Jasper Johal

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Jasper Johal posts

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Compass pose (Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana)

There are a trillion stars in the night skyYet each is uniqueWhy compare yourself to others?You were born with your own unique strengthsYou are blessed with your own mystique–– Pardesi Pyara_PHOTO: Love working with Sheerle. She glows with a natural beauty that springs from complete self acceptance. This photo is from a shoot when we were both in California.IG: @sheerle.dove

Meditation

This being human is a guest house.Every morning a new arrival.A joy, a depression, a meanness,some momentary awareness comesas an unexpected visitor.Welcome and entertain them all!Be grateful for whatever comes.Because each has been sentas a guide from beyond.– Rumi

THE SPINE

People obsess about their abs and pecs. Some worry about their glutes and hamstrings. But, according to yoga, the key to our health lies in our spine.It is the foundation of everything. Forward bends, backbends, side bends, and twists are all designed to create a healthy spine. It gets us through our day, doings tasks with energy and without pain. A strong spine allows us to sit in meditation comfortably for long periods of time. The seven chakra...

Lifting into flying pegeon

Should sorrow cloudthy coming years,And bathe thy happiness in tears,Remember, though we’re doom’d to part,There lives one fond and faithful heart,That will forget thee not.– from a poem by Ann Plato (1841)_____________________PHOTO: This is a photo I took of yoga teacher, and close friend, Heidi, more than a decade ago when she was visiting California. I find sometimes getting into a yoga pose is a more interesting photograph than the fini...

Acro yogis

“Souls learn from other souls, not from books or lectures.”—Rumi, Masnavi_____________________PHOTO: Crystal and her friend, Caroline doing acro yoga at my studio.IG: @mustbecrystal

Yoga on the Beach - photo essay

Sometimes the best discoveries are serendipitous.Last summer I went for a walk on Venice Beach (the one in Southern California), to clear my head. Rounding a life guard tower I came upon Brooklyn doing her yoga practice next to the breaking waves.I loved her form, and decided to introduced myself. It turned out she knew some of the yogis who had done shoots with me. I did not want to interrupt her flow, so I asked her to continue. With her permis...

Hanging out

POETRY:Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.– Shakespeare (Sonnet 18)_____________________PHOTO: Another couple photos of Cole hanging out while visiting me in Houston, Texas.IG: @colekniight

Hanuman split

POETRY:Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;But thy eternal summer shall not fade,Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;– Shakespeare (Sonnet 18)_____________________PHOTO: Cole is the first friend from California to come visit me in Texas. She is so multi-talented: yogi, musician, DJ, and an amazing chef.I am working on a digital magazine (which I plan to publish soon as I get enough fol...

Shimmering veil

POETRY:Let your heart lead you⁠It will transcend time ⁠and defy fate⁠to drop you where you belong⁠⁠–– Pardesi Pyara

Inversion

POETRY:Why should the world be over-wise,In counting all our tears and sighs?Nay, let them only see us, whileWe wear the mask.— Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906)POET more people should know about:Paul Laurence Dunbar, born to parents that were freed slaves, was one of the first important Black poets and writers in this country. Astonishingly, he wrote his first poem at age 6, and had his first published poem by just age 16! Though, sadly, he d...

Shining star

POETRY:And when the spotlight comes your wayas it will eventuallyrise up to the occasionrise up and shineYou are perfect as you areyou were born a star– Pardesi Pyara

Layover shoot

Stefanie is an athlete from Germany. She had seen my photography in several international magazines and wanted to shoot with me. But it was hard for her to budget the cost of a flight to Los Angeles, and hotel costs, just for a shoot.About a year after we first talked, she called and informed me she had a vacation planned for Hawaii. The airline had given her a connecting flight through Los Angles airport, and she had a 6 hour layover. She wonder...

Hollow back inversions

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed." – Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀_____________________PHOTO: Dear friend Caley from one of our earliest shoots. A superb yoga and meditation teacher, she is a soon to be mama now!IG: @caleyalyssa

Swapping tales

I met Caroline when she tagged along with my friend Crystal for a shoot we had planned. Caroline had just come back from traveling around India and Crystal thought we would enjoy sharing stories. She was right. India is a deliriously chaotic and unpredictable place to travel in. We were soon swapping adventure tales and she was laughing so much it was hard to get a shot of her looking serious.

King cobra pose

POETRY:Not all bravery is public for everyone to seeA thousand battles are wagedin the privacy of four wallsjust to get through the day– Pardesi Pyara_____________________PHOTO: From one of the first shoots I did with the incredibly talented yogi, Maria. She was on the cover of one of my Body as Temple calendars, and we have done shoots for dozens of magazine ads. Such a talent!IG: @maria_villella

Falling back

POETRY:As if you were on fire from within,the moon lives in the lining of your skin–– Pablo Neruda⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀_____________________PHOTO: Crystal is a dear friend and close collaborator who is always eager to create beautiful images. Her enthusiasm is matched by her poise and grace in front of the camera.IG: @mustbecrystal

Dancing with light

POETRY:We are no other than a moving rowOf magic shadow-shapes that come and goRound with the sun-illumined lantern heldIn midnight by the master of the show–– Omar Khayyam⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀_____________________PHOTO: Time flies. Laura Jane dancing a decade ago when she visited my studio. She is an amazing dancer from Australia who has performed in top rated shows around the world.IG: @lauragolcman

Serenity

POETRY:Your task is not to seek lovebut to seek all the barriers within yourselfthat you have built against it– Rumi⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀_____________________PHOTO: Long time friend Katrina from one of my first shoots in Venice Beach, California.IG: @nourish.and.be

Dancing to memories

POETRY:The world, for me, and all the world can holdIs circled by your arms; for me there lies,Within the lights and shadows of your eyes,The only beauty that is never old.– James Weldon Johnson(1871-1938)_________________PHOTO: Looking through shoots from a decade ago I found this image of Shantia dancing in my Venice Beach studio. Amazing how an image takes me back in time, remembering it like yesterday; like hearing a melody from an old song...

Thanks!

Thank you for joining me on my journey. I am learning as I go here on Patreon, so please feel free to send me messages with suggestions or questions. I generally reply to all emails within 48 hours.I have been delving deep into my "The Body as Temple" archives and am preparing lots of cool images to share here in April.🙏

Greeting the morning with an open heart

The longer I live and the more I seeOf the struggle of souls towards the heights above,The stronger this truth comes home to meThat the Universe rests on the shoulders of love– from a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Finding stillness in meditation

Even during the fiercest gales there is placedeep withinwhere shelter awaits.a place to catch your breatha place to start believing in yourself again.before re-emerging stronger.– Pardesi Pyara

Head stand with stag legs

Don’t need a swordfor I’m blessed with strengthStrength in my mindmeasured by my perseveranceStrength in my heartmeasured by my compassionStrength in my lovemeasured by my tears––Pardesi Pyara⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀_PHOTO: Photo of my friend Kristin, from when she was teaching yoga in Santa Monica, California, many years ago. One could feel her strength in every pose she got into. Such superb shape!

Rising into wheel pose

Oh let me see your beauty when the witnesses are goneLet me feel you moving like they do in BabylonShow me slowly what I only know the limits ofDance me to the end of love– Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀PHOTO: From my first shoot with dear friend Hallie, back in California. She is truly one of the sweetest souls I have worked with.IG: @halliemayo_flows

Remembering

Your task is not to seek lovebut to seek all the barriers within yourselfthat you have built against it.– Rumi⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀_PHOTO: Verronica from her first shoot with me some years ago.verronicakirei.com

Lift

It comesUnadornedLike a phraseStrong enough to cast a spell;It comesUnbidden,Like the turn of sun through hillsOr stars in wheel of song.The jeweled feet of women dance the earthArousing it to spring.Shoulders broad as a road bend to share the weight of years.Profiles breach the distance and leanToward an ordinary kiss.Bliss.It comes naked into the world like a charm.–– Toni Morrison (1931–2019)