Summary:
As a part of Movember and in collaboration with holistic cancer support company Natia, we sat down with yoga instructor Mario Austin to ask a few questions about yoga, men’s health and how cancer patients, survivors, and just about everyone can benefit from incorporating yoga into their routines. This blog post is one half of a joint effort between Natia and Ancora.ai to raise awareness about the causes of racial inequalities in prostate cancer and the ways that the condition can be managed. You can read more about prostate cancer on Natia’s blog here.
Men’s Health Month: The Benefits of Yoga
Q: How can yoga and meditation help cancer patients or those with other illnesses?
A: Yoga and meditation can help cancer patients and those with other illnesses in many ways. For instance, yoga might help practitioners through transformative experiences such as chemotherapy or chronic pain. While yoga does not cure cancer, it has been known to help enhance physical and emotional wellness. Whether you need to strengthen certain areas of your body or gain a sense of calm and happiness, yoga is a great tool to help everyone through some of life’s many challenges. In addition, yoga can also bring practitioners peace through life’s various trials and stressors. The practice of yoga has been a helpful resource for eliminating stress, whether through physical practice, breathing, or meditation. Practitioners do not necessarily need to be on a yoga mat to reap the many benefits of yoga.
Q: Why do you think men are more hesitant to participate in yoga and meditation?
A: In some cases, men are more hesitant to participate in yoga based on lack of actual experience or perpetual stereotypes.
Too often I hear:
“Yoga is for women.”
“I’m not flexible!”
“I don’t know what to wear.”
“Everyone is going to look at me.”
Over nearly ten years of practicing and teaching, I have heard these comments far too often. In other cases, perceptions of “masculinity” and “femininity” become factors in getting more men into the classroom. Before trying an actual class, some men feel yoga won’t have the full effects of bench pressing or back squatting over 300 lbs. of steel plates. However, yoga definitely has many of the same challenges as and is, in fact,similar to weightlifting, CrossFit, and High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT). More men should invest in yoga and discover many forms of class offerings such as Yoga for Athletes, Yin Yoga, and Restorative Yoga. The physical component of classes helps men with managing day-to-day life, and the mental component of practicing complements men’s overall mental and physical health.
Q: Why does this seem to be even more pronounced in minority men, from what you hear from your students?
A: I feel this resulted from a lack of representation of men of color in yoga. Based upon my experience, there was a period where there were little to no diverse groups of men attending yoga classes. It’s challenging to feel welcomed and comfortable in settings where there are people that don’t look like you. Years ago, I found myself as the only person of color in classes, and my Black male counterparts have shared similar experiences. Fortunately, the community of Black male yoga teachers has grown significantly, but there’s still more work to do. Notable organizations such as Black Boys OM have helped cultivate a massive community of male yoga teachers and practitioners of color. We as a collective community have to continue to be a guiding light to encourage more men of color to enter classrooms and take charge of their health and wellness.
Q: What can we do so that more people benefit from yoga and meditation?
A: We as a collective should provide more resources for people to benefit from yoga and meditation. In this case, beginning a local yoga or meditation group with a certified professional is a helpful start. You can really maximize impact with smaller groups of people. In another case, local health organizations and centers should provide more readings and publications on yoga and meditation. Visual learning is one of the best ways for people to educate themselves, and providing these helpful materials can go a long way. Additionally, yoga and meditation should also be offered in neighboring schools and recreational centers. While yoga doesn’t always start with childhood, it’s never too early to get the youth community started with yoga and meditation. These days, children are under an abundance of stress and trauma, and yoga is one way to provide some support.
Q: Can you give some tips and tricks on how to get started if you’re a beginner?
A: Every yoga practitioner has had to start somewhere, and these days there are so many resources to get your initial start. I highly recommend two starting points for those interested in starting a yoga and meditative practice. First, research opportunities in your community that offer Foundations for Yoga and/or Yoga Basics courses. These introductory classes are essential when learning about beginner asanas (postures) and pranayama (breath work). In some instances, these classes gradually build postures and movements over a span of a few days towards weeks of building a foundational yoga practice. Gyms generally offer open level yoga classes, but yoga studios and health centers will likely offer introductory sessions. Next, research meditation groups or sessions in your area. There’s a large community of meditation throughout the world and sometimes these circles might be within your community. In addition, the digital space has many offerings of guided meditation apps. For instance, apps such as Calm and NatiaCares offer various levels of meditative practice for beginners to experienced practitioners.
About the author:
Mario’s yoga company, MARIOM Yoga, ‘seeks to help individuals unleash their inner-yogic spirit through all things universal’. A registered member of the Yoga Alliance, Mario believes in increasing the participation of underrepresented groups in yoga. He works with Black Boys Om, an organisation dedicated to getting more young black men involved in the practice. Make sure to follow him on instagram.