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We're pleased to introduce a new feature to the Common Ground website, the webzine. Now you can flip through the pages the same way you might our printed editions, which are otherwise only available in San Francisco Bay Area locations.

Simply click on the 'Current Issue' above, 'Back Issues' or any of the magazine covers above. Try clicking on any of the advertisers links on any of the ads you see (both display and the listings). All links are active.

We hope you will enjoy this new paperless alternative. Enjoy this new feature. Thanks for supporting Common Ground and its advertisers.

from the publisher

A first glance at the teasers on the cover of our Sex issue might suggest this is our special edition on matters of the lower chakras. With topics such as orgasm, money, masturbation, erotic integrity, and speed dating, that first impression is fair. But take a closer look, and you’ll discover that these essays are about moving the energy up. And it goes higher from there.

We have a story about ancient yet sexy Indian temples—and their sacred context. Also drawing on Eastern scriptural traditions is Jeffrey Armstrong’s piece on the science of sexual healing, while Arielle Ford’s piece on wabi-sabi love teaches us to honor the old, weathered, and worn in our relationships.

Jayson Gaddis has written an important and timely piece, “What Happens When We Don’t Teach Boys About Sex: How the Deep Masculine Can Reverse the Porn Ethos.” Regrettably, most fathers have hit the snooze button when it comes to the sex education of our young, leaving the job to online porn sites. Jayson urges a redefinition of virility to reverse this pitiful course.

Senior Editor Carrie Grossman, whose overall efforts deserve special commendation for this issue, has penned a thoughtful essay on the lost (slow and patient) art of courtship. And finally, we have a feature by Thich Nhat Hahn, the renowned Zen Master, on true intimacy, the coming home to love. So you see, our Sex issue is about raising the vibe.
We hope you’ll enjoy the content as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

Sadly, in mid December, the Bay Area lost a dear friend in Warren Hellman. Warren was the philanthropist behind so many great deeds, most notably the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, which he personally bankrolled every year in Golden Gate Park. He died suddenly of complications due to his treatment for leukemia. We did an extensive interview with Warren for our May 2011 “Bay Pride” issue. To me, Warren was the embodiment of Bay Pride and will be very missed. A public gathering at Speedway Meadow (now officially renamed Hellman Hollow) will be held on Feb. 19. For more information see our Happenings page. We’ll see you there.

Upcoming in March we switch gears from sex to food. Expect updates on the GMO plague, which shows growing signs of public awareness. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. If we really want to preserve the organic food movement, we need to move quickly. More on that in March.
Until then, we remind you to patronize our dear advertisers—the best. If you appreciate this free magazine, please return the favor by acknowledging our sponsors.

   Bottoms up,
   Rob Sidon, Publisher/Editor