Masculine Alchemy with Issac Prado
Issac Prado is a yoga practitioner, teacher and retreat organizer based in Sayulita, Mexico. Issac has dedicated his life to the betterment of those who seek a fulfilling life and currently leads Masculine Alchemy retreats to facilitate personal growth for men. We got to chat with him about his life and work!
MA: What was your process of developing your personal spiritual and yoga practice?
Issac: While I was traveling through Vietnam, I found my first Yoga teacher who gave me the foundational knowledge to set me on the spiritual path of yoga. I knew there was more than just the postures - we would talk for hours about philosophy and consciousness, and share stories about our lives and homes. I learned that Tapasya, or self-discipline, was essential for developing a strong spiritual practice.
What was your inspiration to lead intentional experiences for men and can you speak to why this work is especially relevant for men at this point in time?
I had been leading Yoga classes for men and I wanted to create something longer and more impactful than just those one hour sessions. Men are often taught that emotions are bad, so the best thing is to suck it up and shove it down. The effect is often that one day the repressed emotions explode and can manifest as anger, resentment, domestic abuse and even suicide.
When you get a group of men to synchronize their breaths together, to move and stretch, to share stories or express themselves just for the sake of expression, it can help to process and diffuse those emotions.
Can you tell us more about the Masculine Alchemy retreats?
The intention of a Masculine Alchemy retreat is to facilitate inner growth through various exercises, dialogue, and real time experiences. We use spiritual practices, principles of Yoga and ancient alchemy but we also keep it real and encourage full authenticity. There are four pillars which we explore throughout the retreat - Ceremony, Connection, Transformation and Integration. Whether you want to hit that reset button on life or just need some perspective, we're here to facilitate your intention and help you become the Men we need in our communities.
What is your most important daily ritual in your life?
My personal Sadhana - the Sanskrit term for a daily spiritual practice - was given to me by my teacher and is something I keep to myself. However, I can say that my practices have evolved throughout the years - from Hatha Yoga, pranayama, Vipassana meditation to Yajna, mantras and offerings to God. Interwoven through all of those practices are gratitude and mindfulness, the fundamental and most powerful practices of Yoga .
Thank you for sharing your work and words with us!
Learn more about Issac and the Masculine Alchemy retreats on his website, or Instagram!