorce club she started for women to share their stories. (More than 50 women showed up to the

first meeting in her hometown of Maplewood, New Jersey, in March 2013.) She warns, “Even for women who make the choice to leave, there can be really strong feelings of anger and disappointment.”

Twice-divorced Kristen C., who works at a tech startup in San Francisco, can speak to both divorce extremes. The 32-year-old’s first marriage ended badly in 2010. “We were barely speaking and there was so much tension. I knew I didn’t want to go through that again,” she recalls. When she realized her second marriage wasn’t working out, in January 2016, she specifically researched an amicable option and used Wevorce to help her legally dissolve the union. “It wasn’t super-enjoyable, but it felt like we were keeping it civil and were able to be adults about it,” she says. “My ex and I went together to file the divorce and then went and got coffee afterward. That was a little surreal.”

After the prolonged pettiness and personal attacks that typify an old-school divorce, “Many people just dim down and shut their hearts because it’s such a shattering experience,” says Woodward Thomas. But one of the upsides to ending things on a high note is that it may leave both parties more open to finding love again. Haney, the fashion designer, agrees. In a thoroughly modern twist, after she reconnected with—and married—an old friend from college, she wanted her ex-husband to live happily ever after, too. Three years ago, she happened to meet actress Rhea Seehorn at an L.A. hair salon. Seehorn was fresh from a breakup, and Haney saw an opportunity. “I was like, ‘I know this really awesome guy ... ’” she recalls. Haney didn’t let on that the guy was actually her former husband, but Seehorn found out after some pregame Googling and took a chance
LOV
anyway. She and Larson are now engaged. “I told them I wanted to host their engagement party!” says Haney, though she adds, with a grin, that it all probably sounds “a little weird.” Obviously, this rise in happy splits is breaking the stigma of shame and failure—and that’s good for everyone. But Theresa DiDonato, a psychology professor at Loyola University Maryland, cautions that the trend can make it seem like breaking up is suddenly easy to do. “Resolving a conflict in an amicable way is great,” she says. “But divorce can be really traumatic, and people shouldn’t assume that it’s not going to be a big deal from an emotional standpoint.”
in
MY EX AND I WENT TOGETHER TO FILE THE DIVORCE AND THEN WENT AND GOT COFFEE AFTERWARD. THAT WAS A LITTLE SURREAL"

—Kristen C., on the amicable dissolution of her second marriage
Zien, the TV development executive, can relate. She and her ex now live just three blocks from each other and spend holidays like Halloween and Christmas together with their girls. “But it’s still a roller coaster of emotions,” she concedes. “Sometimes, you love being alone, and sometimes, you get lonely.” Nevertheless, she gained a great friend in her ex. Recently, he called to tell her that he overheard two people talking about their divorce horror stories and how awful they and their exes treat each other. “He said, ‘I want to tell you how much I appreciate you as an ex-wife,’” says Zien.

“I was like, ‘Oh, my God. You’re making me have warm feelings toward you.’” m<
JONATHAN KNOWLES/GETTY IMAGES

LOVE & SEX
Breaking GOOD

Ending a marriage is never easy,
generation of successful women—including many who watched

their parents’ relationships go down in flames—is finding a better way to divorce By monica corcoran harel
■ easy, but a
onscious uncoupling.” It was the parting shot heard round the world when Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin announced their intention to split amicably, even lovingly, in the spring of 2014. An epic backlash to their take on separation ensued. How dare the actress make one of the most stressful moments in life sound like a DIY spa treatment? But Paltrow was onto something already afoot: a craving for a kinder, gentler way to dissolve a marriage—simply put, a good divorce.

Since then, a bevy of new tools for taking the high road has flooded the marketplace. There are books like Splitopia: Dispatches From Today’s Good Divorce and How to Part Well, as well as sites such as Wevorce, which helps couples avoid a messy, acrimonious court battle. The newly single can celebrate with a divorce party or go somewhere exotic on a “divorcemoon.” Lost the espresso maker in the split? You can set up a divorce registry. There are even “divorce hotels,” where you check in unhappily married and, 48 hours later, you check out single and refreshed. But beyond all of this is the notion that a harmonious split can lead to better health, a more fulfilling career, and even an evolved relationship with a partner you once wanted to throttle.

“I always say we had the most amazing divorce but a really terrible marriage,” says Los Angeles-based fashion designer Mary Alice Haney, laughing, of her first marriage, to Graham Larson, whom she met 17 years ago in Palm Beach, Florida. After four years of dating and a few not-so-blissful wedded years, she realized, “We weren’t soul mates and we both knew it.” But, she adds, “Whenyou’re young like we were, you just think marriage is supposed to be hard like that" In 2008, the couple sought counseling with a therapist to discuss separating and a custody arrangement for their two toddler sons. No matter what, she says, they vowed to have a “happy divorce"

Haney credits their commitment to being civil and caring for the success she’s since found as a Hollywood stylist turned designer (she launched an eponymous line of ready-to-wear dresses—Reese Witherspoon and Taylor Swift are fans—within a few years of her split). “There is no way I could have done it without Graham,” she says. “If you have a negative situation with an ex, you don’t have the flexibility and the support system"

Why is this movement happening now? Understandably, many couples with children, like Haney and Larson, are motivated to do what’s best for the well-being of their kids. Others prefer not to repeat the mistakes of the previous generation; they watched their divorcing parents bitterly antagonize each other and are determined to do the opposite—especially now that they have the means to play nice with mediators, collaborative lawyers, and divorce doulas, who offer emotional and strategic support. But really, it may all come down to the statistical reality that a lifelong monogamous relationship is about as contemporary as a home perm.

“We’re all inside this happily-ever-after myth that is about 400 years old and was created when the life span was under 40,” says psychotherapist Katherine Woodward Thomas, who coined the now-famous phrase for a mindful breakup and then popularized it in her 2015 book Conscious
Uncoupling: 5 Steps to Living Happily Even After. “Staying together was once a matter of survival and economic necessity. But the truth is that very few of us are going to meet just one person, fall in love, marry that person, and live with that person for the rest of our lives.” (Woodward Thomas and her ex-husband live five floors away from each other in the same apartment building in Los Angeles so they can co-parent their teen daughter.)

Nicole Zien, a senior vice president of TV development in L.A., and her husband separated after eight years of marriage—including two years of couples therapy—and she remembers discussing ways to make the process as positive as possible. “We started dating when I was 20 and a young girl who was trying to find her way,” says the now 43-year-old mother of two daughters. “Ultimately, we divorced because we grew apart. The people who we were when we met, we no longer were.”
Although divorce is no longer a societal setback, and many couples hope to part on good terms, Splitopia author Wendy Paris, a former wedding reporter for Modern Bride, thinks the cultural shift to positivity would be further along if couples were more aware of their options. “Superstition prevents some people from getting information about, say, alternative ways to structure a family,” notes Paris, who wrote her book after amicably splitting with her husband in 2012. She says there’s still a notion “that if you learn about divorce, it’s like you’re welcoming the end.”

Science hasn’t caught up with the new paradigm, either. According to the psychiatrists who published the oft-cited Holmes and Rahe stress scale, divorce ranks as the second-most-emotionally-taxing life event after the death of a loved one. But this study was conducted in 1967, when less than 15 percent of women were in the workforce. For context, Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment five years later (though the proposed amendment was never ratified by enough state legislatures to be added to the Constitution), and women now make up 57 percent of the labor force. Clearly, women have grown their net worth on average and made strides toward financial independence over the past 50 years.

Sociologists, too, have long suggested that married people are healthier and live longer than the unmarried.

But what about the psychological toll of a miserable marriage? In October 2015, researchers at Brigham Young University reported in a paper aptly titled “It’s Complicated” that ambivalence in a partnership may be associated with higher blood pressure.

Other studies also feel behind the curve. One recently published by the American Heart Association found that a woman who had been divorced at least once had a 24 percent increased risk of heart attack over a woman who was continuously married; women divorced twice or more had a 77 percent increased risk. However, the ongoing interviews for that research started in 1992, just two years after the release of the divorce-as-blood-sport movie The War of the Roses. Back then, the term “good divorce” was an oxymoron.

Michelle Crosby, the 40-year-old founder and CEO of Wevorce, knows just how ugly it can get. Her parents split contentiously when she was a kid, and she recalls being dragged into court 15 times during their custody war. “My parents were phenomenal people who were stuck in a broken system,” she says. Determined to make it better, Crosby went on to study mediation and collaborative law at Harvard University and practiced as a family attorney in Boise, Idaho, before launching Wevorce in 2013.

Crosby, who amicably divorced her own husband after 10 years of marriage, says the site’s prime demographic is Silicon Valley tech types with high-stress jobs. Many of these couples don’t have children (“In the Bay Area, we have more couples with dogs than kids,” notes Crosby), a prime motivation for a peaceful split. But, “You still built this life together and want
“WE’RE ALL INSIDE THIS HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER MYTH THAT IS ABOUT 400 YEARS OLD AND WAS CREATED WHEN THE LIFE SPAN WAS UNDER 40.

—Katherine Woodward Thomas, author of Conscious Uncoupling: 5 Steps to Living Happily Even After

After I became Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s adviser/ director of scheduling in late 2004, [chief of staff] Pete Rouse became my spiritual guide and mentor.

Pete had worked on Capitol Hill for about 40 years, many of those as chief of staff to Senate majority leader Tom Daschle, and was known as the “101st senator” and “mayor of Capitol Hill.” He knew everyone and didn’t like talking to any of them. Walking the halls with him always involved some commentary on the people he considered to be violating his personal space.

There is no one more thoughtful in the way he gives advice. He returns every e-mail, makes every connection, and does it all while being a wheeler and dealer. His code name in the White House was “Possum,” which is why from here on out, he will be referred to only as Possum. Also, he loves cats.

When we got to the Senate, Possum drafted one of his famous “strategic plans”—lengthy, painfully thorough memos about how to get something done. In this case, it was the strategic plan for Senator Obama’s first year, and it could be summed up as “workhorse, not show horse.” It included lots of time with constituents and in Illinois, and less time with D.C. insiders and celebrities. Obama was quite fine with that. Every decision we made had to stand up to the workhorse vs. show horse test.

Obama had a political action committee called the Hope Fund that was right down the street from the Hart Senate Office Building. The Hope Fund ran initiatives for getting young adults from diverse backgrounds into community organizing and politics; it also managed Obama’s political engagements. I had been working in the Senate office for a little over a year when Possum decided that I should replace the Hope Fund’s outgoing political director, who was moving to Paris.

Initially, I was psyched. I thought “political director” was an awesome title. I would be lying if I said I really knew what the job entailed, but I trusted Possum to know what was best. Before I was offered the job, I had been working in the back office with Favs [Jon Favreau, speechwriter], Tommy Vietor [spokesman], Possum, and [press secretary Robert] Gibbs. I loved it there. We sat near the back door of Senator Obama’s office, so he would come out and visit with us a lot. Sometimes he would come to talk about policy issues; sometimes he and the guys would talk about sports. (I would chime in about gymnastics, swimming, and ice-skating during the Olympics, but that’s about it.) On occasion, we might have a little squabble over Mariah Carey.

(The specifics of the squabble are classified.) I think it was back there that we all really developed a bond. One night during a vote-a-rama—what usually happens before the Senate breaks for a recess and they vote on measures late into the night to get everything done—Senator Obama came out the back door and walked in on me doing sit-ups on
the floor. Most senators would have been appalled; he said, “Good for you.” On Friday mornings, after a bad Thursday, Tommy and Favs and I would get French toast from the cafeteria. On Friday nights, the bros and I would get the $7 Maniac Special (tempura, sushi, and some teriyaki) at Kyoto.

After I reflected on all the good times we’d had in Obama’s Senate office, I had a meltdown. The prospect of moving three blocks down the street to work at the Hope Fund filled me with dread. Why? I had a lot of bad reasons.

I was happy for the promotion, but it was definitely outside my comfort zone. I don’t love talking to people I don’t know, and this job would put me in charge of our political engagements for the 2006 midterm elections; I would also manage Obama’s profile and relationships. That was a lot of responsibility, and it would be the first time I was really at the tip of the spear—this was going to be my first experience being The Boss. I did not get the impression that the Hope Fund staff was psyched I was coming down there, either. I had no reason to feel that way, but that didn’t matter!

I dragged out the transition for a few weeks. Each time someone asked me why I was still in the Senate office, I had a different excuse, but I never deviated too far from, “Wrapping up a few projects!” I thought I had everyone fooled—until one day when Possum called me into his office and asked, “Why the hell are you still here?”

As soon as he asked, I started to cry. That’s right. I cry a lot, but I generally think it’s not OK to cry in front of your boss. If you’re feeling real emotion about something that merits strong feelings, fine, but at best, you come off as “sensitive,” and at worst, you seem like you’re trying to use your tears to get what you want. I told Possum I was afraid to leave; he told me I had one hour to pack my stuff and get to the Hope Fund office, three blocks away from $7 Maniac Fridays and all my friends.

This was NOT a big deal, but I felt like it was. I argued that I was probably too important to leave the Senate office, that Obama needed me nearby (he didn’t), and that I should probably stay. Possum told me again, loudly, to get out of the office and start my new job. He was mad. I knew he had decided to move me over in part because it would benefit me—undoubtedly, I would be able to grow and develop a new skill set. I was being my own worst enemy.

One of my main goals in writing my book is to give you the permission to admit to feeling or doing things that are silly; once you do, you can get on with your life. So here it is, the real reason why I didn’t want to go down the street: The crew at the Hope Fund had been together since the Senate race in 2003. They were all friends, and I really didn’t want to be the new kid.

Often, when you’re dreading something, it can feel as if there is just no possible way that whatever you’re dreading will actually happen—as if some goddess of serendipity will surely swoop in and stop it in the nick of time. The test you haven’t studied for will be rescheduled for next week; the guy you’ve really been meaning to break up with will tell you he’s decided to move to India to embark upon a life of meditation but will always love you and remember the times you shared; the cockroaches in your apartment will be revealed to have been a very involved art project your roommate was working on, so you’re not going to have to argue with the
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Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Suicide Squad). “The Amazons wouldn’t be reveling in or taking glory in the brutality. They would just be getting things done,” Jenkins says. “Any move that felt gratuitous, like punching someone in the face to best them, just didn’t feel authentic to me.”

The comic-book and television industries have made enormous strides in breathing life into authentically female superheroes in recent years— Marvel’s first Muslim girl superhero, Ms. Marvel; Netflix’s Jessica Jones; The CW’s Supergirl—but lack the blunt cultural impact of an epic big-screen extravaganza. To be the touchstone of a Batman, a Superman, an Iron Man, we need a superwoman with a movie. Enter Wonder Woman.

Back on set, Gadot is now charging down that grass strip between the barbed-wire fences. Her face is intense. A pickup truck holding a camera is speeding in front of her. When the actress reaches the end of the path, she turns to her left and swings her sword-wielding arm down. Then she stops abruptly and smiles.

“Should I charge the sword as if I’m going to slash the guard?”

Gadot asks Jenkins a minute later, when the two watch the replay on the monitor, analyzing her every move. Gadot is back in her coat as two young female production assistants, whose job it is to keep the star warm, direct heaters on her. A script supervisor, another young woman, is taking notes behind them. “Yeah, yeah, do that,” Jenkins tells Gadot. So she does—another five times, with minor adjustments.

The set is huge, and there are hundreds of people ready to be called upon if needed. It’s 6 p.m. by the way, and the production

is serving breakfast (French fries, sausage and beans, and grilled tomatoes), a sign of the crew’s off-kilter internal clocks. (They won’t wrap until 4 a.m.)

Action movies are shot in hundreds of remarkably short fragments. And while, no doubt, these snippets will amount to a thrilling moment of the Wonder Woman movie, without the music, special effects, or sound, it all looks a little silly. Even Wonder Woman’s sword is just a half-sword with green dots on the end, marked for special effects later.

This appears to be weird even to Gadot. After one take where she thrusts two German guards to the side, each actor seems to walk slowly out of the frame. It doesn’t look at all forceful or dramatic, which Gadot points out as she watches herself on the screen. “Why is he walking?” she asks. A crew member tells her: “He won’t be. He’s going to fly back into the fence.” This will all be fixed in special effects, he explains.

You can forgive Gadot for not knowing exactly how it all will work. This is the first lead role for the 31-year-old former Israeli Defense Forces combat instructor. She was a model and actress best known for her recurring part in the Fast & Furious movies when she was cast as Wonder Woman. “We did castings for months and months,” says Snyder. “There were two things that were important to us: Obviously, we needed an amazing actor. But we also wanted an amazing person. A lot of kids can’t distinguish between actor and character, and we wanted to make sure that whoever we chose would be the perfect representation. Gal actually did the test with Ben [Affleck, who played Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice], and she went toe to toe—she was tough and feisty. There was just something about her, this inexplicable magical quality that everybody saw.” There was immediate chemistry between star and director, too. “We had so many creative conversations about the characters and the relationship between the characters, and how the story should evolve,” says Gadot a few months after filming has wrapped. “Patty and I truly became BFFs on this project—and for life.”
The fans don’t really need any winning over at this point. When the Batman v Superman movie was released to terrible reviews last year, critics recognized Wonder Woman as the movie’s only redeeming part. “Ben Affleck’s Got the Cool Car, But Wonder Woman Steals the Show” declared TheWrap; “How Wonder Woman Steals the Spotlight in Batman v Superman” was a headline in Time. She’s already saved the day, and we’re still months away from Wonder Woman hitting the box office.

Wonder Woman is a 75-year-old icon, but most of us know very little about her history or her as a character. The most famous depiction is the campy mid-’70s television series starring Lynda Carter clad in a bright red, white, and blue strapless bathing suit.

But the story of the original Wonder Woman stretches back to 1941, when psychologist and lie-detector pioneer William Moulton Marston created the heroine, basing her in part on a combination of two different women: his wife and his lover, both of whom he lived with in a polyamorous relationship. In the beginning, the visual of a woman warrior fighting bad guys was radical enough, and by the 1970s, feminists saw Wonder Woman as their hero. In the mid-’70s, we got the TV show. It wasn’t until nearly four decades later, in 2013, that Warner Bros.,

which owns the rights to the character owned by DC Comics, was ready to reintroduce Wonder Woman.

Much has changed in Hollywood, as Jenkins points out: The success of billion-dollar blockbusters like The Hunger Games and Frozen challenges the conventional wisdom that only young men go to the movies. In the year leading up to the release, trailers have depicted Amazons gliding into battle, Wonder Woman hurling men across the screen, German soldiers running through the woods, and poignant moments between our hero and her mother. They promise thrilling action, beautifully shot landscapes, even humor and romance. And they have drummed up epic excitement.

The movie looks good. Heart-racingly, fist-pumpingly, this-is-going-to-be-f*cking-awesome good.

And it comes at a time when many women are redrawing the battle lines in the wake of last year’s election, when Americans handed the presidency to a man who bragged about grabbing women “by the pussy” rather than elect the country’s first female commander in chief. Other than the fun, cathartic escapism that comes with watching a woman kick some serious ass, there are still fundamental questions about how women will reach the highest corridors of power and what it will look like once we get there. Wonder Woman, we’re waiting for you. mt
"THE AMAZONS WOULDN'T BE REVELING IN OR TAKING GLORY IN THE BRUTALITY.

THEY WOULD JUST BE GETTING THINGS DONE."

-PATTY JENKINS, DIRECTOR

Batman and Superman, both towering over six feet tall with the requisite slicked-back hair, the smug grins, and the real-life muscles of an inflatable superhero costume, are onstage. It’s the first time these two superdudes have stood together shoulder to shoulder for the world to see—kind of a big deal for comic-book nerds. But that’s not why everyone else in the room is screaming like tweens at a Justin Bieber concert. The reason for the thunderous sound of a gajillion DC Comics diehards? The 5'10” brunette in the black dress. Her name is Wonder Woman, er, Gal Gadot, and she was all anyone could talk about at Comic-Con 2014, when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was announced. (Wonder Woman would make her silver-screen debut in the highly anticipated 2016 blockbuster.)

The actress had served two years in the Israeli Defense Forces and competed for Miss Universe, but Wonder Woman hadn’t even lassoed any bad guys yet.

Nineteen months later, the sun is about to go down over the Royal Army Base an hour outside London, and Gadot has just arrived on the Wonder Woman set from her hair-and-makeup trailer. She looks every bit an Amazon warrior: tall and commanding even in the black puffy coat covering up her metallic red-and-blue costume, long dark-brown locks pinned up and tucked under a blue bandanna.

She smiles wide and strides across the field toward the movie’s director, Patty Jenkins, who has just finished running through moves with the fight choreographer and is waiting for the dark to settle in to shoot. Because the temperature will drop to the low 30s, Jenkins is bundled in a ridiculously huge blue North Face jacket, matching pants, and snow boots.

On this particular February night, Gadot and Jenkins have two scenes on the agenda: The first is a 10-second shot of Wonder Woman charging down a grass strip between two barbed-wire fences; the second is an action-packed sequence in which Wonder Woman takes out three German guards, tosses her lasso, and leaps to the top of a water tower.

The scenes will be part of a high-stakes moment in the film that builds on a variation of Wonder Woman’s origin story—that she was brought up in a land of women before following airplane pilot Steve Trevor to man’s world at the height of World War II. The heart of the story is Wonder Woman’s struggle to keep her faith in mankind at a time when humans are killing each other en masse.

Some very real stakes surround production, too. When Wonder Woman is released this June, it will be the first time that the iconic female superhero will star in her very own movie. It also marks the first time a woman will have directed a big-budget superhero extravaganza. (“It was very important to me that we had a woman director,” says Deborah Snyder, one of Wonder Woman’s producers. “I said, ‘She’s the biggest feminist icon out there. How can we not have a female director?’ It [would have] felt wrong.”) It is also only the second time a woman has directed a movie with a budget of more than $100 million (the first: Kathryn Bigelow’s 2002 submarine thriller K-19: Widowmaker).

And there are other women in positions of power. Tonight, production designer Aline Bonetto, set decorator Anna Lynch-Robinson, and visual-effects producer Amber Kirsch are watching, supervising, anticipating— as Jenkins directs Gadot’s takedown of the unlucky bad guys in uniform. And that’s not to mention the several young female production assistants, Amazon warrior extras being fitted in bronzed leather skirts and tops, the more than a dozen women on the special- and visual-effects teams—the list goes on. It’s worth noting that, according to a study released earlier this year by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, in 2016 just 7 percent of the 250 highest-grossing films were directed by
women. And 35 percent of the year’s films had either no or only one female as either director, writer, or producer.

Of course, the number of women on the film’s IMDb page isn’t simply girl-power optics.

“It’s important a woman is making this movie so we’re not hampered by the fact that it’s about a woman,” says Jenkins, whose debut feature film was the female-driven, Oscar-nominated Monster (2003). “There was a period of time when everyone was so obsessed with making superheroines overly tough like a man, but actually they have to be vulnerable. And it’s important to be superconfident with that. Yeah, Wonder Woman is softer—and she’s more badass for it. Men have to be more cautious about it. Like, Am I being sexist? I’m not even thinking about that. I want it to be universal.”

The thing about superheroes is that they are more than just powerful characters fighting injustice in metallic armor or colorful spandex. Their stories are, at their essence, relatable and aspirational tales about belonging: the nerdy teenager who transforms into a crime-fighting crusader (Spider-Man); mutants who want to live equally among humans (X-Men); an orphaned alien who proves he is the true defender of the American way of life (Superman). This kind of storytelling should be ripe for women, who have long felt like outsiders, striving for a proverbial seat at the table. Yet the few times Hollywood has conjured a female superhero (the antihero Catwoman in 2004, martial-arts warrior Elektra in 2005), we ended up with characters who were so emotionally closed off, so dour, so “independent,” that they were nothing more than unrelatable stereotypes of what strong women are, and not an emotionally honest portrait of what strong women could optimistically aspire to be.

Jenkins spent a lot of time thinking about what strength looks like when it comes from women and how that will translate on-screen.

In scenes that depict Amazon warriors, for example, Jenkins says she sought to cast some of the world’s best female athletes, including an American boxing pro, a track-and-field star, a CrossFit champion, and world-renowned martial artists. “I gained 14 pounds of muscle for the role,” Gadot recalls. “It began with prepping for Batman v Superman. Before shooting began, I trained for six months, six days a week.” (The bright side of so much exercise: “I was actually allowed to eat whatever I wanted, especially in the first five months.”) Gadot’s routine included weight training, horseback-riding lessons, martial arts, sword fighting, and choreography. But strength won’t translate to gratuitous bloodshed (a problem that plagued fellow superhero flicks Man of Steel, Batman v
CLAY ENOS/WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND RATPAC-DUNE ENTERTAINMENT LLC. OPPOSITE PAGE: COURTESY OF WARNER BROS.

The actress and face of Givenchy’s new fragrance stays grounded with a low-key beauty routine—and crystals
“I love the rose note in this perfume, because it’s youthful— not too adult.”
’m not the girl who puts makeup on to go to Target. I’m very comfortable with myself, so I don’t

Zfeel a need to cover up or hide anything. Even if I have a massive pimple or I ate too much the night before, it’s not the end of the world. I know I’m taking care of myself in the bigger picture.

For example, a perfect day for me is being home in upstate New York: I get up at 8 a.m., put coffee on, and then go outside to feed the horses and chickens. When I come back inside,

I grab a cup of coffee and do some crocheting. I could get carpal tunnel from how much I crochet! I also make smoothies with spinach, hemp seeds, and fresh berries in my Vitamix blender. And I exercise almost every day, because it makes me feel so good. I mix it up: I do incline on the treadmill, I have a recumbent bike that I’m obsessed with, and I love to jump rope, or I go to Pure Barre. The combination of working out and then taking a hot shower and smelling good, having all these endorphins released—it’s the perfect package, and I need it.

When it comes to a beauty routine, I want to spend less than five minutes in front of the mirror. I’ve used the same skincare for years: Cle de Peau Beaute’s cleansing foam, its La
Creme at night, and its emulsion with SPF during the day. My hair routine is even simpler and faster. Usually, I pull it back off my face and shampoo it once a week. That keeps it healthy, and I don’t use any styling products, except for dry shampoo. I love things that make getting ready as easy as possible; I recently had my eyelashes dyed so I don’t have to put on mascara every day. And foundation seems like a lot of work, so I just use a concealer stick for red spots here or there.

I always put on perfume if I’m going out at night, but never anything strong or heavy. The new Givenchy Live Irresistible smells bright and fresh, so it really energizes me. Scent can affect you like that. Lavender oil is supposed to be calming, so I’ll dab a tiny bit under my nose before I go to sleep. I also keep crystals next to my bed, because they’re great for things like boosting immunity and alleviating anxiety. I think all that stuff is magic and can help bring positive energy your way. I also try to meditate every day to help keep me grounded and mindful. In this cell-phone-addicted era, it’s good to take a break, be quiet, and reset. I’m constantly looking for ways to be healthier and happier, to heighten my awareness, and to have compassion—and all that comes through on the outside. —As told to Gina Way