In our fast-paced environment many people, particularly men, are under tremendous stress. Stress triggers the fight or flight response, in which toxic chemicals are released. Over time this constant stress reaction can compromise the immune system. Practicing Yoga not only can help improve daily performance of activities and enhance creative problem solving but also has the potential to control escalating health care costs.
Yoga is a form of exercise for the body, mind, and spirit. The ancients produced a perfectly bundled, multitasked, and time-efficient practice that can address all our needs, and modern science is beginning to confirm the validity of their philosophical design. Yoga strengthens the joints without stress, increases lean muscle mass, and enhances flexibility. Yoga can also provide an effective cardiovascular workout as well as improve breathing and metabolization of food and oxygen. Yoga can enhance sexual performance and strengthen orgasm. Yoga has been shown to benefit overall health and functioning of internal organs and tissues.
Yoga also develops discipline and self-confidence. Yoga can help you become more intuitive, creative, and synchronistic. Finally, for students seeking to find meaning in their life, Yoga can transport you to a state of Dharma, where you understand the purpose of your soul’s journey and the true nature of the universe.
Most men take better care of their cars than they do themselves. Because they are usually devoted to caring for their families and others, they often fail to address their own health issues and in doing so put their families and themselves at risk.
The majority of men I meet are not using all their personal assets in the pursuit of their careers. Often they are using primarily one hemisphere of their brains, relying on only one of their senses, failing to provide the proper resources for their bodies, and rarely if ever engaging in quiet contemplation to find answers from their higher power. If a business were run this way the management would be quickly replaced. As individuals we don’t have to fear such a takeover, unless of course we believe in alien abductions. Most of us do, however, want to realize our full potential, as cocreators of the Universe. The technological world we are building will allow us to increase our creative potential.
Leonardo da Vinci is the perfect example of an individual who realized his full potential. In his pursuit of understanding the mysteries of divine creation, he applied Yogic principles hundreds of years ago. When asked about his success he responded this way:
I understand the Art of Science [right-brain thinking].
I understand the Science of Art [left-brain thinking].
I use all my senses when I create.
I understand my purpose in life.
As a CPA and an MBA I have always lectured my clients on how they must maximize the use of their assets to be competitive. In most companies, especially those in the technology sector, the greatest asset is human capital. However, our current financial accounting models ignore this most important element of a business. The result is that we have not devoted adequate resources to our employees, and the valuation of our companies has been distorted. Many large corporations are now beginning to devote resources to preventive health programs, such as in-house Yoga classes. Yoga for Men can serve as a catalyst to accelerate and unify this trend.
By combining what I have learned about Yoga and business, I have developed a program for men that integrates the two and demystifies this ancient Eastern philosophy. As a successful entrepreneur I have found that the concepts of Yoga and business are congruent. Both are based on an organic interpretation of the organization and the human being as changing and not static. The only certainty is change, and business organizations that understand these principles have the greatest longevity. In my volunteer work as a Yoga instructor working with cancer survivors I have noticed that there is a parallel with individuals: Longevity in humans is linked to adaptability to change.
The fear of change is our greatest obstacle because it keeps us locked into rigid patterns of behavior and prevents us from reaching our potential. We fear change because at a very subtle level all our fears are related to our mortality. But we can learn to welcome uncertainty and the unknown as opportunities to pursue our creativity. Yoga is the ideal exercise to reprogram your body and mind toward flexibility and adaptability. Many of the Yogic exercises in this book have been renamed using terms from business, such as Deflating a Bloated Bureaucracy, Bending Over Backward to Serve Your Customers, Firm Footing in a Changing Marketplace, and my favorite, the headstand, which is Change from the Top Down. In addition, some positions have modifications for those with physical limitations.
In Yoga the focus of your mind is as important as the physical position. Yoga is a moving meditation, and each position reflects a state of awareness, a relationship or attitude toward the Universe. Your body is the antenna or receiving channel, and these exercises will open you to creative ideas and solutions to problems.
In order to change and have the freedom to create, businesses typically allocate a percentage of their revenue to research and development. These companies understand that to stay on the cutting edge they have to upgrade their technology. Often individuals don’t afford themselves the same opportunity. We get locked into a material lifestyle where we feel a need to compete with our neighbors. This causes us to run faster and faster on the treadmill just to keep up. We do not allocate either the time or the resources for personal growth because we are spending to feed a lifestyle. Many people trade themselves for their self-image, thereby depleting their personal assets.
Our personal assets are body, mind, and spirit. The ultimate goal of Yoga is a union of the three. The meditative state of heightened awareness is the ultimate goal of these exercises. Enlightenment confers many benefits, including finding your purpose (Dharma), understanding your latent talents, experiencing synchronicity, discovering your Karma and how it can be transmuted, and understanding your place as a cocreator of the Universe.
All this talk about spirit might make you a bit uneasy. But please try to suspend your criticism and keep an open mind. Doing so is like hedging a position in the market. You are covering your downside risk. The spiritual exercises and development will at a minimum make you feel more effective in the world, and perhaps they will give you a glimpse of something far grander.
Yoga is not a religion; it is a philosophy and a science. Developed thousands of years ago, it is a systematic approach to wellness and communion with the divine. It seeks to unify and treat all paths and journeys toward enlightenment with respect and admiration. Yoga is cosmic awareness, pure consciousness, which is beyond body, mind, time, and space. It will make your life better.
Currently humankind is looking for clues to our origins in the deep regions of outer space. Science tells us that we are stardust, made of recycled elements that existed as one point of energy at the beginning of the Universe. The intelligence of the Universe flows through every cell of your body, and the answers to the mysteries can be found within.
Through the Yoga for Men program you can more easily achieve your potential, create unlimited wealth, and obtain self-actualization. Come join me for an inner journey to rediscover the self. I am confident that you will enjoy the trip.