It’s hard not to notice the stratospheric rise of esoteric practices over the past couple of decades or so. As life has become busier, faster and more stressful, more and more people are seeking the solutions to their myriad problems in the ancient spiritual practices of India and the Far East, with results which seem to be proving that their return was long overdue. Indeed, in Europe and the United States, as well as in other western countries, yoga classes have been springing up daily in towns and cities, and sales of books and dvds offering advice and courses in meditation, energy healing and all sorts of other methods have skyrocketed, leaving few in doubt that such practices have well and truly become mainstream. This is surely not a bad thing – for far too long, the west has sneered at such practices, seeing them as ineffectual or just plainly silly, and has been driving itself deeper into a state of spiritual abandonment and desperation. 
The results of this attitude are plain to see: more and more people in the west are struggling with a sense of loss and loneliness, are worrying themselves into states of illness and distress over material concerns, economical worries, and shallow problems. We are instructed to heal the holes in our souls with money, with buying pointless items and working harder, when we should be looking inwards and attempting to seek the causes of our issues.
A Change in Attitude
Thankfully, practices such as yoga and meditation are beginning to be taken seriously by the general public, and this could be down to many reasons. Firstly, and importantly, people are beginning to notice that such practices are indeed effective. This has come about due to more scientific research into just what happens when we meditate, and thanks to people being more comfortable talking about their experiences and how meditation to relieve anxiety has helped tremendously. Such a culture of openness and acceptance has a knock-on effect in society in general, and the more people who experiment with yoga and other such methods, the more it will continue to be accepted and become part of the norm. We can also thank many prominent male celebrities for openly discussing and endorsing meditation and yoga, and helping to change the minds of a formerly cynical and hesitant male culture around the world. Such celebrities endorsements are powerful forces – in an age without gurus and teachers, preachers and respected moral leaders, we look to those who we have helped achieve fame for advice on how we should live our lives. Yoga, meditation and healing have become almost aspirational activities in the past decade or so thanks to male celebrities who have chosen to reveal their passion for such practices, and how they have helped them take stock of their busy, stressful and often incredibly difficult lives.
Some Examples Include…
Rock and roll stars have long been associated with a world of excess, of potentially damaging and irresponsible behavior. However, recent years have seen a huge amount of musicians and singers express their enthusiasm for spiritual practices, undoubtedly having a powerful effect on their devoted fans around the world. Perhaps the most vocal enthusiasts for yoga and meditation have been the members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, a rock band from California, who now have a yoga session together before each of their concerts, and have spoken frankly about the changes meditation has brought to their personal and public lives and habits. Joining the Chili Peppers in their endorsement of yoga include Sting, Jon Bon Jovi, Adam Levine of popular band Maroon 5, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie and many more, meaning that not only is yoga something which can benefit the mind and body, but is also something not merely for the reserve of women and aging hippies. Yoga is, in more ways than one, very much cool and of the moment.
The list doesn’t stop there – actors such as Richard Gere, Alec Baldwin, Robert Downey Jr. and many other celebrities have all lent their voices to the growing obsession amongst the famous and successful for yoga. Of course, whilst yoga doesn’t necessarily bring you wealth and fame, it can have a wonderful effect on men of all ages, improving the physical body as well as the mind and spirit in ways previously unimaginable. Who wouldn’t want to get involved, and rid oneself of the stresses and pressures of modern life? You can start can practicing yoga and meditation like these celebrities by incorporating meditation music such as Omharmonics to bring you to that tranquil state more quickly.
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- American Meditation Institute Presents a Self-Care Meditation and Yoga Science Course Integrating Spirituality and Science with Leonard Perlmutter (Ram Lev) (prweb.com)
- 12 Yoga Tips for Beginners (lifeandplay.wordpress.com)
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