Latest news with #AshleyEdelman
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Former male stripper reveals why he ditched his 'partying' lifestyle to join a monastery in Thailand
A former male stripper shared how he ditched his drug-fueled partying lifestyle to live one dedicated to peace and meditation. Ashley Edelman said he was struggling to find himself after he left his native Australia and first got a job in Cornwell, in southwest England, as a male stripper. Then he eventually joined a monastery in Thailand. 'I had been in the Army since I was 17 and always struggled with confidence, but back then, drinking masked my social anxiety,' he recounted in a piece for Newsweek. 'So when I got the chance to strip, I thought, "I used to get naked for a laugh in the Army for free - I may as well get paid for it."' Soon, Edelman said he got a gig performing in one of the United Kingdom's largest touring strip shows - impressing even his parents with their choreographed routines. But as Edelman became more and more successful, he said he started bodybuilding - and took steroids and other drugs. 'It was part of the lifestyle,' he explained. 'Cocaine, weed, partying - it all blurred together. But it wasn't sustainable. 'Eventually I burned out,' Edelman said, writing that he hit rock bottom in 2018. At that point, Edelman decided to quit the stripper business. But when his marriage ended four years later, he 'returned briefly' to the adult industry 'but something didn't feel right. 'I felt like I was selling my soul,' he said, noting that he did not regret his time in the adult industry. 'It served its purpose - but over time, I started pushing my own boundaries just for money,' he admitted. 'That's when everything began to shift. 'I started exploring breathwork, personal development and spirituality,' Edelman shared - noting that the path led him to iMONASTERY in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where he spent a month living like a monk with no phone or music. He woke up every day at 4am, chanted, did chores and attended Dharma classes. 'I had profound spiritual experiences, including visions - or what I call "downloads" - that told me I was meant to move to Dubai and be a grounding presence for others,' Edelman wrote. It wound up being kismet, as two days after he left the monastery, he learned he had to vacate his home. 'It all aligned effortlessly,' he said. Edelman now lives in the Middle East, where he says he meditates daily, host breathwork sessions, coach clients, help people regulate their nervous systems and 'remove limiting beliefs.' 'I live in zero resistance,' Edelman wrote. ' I feel calm, grounded and self-aware in a way I never imagined possible.' To maintain his new carefree lifestyle, the former stripper said he stayed off social media for six months - and only returned in April 2024, when he said he made a promise to himself that he would only post 'when it truly aligned with who I am today.' Now, Edelman has more than 147,000 followers on Instagram, where he says shares his story to inspire others. 'So many people suffer in silence. They think they're alone. But we all go through the same things in different ways and transformation is possible,' he wrote. 'I used to live a life most men dreamed of - fast-paced, wild, seductive. Now I live a life rooted in service,' Edelman concluded. He said he wants to return to the monastery in Thailand each year, 'but I know I'm not meant to live there full time. 'My mission is not to serve myself, but to serve others. 'Everything I went through - every show, every mistake, every revelation - led me here,' he wrote.
Newsweek
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
I Was a Stripper for Over a Decade—Then I Discovered a Monastery
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. When I was 22, I left Australia to travel. My parents told me to get a job in the U.K., so I found one in Cornwall in southwest England—as a stripper. I had been in the army since I was 17 and always struggled with confidence, but back then, drinking masked my social anxiety. So, when I got the chance to strip, I thought: "I used to get naked for a laugh in the army for free—I may as well get paid for it." However, my secret didn't stay hidden for long. A photo from a show surfaced on Facebook, and my mom, who thought I was working in security, saw it. She said she was "not upset, just disappointed." That stung. The job didn't live up to what was promised, and I eventually pivoted to helping backstage at shows in London. That opportunity turned into something much bigger: I became a performer for one of the U.K.'s largest touring strip shows. We had choreographed routines, group performances, and even a finale that included dancing in artificial rain on stage. Ashley Edelman performs onstage without a shirt on. Ashley Edelman performs onstage without a shirt on. Provided by Ashley Edelman But everything changed when my parents came to see a show in person. They saw the theatricality, the professionalism. It wasn't the sleaze they feared; it was performance art. They left proud. At the same time, I was immersed in bodybuilding. I was training hard, competing in shows, and like many in the scene, taking steroids along with other drugs. It was part of the lifestyle. Cocaine, weed, partying—it all blurred together. But it wasn't sustainable. Eventually, I burned out. In 2018, I hit rock bottom and quit. I walked away from the adult industry and the chaos that came with it. When my marriage ended in 2022, I returned briefly, but something didn't feel right. I felt like I was selling my soul. I don't regret it—it served its purpose—but over time, I started pushing my own boundaries just for money. That's when everything began to shift. I started exploring breathwork, personal development, and spirituality. That path eventually led me to a iMONASTERY in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in September 2024. Ashley Edelman after a bodybuilding competition (L) and wearing a sailor outfit onstage. Ashley Edelman after a bodybuilding competition (L) and wearing a sailor outfit onstage. Provided by Ashley Edelman The 30-day program was created for Westerners to live like monks—no phone, no music, no distractions. I woke at 4 a.m., chanted, meditated, did chores, and attended Dharma classes. I had profound spiritual experiences, including visions—or what I call "downloads"—that told me I was meant to move to Dubai and be a grounding presence for others. Two days after leaving the monastery, I was told I had to vacate my home. It all aligned effortlessly. Today, I live in the Middle East. I meditate daily for an hour. I host breathwork sessions, coach clients, and help people regulate their nervous systems and remove limiting beliefs. I live in zero resistance. I feel calm, grounded, and self-aware in a way I never imagined possible. Before I left for the monastery, I knew I was done with the adult industry. The experience confirmed it. I stayed off social media for six months and only returned in April 2024, making a promise to myself: I would only post when it truly aligned with who I am today. Ashley Edelman during his time at the monastery. Ashley Edelman during his time at the monastery. Provided by Ashley Edelman Now, a year later, I have 147,000 followers on Instagram (@consciously_ash) and regularly share my journey to inspire others. So many people suffer in silence. They think they're alone. But we all go through the same things in different ways, and transformation is possible. I used to live a life most men dream of—fast-paced, wild, seductive. Now, I live a life rooted in service. I plan to return to the monastery each year, but I know I'm not meant to live there full time. My mission is not to serve myself, but to serve others. Everything I went through—every show, every mistake, every revelation—led me here. If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@ We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money, and work, and your story could be featured in Newsweek's "What Should I Do? section.
