Blogging Ambivalence

Ambivalence - a work by Christine Marie Larsen

I like to blog. I like to read blogs.  But, I must admit that right now I’m feeling a little bit of ambivalence about blogging.  It all comes back to the question of why, I guess.  I don’t blog just for myself, to be honest.  If I just wanted to journal, I would do that and not have to worry about what I was writing or who might read it.  I blog because I think I have something to add to the larger conversation about yoga and veganism.  I blog because I want to be a part of that larger conversation.

But, recently, I have been torn.  It seems to me that the most popular blogs (individual posts, or blogs overall) in the vegan world are those associated with printed cookbooks or books about veganism. I’m fine with that, and completely understand it.  It just makes it seem redundant for me to post yet another recipe for vegan chocolate peanut butter cupcakes or spicy corncakes.  In the yoga domain, as far as I can tell, controversy is the key.  Posts that are about sex, have some beautiful semi-nude yogis, involve admission of some sort of “horrible” unyogic flaw, or that mock the superiority of yoga culture (all the while embracing the superiority of the mocking of the superiority?) seem to be what sells.  Here too, I understand why such stories get a lot of hits and if that’s what people want to read, that’s what they should read.  However, I’m not going down that road.  I’m a regular person seeking a greater unity.  I have regular flaws.  I don’t need to sex them up for anyone, not even myself.  I also view my personal family or relationship stuff as belonging to my family and my relationships, and won’t be blogging about it in detail. I don’t view that as “dishonest,” but as respectful that my relationship stories are not just about me. I’m not in relationships alone and I can’t just tell my story without bringing others in.  Additionally, I have a day job to watch out for.  And, trust me, you don’t wanna see me nekkid.

So, yeah, I guess I am feeling like I have lost a little bit of my focus for blogging – a little bit of my reason behind it. I need to find it again.  I need to figure out who my audience really is – little though it may be – and what that audience wants and needs from TheVeganAsana. And then, I need to figure out how to provide it.

Which means, dear reader, that if you are here reading today, it would be very useful for me to hear from you why you read this blog, what you would like to see more of, and how it does/should function for you.

Yours in blogging service (and ambivalence),

L