Cape Men's Yoga

Yoga is about a lot of things. Sometimes it is about the body, sometimes it is more about the mind, sometimes it is about the spirit, and sometimes it is about the community we create. Yoga is based on yamas and niyamas, a code of conduct for how we treat ourselves and how we treat others. It is a personal and a social practice. This year's Cape Men's Yoga Winter Retreat was entitled Reunion . This was partly because Nigel came home to South Africa to help with the retreat, partly because many of the traditional teachers of CMY came back from their various journeys of body and mind, and partly it was a statement about reuniting with our personal path, with our beliefs and with ourselves. The word yoga , which comes from the Sanskrit yug , means to unite or harness. Every retreat is so different. The dynamics change, some of the men change, the weather changes, the times of the year and of our lives change. What remains constant is the shared practice, the bonding, the l...

Here are some images from the Heaven & Earth summer retreat. The retreat worked with the theme of the five koshas - the five sheaths of our being - physical, energetic, mind, wisdom and bliss. We had yoga, meditation, nature walks, nature talks, labyrinth walking, a creative project where we printed paint from our bodies onto canvas, a pilates lesson, a forest ritual dance and a massage class. The overwhelming experience was one of kindness, brotherhood, freedom and authenticity. Sometimes just being naked with other men allows you to be exactly who you were born to be, without fear, without hesitation, trusting and at peace. It was beautiful. Our next retreat is in mid-August again in the Overberg, Western Cape, South Africa. Namaste The End