The Yogi’s Roadmap: Patanjali Yoga Sutra as a Journey to Self Realization by Bhavani Maki is an in-depth academic study offering unique, contemporary insights into the Yoga Sutra for westerners.
The 358 page text’s interior layout incorporates Sanskrit language and diacritics, and includes footnotes, Saṃṣkrta pronunciation guide, an index, glossary, and a table of contents.
The Challenge:
- To create a book cover that is attractive to westerners and represents a spiritual journey in India.
- To design a well structured interior layout for an academic text.
The Solution:
Bhavani really liked the image of a trail in the Himalayan mountains. To frame the image and provide the feeling of enlightenment, elevation, and mindfulness, we chose the temple shape, a motif found in the artwork and architecture of India. This frame constructs the window or doorway through which the book’s contents will guide the reader in their journey.
The background texture pattern comes from traditional Mehandi henna art to further bring in the cultural essence.
The warm colors further enhance the mood, moving up from eggplant to saffron to gold, providing balance and movement between earthly grounding, spiritual study, and elevated awareness.
The lotus drop graphic, developed as the Viveka Press logo, crowns the chapter pages and the cover, and grounds the spine.
