FM
Kyle Maclachlan turned his life around
through yoga and found new purpose.
Now he’s inspired to help others do the
same. By Katy Joy Whitelaw
I
t is zero degrees and the air feels bitterly cold.
Kyle Maclachlan stands in warrior one yoga pose on the
top of the hills above the historic city of Stirling and the River
Forth, nestled in the heart of Scotland.
Whilst in pose for the photo shoot for this article some male
walkers shout jibes and abuse at him making reference to the YMCA.
In his former life, the 31-year-old would have responded angrily
to these young men’s taunts, however today he ignores them and
remains as strong as the hills he stands upon.
“They were trying to wind me up. I didn’t let it get to me,” he
explains. “In my wilder days I probably would have got angry or have
been the one shouting the abuse! Now I look at these people and
just want to help them.”
Kyle Maclachlan of Shambhala Yoga Scotland is well placed to
know the needs of these young people and what is required to
change their mind-sets. He has lived a life of contrast.
He is using his own life experiences and challenges to attempt to
turn a Scottish cultural tide in a passionate drive to encourage more
people – especially young men – to take up yoga, and challenge
attitudes about masculinity.Changing attitudes
In Scotland, yoga is generally still viewed by many men as a ‘soft’
female-only exercise which they would not consider a ‘workout’. Visit
classes across the country and you will usually only ind one or two
men (usually aged over 40) to be found peppered in among classes
predominantly illed with women, taught by women.
To counter this, Kyle has set up a men-only ‘Men Who Stretch’
class in his newly opened studio in Stirling, to help change male
attitudes to yoga.
He adds: “We live in a masculine culture where ‘boys don’t cry’ but
it is really destructive. Guys beneit hugely from yoga. When they
come to my classes they usually return time and time again because
they realise the beneits. I think they also appreciate my opennessMen who
stretch