For those into healthy, eco, personal-growth based lifestyles, mainstream dating sites have slim pickings. But now there’s a slew of fresh mate-shopping options for singles tired of reading things like “seeking the one who will make me whole.”
Yoga Connect
Instantly you know you’re not in typical matchland—on the homepage a gauzily lit man and woman kneel toward each other while holding a penetrating gaze. Dig deeper and you’ll see that nicknames range from “Centered in Santa Monica” to “Green Tea is Heaven.” The usual questionnaire is supplemented with “Why I practice yoga” and “How has yoga impacted your life?” (Or your grammar? Impact is not a verb, yoga-people), and you can choose from a long list of seeker-type interests including Crystal Healing, Bach Flower Remedies, Tantra, and Tarot Readings. This service lacks gay or bi search functions. But there’s good news for yogi-seeking yoginis: The male-to-female breakdown does not look like your yoga class––it’s almost 50-50. yogaconnect.com
Dharma Date
The site for those striving for detachment seeking attachment––and those who love them. A little less user-friendly than most dating sites (the thumbnails are barely visible till you click them), it’s filled with singles filling in both their Western and Eastern star signs. Editors of the site post inspiring quotes (“By holding on to that which in any case is forever slipping through our fingers, we just get rope burn.”), several PDFs worth of dating advice, and genre-appropriate warnings about online dating: “Even if the other person writes like Shakespeare, sounds as warm as your favorite Tibetan lama, looks like a long-life god and claims to have the ethics of the Buddha’s original disciples, be cautious.” Dharmadate.net
Soul Weavers
While sifting through users calling themselves xanadu, ShiningLight, and qi (and that’s just the men), you’ll see that the site has achieved its stated goal: “Connecting Kindred Spirits.” Slightly over-the-top, the founders also claim they have created ” a physical/virtual space for courageous souls to show up… Then, some wondrous force… weaves these souls together. Nothing less than divine alchemy!” In addition to the usual questions, users are asked for a full astrological work-up: sun, moon, and rising signs and “How would you describe your spiritual orientation?” One woman answered: “towards the Nondual Oneness, but enjoying embodyment.”
soulweavers.com
Spirit Singles
The most mainstream of them all, Spirit Singles is also the most racially and ethnically diverse. They call themselves “the online dating site for individuals who share a similar passion for personal and spiritual growth and a healthy lifestyle.” The choices of dietary preferences are also the most detailed of any site––Raw Food Vegetarians can bond over nut pâté and “Non-Sugar” eaters can find sweetness in each other. SpiritSingles.com