Ashley Edelman said it, not us—from stripper to monk.
Photo Credit: @consciously_ash
At 35 years old, Ashley Edelman has lived more lives than most people can imagine. The Australian native went from performing on stage as one of the UK’s most recognized male strippers to living among monks in the mountains of Thailand. Today, he’s a mindset coach, a professional bodybuilder, and a breathwork therapist helping others transform their lives, just as he radically transformed his own.
Ashley’s story begins at 22, freshly discharged from the Australian Army. With his parents’ encouragement, he set off for the United Kingdom in search of opportunity and direction. What he found instead was an unexpected career in Cornwall—stripping. At first, it was a secret. His family was unaware until a photo of one of his performances made the rounds on social media. His mother’s reaction wasn’t fury—it was disappointment, which Ashley remembers as being even harder to take. “She wasn’t angry, just disappointed. That hurt,” he told Newsweek.
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Despite the rocky start, Ashley leaned into his new identity. His raw charisma, artistic flair, and unmatched work ethic earned him a spot in one of the UK’s largest touring male strip shows. Ironically, the same parents who were once unsure of his path ended up watching him perform live, witnessing the professionalism and performance he had cultivated.
But behind the glitz and flexed muscles, things weren’t as glamorous. As Ashley’s fame grew, so did his reliance on steroids, cocaine, and marijuana. He describes those years as intense, fast-paced, and deeply consuming. By 2018, the toll on his mental and physical health forced him to walk away from the stage. A brief comeback attempt in 2022 only confirmed what he already felt deep down—his soul was no longer in it. “I felt like I was selling my soul,” he shared.
Now for the part you came here for–in September 2024, Ashley signed up for a 30-day retreat at a Buddhist monastery in Chiang Mai, Thailand, designed for Westerners seeking spiritual depth. The monastery enforced a strict daily structure—waking up at 4 a.m., silent meditations, chanting, and communal chores. The silence, the simplicity, and the spiritual focus sparked something powerful in him. He wrote on Instagram. “I won’t lie, I’m nervous… but I’m excited for the experience and lessons I’m about to receive.”
In preparation, Ashley shaved his head, eyebrows, and beard, symbolically shedding the ego and external image that had defined him for so long. “By learning how to meditate and being comfortable doing it,” he wrote, “I feel I will unlock another level in me and my new journey.”
Ashley didn’t enter the monastery on a whim. He later explained to @imonastery_inter,
“I wanted to learn meditation from Buddhist monks—the source—instead of someone who taught someone who taught someone. But I also wanted to remove all outside distractions to see how deep I could dive within to find an inner wisdom and clarity that I didn’t have.”
Photo Credit: @ashedelmanifbbpro
Now based in Dubai, Ashley has reemerged with a new mission. As a certified breathwork therapist and personal development coach, he uses his story to inspire others who are lost, burnt out, or stuck. With over 250,000 followers across his two Instagram accounts—@consciously_ash and @ashedelmanifbbpro—Ashley shares content that merges mindset, fitness, and healing. His followers have witnessed his evolution firsthand: from oil-slicked stages to meditation mats, from outer performance to inner transformation.
Photo Credit: @ashedelmanifbbpro
“I feel calm, centered, and aware in a way I never thought possible. My mission is not to serve myself, but to serve others.”
There you have it, folks. If you put your mind, spirit, and breathwork to it—just like Ashley Edelman—you can transform your life in ways you never thought possible.
REFERENCES: Newsweek