Afrikan Yoga Our Brothers

from Bidii Health Supplement - Issue 05 2023

Our Sisters B-Uzuri

Pablo Menfesawe-Imani, yoga teacher and founder of the Afrikan Yoga Foundation speaks to Bidii about yogic practise, it’s importance and how men can benefit.

Afrikan Yoga

Q: Why is yoga/stretching important?

A: Yoga and stretching are actually natural components and tools used in order to awaken oneself and get the body prepared for the day. This is the importance of yoga.

When you stretch, it opens up your sinuses and improves your general mobility.

If you want to use your muscles throughout your entire life, then, you need to exercise them. If you don’t use your muscles, they go into atrophy. They actually start to wither. So, if you don’t use the muscles over and over again, they start to forget how to work. So, the muscles have memory, and you have to constantly remind your body about movement, and they will continue to operate in that mode.

Q: Why do you think men shy away from the art of yoga?

A: Men in the West generally think that yoga is for women and girls. They think it’s a little challenging and start with the idea that they are not flexible and won’t try to be flexible. Not wanting to work on themselves to get flexible. They think they already need to be bendy, or in a position to naturally stretch out. It’s like the dirty person saying they are not going to take a bath because they are too dirty. We all know how that turns out. They just get dirtier and dirtier. So just start with a few stretches.

Men communicate differently and tend not to be as open as the masses of women that attend yoga classes.

I know there are some out there that pump iron, do calisthenics or martial arts. So, I can understand they are going towards something more dynamic; however, there are various yoga practises that are dynamic and, for instance, Afrikan yoga is really dynamic and men can really develop themselves through that practise. Men do shy away, but I think they will come through. Slowly but surely, men are coming through because they recognise that they have to bring balance.

Q: Does stretching need to be practised daily to be effective?

A: Yes. Of course, stretching needs to be done daily. It depends on what you want out of a stretch. But yes, to increase one’s flexibility is to do it daily. You can develop your flexibility in a shorter space of time if you do it daily.

Q: Why did you start a mission to promote men practicing yoga?

A: I’m a man, I need yoga. I would say that point blank. I see how important yoga practise is. And I think men also need it. Men come to me all the time with issues, ailments, personal and physical stresses. Problems with the back, hips and whatever it might be.

I always recommend a stretch. In general, everybody needs to get into yoga practise. So why am I campaigning? Well, I think that men need to engage with themselves more. There’s a lot of issues that men are having. For instance, a lot of men over 40 are attempting suicide. A lot of men have domestic problems and go through domestic abuse. A lot of men particularly from the African Caribbean community are experiencing prostate cancer.

So there’s ways that they can combat all of these issues and problems by engaging healthy living and a healthy lifestyle. Yoga is a tool for that and is a key component. If I can get some men and engage with them to do a few movements and stretches in yoga, open that door or assist them, or show them the door to developing themselves, bettering themselves, healing themselves; then, that’s my job done and I’m happy to do that. So that’s why I want to get men involved in yogic practise.

Q: What are the health benefits of practicing Afrikan yoga?

A: Well first of all, beside you getting that euphoric feeling, which is really great to have because when you have a euphoric feeling, you feel young and energetic. You’re magnetised to begin to attract positivity to yourself, when you feel that. But that is like also one of the great things or by-product of practise.

Another by-product is how your internal organs begin to operate and get into balance.

So, practicing Afrikan yoga is fantastic. When dealing with yoga, we are not just talking about stretching. We’re talking about how to eat, your meditation, mindfulness, awareness of yourself. Getting into that awareness of yourself by taking time in the day just to focus on yourself. Sit, breathe, meditate, even if it’s 5, 10 minutes of time. Just to do that, just to be able to do one thing, centre yourself, balance yourself, so you can get up and go again. Being able to have those still moments is part of yogic practise.

Many people, especially men that workout, know you need adequate nutrition for the body to work. You know that you need the adequate amounts of protein and carbohydrates. The right fruits and the right vegetables.

The right amounts of food, in order to feed your body so your body can work at an ultimate level. So that you can do whatever it is that you need to do, the reps and movements. You’re feeding your body through good nutrition.

You’re also cleansing your body. You detox your body, and also you build your body through nutrition. That’s something that you know we can look at to better ourselves. And when you eat right, you feel better, the organs work better. So that’s another aspect of yogic practise.

Watch the full interview on YouTube: bit.ly/3YrwK7c

Follow Pablo on Instagram: @pabloimani

The Our Health supplement is published twice per year and was created to provide great information in the areas of nutrition, exercise and our holistic wellbeing.