Warning Beware of Mantra Yoga & Health Magazine

[amoodygirl]

Happy New Year, everyone! I've been kind of MIA for a bit and just lurking, not posting.

I'm wondering if anyone has had any dealing with Mantra Yoga & Health Magazine because my interaction has not been a positive one.

I subscribed on October 14th. I wrote them about a month ago inquiring as to when my subscription would begin. I received a very brusque response that the website says 8 to 10 weeks and you would have one by Christmas. Christmas comes and goes and no magazine. I sent another email - no response. So I posted on Instagram and finally someone gave me an answer that it would arrive in two weeks - AND THEN THEY BLOCKED ME.

I called the phone number on the website, no realizing it was the editor's cell phone. She was extremely rude and said to me, "Well, I'm sitting here in Paris with friends who survived the Paris attacks but if you're so worried about your subscription, I'll refund your money." I told her how dare you use the Paris attacks as a way to minimize my concern? She just kept talking over me.

So, long story short, this editor talks a good Yoga game, posting about honesty, integrity - all the good things about yoga - but she is a huge phony. I've already contacted my credit card company for a refund. Beware anyone even thinking of subscribing. I bet I'm not the first person who's had this problem and won't be the last!

Diane

[Usia]

Oh, WOW! This is dreadful! I have not had any dealings with them but I am appalled about your experience. Ugh... I'm glad you've contacted your credit company for a refund and thank you for the warning!

[mtngoat]

I have not had any dealings with this publication, and I can assure you - I will never have any dealings with this publication!

I won't even type the words I'm thinking. Grrr - I am angry for you! That is really bad. (Using the Paris attacks - so low. Lower than low. I wonder how long she will use that ploy to deal with every criticism?)

Hope your credit card can reimburse you!

Happy new Year (ha ha)! Actually sincerely - Happy New Year!

[laurajhawk]

Wow, that's awful. I have a copy of the magazine -- my mom picked it up somewhere and brought it for me at Xmas -- and wasn't that impressed. People who use their cell phones for business need to understand that although the call is interrupting their lives, they set it up that way and have to behave professionally.

[dakko]

Originally Posted by laurajhawk

Wow, that's awful. I have a copy of the magazine -- my mom picked it up somewhere and brought it for me at Xmas -- and wasn't that impressed. People who use their cell phones for business need to understand that although the call is interrupting their lives, they set it up that way and have to behave professionally.

What Laura said.

"Well, I'm sitting here in Paris with friends who survived the Paris attacks but if you're so worried about your subscription, I'll refund your money."

Translation: I'm much too important for the likes of you.

[amoodygirl]

Re: invoking the horrible Paris attacks:

Originally Posted by dakko

Translation: I'm much too important for the likes of you.

Exactly. Well, that doesn't seem very yoga-like to me! Perhaps she needs to amp up her practice LOL!

Diane

[amoodygirl]

Originally Posted by laurajhawk

Wow, that's awful. I have a copy of the magazine -- my mom picked it up somewhere and brought it for me at Xmas -- and wasn't that impressed. People who use their cell phones for business need to understand that although the call is interrupting their lives, they set it up that way and have to behave professionally.

I honestly wouldn't have called if I knew if was the editor's cell phone. I thought I'd leave a message for them to deal with on Monday morning.

[amoodygirl]

Originally Posted by mtngoat

I have not had any dealings with this publication, and I can assure you - I will never have any dealings with this publication!

I won't even type the words I'm thinking. Grrr - I am angry for you! That is really bad. (Using the Paris attacks - so low. Lower than low. I wonder how long she will use that ploy to deal with every criticism?)

Hope your credit card can reimburse you!

Happy new Year (ha ha)! Actually sincerely - Happy New Year!

LOL! I know you're sincere in your New Year's wishes! Too funny. And my credit card company (Discover) said not to worry. If she doesn't do the actual reimbursement, they will take care of it!

Diane

[amoodygirl]

Originally Posted by Usia

Oh, WOW! This is dreadful! I have not had any dealings with them but I am appalled about your experience. Ugh... I'm glad you've contacted your credit company for a refund and thank you for the warning!

Thanks, Usia! It's just unbelievable. I spoke with my credit card company and they were pretty sure this would go through without a problem.

Diane

[TinierTina]

Originally Posted by amoodygirl

Happy New Year, everyone! I've been kind of MIA for a bit and just lurking, not posting.

I'm wondering if anyone has had any dealing with Mantra Yoga & Health Magazine because my interaction has not been a positive one.

I subscribed on October 14th. I wrote them about a month ago inquiring as to when my subscription would begin. I received a very brusque response that the website says 8 to 10 weeks and you would have one by Christmas. Christmas comes and goes and no magazine. I sent another email - no response. So I posted on Instagram and finally someone gave me an answer that it would arrive in two weeks - AND THEN THEY BLOCKED ME.

I called the phone number on the website, no realizing it was the editor's cell phone. She was extremely rude and said to me, "Well, I'm sitting here in Paris with friends who survived the Paris attacks but if you're so worried about your subscription, I'll refund your money." I told her how dare you use the Paris attacks as a way to minimize my concern? She just kept talking over me.

So, long story short, this editor talks a good Yoga game, posting about honesty, integrity - all the good things about yoga - but she is a huge phony. I've already contacted my credit card company for a refund. Beware anyone even thinking of subscribing. I bet I'm not the first person who's had this problem and won't be the last!

Diane

I'd smelled something fishy about Maranda Pleasant years ago.
I did buy the ORIGIN magazine once (off a stand) ... maybe that one's different ...
She'd been talking a big talk about how ORIGIN is not Yoga Journal
That magazine's spinoff was the fishiest thing ... I'd blogged two years ago on my former blogsite about it ...

"Mantra magazine is a little too rich for my blood (print version) ... finally had held a copy in my hot little hands ...

"It is probably great in a locality that does not have so many freebie LOHAS (lifestyle of health and sustainability) publications ... New York City has green, eco-friendly, alternative, health-conscious, yoga-related FREE and FREQUENT publications and catalogues up the ying-yang!! Even a Queens-only such publication. In addition to having sections in various Brooklyn-only/mostly freebie and widely available print publications ....

"It was advertisement after advertisement for commercialized yoga. A case history or two thrown in ...

"No hints or suggestions for the primarily home yoga practitioner. All right, no retreat advertisements either. But lack of retreat advertisements still does not make a downmarket mag that the vast majority could relate to, except in their dreams."