Commentary

'Yoga Journal' Celebrates 40th With Good Karma Awards

Over the past 40 years, yoga has gone from an exotic practice, embraced mainly by counterculture types, to a mainstream pursuit at the heart of a multibillion dollar industry.

Yoga Journal has been there for the long haul, observing and often leading the adoption and adaptation of the ancient Indian discipline in contemporary society.

The magazine is celebrating its 40th anniversary this September with a special anniversary issue and the launch of its Good Karma Awards, recognizing individuals who have helped advance yoga and contributed to the yoga community.

The magazine recognizes the 40 teachers and practitioners who received the awards in its anniversary issue, including one winner (selected by online voting) who will receive a scholarship to continue their work bringing yoga to cancer patients.

Advertising sponsors for the anniversary issue and related events include Fiji Water, Clif Bar, Skechers, Kashi, General Mills, Rainbow Light, and Aveda, among others.

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The 40th anniversary issue and celebration comes a little less than a year after Yoga Journal relaunched the print magazine and its Web site last October. According to editor-in-chief Carin Gorrell, the relaunch aimed to widen the magazine’s appeal by making it more accessible to the new generation of enthusiasts who have embraced yoga over the last decade.

The relaunch has paid off with big gains in online traffic and social-media followings.

According to Gorrell, Yoga Journal’s Web traffic is up 25% year-over-year to 1.5 million unique visitors, generating 8.8 million page views in July, while its net social audience has grown 40% to 3.6 million, with its Facebook fans up 250% since August 2013 to 1.6 million. Last but not least, digital revenues are up 11% year-over-year.

Gorrell also noted that Yoga Journal has expanded into online education with the launch of a new program, AimHealthyU, which allows users to take classes with Yoga Journal instructors. The magazine is also preparing to launch its next Yoga in America Study, which provides a benchmark for the expansion of yoga, including spending patterns and related trends.

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