The Sun Magazine

I was just reading my copy of The Sun Magazine last night, and realized that I have GOT to share it with the world. It is endlessly inspiring, beautiful, and simple. Sometimes I have to hide it from myself when I get it in the mail, because I might just sit down and read the whole thing cover to cover. And it's actually possible to read every word, because there is absolutely NO advertising to interrupt the tone of the articles or the emotions it may evoke…which my previous roommate can attest are many and strong!


It is a monthly publication, and each issue has the same basic format: it starts with an in-depth interview, usually with an activist, artist, teacher, or other progressive thinker and then has a combination of evocative essays, memoirs, fiction, and poetry. Toward the back, there’s a section called “Readers Write”, where readers can submit their true accounts on a certain theme—some recent examples include “Faith”, “Moving In”, “Deception”, and “Porches”. This is one of my favorite sections, partly for the revealing stories people have to share (the Name Withheld ones are especially juicy), and partly just to witness the paradoxical diversity and commonality within the human experience. It’s also inspiring to read the work of people who are not accomplished writers or artists, but are just normal folks, with sometimes unbelievable stories or really thoughtful perspectives. Finally, each issue wraps up with “Sy Syfransky’s Notebook”, the editor’s short but powerful anecdotes, musings, philosophizings both political and spiritual, or emotional revelations. Because I find his style so honest and humble, I always appreciate having a read of his current thought process. Lastly, there is a page of collected quotes, called Sunbeams, focused loosely on a theme. Here’s one of my favorites (from September 2008):

“I no longer expect things to make sense. I know there is no safety. But that does not mean there is no magic. It does not mean there is no hope. It simply means that each of us has reason to be wishful and frightened, aspiring and flawed. And it means that, to the degree we are lost, it is on the same ocean, in the same night.” ~Elizabeth Kaye

The other thing I love about The Sun Magazine is that it has such a tightly coherent stylistic concept, while still maintaining flexibility through the diversity of the writing and photography submitted. So, no advertising ever. All black and white photography. Sometimes a loose theme running through the issue, which is fun to try to figure out. And to complement the name of the magazine, and reflecting the Editor’s Jewish heritage, the magazine’s inscription is a quote from Viktor Frankl, “What is to give light must endure burning.”

The magazine has had an impact on me in terms of my own writing and I attribute part of my own intention of allowing writing to be a means to transformation to it. It so beautifully exemplifies the kind of quiet revolution I love. But I don't want to take any more fun away from the discoveries you could have yourself, so I'll stop there for now!