yoga

80

december 2018 / january 2019

yogajournal.com.sg

TRACEE STANLEY

YOGA JOURNAL SINGAPORE (ISSN #24249246)is an international licensed edition of Yoga Journal and is published by Sankia Wellness Pte Ltd. All contents in this magazine are

non-religious and not affiliated to any religious organization. The pictures have all been credited to photographers except in those cases where they were legally purchased or procured

from free online sites that allow commercial use.

Celebrated yoga

photographer Robert

Sturman shares his

thoughts on the

power of an image,

meditative living,

and finding peaceful

moments in the day.

No matter where I am in the worldor what time I fall asleep, I awaken each

day just before the sun rises and sit quietly for 30 minutes. I’m not quite in

the world yet, but I feel deeply present and grounded. It’s an effortless time

for meditation and creative exploration. I love to practice asana sometime

mid-morning. Yoga clears out what’s unnecessary and allows me to begin

again. On the days I’m not attending a class, I’ll spend quiet time in nature

with my dog, Chai—being silent at the park, in the mountains, or at the

beach always helps me feel alive and full of gratitude.

I try to live a meditative life,but this can be challenging when I’m

navigating airports and traveling more than 50 days a year. I’m learning

the art of saying “no” and how to appreciate the distinctions between

commitment and chaos. Often, this can be as simple as arriving two

hours early to the airport and creating time to be still and breathe.

As an artist, I’ve learned to get centeredand be decisive before taking

a photograph. I try to just relax and surrender to the yoga of seeing.

That means trusting my ability to be present with what is in front of me

and pressing the shutter at the moment when everything conspires into

perfection. I’ve learned to give myself permission to sometimes make

just one exposure, know that I got it, and walk away.

Asana is the greatest figurative poetryI’ve ever seen. It’s the expressive

language of human beings striving to reach their full potential that

inspires me to tell remarkable storiesof hope, devotion,sincerity, and

longing. Just look at the poses: They show us pushing our hearts toward

the sky or reaching with our arms toward something greater-—and

sharing a common desire to be better at life. We have reached a point

in yoga’s popularity where I can photograph just about every type of

person practicing asana—from prisoners, soldiers, doctors, artists,

firefighters, and cops to Maasai warriors, orphans, and breast cancer

survivors.

With my work,I have the opportunity to reflect back the elegant truth

that we are beautiful, flawed, magnificent beings. One of the greatest

things I’ve learned is that every person—whether on the cover of a

magazine or serving a life sentence in prison—lights up when he or she

feels seen. It is a humbling responsibility and privilege to embrace art

in its primal capacity for expression and connection. It has never been

about expensive equipment or mechanical expertise; rather, it’s about

honoring others and our collaborative experience.

I believe the camera is a magic boxthat can change the world when

used with the right intentions. We have an opportunity to use this form

of expression to spread ideas that help us evolve in a more positive

direction. I want my work to inspire every type of person to get on the

mat and find a way to deal with his or her stress and to discover that

peace and acceptance are also part of the human condition.

Join Robert Sturman, yoga teacher Liz Arch, and Yoga Journal for a photography

and yoga adventure in Tulum, Mexico, March 30–April 3, 2019.

Sign up atyogajournal.com/retreats.

REFLECTION

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