“Real Men Do Yoga”

“Real Men Do Yoga”. A perfect catchphrase straight from the Rustic Buddha Men’s clothing line. I myself was not one to try new things, especially yoga. At first, I thought this was just a “new” hip thing people do to look as though they are with the new trend. That and I honestly thought it was a feminine practice. Boy was I wrong. After experiencing very significant life events, I started to gravitate to personal development, which led me to explorer stepping outside of my comfort zone. This included joining a gym, reading motivational books, traveling to new places, and an introduction to Yoga. At first, the idea made me a bit uncomfortable. However, with the support of two great friends I decided to step out of my comfort zone and give it a shot. After my first experience I have to say I was sold! Yoga gave me a feeling of mental clarity. I came out feeling calm, relaxed and mentally peaceful. It felt as though I had discovered a new way to declutter my mind. I became aware or “mindful” of the importance of recovering from exercising my mind just as I would go get a massage or acupuncture after an intense monthly routine at the gym. Yoga became a way to release the negativity from the fast pace world and work environment I was living in. Yes it can be difficult to hold a pose at times, or to attempt a pose when you are not a flexible person, though the pleasing thing about practicing yoga is that you are almost always in a judge free zone. I felt as though as long as I tried and did my best, I was having a flawless practice. After practicing yoga and experimenting with different types of yoga, I decided to dive a bit deeper to pursue the mental clarity that had me feeling balanced. After a quick chat with a friend, I decided to give a meditation studio a try. At this point I had started to immerse myself in my self-improvement studies. I was learning how the mind actually works in relation to the results I was getting. This is where meditation made its debut to my weekly routine. It became a requirement just as the gym and eating healthy was. I came to learn the body is just an instrument of the mind and that everything anyone has ever done or has accomplished all started in the mind. Long story short, mental clarity and mental health are just as, or even more so important as physical health and well being. If you are still hesitant with trying Yoga, I say give it a shot! You may just find it so rewarding that it will also become a part of your everyday lifestyle. And if you are also a man that thinks yoga is just for the opposite sex, remember this “Real Men Do Yoga”.

-@markisadams