“John Friend has studied yoga and philosophy for over 40 years, which might be why his teachings speak to hundreds of thousands of yogis all around the world. When Manduka and John were collaborating on the John Friend Collection by Manduka, we had a lot of time to talk, and listen. Here are John’s thoughts on what we learn, and gain, from meaningful relationships. See the collection at www.Manduka.com/JohnFriend.”

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I hope Manduka keeps these up. Whatever our view and experience of the recent revelations, seeing the man behind the controversy is illuminating. Bonus:

I was at this one:

Here John talks about some of his teachings:

A documentary of a “magical method”:

The most popular John Friend video on youtube:

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Bonus, video #11. A golden oldie conversation at the Boulder Shambhala Center from yours truly, 2006. Probably the first time I met John.

I remember walking around the Shambhala Center, which I’d grown up in and around, and him talking about reading Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism and saying, “anything I can ever do to support elephant, let me know.” That meant an awful lot at the time—I had started a small, grassrootsy print magazine with no money or staff, really, at that time. And while I never really called in the proffered favor, he did appear on another one of our talk show (by that time at the Boulder Shambhala Center, with 600 in attendance) and has always been a warm presence in the greater mindful elephant community.

Until recently, that is, of course, when his name and reputation and Anusara yoga community became embroiled in accusations and controversy.