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And Men Can Come,
too...Yoga for Men's Health
Phil
Aston
11/29/2003
For
men, being able to tell the difference between bad stress and healthy stress
can be impossible. From an early age we are told to push ourselves to the
limit, to compete on every level. The jobs we go for include the maxim
'must be able to work under pressure'. We immerse ourselves in our projects,
which never seem to get finished, we get home after our children are in bed
and relax by either going down the gym for 2 hours of high impact exercise
or down several pints before floating a take-away meal on top of everything!
We think we are fit, but something is wrong, the world and everyone in it
always seems a few minutes ahead of us. We feel exhausted, feelings of
anxiety, lack of control and irritability rise within us and don't seem to
fall back. Our minds and our ego reach into the future. If only we could
just get that promotion, that new car, that new house, everything would be
better; we pay no heed to our physical and mental health.
But
everyday the pressure on this body, this single heart, and our inner self
builds and builds.
The
only thing keeping us in this life is a single muscle called the heart, our
ability to experience the world around us is reliant on our health. For most
men (and women) we don't really notice the body unless it hurts, it needs
food or it won't fit into its clothes anymore! And for many men the last
thing on their mind will be yoga.
But
yoga can vastly improve physical and mental health. It will improve your
ability to cope at work and will create space between your thoughts, so that
you can once again enjoy your life and family with each passing moment.
Being
a male and attending a yoga class can be daunting. Taking aside the image of
being surrounded by young women in leotards the reality is that, yes there
may well be more women in the class than men, but the main thing that goes
through the competitive male mind will be, it must be easy, I might feel
silly and what will my mates think?
One
of my main reasons for becoming a teacher was to try and encourage more men
to take up Yoga and I am pleased to say that I have a higher proportion of
male students that any other teacher in the area. Being a male teacher
helps, but so does the focus of giving everything we do a logical
background.
So
the benefits of each posture or breath awareness exercise are given a real
life perspective, so its use in helping focus the mind for that important
presentation or meeting or improving your swing on the golf course is always
stated.
Yoga
complements many other exercise disciplines and sports and although yoga
itself can be seen by some as a form of exercise it is essentially the
science of positive mental health.
Yoga
can be used for all your health needs as it builds strength, stamina and
flexibility in a balanced way; it also reduces stress, increases energy,
improves sleep and brings about an increased sense of well being.
There
is a mistaken view that yoga is simply slow aerobics, doing 20 rounds of the
Sun Salutation can be as good a cardiovascular workout as anyone needs, but
it is the mental challenge of working with the breath that makes it so
special and unique.
Many
of us breathe incorrectly and men are habitually chest breathers, which can
result in increased stress, blood pressure and anxiety. The benefits of full
abdominal breathing can increase our energy levels and focus. Good health
can merely be just a few breaths away.
Yoga
is all about personal experience, so the spiritual component comes from
within. This may manifest in a practical way, in that you find you can
concentrate better, your intuition and problem solving skills become more
creative.
Yoga
makes you more aware of your body and in the present moment. You still plan
for the future, but by planning in the present your ability to cope with
change without losing your balance becomes easier.
I use
yoga everyday, the mental aspect makes me a better husband, father and
manager, the physical side ensures my body is working efficiently and at its
optimum level.
Women
have been very health conscious for years and this is why so many women go
to yoga. I firmly believe, however, that men have never needed the benefits
of yoga more than they do now. Many men are very stressed out and damaging
their health and their relationships. We know stress kills and
statistically men suffer from this more than women.
For more info visit Phil Aston's site at
www.yogaatwork.co.uk
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