Cape Men's Yoga

We are back on the mat this week. We have been working with themes of inversions, strength, flow and opening up the body and mind. Winter is a great time to work with the body and have time for regular meditations - it is an introspective time with less of the issues of holidays and visitors. Come and get your naked on, step up to your mat and lets make this happen - flexiblity and happiness are something available to all of us. 10.30 to 12.15 at our Cape Town southern suburbs venue. All male, all nude yoga. Taught in classic style with meditation and yogic breathing. Bringing truth and wholeness to your practice. capemensyoga AT gmail.com whatsapp 082 579 6868 Namaste

Much of my yoga experience has been at gyms in Cape Town. I go to three or four classes a week, for 13 years now. We are lucky that Cape Town is pretty much the yoga capital of Africa - with a wide range of styles and some very good teachers - even at the gym. What is conspicuously absent though at gym is attention to how yoga is a mental practice as much or even more so than a physical one. Tonight, we were doing a strong but nicely measured vinyasa class in Claremont. I know the teacher well - she is creative, sincere, knows her asana, and is aware of the mental journey of yoga. At the same time, she rarely if ever gives guidance to the students about the mental states - so key to understanding why we do yoga, what it offers us, and how the eight limbs of yoga are part of an integrated system of practice and living. Nonetheless, tonight, about halfway through the practice, focussing my mind on the asana - a key meditative mental state is to know what am I doing, where am I,...

Dear yogis, We are on retreat in the Overberg this weekend. We have NO class on Sunday 14 August 2016 in Cape Town. Come join us completely and wonderfully naked back on the mat on Sunday 21 August 2016 at our southern suburbs venue. For more info: whatsapp 082 579 6868 email capemensyoga AT gmail.com Namaste

It is the Holy Month of Ramadan. All over the world Muslims - straight, gay, bi, lesbian, transgendered, young and old, of all skin colours and tongues are fasting and spending time in their communities to celebrate their faith, the wisdom of their scriptures, the abundance of nature and another year of life with family, loved ones and friends. Cape Town is a major Islamic centre - Ramadan is an annual event that brings much peace and celebration to our city. Within this world there is also suffering - wars, poverty, climate instability, diseases and death - and in Orlando, Florida a very sick man with dangerous weapons went to The Pulse and killed innocent people- young people, having fun on a Sunday evening, dancing, laughing, falling in love, wondering about what life would bring for them. Many were Hispanic Americans - many had stories of survival, of self-acceptance, of challenges in dealing with family, school and work. And on a Sunday evening - perhaps as is habit, perhaps fo...

Dear yoga brothers, Duncan is freshly returned from India.  He spent a month in an ashram training centre in the holy city of Rishikesh on the Ganga (Ganges). He will teach this week's men's hatha yoga class with a special session of pranayama (yogic breathing). This is one of the major practices in yoga along with meditation and asana (yoga movement and postures). Join us for this very special class. Please note that we are in the SMALL yoga hall this week and next so we can only accommodate 16 people max. We advise you to let us know if you wish to attend. We have also discovered that the new venue has showers for those who wish to freshen up after sweaty classes. Please contact us about venue details. Classes are in the southern suburbs, Sundays 10.30 to 12.30. This a community yoga practice. It is for men only, a naked yoga practice in a traditional style. Class range between hatha, hatha flow, vinyasa, ashtanga, yin and kundalini. We aim to build a caring and ...

We have moved to our amazing new venue in Constantia in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. This beautiful space is well equipped for our men's naked yoga on Sundays. We've moved the time to 10.30 to 12.30 to fit in with the venue scheduling. We will have a naked yoga class this Sunday, 27 March 2016. We'll be explore the use of bandhas - the body locks which influence energy flow and protect the body from injuries. As we finally have good wall space we are also going to be doing an introduction to handstands. Handstands for some reason have become a craze on social media. That is not a good reason to learn them - but they are also interesting in teaching us about balance, about seeing the world from a different angle and in building up shoulder strength. If you are terrified of handstands, don't worry, there will be other options for you. You are never obliged to do a posture that could cause you problems or anxiety. Yoga is always about your specific jou...

Naked Men's Yoga in Cape Town Join us for this week's class. We invite you to get naked, get on your mat and find your inner stillness with body exploring its edges and abilities. 2 hours of men's fully naked, fully inspiring yoga. Don't think about it, get out there and do it. Each effort we make in the present transforms the foundation for what happens next. Live the change you want to see in your life. Bring your own mat, sweat towel and water bottle - extra straps and blocks available. A reminder that you must be inside before 10h00 when the doors are locked. We are at our great venue in the Cape Town CBD. Payment is by voluntary donation. Please also note this is your last opportunity to book for the 28 - 31 January 2016 Cape Men's Yoga retreat weekend in the Overberg... just a few places are left. Email regarding deposits. Sms / whatsapp zero eight two 579 6868 or capemensyoga AT gmail.com Namaste

This morning I woke up feeling anxious. It was a combination of too much work, relationship problems, deadlines, elderly parents and just being in the middle of winter. On a winter's morning in the Cape, I am meant to jump out of bed and go meditate before the day begins. It is dark, more interesting to play with my smart phone and generally delay getting out from under the duvet. But I did get out of bed. I know from experience that doing yoga or meditating actually helps me understand mental states I am experiencing and gives me some angle on what to do with them. The reality is that life can weigh on us at any time, in a number of ways. A monk once told me a tale about cleaning the toilet at the monastery. He went away on a monastic pilgrimage and could not wash the toilet that he usually cleaned as a daily practice. When he got back, other people had not really kept it clean and it was a nasty mission to start cleaning it all over again. His moral was that meditation w...

Dear reader, This is to let you know that the Summer Encounters Retreat is FULLY BOOKED ! NOTE : THERE IS NO CAPE MEN'S YOGA CLASS IN CAPE TOWN ON 1 FEBRUARY 2015 Cape Men's Yoga goes on retreat in the Overberg every six months. These are popular events and include a diverse offering of yoga, meditation, self-knowledge work, nature walks, ayurvedic activities, great vegetarian food and the fellowship of our team. A retreat is a time to deepen our practice. Though it is also a time to enjoy the countryside and good company, it is part of a spiritual and mental regime that is meant to help us understand ourselves better, sharpen some of our skills of working with mind and body. It is a learning opportunity. It can be a lot of fun. It can also be a time where hidden pain comes to the surface, unresolved grief, and other emotions that we try to avoid the rest of the time. A retreat creates a safe space for this exploration and awareness. The methodologies help ensure ...

We have made the big move. We are now practicing at a venue right in the heart of Cape Town. If you have been thinking of stripping down and getting into men's nude yoga - this is a great opportunity to get started. Cape Men's Yoga has been practicing for almost three years now. Men of all ages, backgrounds and degrees of athletic capacity have found our group to be supportive, friendly and a positive learning environment. We practice variations of vinyasa, ashtanga and hatha classes, with occasional forays into kundalini and yin yoga. All of our classes combine yoga movement with attention to life lessons, yoga philosophy, meditation and yogic breathing (pranayama). If you catch us on a good day, you may also get instruction in Thai reflexology. We invite you to discover your inner self and your physical expression through a sustained yoga practice. Whether you are young or old, super fit or looking to do some body work, there is a place for you in the practice. What ...

Welcome back, welcome forward Due to a schedule conflict at the Hout Bay Centre we have had to cancel this Sunday's class, Sunday 30 March 2014. The next class will be on Sunday 6 April 2014 at the regular time of 10h00. It will include a special session on pranayama instruction. It has been three years that we've been running Cape Men's Yoga. It is a group for men interested in a shared practice of yoga asana, meditation and the combination of mind / body / spiritual work in a group environment. We have a two hour weekly practice on Sunday mornings in Hout Bay. It is nude male yoga with guided meditations and pranayama breathing instruction. The practice helps build strength, flexibility, reduces stress and brings us to a new level of consciousness through a sustained practice. Whether it is getting to appreciate your body, meeting like-minded men, or deepening your yoga / meditation / spiritual practice, you are welcome to join us. All ages, all body types. Beg...

Yes! After a week off and a superb weekend at the SpiritFest yoga festival in Paarl, Cape Men's Yoga is back on the mat again. Join us on Sunday 23 March 2014 for two hours of men's nude yoga and meditation. It is a vinyasa style class with some extra tips we picked up from the Iyenga teachers over the weekend. Stretch your imagination and return to your core with a group of link minded men. Classes are in Hout Bay at 10h00 until noon at our regular venue. They are free with donations welcome to help cover the use of the venue. Beginners are welcome. Please advise the instructor if you are new to yoga or have any injuries or body issues to consider. You need a yoga mat (a few spares for the drop in guys), a sweat towel, water bottle and open mind. For more information contact us on: email: Capemensyoga AT gmail.com Blackberry: 2a2183bd

Join us for 2 hours of mindful meditation and yoga. Vinyasa style yoga done as ' Zen flow ' with guided meditation work. Naked with your own truth, working with body and mind for a greater sense of well-being and self-insight. The zen mind is clear, fresh and awake. Flow yoga glides from one series of asana to another with grace and precision. Zen flow - with strength, focus, sequencing and serene effort.... You need a sweat towel and a water bottle, it helps to have your own yoga mat, and best to bring an open mind. Classes are at a venue in Hout Bay. Secure parking. Get there before 9h55. Classes are free, donations are welcome for the venue. Beginners are welcome. Please speak to the teacher before class if you are knew and / or if you have any injuries or physical difficulties. Be you, be welcome Email: capemensyoga AT gmail.com Or bbm: 2a2183bd

After our deeply rewarding retreat this month, the energy is still flowing freely. Join us for another 2 hour session of men's nude yoga and meditation. Our group is unique in that it is focused on building a community of practice amongst men interested in the mind - body -spirit connection. Stripped of clothing and those coverings, we open ourselves up to our own bodies, journeys, hearts and minds. If you have been thinking about changes in your life, deepening your spiritual and physical efforts, working with a group of like minded men - this is a great opportunity for you. The yoga is usually a vinyasa dynamic yoga, accompanied by meditations and yogic breathing. Beginners are welcome. Please advise the instructor if you have any injuries. You need a yoga mat (a few extras available), a block and strap are useful, a sweat towel and a water bottle. For more information contact us on capemensyoga AT gmail.com or bbm on 2a2183bd Classes at 10h00 until noon in Hout ...

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...

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 10...

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 ...

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 ...