Yoga for Men by Heather Stephens
When gathering information on the subject yoga for men, I came across many articles depicting a struggle for men to connect with yoga due to the emotional disconnection that they have with life. At first I tried to follow this perspective but things simply were not coming together. I finally had to sit down and ask myself “is this right?” “Are the men who I have experienced in my life both as a teacher and individually led me to the conclusion that men are emotionally wired differently and have a harder time tapping into the spiritual aspects of life?” My answer to this was no. Quite often, I would say just the opposite.
When exploring the physical/emotional link of diseases and illnesses that plague women and men, there is a connection: second chakra (tight hips, tight low back, reproductive issues), fourth chakra (heart attack being one of the leading causes of death among men and women), and finally the sixth chakra (depression, and an inability to trust and hone in on intuition). All three of these chakras are of the yin or feminine water qualities. Generally speaking, both men and women feed their masculine sides and suppress the feminine. We push ourselves to do more through families, careers, sports, and hectic lifestyles, while suppressing our emotions and ignoring the little voices and signals that speak to us from a place of quiet, relaxation and softness. This finding reiterated one basic lesson that I think we all need to remind ourselves of: We are not separate…we are vastly connected… be it man or woman. When we identify with this aspect, we begin to live authentically through empathy and unity.
So if we are physically and emotionally similar, is the spiritual aspect between the two that much different? My opinion is no; we simply do not give men enough credit. Take for example a “Guys Only” yoga class. Take away the women, and guys are there for one simple purpose: to feel better. They are open to whatever is offered to make that possible. When I walk into the studio to teach a men’s class, I am humbled. Beginning with forward folds, most guys listen to their bodies and stop at the very first level of discomfort. Take this same pose in a beginner’s class, and I always see people desiring further achievement, rather than leaving their egos aside and staying where their body needs them to for the present. A second example is the end of class. Guys really enjoy a guided relaxation of the body before finishing in quiet and often have a hard time coming out at the end… although sometimes they simply fall asleep!
So if men and women are connected and not separate, why then are the ratios of men versus women so dramatically different in our culture? The answer I believe lies outside of the studio rather than inside.
Men thinking of being a part of this amazing movement battle the stereotypes that go along with yoga: “only gay men do yoga”, “yoga is a chick thing”. Men are strong and proud “why would I place myself in a room full of women when I can’t do the poses they do?” It takes a man with a tremendous amount of confidence to enter into a yoga class filled with women. Same as it takes a strong woman to enter into the bench press and free weight sections of a health gym (hence the women’s only fitness centers). This is not to say that he does not crave the benefits. It simply means it’s intimidating... often being the only male with ten plus females.
To those men who break the barriers and walk into a studio where they are the lone males, inflexible and grunting their way along, I commend you! We women need you in the room. The Yin and Yang energies bring about a balance and equilibrium that carries into the outside world. Further more a yoga studio is about community and as a community we need places where we can coexist together without politics, alcohol, or sexual conduct.
