Sit Down, Be Quiet: A modern guide to yoga and mindful living. Michael Wong James

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       ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

Foreword

      To my son, and all the boys out there.

      When you were younger you were a joy to be around. As you got older there were times your mother and I thought otherwise. But it didn’t mean we ever stopped loving you. You were just growing up and figuring out who you wanted to be.

      In the years that followed you were eager to learn more: about yourself, your family, your home, your community and how life worked when you had a little more time to experience it. There were good times, and times that didn’t go exactly to plan. And that’s ok, it’s how life is supposed to be.

      Parenting in any form is not an easy job and, like life, there is no roadmap. But I think we did alright. Our approach was simple; we encouraged you to have an open mind and a big heart and to understand that the world is a far nicer place when it’s greeted with a hug or a high five. As your parents, we showed you life through the lens of our family, but allowed you the freedom to choose how you wanted to live and who you wanted to become.

      We raised you to know that you are always more than enough.

      We are from a different generation, and our greatest fear was that you would end up too much like us – outdated, behind the times and with an unwillingness to learn and grow with the ever-changing world.

      Always remember to take risks, tell people you love them and say it like you mean it. You’ve only got one shot at this thing called life – make sure you live it to the fullest.

      My wish is that this book opens the minds of more men of all ages to take to the mat, to become yogis of the future, for their own good and wellbeing. Since you started yoga, I’ve learned that it’s not a casual pastime and it’s not just something to make you more flexible, or calm your temper; it’s the full package – a lifestyle and a wonderful, fulfilling and healthy way of living.

      It’s something I wish I had known more about when I was younger and I’m sure your mother would agree.

      I’m extremely inspired by what you do, who you have become and your willingness to always stay true to your intentions. Never compromise on the things that make you happy, just keep smiling and enjoy the ride.

      Lots of love

      Dad

      P.S. Don’t forget to call your mum.

       (Graham C. Wong, Santa Monica, California)

      Yancy Scott Schwartz

About Boys Of Yoga

      To most guys yoga is pink Lycra and vegan chicks. It’s breathing deeply while doing poses named after animals and feelings. It’s done in dimly lit rooms with candles and incense, followed by gluten-free cupcakes and kale smoothies. And if that’s your mentality, then you’re not alone.

      But it doesn’t mean you’re right. The real practice of yoga is working in, not working out. There is a lot more to it than just making shapes on the mat, and over time the body will get stronger and more flexible, the mind calmer and daily life will feel a little less chaotic. Yoga can give you the physical workout you want, but go deeper and you’ll realise it’s so much more.

      ‘SMASH THE STEREOTYPE AND GET MORE GUYS ON THE MAT’

      Unfortunately, these days the perception is still one-dimensional. Magazine pages and Instagram feeds are flooded with bikini-clad girls on the beach in all kinds of acrobatic poses reminiscent of the circus. Is this yoga? Yes, but it’s not the full picture. Take one step back and widen your perspective and you’ll see there is a whole other breed of yogi out there, the BOYS, inspiring, teaching and living yoga in their communities all around the world.

      This is BOYS OF YOGA, the uncelebrated minority. A project aimed at sharing a different side of the yoga community in an authentic and unfiltered way.

      What started as a casual conversation about guys being under-represented in the modern yoga community has turned into a movement to challenge the way we view and practise yoga in the Western world today.

      The aim is simple: smash the stereotypes of yoga for guys and share the benefits that the practice offers both on and off the mat.

      With inspiring stories and experiences shared by male yogis from around the world, this is a movement to change the world for the better. It’s pretty simple: yoga is good for everyone and the benefits are undeniable.

      Now is the time to get involved.

       Find out more at boysofyoga.com @boysofyoga

Introduction

      Hi, I’m Michael James Wong. Global Yogi, Wellness Warrior and founder of BOYS OF YOGA.

      But before all of this, I was just a boy who was born in New Zealand and grew up on the beaches of Santa Monica, California. I was from a place no one had heard of until the Lord of the Rings movies and, growing up as an immigrant, I just wanted to fit in and belong.

      In those days most of the other kids thought New Zealand and Madagascar were the same country (remember, this was before wifi and Facebook). On a good day, they assumed New Zealand was part of Australia. Growing up in LA, some kids looked at me as if I was from a distant planet and teased me because I had a ‘resident alien’ card in my wallet that my mom made me carry around to prove I was allowed to live in the US.

      At the time, I lacked confidence and identity. I wasn’t American (I didn’t get my citizenship until I was 16) and I didn’t feel Kiwi (I didn’t have the accent and only visited once a year during the holidays). I’m also Chinese-Asian, something that I battled with growing up because it made life more confusing. I had the surname, but no ties to the culture or country other than weekend dinners and select colloquialisms. I was a bit from everywhere, and at the time I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere. As a kid that was tough. But looking back I can see that it made me who I am today, and has allowed me to live the life I have now. And for that I’m forever grateful.

      I had a pretty typical childhood in a liberal progressive city … playing sports, being the drummer in a band, becoming a Boy Scout and living life in shorts and a t-shirt. I’m lucky to have an amazing family with supportive parents who have always been there for me, no matter what. My parents moved us to LA early in the 1980s because of work (my dad was the general manager of Canterbury of New Zealand back then) and in those early days when we had just moved to town I didn’t have a lot of friends, so family life was everything.

      My dad coached soccer and he never missed a game or school function and to this day is still a pillar in the Santa Monica social and sports community. My mom is СКАЧАТЬ