Cape Men's Yoga

Cape Men's Yoga will take a break over the festive season. Our next class is Sunday 5 January 2014 @ the Hout Bay venue. For more info contact us on capemensyoga AT gmail.com Our lead teacher will however be giving a guest vinyasa nude yoga class at Mudraforce in Montreal, Sunday 22 December at 17h00. Last two places left at our Cape Men's Yoga summer retreat: 09 - 12 January 2014 near Gansbaai. Namaste

Reconciliation Day Yoga  Dear Yoga brothers, So much has happened in the last week. Many of you will have been feeling the national outpouring of grief for uTata Madiba, Nelson Mandela who was laid to rest on 15 December. We have been caught up in tears, in memories, in tributes, in debates and most of all re-inspired by his legacy to remember one of yoga's most profound lessons - our own happiness is born out of our relationship with others and our ability to use self-discipline and empathy to build a truly worthwhile life, one of compassion, one without harm, one that loves peace and reconciliation. Though he chose a path of armed insurrection against the minority government, and paid a heavy price for this, within his 27 years of incarceration, he was able to use this isolation to reflect on what really matters in life. Instead of sinking into madness or anger, he came to learn that anger is the killer, the deceiver, the toxin in the human heart. Instead he found forgiven

Join us for 2 hours of naked yoga for me. Vinyasa dynamic yoga practice, with yogic breathing exercises and meditation. Whatever you are looking for, it awaits you on your yoga mat - the "me" time which restores your faith in life, yourself and the world around you. You need a sweat towel, yoga mat (a few spare) and a water bottle. Beginners are welcome. Please notify the instructor if you are new or have any injuries or pre-existing conditions that may be relevant to yoga practice.  The practice is athle tic and challenging, and you are encouraged to work at your own level and capacity. The venue is in Hout Bay. Secure parking. Practice is free; donations welcome for the use of the venue. For further info contact us on capemensyoga AT gmail.com

Samyama is a concept that features prominently in the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali. Patanjali was either one very wise yogi or a series of authors who honed yoga teaching down to a tight and clear philosophical treatise. Samyama refers to the power of the yogi meditator to study something with great attention, to enter into its character, elements and meaning, and to deeply understand it, including being able to take on some of the characteristics. This could be understanding an element like the Earth, or watching the cycle of our emotions, to understanding how the body works, to being able to understand the flow of life energy through the body. So who cares? This morning I had a dream about teaching concentration and the power of the mind. I would not describe myself as ordinary. My life has been pretty eventful and interesting. My mind was I guess like most people - full of instability, moments of anxiety, looking for good sensations, running away from bad ones. In my thirtie

Power-up for summer Join us for an athletic and strength-based men's nude vinyasa ashtanga class, this Sunday 1 December 2013 at 10am. Two hours of nude yoga, pranayama breathing and guided meditation.  Take hold of your life and shape it in the direction of insight, happiness, health and well-being.  Beginners are welcome. You need a sweat towel, a water bottle and best to bring your own mat along. Though the class will focus on the classically powerful vinyasa ashtanga style - you are invited to work at your own  level and focus - finding strength, balance and inner calm as you work through the postures and into a place of stillness and peace. Classes are free - donations are welcome to cover the use of the Centre. For further information you can contact us on email at capemensyoga AT gmail.com

Get naked out in the country with the right group of men.... 09 - 12 JANUARY 2014 Dear Yogis, We are ready to take deposits and booking for the Summer 2014 Cape Men's Yoga Retreat. This year's retreat will be 24 hours longer than previous retreat - based on popular demand. This means you have the OPTION of 4 full days and 3 nights retreat OR 3 days and 2 nights. Coming a bit earlier allows you to settle in, start with your meditation and yoga and it means that the transformations you'll experience will likely run deeper than the shorter option. Nonetheless, if you can't get the Thursday off work, you can still come through on the Friday afternoon. The retreat involves a flexible programme of diverse yoga styles and guided meditation. We will be offering ashtanga, vinyasa, hatha, yin and kundalini classes. All of the yoga classes are given nude. We also offer guided meditations, both indoors and outdoors. There is usually also some teaching of y

Join us this Sunday for 2 hours of yoga and meditation.  We'll be following a vinyasa ashtanga style, with some extra emphasis on arm balancing. Vinyasa is a dynamic and flowing style of yoga, meant to heat the body and move through a series of postures - the sun salutation sequences, standing postures, balancing postures, seated postures, inversions and a meditation. This week there will be study attention given to a variety of arm balancing postures. We will  also return to our practice of guided meditation for the last part of the class. Meditation is one part of the 8 limbs of yoga practice and a valuable life skill. You need to bring a yoga mat, a sweat towel and you may want a water bottle. Class are voluntary - donations are welcome to cover the use of the centre.  We practice in the Hout Bay. The venue is private and convenient for our nude men's practice. Contact us for the specifics on the venue. Email us on capemensyoga AT gmail. com Class starts at 10h00. P

Sukha, sthira - Comfort and alertness “Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked.”  ―  Patanjali ,  The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Vinyasa is a form of yoga with movement; it is dynamic, starting with the setting of intentions, warming of the muscles, the sun salutation sequences to pump blood through the body, and then working through a series of standing poses, balance postures, seated postures, twists, inversions and winding down into a deep meditative state. Vinyasa is a recent evolution, built on the ashtanga vinyasa tradition of Mysore, with its roots disappearing back in time in the great body of yogic practice from South Asia. Join us this week for a some 'you' time - finding the investment in yourself and the trust in others to explore your body and mind. Yoga is not something that happens overnight. It may feel great to do a g

Our yoga instructor Duncan will be teaching a classic ashtanga vinyasa yoga class on Sunday 13 October 2013. Ashtanga was developed and shared with the west by the esteemed yogi Pattabhi Jois, the student of the father of modern yoga, T. Krishnamacharya. Ashtanga involves a sequence of yoga moves which flow together, emphasising strength, flexibility, balance and stretching. Cape Men's Yoga is a community of men in Cape Town, South Africa who practice nude yoga weekly. The goal of the nude practice is to remove the social covering and get to an honest understanding of our body, mind and spirit. The class is two hours long, from 10h00 on Sunday mornings. The practice is at a venue in Hout Bay. Email us for the venue details. The practice is voluntary. Donations are invited to cover the cost of the venue. You should bring a yoga mat, sweat towel and water bottle with you. If it is your first class or you are visiting we have a few extra mats. Contact us on: capemensyoga

Sunday 6 October 2013  Our own 'swami' Duncan will be teaching this week's nude Cape men's yoga class. Duncan is accomplished in a range of yoga styles. This week he is teaching 'kundalini'. Kundalini is a specific practice that involves less yoga postures, and rapid repetitions of movement. The practice aims to subdue the ego and release our super-human potential to unleash deep sources of power and vitality. As always, practitioners are asked to work within their physical capacity. Please advise the teacher in advance if you have any injuries or medical conditions. Practice is always at your own risk but we wish you to have a smooth and good practice without injuries of any type. Class starts at 10h00. Please be in the gates by 9h55. 2 hour practice with yogic breathing, kundalini asana, kriya and meditation. The venue is in Hout Bay. Contact us for the details. You will need a mat, sweat towel and water bottle. Practice is free but we ask you to make a

This is our first notification of CMY's summer retreat. Entitled the Summer of Love  on 9 to 12 January 2014.  We will be about 20 guys spending four days out at the beautiful Bodhi Khaya retreat centre near Gansbaai in the Cape Overberg.  Bodhi Khaya  is our regular retreat destination. It is well set up with a large yoga shala, indoor and outdoor meditation spaces, a walking maze, two dams for hiking, comfortable accommodation and a rolling landscape of Cape fynbos for hiking. The venue is rented for our exclusive use and fully catered with excellent vegetarian cuisine. The price is affordable with the option of sharing accommodation or even staying in a dorm. Single accommodation has to be booked early and involves a surcharge. Prices will be available on request. This is our first four day retreat. The other summer and winter retreats have been so successful and popular we decided to give it an extra day to support your meditation practice. We have a range of teac

Hatha yoga class this week Brad will take this week's class. It will be a classic hatha yoga practice followed by guided meditation.  2 hours of nude yoga as a journey into the mind / body / spirit relationship in a supportive all male environment. We have built a community of practice and you are welcome to join, whether a complete beginner or an advanced yogic practitioner.  Class runs from 10am until noon in Hout Bay. Classes  are free; we ask for donations to cover the cost of the venue. Please be in the gate by 9h55 latest. Best to bring your own mat but there are a few extra. You will need a sweat towel and you may want a water bottle. Please advise the teacher if you have any injuries. For more information contact us on capemensyoga AT gmail.com

Join us for 2 hours of naked men's yoga this Sunday, 22 September 2013. After several strong vinyasa classes we are going to switch to a very different form of yoga for this class.  Yin works with little to know muscular effort. It is all about letting go. It is the most introspective of the yoga styles. Technically it relies on gravity and putting slow tension onto ligaments, connective tissue and fascia. This is believed to be an important trigger for relieving stress and stimulating natural immunity.   It is also a time to explore your lesser known spaces, the darkness within, still places between jo ints, memories and galaxies within you. If you are new to yoga or want to explore your practice and understanding from another angle, join us for this two hour class. It can be challenging but it is always extraordinary and transformative. All you need is a mat. No sweating or great exertions.  If you are new to yoga or want to explore your practice and understanding fr

But my mind is too busy to learn to meditate and do yoga... Many people come to yoga and meditation because they find their minds are too scattered, they have high stress loads, they are looking for a practice to calm them. Contrary to what we may think, our minds can only have one primary focus at any given moment. They also have habitual patterns and cycles which are shaped by experience, practice and intentions. Because of the lightening speed of the mind, we can get frustrated by trying to get our own mind to concentrate while it is used to skipping through scores of topics. If you just sit still and watch, you'll be amazed at how the untrained mind can keep itself occupied without any value or repose.  Like an athlete or a hunter - a trained mind is held in a state of quiet and alertness, steady but ready to spring into action. We refer to the  mind as being 'empty', but this means not a sleepy or dull mind, but a very sensitive and focussed mind. In this state we

We have another vinyasa yoga class this Sunday at 10h00 until noon. It is at our regular venue in Hout Bay. Yoga is a great opportunity to grow your relationship with your own life and to meet new and interesting people. So much in life involves being in a rush, trying to work things out with other people, deadlines and pressure. Yoga is some ME time to be with your body and breath, and if it is right for you, to also have some meditative and spiritual time to reconnect to the world. Class involves instruction in yogic breathing, yoga postures and meditation techniques. It is athletic and physically challenging. You work at your own physical and comfort level - ok - maybe a bit past your comfort level. Why get naked? Stripping down is fun and it is also a chance to be real about our bodies, our foibles, the things that make us feel vulnerable. It is a non-judgemental space - guys are all shapes, colours, sizes and degrees of fitness. What we have in common is a willingness to

Meditation Meditation and yoga are closely connected practices. In classic yoga, meditation is one of the eight limbs of the yogic practice. My own experience progressed from formal meditation into yoga asana, only to discover that yoga asana actually helps still the mind and facilitates effective meditation. It would be great to say that meditation is one thing and this is how you do it. The truth is that meditation is many different things, has different options, and we approach it through unique pathways that are relevant to who we are and our earlier life experience. Still, meditation is a practice with many thousands of years of human experience. There is not much which has not been studied, experienced, practised and taught. What is really difficult about meditation? Getting started and trusting ourselves enough to sustain the practice. Any meditation is likely to be useful, but it is through sustained practice on a regular basis and over years, which allows the deep

Spring is in the air. Rediscover your body, breath and mind in time for the warm months ahead.  We invite you to dive into your life - rediscover, re-invent, re-inspire and find quietude in action.  2 hours of nude men's yoga and meditation. Vinyasa style dynamic yoga, pranayama breathing and guided meditation in an all male and supportive environment. The nude men's yoga is designed to help build a community of practice. If you have been thinking about reducing stress, devoting more time to your well-being, body and mind - this is a great opportunity and a chance to work with professional instructors and a supportive team of men.  Along with the weekly classes, we also organise weekend retreats. You need a yoga mat (we have a few extra), a sweat towel and an open mind. All levels welcome. Be part of the naked brotherhood. Classes are in Hout Bay. Please contact us for details of the venue. Class starts at 10h00. Be in the gates by 9h55 latest.  There will be classes e

After exploring Kundalini with Duncan last week, we are back to vinyasa yoga this week. Vinyasa is a dynamic style which has emerged from the Pattabhi Jhois tradition of ashtanga yoga - an organised sequence of postures designed to develop flexibility and awareness. Vinyasa is typically sequenced to lead to the full use of the body, usually linked some some accompanying music. Yoga can be fun, it can also be challenging. If you've been looking to get more out of your life, come join us on this journey of sharing and self discovery. For class, you need your own yoga mat, a sweat towel, a water bottle and an open mind. Classes are free, donations are welcome for the cost of the venue. For more information email us on capemensyoga AT gmail.com Beginners are welcome. Classes also involve guided meditation and pranayama yogic breathing. All ages, all body types welcome. 

On Sunday 18 August we had a great session of yin yoga. Yin is a very slow yoga that uses gravity rather than muscular power to take you into the posture. In our reflections, guys noted that yin is about letting go; it is also about accepting yourself. More than other forms of yoga yin is deeply introspective and quiet. Your body does things and does not do other things. You are not trying to take it anywhere, you are journeying with the body and allowing the mind and body to find peace with each other. Next week Sunday 25 August 2013, we have a guest teacher who will be running a Kundalini class. Kundalini is the most esoteric of the yoga traditions - in the sense that the body is only used to get the mind to let go, to move into a different plane of consciousness. Kundalini relies on a series of 'kriya' efforts, a repetitive exercise which challenges the body and the mind. Pushing yourself out of your comfort level until you mind lets go and your intuitive and 'true

Join us for a special class this week, Sunday 18 August 2013 . We will be having a 2 hour nude men's yin yoga class. Yin is a slow yoga practice that relies on gravity rather muscular strength to reach the expressions of the poses. Yin works with dark energy, with a strong internal focus. Practically, the purpose of yin is to apply consistent and steady pressure on fascia and connective tissue. This stimulates blood entering the connective tissue and is purported to have rejuvenating and immunity boosting benefits. From a more conceptual level, yin is about working in parts of the body and mind we are not used to exploring, the spaces between bones, between joints in the darker less accessible parts of our body memory. Join us for this inspiring and challenging practice. 10 am until noon, this coming Sunday. For more information, send an email to capemensyoga AT gmail.com Namaste

Image of Hanuman, the Monkey God, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India My life or yours? In our Western society, and increasingly in Eastern and traditional societies, we are encouraged to think of our own needs and interests. Sometimes we are even encouraged or tempted to step on other people's opportunities, dignity or identities as a way to 'get ahead'. Selfishness is sometimes held up as a value, as something legitimate that gets results. The yogic way teaches us that such an approach is filled with illusion and eventually leads to great suffering and a sense of anxiety, disconnection and stress. The yogic way is to move to silence, to study the breath, the body, the mind, one's intuition, the flow of time and to recognise that liberation comes not from isolating ourselves but by finding ourselves in the inter-connectedness of the world. It is by opening our heart, feeling our own painful experiences, having compassion for the pain of others, that we discover fund

Dear yogis, Our next Cape Men's Yoga class is on Sunday 11 August 2013 . For venue details, please contact us on capemensyoga AT gmail DoT com This week's class will work with the water element. Water makes up the bulk of the Earth's surface, and almost 70% of our human composition. Exploring water allows us to understand flow, moving around blockages and hindrances, connecting the droplets of possibility with the Great Ocean, finding cycles of renewal and journeys of the mind and body. Classes involve dynamic vinyasa yoga (most of the time). Beginners are welcome. If you are new, let the instructor know if there are any physical issues you are dealing with - injuries or weaknesses. Classes start at 10h00, 2 hours in duration. They involve guided yogic breathing ( pranayama ), yoga asana and meditation. The classes are for men only, done in the nude, in keeping with the Naga Sadhu tradition of abandoning social customs to return to the naked self, exposed, honest a

In class today we explored the air meditation. Life on Earth is possible due to our atmosphere. Though we may think we are quite autonomous, the truth is that we are completely dependent on what the Earth and other life forms provide for us. Air comes from plant processes and is managed by the oceans, moved around by the air currents. It is what feeds and nourishes our cells, fills our lungs and makes life possible. At a metaphoric level, air is also about letting go, finding expansiveness, opening the heart, letting go of pain and fears, and opening to a new breath, new possibilities, freshness and serenity. Meditation on air connects us with the heart and our inter-being with the rest of the planet. Yoga with an air focus is light, heart opening, expansive and generous. The class included sun salutations, and the peak postures was Ustrasana, the camel, which is a back bend that allows the heart to open and the chest to fill with air. Godrey provided us with this poem after the

After a great retreat weekend, we are back at our regular practice. Today, 28 July 2013, we had some new guys on board, regulars and returnees. We practised the fire meditation, examining the fire element and how it links up with our ability to generate heat, effort, power, creativity and change. Why get stuck in a bad place when through skilful effort we can bring about valuable changes? Life does not always deal easy cards and it certainly brings challenges and disappointments. That is part of what it is to be human. The key to a yogic life is to allow life to unfold and to find inspiration and quiet within the changes and flow, to turn the shocks into opportunities, and to avoid doing harm to yourself or others - ahimsa . What we focus on, how we interpret certain events can pull us down, lift us up, make us feel stuck, or open up new ways of seeing a situation. This is also true in our yoga asana practice. If you are looking to touch your toes, get stronger, become calmer or

It is a humbling experience. Imagine having a dream about connecting people and sharing life-skills to bring men into a supportive network of yoga practitioners in the full sense of the word. And then it happens! Twenty-one men gathered at the beautiful Bodhi Khaya retreat centre between Gansbaai and Stanford in Western Cape Province for a weekend of yoga and meditation. The theme of the weekend was exploring four basic elements: air, fire, water and earth and how these link to our understanding of ourselves and the India yogic system of chakras. The focus was on the lower chakras which are associated with the main elements and which are governed by the heart. One can take this literally or figuratively. In either form it creates a framework for considering how our body is truly made up of other elements which have come together in such a configuration that it permits us to be alive. And on another level it is a metaphor for how we live, how we balance our habits and attitudes to