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Natural Awakenings Naples and Fort Myers

Letter from Publisher: Cheers to the Men

I always love seeing men at my yoga classes. Maybe it’s because they often represent a type of more “balanced man”, the theme of this month’s issue. Local yoga teacher Cesar Rios’s joyful presence on this month’s cover conveys a sense of well-being also expressed by other local male yogis we interviewed. Whatever their walk in life, from golfers to wounded veterans to professional yoga teachers, their stories of regaining range of motion, recovery from addiction and securing a sense of inner peace may inspire you too to explore the possibilities.

I was deeply moved by Bhava Ram’s story of the power of yoga and the human spirit to heal when I heard him speak on a vegan cruise I took in March. In “Yoga for the Bros,” Meredith Montgomery reports that after a broken back ended his TV war correspondent journalism career, failed surgery, advanced cancer and dependence on prescription drugs, he was inspired to take control of his health, got serious about rehab and embraced yoga. Two years later, he’d turned 80 pounds of physical weight and “1,000 pounds of emotional toxins” into gratitude, forgiveness and loving kindness, leaving behind his physical ailments.

He now empowers others through Warriors for Healing, which provides resources for veterans and their families to implement yoga’s transformational lifestyle practices. Together, they are proving, “We are not stuck where we are.”

Addiction issues hit close to home for me because I’ve lost the most significant men in my life to them. It’s why Lisa Marshall’s feature article, “Rethinking Recovery: Holistic Approaches to Healing Addictions,” surfaced heart-wrenching questions for me, as I expect it will for others. What does it take to rise above an addiction, and why is it so difficult?

Fort Myers Life Coach David Essel and other experts on the subject shine fresh rays of hope through the use of alternative resources and fresh natural approaches to healing addiction. We’ve gathered helpful information throughout this issue ready to help you or a loved one live your best life possible.  

We all have some accepted limit that holds us back in some area of life and keeps us from living the life of our dreams. Making that leap to our next breakthrough on our own can be difficult. More often, we need the support of someone objective that will introduce us to proven tools and hold us accountable for improving our lot, whether it’s a spiritual teacher, life coach or business mentor. What do you need to move beyond a limiting comfort zone to embrace your next big thing?

Let’s all take the opportunity presented by this special men’s issue to thank all the males in our lives that have been there for us through thick and thin. In my life, such special relationships have provided some of my greatest life lessons and greatest gifts. I appreciate you all more than I can say.

To all the fathers and other male nurturers in our lives,

Sharon Bruckman, Publisher