| This month of March 2007 marks a special milestone
for us here at NOVA Magazine.
 It's
the start of our 14th year of publication as a free
holistic journal, making us a true original in our field
in this country - and that's something that makes us
very proud. It's been an exciting journey with dynamic
growth from our West coast origins into the East coast
in the last five years so we're now reaching readers
in all states of Australia, including Tasmania. Through
our website, we're also taking our distinctive message
of holistic health and lifestyle to people all around
the world, most notably the United States, the UK and
Europe, and we're delighted to say, to mainland China.
We hope it's providing a window into our free and open
society here in Australia, which, in turn, has so much
to learn from the traditional Chinese health emphasis
on treating the whole person. After all, they've been
doing it for a few thousand years now.
As our magazine has evolved, one thing has always been
constant - our focus on good, strong, informed and independent
articles and columnists who are passionate about their
chosen fields and willing to share that knowledge and
understanding to benefit us all. Another thing that
sets NOVA Magazine apart is our exploration of a particular
theme every month - it's never easy and sometimes our
best laid plans go awry, but after 13 years and around
155 separate issues (including two separate East and
West editions for the past five years), it's our signature.
And in that time, we've explored some of the most important
ideas in this industry - with a whole lot more to come
in 2007. So 13 years on, it's timely to see where we've
come from. Here you see our original issue way back
in March-April 1994 with a theme of Psychology. The
black and white 16 page newspaper-style publication
proudly proclaiming itself "Western Australia's
Holistic Journal" was the brainchild of founding
editor/publisher Sui Oakland and her husband Johann
Vellekoop. American-born Sui and Johann had seen something
similar back in the States and thought they were up
to the challenge. So NOVA first appeared on the streets
of Fremantle, back then a relaxed and easygoing alternative
community, and even ventured into the inner suburbs
of Perth. Even back then with an initial print run of
10,000 copies, the magazine was widely distributed through
more than 100 outlets. Today, we have 135,000 copies
each month through 1700 outlets in city and regional
areas all around the country.
And under Sui's firm guiding hand, NOVA from the very
start established a policy of independent articles that
would make a real difference in people's lives. I think
it's best expressed in her own words: "Our purpose
for this journal is threefold: to bring together the
many and varied branches of what has loosely been called
"the holistic movement"; to focus on improving
health and awareness of our physical, mental and spiritual
selves; and to bring what has up until recently been
seen as "the alternative movement" in line
with mainstream culture. Despite the very real threats
to our civilisation today, we believe in a positive
future that can only manifest through focusing on and
living those ideals that come from a vision for a better
tomorrow. If we can assist in the development of these
ideals within our community, then we will have fulfilled
our purpose." Her vision of 13 years ago is still
just as current and valid and probably even more needed
today.
Some of those first issue contributions included "Holistic
Transformation" by Malcolm Hollick who went on
to become a leading figure at Findhorn community in
Scotland, "Somatic Psychology: Taking our Bodies
to Therapy" by Joan Cary, "Going into Retreat
- Reflections on the Soul's Need for a Holiday"
by columnist Persephone Arbour who went on to develop
a very large following and "How to Read a Recipe
without Becoming a Clone" by Camilla Sutton.
Our first advertisers were an eclectic bunch - everything
from the Apollo Float Tank to yoga for pregnancy and
yoga in Bali (nothing's changed!) to Bodhi's Demeter
grade bread "made with our own fresh milled Bio
Dynamic Flour". We're delighted to see some of
those originals are still with us, including Bodhis,
Ikon Institute, Crystal Reflections, Innersense and
Ambrosium. Thanks for being with us every step of this
journey of discovery. And thankfully, along the way,
you've been joined by many many others all over Australia.
So as you read this first issue of our 14th year, we
hope you feel we've done justice to that original vision
and will be cheering us on as we continue to grow and
evolve in the future.
As part of that evolution, we're now establishing the
NOVA Online Holistic Directory to allow anybody with
an interest in any aspect of the holistic industry to
promote what they're doing, both locally and globally.
Although NOVA was founded in Western Australia, one
of the most geographically isolated localities in the
world, our vision of a community connected by similar
ideals of a kinder, cleaner, better world is one that
knows no boundaries.
Margaret Evans
Editor
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