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My guest today is Trevor Yelich, an alternative therapist specializing in breathwork, somatic psychotherapeutics and trauma work. He is the founder of Numa Somatics and the Numa Mystery School.
This episode was recorded immediately after I completed an in-person training with Trevor in psychotherapeutics, which I very much enjoyed. Many of the principles and practices I found quite complementary to my existing experience facilitating groups, and I found Trevor to be highly intelligent, warm and compassionate.
In this episode, Trevor shares his take on navigating a transformative phase of life, characterized by shifts in work, relationships, and self-awareness. He delves into the concept of the Chiron return, its significance in astrology, and how it has impacted his journey as a healer.
Trevor also explores the therapeutic potential of psychedelic experiences, the dynamics of embodying both masculine and feminine energies, and the Hakomi principle of organicity - emphasizing the natural, self-organizing processes that guide personal and collective healing through deep, empathetic connections.
The Mythic Masculine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
LINKS
* Trevor’s Official Website & Upcoming Events
ALSO, DON’T MISS:
I’m hosting my next in-person men’s retreat Awakening The Wild Erotic July 26-28 on Vancouver Island. This is a very powerful ritual weekend not to miss. Get the full details & apply here.
As well, Iron John: A Mythic Story About Men is my re-released 7 week online course now available for all genders.
If you’re a man and want to work with me directly, Book A Discovery Call here.
SHOW NOTES
* Trevor's Transition: Trevor describes being in a liminal period in Calgary, Alberta, experiencing significant changes and many unknowns in his life, from relationships to work.
* Sense of Possibility: Despite the uncertainties, Trevor feels a strong sense of possibility and potential unfolding, trusting the process even without complete clarity.
* Chiron Return: Trevor is approaching his 51st birthday, marking his Chiron return, a significant astrological event related to the wounded healer archetype, bringing energetic shifts and introspection.
* Therapy as Exploration: Trevor and Ian discuss the nature of therapy, emphasizing it as a process of creating a safe and brave container to explore underlying frameworks of perception and reality, rather than just seeking to fix or soothe symptoms.
* Therapy Metaphor: Trevor uses the metaphor of a house to explain therapy, involving both significant renovations and ongoing maintenance tasks to continually adjust and improve one's relationship with life.
* Social Perceptions of Therapy: They discuss societal perceptions of therapy, highlighting how it is often seen as a weakness or a sign of being broken, and the importance of shifting this view towards understanding therapy as a skill for being human.
* Impact of Childhood Experiences: Trevor reflects on how his upbringing, particularly the lack of emotional support and reconciliation after punishment, influenced his path into therapy and his approach to helping others build healthier relationships.
* Emergence and Mindfulness: Trevor explains the concept of emergence in therapy, where by shifting focus and creating space around experiences, new possibilities and ways of relating can spontaneously arise.
* Psychedelic Therapy: The discussion touches on the rise of psychedelic therapy, with Trevor highlighting the benefits of non-ordinary states of consciousness in creating deeper therapeutic relationships and transformative experiences.
* Shape-shifting in Therapy: Trevor talks about the role of the therapist as a shape-shifter, adapting to the needs of the client and resonating with their experiences to facilitate deeper healing and transformation.
* Unity and Differentiation: The concept of unity in therapy is explored, emphasizing the importance of differentiation and healthy relationships between different parts of oneself and others, as opposed to binary opposition.
* Collective Healing: They discuss the ripple effect of individual healing on the collective, underscoring the importance of relational skills and co-regulation in fostering healthier, emotionally intelligent communities.
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Access The Iron John course here.
A few years ago, I was invited to steward an online offering for the Rowe Center, based in Massachusetts.
With the passing of Robert Bly, esteemed poet, activist, and father of the mythopoetic men's movement, I opted to weave a 7 week journey revisiting his seminal book Iron John, inviting an array of special guests to join me. The roster includes Stephen Jenksinon, Sophie Strand, Ramon Parish, Michael Gay, Philip Folsom, Shay Au Lait & Stefanos Sifandos.
The course was a big success, and since then, I’ve always wanted to re-release it for more folk of all genders to access the insights & experience.
I’m pleased to announce the course is now available.
A few more words about Robert Bly & the story:
As named, he is perhaps most well known for his retelling of the classic German fairy tale, which illuminated the inner world of men in such a way that seemed long absent from modern Western culture. This longing to be gathered into the mysteries of men and manhood, of a mythic masculinity, drew much contention upon its release in the early 90's, and has reverberated to this day.
It wasn't until I watched the documentary '1000 Years of Joy' that I grasped the larger portrait of a man who had already amassed a respectful body of work before he turned to culture and gender. My love for Mr. Bly grew tremendously, as a blazing example of what could lie ahead in the later half of life, a glimpse of elderhood to a troubled time.
Note: I also interviewed the films director Hayden Reiss which I’ve included at the bottom. Whether or not you’ve seen the documentary, it’s delightful to hear his stories of meeting & collaborating with Bly.
In 2022, the spiral has come around as a new generation discovers Iron John alongside an urgent crisis of masculinity. What might Iron John offer in the wake of #metoo, Artificial Intelligence, post-truth, multi-generational trauma, and biospheric breakdown?Despite some contemporary references that are dated, the book holds up as a vital to the conversation of manhood as it did in its day.
At the time, Bly was criticized by some feminists for "blaming women" for men’s troubles - and yet, that has never been accurate. He writes "This doesn't mean that the women are doing something wrong: I think the problem is more that the older men are not really doing their job."
That's not to say there aren't blindspots (there are), and thankfully a number of additional perspectives have added to the polyphony of emerging masculinities.Here’s my interview with Hadyn Reiss, the director of the Bly documentary 1000 Years of Joy. I highly recommend viewing the full film.
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My guest today is Nicolas Canon.
Nicolas is a seasoned relationship coach who has deeply intertwined his insights in love with walking the plant medicine path in his homeland of Colombia.
Over the past decade, he has dedicated himself to helping individuals and couples not only deepen their relationships but also find greater self-awareness and spiritual alignment. In this episode, he shares of his relocation as a youth to Toronto, Canada where he ran a tattoo shop and first worked as a coach - after many challenging & toxic relationships, he was guided to embark on a vision quest in the south of France. These experiences dramatically shaped his approach to life and work, including the crucible of marriage.
Finally, Nicolas reveals his insights into "the language of men” and how women can enhance communication with their male partners, deepen emotional connection, and unlock the potential of evolutionary partnership.
The Mythic Masculine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. http://themythicmasculine.substack.com
LINKS
* Nicolas Canon - Official Website*Nicolas on IG
SHOW NOTES
* Nicholas shares his recent return to Toronto after spending significant time in Colombia, reflecting on his emotional, spiritual, and physical journey.
* He discusses the profound impact of his experiences with indigenous shamans and ayahuasca ceremonies in Colombia, emphasizing the importance of spiritual integration.
* Reflecting on his past in Toronto, Nicholas discusses owning a tattoo shop and navigating a lifestyle marked by hedonism.
* He opens up about a toxic relationship and personal crises that led him back to Colombia for recovery and family support.
* Nicholas highlights the challenge of living between two worlds—the traditional wisdom of Colombia and the modern, bustling life in Toronto—emphasizing his role as a cultural bridge.
* He shares insights from his ayahuasca ceremonies, including advice to pause and reflect on various aspects of life.
* Nicholas reflects on his emotional grounding and support, particularly from his wife, amid his spiritual journey and transitions.
* He explores the concept of balance and integration, seeking to merge spiritual insights with Western lifestyle and societal expectations.
* The conversation delves into the complexity of personal growth and transformation, navigating between cultural identities and spiritual awakening.
* Nicholas discusses his evolving perspective on relationships, emphasizing the importance of healthy dynamics, mutual respect, and emotional connection.
* He shares insights into what makes a healthy relationship, highlighting communication, trust, shared values, and individual growth.
Get full access to The Mythic Masculine at themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe
My guest today is Andrea Villa, a scholar, a mentor of men, a restorer of old practices and languages of the sacred.
He has spent several years studying male initiation with indigenous peoples from India to West Africa to Native America, developing a unique understanding of gender as intelligence. His passion is to support men in regaining their erotic agency in love & relationships.
In today's episode, we delve into the profound realms of Eros as a multifaceted force that transcends mere physical attraction, touching upon the realms of the spiritual, the creative, and the deeply personal aspects of human experience. Andrea shares his journey of being undone by Eros, highlighting its crucial role in our connection to the world. He describes the important differences between masculine and feminine energies, and advocates for the significance of adoration and devotion in the dance of partnership.
Andrea also introduces the concept of erotic discipline, a practice of staying present with beauty to transcend the visible and touch the essence of our being. And he references Dante’s Divine Comedy, the monumental epic from the Middle Ages, and the poet’s adoration of Beatrice as a model for a love that can elevate our spirits to the divine.
I’d love to hear what you think of this episode! Leave your comments below.
Heads up: I’m inviting Andrew to offer an upcoming webinar in the next month. Stay tuned for details.
LINKS
* Official Website - Andrea Villa
ALSO, BEGINNING THIS THURSDAY:
There’s only a few days left to join the very first online cohort of The Deep Masculine, a 3 month journey for men.
I wanted to offer further insight behind the inspiration for this offering, with its roots in the soil of a fairy tale:
First published in 1990, Robert Bly's "Iron John: A Book About Men" is a key work in the mythopoetic men's movement.
The book rides the story of Iron John, a fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, as a framework to explore masculinity and men's issues. Throughout the book, Bly discusses the concept of "the deep masculine," a term he uses to describe an essential, positive aspect of mature masculinity that has largely been lost in modern society - due to cultural poverty, lack of rites of passage, and the absence of positive male mentorship.
I've spoken on this thread in multiple conversations, including one with poet & author Sophie Strand in "Revisiting The Wild Man."
Mythopoetic men's work grew as a response to these challenges - and many men & organizations have picked up the torch from the first generation and the task they bequeathed to us.
Now, it's also true the Wild Man archetype has become overly fetishized in many men's work spaces, with an emphasis on pushing back against the "domesticated life." (Think Tyler Durden in Fight Club, or Lester Burham in American Beauty).
And yet, the Wild Man remains a mysterious and alluring presence for a deeper invitation into a lovership with life.
After almost 5 years of inquiry, alongside mentors, elders & many conversations under The Mythic Masculine podcast, as well as numerous months in the creative cauldron, The Deep Masculine journey brings together the most effective elements we could muster for igniting the hearts & souls of men.
We begin April 11.
Get full access to The Mythic Masculine at themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe
Last week I had a lovely conversation with Jumana Sophia, creator of Her Mystery School.
In this enlightening inquiry, we delve into the origins and evolutions of her initiation school for women, with clear parallels to what I’ve been developing for The Deep Masculine.
We explore the role of these dedicated spaces to heal and deepen our understanding of gender dynamics in modern society. We touch upon our personal journeys, insights into the challenges of creating potent realms of transformation, and the power of embracing one's depth and nobility.
This episode invites listeners to reflect on their paths and the importance of community, mentorship, and the ever-unfolding mystery of life. Join us for a journey into the heart of what it means to embody the deep masculine and feminine in today's world.
LAST CALL FOR MEN! Join Deus Fortier and I for a 12-week online expedition into the mysteries of The Deep Masculine.
This inaugural journey brings a particular focus to the alluring, seductive force that animates all of life - Eros. Together we will explore rich archetypal investigations, powerful somatic practices, and mythic tales of transformation in order to illuminate the beauty and power which has been long hidden within our own hearts.
At this critical time on our planet, when so many have fallen prey to numbness, let us come together as men in solidarity to remember the magic and mystery that we are a part of, in service to thriving life.
Start Your Application Now
Get full access to The Mythic Masculine at themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe
Spring is stirring, and I’m excited to announce the next offerings with my good friend and collaborator Deus Fortier.
After two successful immersive weekends for men held last year, formerly titled MXM, we’re pleased to announce our next one is coming soon April 5-7, 2024 in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island.
You’re welcome to listen to our conversation recorded after our first weekend, which is how we were inspired to rename this offering Awakening The Wild Erotic.
This weekend is a mythosomatic immersion for men who wish to heal their sexual blocks, liberate their essential nature, and embody the archetype of the Lover. We will draw on modalities of breathwork, mythology, ecstatic dance, council & more to journey through this container.
We’re 50% full already. Don’t miss the chance to attend if you’re lit up with excitement and fear (a good combination).
Apply for Awakening the Wild Erotic
The second offering is the first fully original online men’s course I’ve ever co-created, and it’s a 12 week exploration titled The Deep Masculine.
Also developed with Deus, this course draws upon the elements of myth, archetypes, & somatic practices to explore the deeper realms of masculinity and lay a foundation of self-trust and vitality.
In 3 months, this cohort will enhance their ability to skillfully navigate their full spectrum of emotions, integrate their shadows & addictions related to sex & erotic energy, and cultivate a meaningful connection to a like-minded community of men.
The journey begins April 11, 2024.
Get full access to The Mythic Masculine at themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe
Barbie is back in the news again. The Oscars race is on and the film was nominated for numerous awards including Best Picture.
Ryan Gosling received the nod for Best Actor, while Margot Robbie & Greta Gerwig were passed over. Ironic snub, given the context of the film? Or just how it goes sometimes?
Now before you roll your eyes and wonder ‘who cares?’ I’ve decided to do some of the mythic heavy lifting around why Barbie is a culturally significant film at this moment. And not just because it crossed a billion dollars at the box office and became a clear phenomenon.
Last summer, colleague Alex Beiner wrote eloquently of the cultural complexities in his essay Castrated Utopias: What Barbie and Oppenheimer reveal about our sexual politics.
He writes:
Barbie is one of the most interesting films to come out of Hollywood in some time. It’s a strange phenomenon; a feminist initiation myth that critiques, sometimes with joyful nuance, capitalism and patriarchy, but which is paradoxically designed to sell a corporation’s product. Instead of a film we might read an ideology into, it’s a film woven around an existing ideology: feminism. However, the vision of the feminism it champions is what makes it particularly interesting.
It’s fun, well structured and at times leans toward a kind of metamodern feminism that seems able to hold the complexity of both social construction and biological difference. At other times, it slipped into a more simplistic feminism, and I found myself shaking my head at its narrow depictions of men and masculinity.
[…] I had a strong feeling that the film wasn’t really made for me as a man. It wasn’t trying to actively exclude me, but it was speaking to lived experiences of women, so I tried to listen to the message on its own terms.
I’ve finally decided to hoist my take into the ring, and I invited UK based writer, psychotherapist, and mythologist Carly Mountain to join me.
I was previously on her podcast to speak about the descent of Inanna, and so it felt perfect to bring her on to explore Barbie through this lens.
As well we touch on the arc of Ken and the advent of Patriarchy as borne from the rejection of the Feminine. Ken needs to go on his own quest to re-source the Feminine from within and meet the Great Goddess.
(This is much of the recent men’s work that I’m collaborating with Deus Fortier on. Our next Awakening the Wild Erotic weekend is coming up in April).
I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Also stick around at the end of the episode for a little easter egg…
P.S. you’re invited to check out Carly’s book “Descent & Rising: Women’s Stories & the Embodiment of the Inanna Myth”.
P.P.S Here’s a few music videos from Barbie.
I’ve love to hear your comments on our conversation below. What’s your take on Barbie?
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“Every group and every single gathering is an opportunity to remake and re-story culture.” - Al Jeffery
My guest today is Al Jeffery, an integrative psychotherapist, meditation guide and regenerative leadership practitioner.
He is also a conscious explorer of queerness and masculinity. In this episode, Al shares his journey, unlocking the potential and power of queerness as an aspirational approach to love. He speaks of queerness as identity and as orientation, and how it intersects with living fully in oneself. We also touch upon what it means to create inclusive spaces for men to explore these topics, as well as the complexity of lust and attraction.
And finally, we explore how each moment carries the possibility of remaking a culture of possibility and the inherent risk in leaning into the mystery of being.
LINKS
* Al’s paper on Eros, The Evolution of Life and Mind, and Moving From Psychology Toward Soul-Making
SHOW NOTES
- **Concept of queerness**: An extensive exploration of "Queerness" in the context of identity, understood from both philosophical and socio-political standpoints.
- **Implicit transgressions and societal norms**: This topic investigates how "implicit transgressions" lead to the feelings of non-inclusion and marginalization within society.
- **Al Jeffery's complex personal relationship with the identity of 'queer'**; functioning as both an attraction and a defense mechanism.
- **Masculinity and societal expectations**: Discussion revolves around masculine societal norms, and the confusion that can result from a perceived need to strike a balance between strength and sensitivity.
- **Relationships and sexual attraction in the face of societal expectations**: A review of how societal norms and expectations can complicate the navigation of relationships and sexual attraction.
- **Queerness as a 'spiritual bypass'**: Al comments on the potential for queerness to be used as a spiritual bypass, avoiding confronting the vulnerability required when claiming gay identity.
- **Queer Inquiry**: The aspect of living as a question is discussed in reference to being queer, asserting the need for a persistent state of exploration and uncertainty clouding one's identity.
- **The role of eroticism and sensuality in sexuality exploration**: An insightful look into how eroticism and sensuality contribute to an individual's understanding of their own sexuality under the banner of queerness and how cultural norms impact this exploration.
- **The impact of a lack of cultural distinctions**: This segment reviews how culture’s lack of distinction - such as between the concepts of sensuality and sexuality, contributes to confusion and indirectness concerning male sexuality.
- **Al’s ongoing exploration of queerness**: The intrigues of Al Jeffery's ongoing exploration are highlighted as he questions his own identity labeling phenomenon, moving further into understanding himself and societal norms.
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My guest today is Rabbi Zelig Golden, the co-founder of Wilderness Torah, an organization dedicated to supporting Jewish people to heal, learn, and grow together through reconnection to the earth.
Zelig also holds a Masters in Jewish Studies and previously worked as an environmental lawyer protecting food and farms, and has long guided groups into the wilderness.
In our conversation today, we speak about Zelig’s upbringing as a youth embedded in Jewish ritual yet missing the deeper connection to his ancestral roots. We discuss the mystic origins of Judaism and his own path to Rabbihood. And of course, we speak of the war in Israel/Palestine and the sorrowful complexity that contributes to the ongoing horror.
We also touch on a recent year-long program that Zelig co-created for initiating the lives of Jewish men. And finally, he offers insights into how to dwell in the darkness before seeking the light as we approach the threshold of winter solstice.
LINKS
FROM THE ARCHIVE:
Get full access to The Mythic Masculine at themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe
My guest today is Stephanie McKay, an educator and mentor in earth-based skills and ancestral ways.
She is the co-founder of Fianna Wilderness School on Vancouver Island, as well as a monthly Mythology Club, where folks explore stories of predominately of Indo-European origins in an attempt to uncover the remaining vestiges of an intact, land-based culture and spirituality, indigenous to that landscape
In our conversation today, we discuss her time studying with Martín Prechtel and developing the eyes and heart to see the rich layers of story. We name the distinct and modern act of looking to stories primarily through a psychological lens and what is missed when doing so.
Of course, we dive into an animist retelling of Iron John, the story made famous within the mythopoetic men’s movement through Robert Bly, and we talk about where stories go to survive in dark times, only to emerge again when the conditions are ripe.
Check out upcoming dates & locations of the Mythology Club on Vancouver Island.
SHOW NOTES
* Stephanie's Myth Journey: Stephanie's passion for mythology stemmed from Martine Prechtel's teachings, leading her to found a mythology club.
* Exploring Myth Lineage: The conversation touches on the mythopoetic men's movement, Robert Bly, Martine Prechtel, and the differing interpretations of mythology.
* Introduction to Iron John: Initially hesitant, Stephanie delves into the Iron John story, discovering its deeper layers and significance.
* Shifting Perspectives: Stephanie highlights a pivotal word in the story that changes its relational context, discussing the importance of reciprocity and forgetting in narratives.
* Historical Clues and Forgetting: The conversation explores historical clues, deforestation, and forgetting reciprocal relationships, drawing parallels with elements in the Iron John story.
* Cultural Debt and Initiation: The story highlights a culture with an intact initiation system, focusing on the concept of debt to the natural world. The idea of mutual indebtedness remains significant even as the culture is no longer intact.
* Forgetting and Initiation: Forgetting or the rupture in agreements is seen as a crucial part of initiation. Remembering these agreements and debts is essential for reciprocity.
* Domestication of Iron: The story delves into the domestication of Iron John, paralleling it with the contemporary taking of iron from the land, indicating a disruption in the relationship between the human and the holy.
* Iron's Impact: Iron's arrival brought weaponry, alchemy, and further clashes, feeding larger-scale wars. The story connects iron's hunger for sustenance with societal impacts.
* Rethinking Animacy: The narrative challenges the modern distinction between animate and inanimate objects, suggesting that elements like iron possess their own will and need for reciprocity.
* Approaching Mythology: Reading myths involves turning prejudices upside down, exploring word origins, and researching curious elements within stories to unveil their deeper meaning.
* Telling Stories: Oral storytelling allows a deeper connection, yet written texts provide a closer record of these ancient tales. Finding the oldest versions and comparing translations aids in identifying the core elements of a story.
* Understanding Bones vs. Flourishes: Distinguishing between the bones (core elements) and flourishes (narrative embellishments) involves reading multiple versions, recognizing repeated motifs across different cultures, and using discernment.
* Parting Thoughts: Encouragement to continue exploring myths, honoring the stories, and engaging with their depth and richness.
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This is a bonus conversation and a special invitation to attend the forthcoming Calling All Men Summit, of which I’m a featured speaker among many other men.
Watch the trailer for the event:
An overview:
Over 7 days you’ll meet and learn from 50 men who are experienced with the multitude of crises we face. These men are fathers, leaders, mentors and elders with unique experiences and deep wisdom to share.
My conversation today is with the summit host & creator Michael Skye, whom I met quite a few years ago through my transformational media work. It was delightful to reconnect around this important conversation and event.
My own pre-recorded conversation on “In Search of Mythic Masculinity” with Michael is streaming on Day 2, December 5th. We cover:
* The underworld: home of the greatest dragon every young man must face
* The plight of fatherless boys yearning to become men
* Reviving male initiation
The Summit is free to register.
Consider attending and sharing with other folks who may benefit.
Get full access to The Mythic Masculine at themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe
My guest today is Christopher Ryan, an acclaimed author and speaker who has led a diverse and unconventional life, from working odd jobs around the world to earning a Ph.D. in Psychology and being a self-proclaimed “vanthropologist.”
He is the host of the podcast Tangentially Speaking, as well as the author of “Civilized to Death” and the co-author of “Sex At Dawn”, which columnist Dan Savage has called “The single most important book on human sexuality since Alfred Kinsey’s Sexual Behavior in the Human Male.”
When I read “Sex At Dawn” over a decade ago, it had a significant influence on my life path and approach to relationships, as you’ll hear in this episode. As well, we cover Chris’ own journey that inspired him to reach into the pre-history of humanity and find fresh insights into modern relationships, sexuality, and how remarkably similar we are to bonobos.
We discuss the complex challenges for men & masculinity today, we touch on his observations about the radical peace project of Tamera, and finally, he shares his best (and only) advice on how to live into the future of relationships.
LINKS
* Christopher Ryan - Official Website
* Christopher Ryan on Instagram
SHOW NOTES
* Crestone is a unique spiritual community at 8,000 feet with open-air cremations, Tibetan stupas, and diverse spiritual centers.
* Historical Origins: Crestone's history involves visionary landowners and prophecies of harmonious coexistence among different religious traditions, leading to the creation of spiritual centers.
* Chris's Journey: Chris's exploration of cultures and alternative lifestyles began in his youth and eventually led him to Crestone.
* Understanding the Human Condition: Chris's career focuses on understanding human behavior and challenging cultural norms.
* "Sex at Dawn": The book challenges traditional monogamy notions, examining evolutionary psychology, anthropology, and bonobo behavior.
* Controversy and Conversation: "Sex at Dawn" sparked debates and opposition by questioning conventional beliefs about monogamy.
* Career Evolution: Chris shifted from literature to psychology and faced backlash from the academic community.
* Cultural Biases in Science: The discussion highlights how cultural biases influence scientific disciplines like anthropology.
* Exploring Masculinity: Masculinity encompasses risk-taking, humor, and courageous conversations, not limited to stereotypical traits.
* Challenges in Modern Masculinity: Contemporary culture presents complexities, with concerns about toxic masculinity and limited career opportunities for young men.
* Impact of Toxic Messages: Toxic ideologies exploit the challenges faced by young men and promote disrespect toward women.
* Rediscovering Cooperation: The future presents a choice between eroding traditional gender roles and rediscovering human cooperation, which may necessitate shared resources and mutual support.
FROM THE ARCHIVE
You may also enjoy these episodes:
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My guest today is Kai Cheng Thom, a certified somatic sex educator, qualified mediator, clinical hypnotherapist, and poet based in Toronto. She's the author of six award winning books in various genres, including the Stonewall Honor Book award winning essay collection, I Hope We Choose Love.
Kai Cheng's work focuses on the intersection of social justice, pleasure activism, and the transformative approaches to healing conflict. A noted speaker and practitioner of somatic wellness, healing, and group process facilitation, Kai Cheng supports individuals and groups who are seeking to repair relationships and to make transformative change.
Her latest book, Falling Back in Love with Being Human: Love Letters to Lost Souls, was released in August.
This particular interview was inspired by an essay that was recently published called “The Village And The Woods.” Our conversation was recorded live as one of the Solar Sessions held within The School of Mythopoetics. I was so delighted by the richness of our time that I’ve decided to publish the episode here as well.
Please consider becoming a Paid Subscriber. I don’t accept advertising, and your support funds this effort.
Also - I have a few spots available for 1 on 1 Mythic Mentorship for Men. Reach out directly if you’re interested to contact@ianmack.com
Links:
* Kai Cheng Thom’s Official Website
* The Village and the Woods full essay
Show Notes:
* Village represents the known, ordered aspects.
* Woods symbolize the unknown and tempting.
* People are drawn to the woods but fear it.
* Fire symbolizes our attempt to understand the unknown.
* Excessive focus on fire leads to zealotry.
* Metaphor explores the interplay of known and unknown.
* "Monster" as a metaphor for suppressed desires and fears.
* Emergence of archetypes like priest, zealot, monster, and victim.
* Reactionary responses can lead to violence and exclusion.
* Both Left and Right exhibit reactive behaviors.
* Vasilisa and Baba Yaga story underscores the need for integration.
* The witch archetype bridges the gap between light and dark aspects of self.
* Discussion on the crone archetype and its contrast with patriarchal norms.
* Exploring alternative social structures and the concept of emergence.
* Importance of a "sacred pause" to break reactive patterns.
* Suggestion to write love letters to personal "monsters" as a practice.
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I’m pleased to release this conversation with my friend and longtime collaborator Deus Fortier as we discuss our recent MXM immersion for men.
The detailed show notes are below.
As well, we’ve announced new dates for our next MXM - Nov 17-19. You can find all the details & apply to join here.
Note: I’m very excited to release more new episodes of the podcast that I’ve been trying to polish all summer, but somehow, haven’t been able to do it yet. I promise! They’re coming soon.
Lastly, I very much appreciated all the folks who came up to me at Imagine Festival on Orcas Island offering gratitude for the podcast. And hattip to Brandon at Farm to Ferry for a lovely meal & Pixie Mead for the gift of a bottle of Odherir mead. I shall certainly craft an occasion for poetry and companionship when I crack the bottle.
SHOW NOTES
* Collaboration on MXM Retreat: Deus and Ian discuss their collaboration on the MXM (Masculinity, Sex, and Myth) retreat, focusing on masculinity, sexuality, and mythology.
* Exploration of Masculinity: They reflect on their personal journeys and interests in exploring masculinity, including the role of archetypes such as the King, Warrior, Magician, and Lover.
* Importance of Ritual Space: They emphasize the importance of creating a ritual space for transformation, where participants can explore their sexuality and masculinity in a safe and focused environment.
* Role of the Lover Archetype: Deus and Ian highlight the significance of the Lover archetype in their work, describing it as a unifying force that fosters a deeper connection with oneself and the world.
* Impact of Societal Expectations: They discuss how societal expectations often lead men to suppress their eroticism and how this suppression can have consequences, such as the Me Too movement.
* Exploration of Erotic Fantasies: They mention the exploration of erotic fantasies as a way to understand one's primary wounds and how they connect to one's sexual desires and behaviors.
* Acknowledging Trauma and Exploration: The discussion explores how acknowledging trauma, especially related to sexuality and masculinity, can be transformative for men and how exploring these areas collectively in a safe space can lead to healing.
* The Role of Ritual Space: The importance of creating ritual spaces for transformation, where men can openly discuss their feelings, desires, and experiences, is emphasized as a healing and transformative experience.
* Exploring Masculinity and Eroticism: The conversation delves into the exploration of masculinity, eroticism, and archetypes such as the Lover, and how societal expectations often suppress these aspects of a man's identity.
* The Power of Transparency: Transparent and honest communication among men is highlighted as a crucial aspect of healing and transformation, allowing them to bring their inner experiences and desires into the light.
* The Sensual Connection to Nature: The discussion touches on the idea of developing a sensual relationship with the natural world and how it can help individuals reconnect with life and find joy and purpose.
Get full access to The Mythic Masculine at themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe
As lovers, can we move beyond the need to get it right - and instead be absolutely captivated with the desire to be real with each other?
My guest today is Melissa Maya, a writer & artist who works as a feminine leadership and somatic intimacy guide. She is devoted to midwifing a culture that is rooted in the resurgence & remembrance of feminine intelligence & intuition, and in her own words, “in service to women becoming obedient to their true nature.”
This conversation was sparked by a post from Melissa where she shared about her former experience as a domina - a female dominatrix - and what she discovered was most effective in inviting her male clients into a deeper surrender.
I hear her story, as well as her explorations of isogeny - the capacity to shift between an integrated masculine and feminine polarity, as well as the intimacy that can develop through the path of radical transparency in relationship.
LINKS:
ALSO RECOMMENDED:
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The ability to slow down and self-regulate is a very important act of self-love and self-care that is accessible to anyone. - Robin Clements
My guest today is Robin Clements, an international leader in the field of conscious connected breathing. He is the founder of Breathwave, as well as a surfer, yogi and father.
Robin also happens to be my neighbour. As well, my partner has trained with Robin for many years and so it was inevitable that one day that I would dive deeper into breathwork.
This episode was recorded during Robin’s introductory 7 day training, in the beautiful Highlands area on Vancouver Island. Each day we gathered in circle to connect with each other, learn the science and way of breath, and dive deep into our practice.
In our conversation, Robin shares his own journey into breathwork, the foundational capacity to self-regulate one’s nervous system, and what patterns he often recognizes in men. We touch on partnership and fatherhood, and how his own relationship to breath has evolved over the years.
We begin this episode with a 10 minute breathwave journey for you. Feel free to listen on high quality headphones, find a comfortable place, and surrender to the breath of life.
LINKS
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Dear listeners,
My guest today is Muhammad Ali Sardar, aka The Alichemist, a satirist who speaks to the themes of money, power, sex, race and religion.
In particular, he caught my eye through his various Instagram reels that depict a wry critique of men’s work tropes, blind spots, and the dangers of spiritual materialism.
Our conversation today is a hybrid experience. First, we open with his alter ego Patrick Dragon Lotus Flying Jaguar, where he speaks to his path of becoming a sacred men’s work facilitator, and how to succeed in this burgeoning industry.
From there, we shift gears and release the character - and I speak with Ali about his personal journey through transformational spaces, as well as the power of satire to bring a sacred mirror and upend dogma wherever it manifests.
LINKS
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Greetings friends,
Happy to share this recent interview with my pal Eamon Armstrong where he interviews me on his podcast exploring mythopoetic masculinity.
The conversation also highlights my active curated series Restorying Masculinity. You’re welcome to join now and receive the recording from last week to get up to speed.
Use the code MYTHICrm20 and get 20% off when you register here.
From the show notes:
“Our conversation begins with a history of the Mythopoetic Men's Movement and its splinter, Men’s Rights activism. We talk about how mainstream culture is really an anti-culture that eats culture, including mens work.
Ian shares the value of myth vs fact in exploring truth and some of the lessons from three years of interviews about masculinity on his podcast. Ian also shares the story of his four year cycle of fasting in the wilderness for a four day “sit.”
Enjoy our conversation!IM
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Welcome to The Mythic Masculine, now hosted on Substack! You’re welcome to continue connected as a free subscriber, or please consider upgrading to a paid subscriber to support all the effort that goes into this show.
“The way you treat and view women represents the way you treat your own feminine qualities and unconscious mind.” - Connor Beaton
My guest today is Connor Beaton, a writer, speaker, and founder of Mantalks, a platform dedicated to offering healing and brotherhood to men around the world.
Using a combination of Jungian psychology, somatic therapy, transformative breathwork and meditative practices, Connor has produced an effective approach to working with shadow and integrating the hidden parts of the self.
In our conversation today, we speak about fatherhood and the release of his new book Men’s Work. In particular, we focus on the relationship between men and women, including a tactical guide to navigating conflict. He shares why the cliche of “happy wife, happy life” is a trap, and why it’s better to seek to understand than be right.
Connor shares how infidelity and porn can lead to surprising revelations, and finally, we both respond with our own perspective on the age-old question “what might men really want?”
LINKS
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This is the full recording of the latest Solar Session, a live conversation via The School of Mythopoetics. Join the School http://schoolofmythopoetics.com
Charles Sue-Wah-Sing is a leadership and whole life coach, facilitator and guide with a focus on conscious leadership, and practicing safe conversations.
He works with people from all walks of life who are longing for or in the midst of major shifts in their personal lives, careers, relationships and families. He's a self-described seeker for divine wisdom. His curiosities include art, music, religion, cultural traditions and ceremonies, mythology, science, psychology and social justice issues. He's an avid blogger and has a couple of book projects on the go.
In 2022, he started a virtual men's group for men of color. They gather weekly for his Open Jam sessions where they talk about life as Black, Brown and mixed race men living in a White-dominant culture. Charles is also a long-time scholar at the Orphan Wisdom School with Stephen Jenkinson.
Learn more about Charles https://www.suewahsing.com/
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My guest today Ke’oni Hanalei, founder of Pōhala, purveyor of Esoteric Hawaiian Fern Medicine.
Ke’oni caught my attention through his Instagram, where he shares profound perspectives rooted in the Mū teachings of ancient Hawaii.
In our conversation today, we speak about his own upbringing under the guidance of his grandmother and his rediscovery and cultivation of fern medicine. Ke’oni shares his understanding of gender and right relationship, advocating for the cultivation of intimacy within and without. And finally, he speaks of teachings that have bolstered his courage to participate in this time of great change with authenticity and beauty.
LINKS
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What if hidden in the soil below the monumental myth of patriarchal masculinity there was a rhizomatic biodiversity of alternative masculinities? What does it mean to create an ecosystem of narratives, rather than uplift a singular story? Looking to the past for ingredients to compost into better stories for the future, Ian and Sophie bring their personal experiences and mythic mycelial systems into a conversation about their own exploration into the myths of the masculine.
Register for Sophie's new course Rewilding Mythology https://www.rewilding-mythology.com
Use the code RewildMYTHPO
Full the full transcript here https://advaya.co/read/2022/10/19/ian-mackenzie-sophie-strand-rewilding-mythology
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This bonus episode is actually a conversation recorded for another podcast The End Of Tourism. The host is my good friend Chris Christou, who I initially met through Stephen Jenkinson’s Orphan Wisdom School.
We have spent many a time gathering on the farm in Ontario where the School is held, and have woven threads of companionship over the years.
A few months back, he invited me on his show to discuss subjects of which I’ve rarely spoken publicly, including my former years working for an online travel magazine, my own self-created initiatory adventures to Australia, the paradox of being a traveller in the modern age, and more.
Listen to more episodes of The End of Tourism https://www.theendoftourism.com
Support on Patreon http://patreon.com/theendoftourism
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My guest today is Jason MacKenzie, co-founder of Sacred Sons, a men’s organization whose self-professed aim is to “steward the return of the father archetype through men's relational and physical training.”
I first met Jason in 2019 at the Sacred Sons Convergence in San Diego, a powerful gathering of 300 other men. I experienced firsthand the container that he, alongside his core collaborators Aubert Bastiat and Adam Jackson crafted together.
In our conversation today, Jason and I dive into his own experience with drug and alcohol abuse early in life. He speaks of finding his way into men’s work and committing himself to the ManKind Project, before ultimately departing to follow his own path. We talk about the deep longing for elders in a largely elderless time. And finally, he speaks of his learnings from the ending of a partnership, and coming into a new relationship with his own feminine spirit.
Before we begin, you might consider listening to episode #51, which is my interview with Bill Kauth, the co-founder of the ManKind Project. This sets up the lineage that connects to my conversation with Jason. You might also wish to read the essay I wrote after my participation at the Sacred Sons Convergence, titled “The Rise of the Embodied Masculine.” I’ve linked to it in the show notes.
Explore Sacred Sons http://sacredsons.com
Read my essay https://ianmack.medium.com/sacredsons-5cf03070b28d
Listen to more episodes http://themythicmasculine.com
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This episode is a live recording as part of a series of events leading to the Grand Opening of The School of Mythopoetics June 1st, 2022. Consider joining as a Founding Member http://schoolofmythpoetics.com
In myth, the Underworld is a place of testing and initiation, but hopefully not a final destination. Within many stories the descent is the second element of a three stage process, leading to final grounding that is both redemptive and a gift to others. Martin Shaw is suggesting in the West we have often made the Underworld so comfortable, so subtle, and in some case so chronic, we’ve become a two stage, not three stage culture. Without quite knowing it, the Underworld has become home. In this state we experience the liminoid not the liminal, the rupture but not the rapture. Nothing grows, expect cynicism. Come and join Martin as he speaks old world stories and ideas into the malaise of our times.
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My guest today is Autumn Skye, a visionary artist whose work holds a significant presence with transformational culture around the world.
I first had the pleasure of meeting Skye on a festival tour in Australia back in 2016, and since then we’ve kept loosely in touch from afar. Last year, when she released her two pieces, first Mary Magdalene and then Yeshua, better known as Jesus, I knew I had to reach out for an interview.
Luckily, we live only a ferry ride across the water from each other, and so I was able to visit her in studio.
In our conversation today, released on Easter Monday, we cover: how she wrestled her own relationship to the Church and the teachings of Jesus in her childhood. We speak about the function of visionary art to inspire a path through dark times, and finally, Skye reveals her own mythic saga of painting one of the greatest love stories on earth.
I recommend checking the two paintings before listening to this podcast.
- Jesus - Divine Humanity
- Mary Magdalene - The Holy Grail
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Listen to more episodes http://themythicmasculine.com
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My guest for this Live Episode will be Nicholas Powers, author of The Ground Below Zero: 9/11 to Burning Man, New Orleans to Darfur, Haiti to Occupy Wall Street. He is a poet and an associate professor of English at SUNY Old Westbury with writings in Truth-Out, HuffPost, Alternet and The Indypendent.
Nicholas recently published the essay “Can Psychedelic Masculinity Stop War?”, a poignant weaving of numerous threads I have explored here on The Mythic Masculine podcast. He weaves myth, psychedelics, culture theory, and more - I knew I had to reach out and make contact.
Support this Podcast http://mythicmasculine.com/supporter
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My guest today is Bill Kauth, the resident visionary and co-founder of The ManKind Project, one of the most recognized men’s organizations in the world.
In 1984, Bill was working as a psychotherapist when he conceived and co-created the New Warrior Training Adventure. Since then, over 75,000 men in 12 countries have completed this neo-initiatory experience. In 1992, Bill also authored one of the first books for starting and running effective men’s groups: A Circle of Men.
In our episode today, he shares about these early days of what became the mythopoetic men’s movement, including reaching out to Robert Bly during the heyday of Iron John. Bill shares some of the hard lessons learned along the way, what inspires him about the current generation of men’s work, and the alchemical power of holding space for men to open their hearts to each other.
Also: this episode is released in tandem with my forthcoming interview with Jason MacKenzie, one of the co-founders of Sacred Sons, a more recent men’s organization that grew in part from the soil of The ManKind Project. I’ve chosen to release both conversations in sequence, in order to offer a portrait of the similarities and differences between the generations.
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My guests today are Ophir & Dor Haberer, Jerusalem-born identical twins, who are, among many things, facilitators, ritualists, storytellers, chefs, and organizational consultants.
The brothers bring together their connection to ancestral Arabic Jewish Roots with their love for ecology, healing, and village-building. They have been guiding men’s work for over 4 years, and have just launched their new organization and online platform called Kinhood.
In our conversation today Dor and Ophir share what it was like to grow up on an Israeli kibbutz, and the culture shock they experienced when moving to the United States. They speak of their journey into men’s work and the power of a container to be vulnerable. They share some of the guiding stories and myths of Judaism, and the gift of connecting to one’s ancestral roots.
And finally, Ophir shares two of his original poems to end our time together.
Support this podcast http://patreon.com/ianmack
Listen to more episodes http://themythicmasculine.com
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My guest today is Steven Martyn, M.A. (traditional plant use), an artist, builder, and farmer who is also the founder of The Sacred Gardener School.
Steven has spent more than 30 years of living co-creatively with the Earth, practicing traditional living skills of growing food, natural building, and nurturing community.
He has written numerous books, including the newly released The Roundhouse: A Meditation and Guide to Building A Handmade House with Local Materials, as well as Sacred Gardening: Seeds for the Reemergence of Co-Creative Agriculture.
In our conversation today, we speak of Steven’s four year period of solitude and what eventually drew him back to society. He reclaims the divine roots of agriculture and the wisdom of our neolithic ancestors. And finally, he speaks on the spirit of the Wild and what it might take to once again regrow a culture of reciprocity.
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Listen to more episodes http://themythicmasculine.com
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My guest today is Robin Esrock, a global adventurer, travel writer, and author of the Great Global Bucket List.
After a chance encounter on a Canadian TV talk show, Robin and I have remained friends for over a decade. We’ve shared countless experiences together, from working on his acclaimed international reality series Word Travels, to exploring the playa at Burning Man, and even attending the prestigious Explorers Club in New York City (where he was the Master of Ceremonies).
Robin is a man who has done it all. In our conversation today, he shares about his life growing up in apartheid South Africa and his immigration to Canada. He details the fortuitous motorcycle accident that became his gateway to travel writing, and what he discovered about various rites of passage for men around the world.
And finally, he shares key insights on how to travel with children (he has two), and what might remain on his list when it’s time to kick the bucket.
Robin's official website http://robinesrock.com
Support the podcast http://patreon.com/ianmack
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In this 60 minute conversation, Ian MacKenzie and Heather Pennell unpack the opening chapter of Iron John, the classic tale made famous by poet Robert Bly.
JOIN THE NEW COURSE: REVISITING IRON JOHN
http://revisitingironjohn.com
The book almost single handedly spark the mythopoetic men's movement of the early 90's, which crested before heading underground. Now a new generation of men are discovering the power of story to illuminate the challenges and pathways of their lives. What might this story reveal about the nature of men's sexuality in the culture, and how it might be liberated through reconnection to the Wild Man - the instinctual primal nature connected to the intelligence of life?
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REGISTER HERE http://revisitingironjohn.com
In 1990, Robert Bly’s book Iron John: A Book About Men ignited a generation of men towards what would become known as the mythopoetic men’s movement. Suddenly, men (at least in Western culture) had a map to their inner landscape and their outer experience. The exploration of a German fairy tale, alongside poetry and ritual, offered a pathway into the realm of soul work – and the book has continued to touched millions of men around the world.
In 2022, the spiral has come around as a new generation discovers Iron John alongside an urgent crisis of masculinity. What might Iron John offer in the era of COVID, the #metoo movement, AI, post-truth, multi-generational trauma, and biospheric breakdown?
Join Ian MacKenzie, host of The Mythic Masculine podcast, for this five part online exploration to discover once again the mythic ground of possibility amidst the peril. Each week, Ian will be joined by a number of Special Guests including Stephen Jenkinson, Sophie Strand, Stefanos Sifandos, Michael Gay and more.
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My guest today is Chris Fletcher, a counsellor that specializes in working with youth and their families. He is also the co-author of the forthcoming book The Nine Rings of Alignment, alongside his partner.
I first encountered Chris many years ago while visiting his oceanside retreat sanctuary Halfmoon Haven. Over the years, we crossed paths only a handful of times, though I was touched by his grounded presence and passionate dedication to his family.
In our conversation today, we speak about his own troubled adolescence and how intergenerational trauma played out in his life. He shares candidly about the dissolution of his first marriage, the journey into fatherhood, and the birth of the Nine Rings body of work.
And finally, he shares key insights into parenting his boys and maintaining intimacy and connection as an integrated father, throughout their teenage years and beyond.
- 9 Rings Official Website http://www.9Rings.ca
- Read an Introduction to 9 Rings and Guided Meditation
- Attend the 2022 Nine Rings Retreat
Listen to more Mythic Masculine http://themythicmasculine.com
Support this podcast http://themythicmasculine.com/supporter
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My guest today is Red K Elders, a magical artist based on the Norfolk coast of England, who sketches powerful portraits of old gods and mythical beings. This bonus episode explores her recent work in bringing forth a depiction of Dionysus, the god of fertility, grapes and wine, of ritual madness and religious ecstasy. Red was kind enough to send me a copy of this portrait, who currently hangs on the wall in my office.
In our conversation today, we discuss her journey as an artist and the power of creating ritual space for courting in the Otherworld, along with practical guidance for developing a living relationship with the mythical creatures in our midst.
Before you listen, I highly recommend you take a look at the Dionysus portrait, along with more of her incredible work.
And now enjoy my conversation with Red K Elders. We begin with a reading of a Hymn to Dionysus.
Red K Elders Website https://www.redkelders.com
Support this Podcast http://patreon.com/ianmack
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Host Ian MacKenzie shares an update on the The Mythic Masculine Podcast, along with an announcement of our new series: The Pandemic Is A Prism.
The Pandemic Is A Prism http://agatheringofstories.com/pandemic
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Join the Mythic Men's Lodge https://www.themythicmasculine.com/network
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My guest today is Sophie Strand, a writer who focuses on the intersection of spirituality, storytelling, and ecology. Though she admits, it would be more accurate to call her a neo-troubadour animist with a propensity to spin yarns that inevitably turn into love stories.
I first encountered her work on social media, reading her surprising and beautiful essays from her forthcoming book: The Flowering Wand: Lunar Kings, Lichenized Lovers, Transpecies Magicians, and Rhizomatic Harpists Heal the Masculine.
In our conversation today, we explore the connection between mycelium and myth, and how various gods from Jesus to Dionysus, can be seen more clearly as related to specific ecosystems and specific times. Sophie makes the case to dissolve toxic masculinity by dispersing it within a chorus of diversity, and why the Hero’s Journey would benefit from a little intentional pruning.
And finally, we unpack the wild nature of emergent systems, and how wedding our wounds to the wounds of the earth could invite a kaleidoscopic empathy for an ecocentric activism rooted in participation, not salvation.
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Join the network http://themythicmasculine.com/network
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Learn more about their program here https://patternstopresence.com/
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He is also the author of a two books, including “Conscious Kink for Couples: The beginner’s guide to using kinky sex and BDSM for pleasure, growth, intimacy, and healing.”
Our conversation today, we cover some intimate terrority, including: an introduction into the erotic terrain of kink, the power and peril of exploring ritual sex, and the mythic paradox between the underworld and the overworld and how to navigate power exchange between partners.
And finally, we unpack the archetypal split between the Good Boy/Bad Boy dilemma that many men in this culture face and how to invite integration through conscious kink.
Get the book Conscious Kink for Couples
Support the Podcast http://patreon.com/ianmack
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This is an an excerpt from the full episode A Psychedelic Guide to Healing Trauma. My guest Deus Fortier delivers a powerful spoken word transmission that begs to be listened to multiple times over. Enjoy!
Connect more with Deus http://deusfortier.com
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My guest today is Deus Fortier, a multi-faceted artist, men’s coach, and ceremonial facilitator.
He is a fire-keeper and drummer for the Blackfoot sundance in southern Alberta, as well as an initiate of Kriya Yoga, a comprehensive spiritual science, founded by Paramahansa Yogananda of the ancient Swami order.
Since 2007, Deus has been working intimately with entheogens and plant medicines, which is how I had the opportunity to experience the psychedelic 5 MEO DMT.
I’m grateful to call Deus one of my closest friends, and this interview follows a powerful one on one ceremony he offered me with the medicine. I can say without hesitation, it was...the most intense experience of my life.
Our conversation here is recorded in the late afternoon, with the spirit of the journey still with me. We cover potent ground, including Deus’ journey as a spiritual seeker with a deep yearning to understand consciousness. We talk about the power of liberating the intelligence of emotions and the nature of healing trauma.
And finally, we cover the dangers and possibilities of intentional psychedelic ceremony, ending with a fierce original spoken-word piece from Deus called “Are You Okay?”
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She has been a teacher and innovator of mythosomatic practices for nearly 30 years, and writes on wide variety of spiritual, philosophical, and cultural subjects. Zhenevere is also the founder of the organization, The Transgender Necessity, a platform to help educate individuals and institutions with regard to the cultural necessity of transgender people.
In our fantastic conversation today, we discuss how to weave the fabric of one’s mythopoetic life. We explore a post-Daoist gender theory, and the recognition and implication of recognizing masculinity as a theatrical spirit. We touch upon Robert Bly and the limited legacy of Iron John, and come to a surprising revelation of the ghost in the machine of Patriarchy.
And finally, Zhenevere touches upon the transgender experience as a necessary medicine for these times of traversing uncertainty as we collectively reimagine culture.
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Today I'm happy to speak with Karen Lee Downes, co-founder of FemmeQ, who are holding their next event in Costa Rica as well as online July 24-31st. We are producing the next A Gathering of Stories livestream event in collaboration with their conference. In our conversation, we discuss the journey to come.
Get tickets for FemmeQ http://femmeq.org
Get tickets for A Gathering of Stories II http://agatheringofstories.com
Learn more about Karen https://karenleedownes.com
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My guest today is Maya Luna, a poet and creator of the Deep Feminine Mystery School.
She has also authored a book of poetry, OMEGA: Feral Secrets of the Deep Feminine and released a spoken word album, Holy Darkness: A Tantric Opus.
In our conversation today, we discuss how to tune into the frequency of the Deep Feminine, through the gateways of the senses. We speak of the historical consequence of literacy on the cultures that venerated the Goddess and the subsequent rise of distorted masculinity. We wonder on the original trauma that may illuminate the gender conflict still unfolding today, and the Madonna/Whore split that many women (and men) are seeking to integrate.
And finally, Maya shares one of her powerful poems on the truth of Feminine power.
Join the Network http://themythicmasculine.com/network
Support this Podcast http://patreon.com/ianmack
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My guest today is Bill Plotkin, PhD, a depth psychologist, wilderness guide, and founder of western Colorado’s Animas Valley Institute.
Bill has led thousands of women and men through nature-based initiatory passages, and is the author of number books, including Soulcraft, Nature and the Human Soul, and Wild Mind.
In our conversation today, we discuss his recent book The Journey of Soul Initiation, which distills decades of his insights into human development and the mythopoetic relationship between humanity and ecology.
We explore the Five Phases of what he calls The Descent to Soul, including Preparation
Dissolution, Soul Encounter, Metamorphosis, Enactment. We compare his model and the significant differences between Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, along the challenges of navigating through each stage of development.
And finally, Bill names the blessing and burden it is to take on one’s own unique ecological niche, and how this invites us to become visionary artisans of cultural evolution.
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My guest today is Allan B. Chinen, a psychiatrist in private practice in San Francisco and Clinical Professor Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco.
He has lectured extensively and presented numerous workshops on the role of myths, fairy tales and legends on our life stories. He the author numerous books, including In the Ever After: Fairy Tales and the Second Half of Life, and Beyond the Hero: Classic Stories of Men in Search of Soul.
In our conversation today, we explore the relationship between the Hero and the Patriarch, and men’s initial fear and fascination with the Feminine. We unpack the tales that may guide men’s roles at mid-life, after the Hero has come home. And finally, we reach further back into the time before civilization, wherein lies the deep masculine wisdom of the Trickster.
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My guest today is Matthew Stillman, a dear friend who has been obsessed with how modern humans fit into an ancient world since, forever.
He has a wildly eclectic background, from highlighting the connection between food and culture as a programming executive on the Food Network. He co-produced an acclaimed documentary on The End of Poverty. He even created a traditional skincare company, called Primal Derma, delivered from his home in Harlem, New York.
I first met Matthew as a scholar in the Orphan Wisdom School with Stephen Jenkinson, and we have spent many hours wondering about many things, from love, to poetry, and beyond.
In our conversation today however, he shares about his upbringing in the world’s most mystical bookstore. He tells the tale of sitting at the feet of Robert Bly in the time just before his book Iron John would ignite the mythopoetic men’s movement. Matthew also speaks of the divine presence in the art of improv comedy, and the rules that govern finite and infinite games.
And finally, he shares the ancient myth of Phaethon and being undone by his own awakening into fatherhood.
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Happy Beltane! In this bonus episode, Ian MacKenzie and Zamir Dhanji reflect on the inaugural 'A Gathering of Stories' held during Imbolc 2012. This magical weekend brought together a global feast of storytellers, musicians and poets to explore The Soul of Masculinity. The entire journey is has just been released as a self-directed course on The Mythic Masculine Network, available to all members. As well, Ian & Zamir hint at the future event to come. Stay tuned.
Music: Naad https://naad.bandcamp.com
Access the Journey as a Course http://themythicmasculine.com/network
Learn more about A Gathering of Stories http://agatheringofstories.com
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My guest today is Ramon Parish, an assistant professor in Naropa University’s department of Interdisciplinary Studies.
Ramon has been synthesizing mindfulness, embodiment, social justice, the environment, and ritual & ceremony for over a decade, and has helped usher hundreds of young people through contemporary threshold experiences.
In our conversation today, we explore a dazzling array of themes, including: the impact of comics as modern mythologies, the power of healing personal and ancestral trauma through movement, the spiral dynamics of emergence, and how these uncertain times ask that we become riders of chaos.
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This is a very special episode, recorded only a few days ago, from the front lines of the Fairy Creek Blockade - a peaceful 8 month occupation to prevent the logging of some of the last remaining old growth forest on Vancouver Island, Canada.
I have been allied with effort these last few months, including releasing a short film ARISE in collaboration with The Mama’s Movement, which weaves voices of indigenous elders like Bill Jones, of the Pacheedaht Nation, alongside activists and children.
On April 1st, the courts granted an injunction to the logging company Teal Jones, which means they are legally able to have the forest protectors arrested so they can continue their destruction. Luckily, the movement continues to grow exponentially, with creative and positive support pouring in from around the world.
This past weekend, I joined the blockade for the first time, and experienced the beauty within the old growth trees, as well as the human community that has taken root.
I sat down in the midst of a clear cut to interview Yogi Shambu, a musician, healer, and longtime member of the Rainforest Flying Squad, who were the initial catalyzers of the blockade.
In our conversation today, he shares of his spiritual upbringing in rural Ontario, being surrounded by powerful women in his family. He speaks of his journey into Tantra Yoga, as well as becoming a professional mystic offering healing wherever he was called.
Shambu reflects on his mythic models for masculinity, including the joy of coming into right service with the Great Mother, and how spiritual practice can best prepare one for generative conflict.
And finally, we reflect on the stories that seeded us with an environmental consciousness in our youth, and how these flowers might bloom in our time of ecocide and evolution.
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The internet is abuzz with reactions to Lil Nas X's new video 'Montero', which abounds with a dazzling array of mythological symbolism and queer reclamation. I felt inspired to offer my take in this short bonus episode.
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My guest today is Eivind Skjellum, an expert in the field of archetypes and masculine psychology.
He is also the founder of Reclaim Our Inner Throne, a three month program aimed at guiding men through an initiatory framework of transformation.
In our conversation today, Eivind shares about his earlier challenges with chronic fatigue syndrome, and how that forged his creativity to craft the Inner Throne framework. We discuss our childhood experiences with video games and their impact on our mythological worldview, as well as the dangers of young men left in the underworld where isolation can turn to rage.
And finally, he speaks of the importance of male mentorship to model a life of purpose and service to the world, which is ultimately the hero’s quest young men crave.
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My guest today is Meghan Kurts, a writer and entrepreneur dedicated to self-care and planet care.
She is the solo mother of a young son, and co-founder of Evohe (ev-oh-AY), an ethical skincare company based in Australia, as well as the author of “A Man’s Guide: Navigating the Menstrual Mood Swing.”
In our conversation today, Meghan shares the impetus behind writing her book, and the challenge making it accessible to all readers (not just men). She articulates her unique practice of mapping the seasons and archetypes to the cycles of menstruation, along with practical tips to support the women in your life. And finally, we muse on the connection between the blood cycle and this modern culture’s fear of death, and why slowing down just might be the medicine we all need right now.
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My guest today is Taiaiake Alfred, an Indigenous scholar and activist.
He is the recipient of numerous awards, including best column writing for the Native American Journalists Association, as well as a National Aboriginal Achievement Award. Taiaiake is an author, governance consultant and former university professor known for his keen focus and commentary on Indigenous resurgence and decolonization.
In our conversation today, he shares of his early years as a young man in the US Marine Corps and what it means to be a warrior in a dominator system. He explores the origin cosmology of the Mohawk peoples and the capacity to find harmony within a complex system, and he reflects on fathering his three sons and how his understanding of leadership has shifted over the decades.
Finally, on the question of toxic masculinity, he names the necessity for the soil of rooted community to live true accountability - as there is no good man without the health of the land.
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My guest today is Rune Hjarnø, a doctor of History of Religions, educated from the Universities of Uppsala and Copenhagen.
He has lived and worked in a number of countries - with a particular focus on Afro-Atlantic and Nordic religions. He is the creator of Nordic Animism, a popular Youtube channel that explores the themes of Nordic religion, culture, and history in short accessible videos. As well, he is the orginator of the Rune Animist Calendar that introduces seasonal animism from Northern Europe.
In our conversation today, we look at the function of mythology as the capacity to create relationship. We explore the challenges of modern culture, where the absence of functional mythology gives rise to conspiracy theories, and we learn how the pantheon of Nordic gods can provide expressions of transgressive masculinity.
Finally, we explore the myth of Ragnorak and what guidance it might offer us in these apocalyptic times.
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My guest today is Gary Dillon, a mentor of many years and man I consider deeply grateful to know. I first met Gary through the Orphan Wisdom school, and have discovered that Gary’s rich and varied life has taken him through many pathways and modalities: including learning the traditional Hawaiian art of Lomilomi bodywork, transformational movement therapy, and the arts of sacred intimacy. In our conversation today, Gary shares how he was given the name Kekoanui, which means A Warrior of Aloha. We explore the tale of Eros & Psyche and the dynamic nature of divinity, and we speak of the role of memory and beauty, as nourishment for the mythological World Tree.
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My guest today is Jan Blake, one of Europe’s leading storytellers who has been performing for 35 years. Jan specializes in myths and folktales from Africa, the Caribbean and Arabia - and has mesmerized audiences at every major storytelling festival worldwide.
She has been the Storyteller-in-Residence for the Hay Literary Festival, the curator for Shakespeare’s Stories at the World Shakespeare Festival, and the recipient of the British Award for Storytelling Excellence. Jan also leads popular workshops for emerging storytellers, and gives masterclasses on the craft of storytelling.
In our conversation today, we speak of the return to her childhood home after many years living in the city of London. We explore the role of the storyteller and the necessity of permission to connect with an audience. Jan shares the story of The Hunter and the challenges young men face in the cultural climate of today, and finally we speak of the magic that blurs the line between telling a story, and the story telling you.
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My guest today is Alan Cooke, a filmmaker, poet, and speaker from the wilds of Ireland.
Alan’s poetic and literary work is based on the narrative of the medicine of nature, forged from the sorrow of undergoing numerous personal and cultural losses in his days. Back in 2009, Alan won an Emmy for writing a film about his time in New York City, titled Home. After returning to Ireland, he spent 13 years as a wandered and walker of the Irish landscape, refining the power of words to alchemize trauma into beauty.
In our conversation today, we speak of his youth growing up in Dublin and his initiation into the poetic imagination, we speak of his hard days in New York and the cascade of loss that met him upon returning to Ireland, and we speak of how nature brought Alan back to a deeper sense of his masculinity, and how in the end, all darkness turns to beauty.
And of course, Alan shares a few poems. I’ve layered the beautiful harp playing of Andee Anko behind his words.
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My guest today is Dr. Riane Eisler, a social systems scientist, cultural historian, and author whose research, writing, and speaking has made an enormous impact on the cultural landscape.
I first encountered her work through the book The Chalice and the Blade, where she first articulated her cultural transformation theory of history, which includes the lens of dominator versus partnership society.
In the decades since, she’s written numerous other books include Sacred Pleasure, and most recently Nurturing our Humanity. Dr. Eisler is president of the Center for Partnership Studies (CPS), as well as given keynotes at the United Nations General Assembly, the US Department of State, along with corporations and universities offering applications of the partnership model introduced in her work.
In our conversation today, we cover the foundations of her cultural transformation theory, along with her own childhood experience of fleeing Nazi Germany. We look at the limitations of language that have so far prevented the depth of cultural change we urgently need, and how sharing a new mythology of partnerism may yet regenerate a more humane and environmentally sustainable world.
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My guest today is Stephen Jenkinson, a culture activist, teacher and author, and principle instructor of The Orphan Wisdom School, co-founded with his wife Nathalie Roy. He has Master’s degrees from Harvard University (Theology) and the University of Toronto (Social Work).
Stephen’s most recent books are the award-winning Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul (2015), and Come of Age: The Case for Elderhood in a Time of Trouble (2018). I first encountered Stephen back in 2012, when a friend invited me to a summer teaching that was close to my home in Vancouver. That first morning, he gathered us at first light and told a story about the sun, rising. I was never to be the same again. That meeting has altered my life completely.
That winter, I joined the Orphan Wisdom School on his farm in Ontario, and have returned to many gatherings and teachings over the years. I have also produced numerous short films on Stephen’s work, including The Meaning of Death, the Making of Humans, and Lost Nation Road (2019). If you’ve listened to this podcast for some time, you know that I usually quote Stephen at least once an episode. And this interview has been a long time coming - largely because I wished to record it in person, and not over Zoom.
I finally had that opportunity last September when I travelled to Ontario on a whirlwind trip to the farm. If you’d like to hear more of that story, I’ve shared an additional recording which is available to my Patreon supporters. Head over to the Mythic Masculine website and click ‘Become a Supporter’ if you’d like to gain access.
For now, I’m very pleased to share our conversation, where we explore personal and profound territory, including: the lost origins of the mythopoetic men’s movement, the times Stephen met Robert Bly and James Hillman, the deep etymology of the word ‘patriarchy’, and the mythic understanding that a culture needs its fathering, as much as it needs its fathers.
And so, enjoy my conversation with Stephen Jenkinson.
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My guest today is Tyson Yunkaporta, an academic, poet, and carver of traditional tools and weapons. He is a senior lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges at Deakin University in Melbourne, and the author of the book ‘Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World’.
Since its release, Sand Talk has received many glowing reviews, and offered a crucial indigenous perspective on the areas of history, education, money, power and sustainability - using traditional wisdom for a livable future.
I first learned of Tyson from the Melbourne based men’s group Warrior Within, and with the surprising success of his book, have observed Tyson being ushered into a growing spotlight.
For our conversation, I was excited to explore his take on masculinity - and he offered a raw and personal dive that touched some deep places in us both.
We speak about the importance of relationship as the truth of our being, where the term “toxic masculinity” came from and why it’s a bad story, how a man’s relationship with the land mirrors his intimate relationships to others, and why tracking the mystery of emergence invites us to look to the wisdom of the outliers.
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Greetings dear listener. This is a special episode of the podcast, where I reflect on the year since launching. It’s been hugely satisfying for me, and based on the feedback, for many listeners as well. I thought to record this anniversary episode to share about the journey of The Mythic Masculine. But rather than be a solo-cast, I invited my friend Elisa Spring to conduct the conversation, with some questions gathered from members of The Mythic Masculine Network.
In our conversation today, we explore the intersection of eros, emergence and village, the problem with personal growth, the poverty of location independence, and how to intentionally pollinate the noosphere - that is, the realm of interconnected consciousness unites us all.
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My guest today is Murray Kyle, a mystic troubadour from Byron Bay, Australia. Over 15 years of of writing and touring his music has built him grassroots audience from all over the world. His songs have become anthems of the heart, inviting reconnection to each other and the wisdom of the earth. I first met Murray while touring Australia back in 2016. I attended a singing circle he led with other local men - I still remember how rich and healing it was to raise my voice in soulful brotherhood. In our conversation today, we speak about awakening to his soul’s purpose as a musician, the cultural beauty of men coming together in song, and the power of music to beckon forth our service to the world.
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My guest today is Jane Caputi, a professor of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Florida Atlantic University. Dr. Caputi’s primary research is in contemporary American cultural studies, including pop culture, gender and violence, and eco-feminism. She is the author of many articles and four books, including The Age of Sex Crime; Gossips, Gorgons, and Crones: The Fates of the Earth; and Goddesses and Monsters: Women, Myth, Power and Popular Culture.
Her most recent work is Call Your Mutha: A Deliberately Dirty-Minded Manifesto for the Earth Mother in the Anthropocene, which does fierce and mythic battle against the techno-hegemony of The Age of Man.
In our conversation today, we explore the roots of patriarchy from a mythic lens, we illuminate startling perspectives on ancient stories, from Gilgamesh to the Garden of Eden, and we wonder what might it take for civilization to come back into right relationship with the life force of the Earth Mother, lest she turn away, forever.
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With our official launch happening last week, I thought it would be a supportive offering to share more about the origin and intention behind the network, as well some of Daniel's story, and how it came to be that we are collaborating on this growing community of artists, activists, scholars, and mythopoets.
In our talk, we speak about how he found his way to men's work, our showdown in the brotherdome at the sacred sons convergence, and understanding men and the current crisis of meaning in our culture.
Finally, we share in depth about the Mythic Masculine Network and why you might join us, and many others building this community.
Enjoy my conversation with Daniel Robert.
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My guest today is Jack Zimmerman, an elder in the realm of relational intimacy.
He is the co-author of The Way of Council (with Gigi Coyle), what I consider to be a key book on teaching the foundations of functional community. He is also the co-author of Flesh and Spirit: The Mystery of Intimate Relationship, which he wrote with his life partner Jaquelyn McCandless.
In our conversation, we cover the origin and foundations of the council practice. We explore the mystery of partnership: from understanding resonating wounds and the nature of projection, to how to tune into the consciousness of the Third - that relational space between you and another person.
And finally, he speaks how walking the path of radical intimacy is to partner with the evolutionary intelligence of life itself.
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My guest today is Jared Qwustenuxun (QUEST-AY-NA-HUN) Williams, a Salish Food Sovereignty Chef and Manager at the Elders Kitchen for his community of the Cowichan Tribes. He is also a father and owner of Medieval Chaos, the largest live action role playing game in Western Canada.
I’m grateful for our conversation, where he illuminates his love for traditional teachings, language, and story, deeply informed by his rootedness to his place, the land of the Cowichan peoples, where I currently also call home.
We explore how language is lens into a indigenous view of the world, how it has come to be that modern people know more about Greek gods and Marvel superheroes instead of the stories of place beneath their feet, and why really, it all comes back to the food.
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In today’s episode, I speak with Michael Gay, a therapist in private practice based in Boulder, Colorado. Michael has worked in the field of counseling for the last 14 years as a guide, therapist, and trainer. He specializes in work with depression, trauma, PTSD, grief, and families.
I first encountered Michael at the Sacred Sons Convergence last October in San Diego California, where he led the men in a group process of healing through attunement to stuck energy, ultimately unlocking the deep alchemy of transformation.
In our conversion today, we touch upon his own adolescence and grappling with the big questions of life, how he encountered the mythopoetic men’s movement and his time with Robert Bly, how emotions like anger can be powerful tools for healing, and why a culture of safety is fundamentally about coming back into relationship, with ourselves and with each other.
Enjoy.
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My guest today is Philip Shepherd, an international authority on embodiment. He is the author of two books New Self, New World and Radical Wholeness, along with the developer of The Embodied Present Process, a series of practices for people to undo the stress and imbalances that are caused by disconnection, and find instead what it means to rest in the deeper, connected wisdom of the body.
Philip's personal path was shaped by his adventures as a teenager, when he cycled alone through Europe, the Middle East, India and Japan; by his deep commitment to and studies of bodywork; and by his experiences as an actor, playing lead roles on stages in London, New York, Chicago and Toronto.
In our conversation today, we explore: why living in the head, as many men do, guarantees a state of loneliness, how to tap into the emergent intelligence of life, and why the future of humanity may depend on our ability to finally come home, to your body and the earth.
We begin with a guided presence practice led by Philip Shepherd.
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My guest today is Pulxaneeks (Pul-ha-neeks), from the Eagle Clan of the Haisla First Nation, a First Nations tribe located on the North West Coast what is now known as British Columbia, Canada.
Pulxaneeks is a living, loving result of the coastal Indigenous village that raised her & all that survived in the lineage she was born to. She honours the Elders, Mentors and huge family whose love she is a living result of and the Ancestors whose strength and resilience is flowing through her veins.
Her recognition of the responsibility to use her strengths in a meaningful way in contribution to greater change led her to develop “Heart to Heart Indigenous Relations Consultation” based on her unique understanding from walking in two worlds, both Indigenous and Settler cultures.
As an unsettled settler on stolen land, I am grateful to consider Pulxaneeks a friend and mentor for me on this path of Practicing Allyship in support of the Indigneous Peoples of Turtle Island, as well as connecting with my own Ancestry and lineage.
In our conversation today, we speak of the right use of privilege, the necessity of uncovering your trauma and discovering your gifts, and how every new encounter between indigenous folk and settlers is an opportunity to heal the unresolved pain of first contact, and come back into connection from the heart.
Enjoy.
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My guest today is Clinton Callahan, an author and cultural edgewalker that calls himself a memetic engineer. He the originator of Possibility Management, a training organization that aims to empower people as bridges to next culture.
Clinton strikes me as a man from the future. And by that, I mean one who has explored the edges of our current paradigm, and has developed a sophisticated and complex series of memetic distinctions that compose an entirely different gameworld than our modern dominant context.
In our sweeping conversation, we cover a lot of ground including: the importance of lowering your numbness bar to develop the capacity to truly feel again, understanding our Box intelligence that keeps us from stepping outside of the familiar, and what he believes lies beyond matriarchy and patriarchy - the rise of archearchy.
It’s okay if you feel a bit lost for the first half hour of our conversation. I promise, it will all make sense (maybe) by the end.
Enjoy this conversation.
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My guest today is Daniel Foor a teacher and practitioner of practical animism, specializing in ancestral and family healing and helping folks learn to relate well with the other-than-human world.
He is a doctor of psychology, as well as a marriage and family therapist, weaving many years of immersion in earth-honouring ways- including European pagan and Native American paths, Mongolian shamanism, and West African tradition. He is the author of Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing, and over 15 years has given hundreds of trainings and talks across the United States.
In our conversation today, Daniel and I explore a number of themes, including: the fundamental shift needed to recognize kinship with the natural world, exploring beyond the gender binary through indigenous epistemologies, and naming the practical love languages that are food for your ancestors.
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I’m very excited to share my conversation today with Bayo Akomolafe, an international speaker, poet and activist in service of a radical paradigm shift in consciousness and culture. He is globally recognised for his unconventional, counterintuitive, and indigenous take on global crisis, civic action and social change. Bayo is also Chief Curator for The Emergence Network and the author of two books, including “These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home.”
I first crossed paths with Bayo at the New Story Summit in Scotland, back in 2014, and since then have followed his genre-bending wonderings about how things came to be as they are, often crafting his lectures and essays with surprising and beautiful associations of language and imagery.
In this episode, we cover a range of topics, including: Understanding fatherhood as a community, the need to confront the monstrosities of masculinity, and the tender wound that may lie at the heart of the patriarchy.
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My guest today is indigenous activist and comedian Dallas Goldtooth (Diné/Dakota). I first crossed paths with Dallas at the Bioneers conference back in 2016, as he arrived from the height of the action at Standing Rock - where water protectors clashed with police against the Dakota Access Pipeline. This massive energy project would have cut through their sacred lands and polluted the water, and Standing Rock became a global icon of indigenous resistance.
Dallas is also a key member of the media team for the Indigenous Environmental Network, a non-violent direct action trainer, and a Dakota cultural/language teacher. When he’s not fighting on the frontlines, Dallas travels with his all-indigenous comedy troupe, the 1491s.
In our conversation we touch upon a number of themes, including the subject of toxic masculinity, how much of modern men’s work unconsciously enacts settler-colonialism and cultural appropriation, and the power of humour to connect and create change.
We begin with a short excerpt from one of his talk’s at the Bioneers conference. Enjoy.
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My guest today is Nicky Wilks, a good friend and father of 3, who has spent many years working with youth of all ages.
5 years ago, he co-founded Journeymen, an organization dedicated to guiding young men through nature-based rites of passage, and honing their communities to be able to receive them properly afterwards.
In our conversation we touch upon a number of key themes, including: why modern culture is currently failing our youth, why parents aren’t meant to be everything to their kids (and why that’s a good thing), and how we can truly make space for the genius of our boys.
LINKS
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I’m very excited to introduce my guest today - prolific author and mythteller Dr. Martin Shaw.
I first encountered Martin’s writing in the foreword to Stephen Jenkinson’s book Die Wise, and was immediately hooked by the elegant and unruly prose that leapt from the page. I found the same ecstatic spirit in Martin’s popular essays and numerous books including Scatterlings and the more recent Courting the Wild Twin.
Over the years, we’ve crossed paths at numerous teachings and locales, from a small island off the coast of British Columbia, to a 1000 year old pub near Dartmoor National Park in the UK, where he lives.
Martin has spent many years as a wilderness rites-of-passage guide, and honed his craft as a mythteller learning directly with the greats Robert Bly, James Hillman, and Michael Meade... among many others.
I knew that one day I needed to speak to Martin about his time in the mythopoetic men’s movement, alongside his teaching house Westcountry School of Myth- who are self-described as a “school of courtly love disguised as a monastery for elegant pirates.
In our interview today we discuss range of topics: from a bardic role of the mythteller, why we are in the underworld (but don’t know it yet), and how this time of coronavirus might be an invitation into our collective initiation.
LINKS
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Since then, Boe has continued to release a prolific range of albums, including Kiss the Witch, A Female Power, and the forthcoming Thirteen Queens. More recently, Boe has undergone a quest to integrate her own inner masculine, a story which I felt was deeply fitting for this podcast.
She describes how a trio of failed relationships cracked her open to the deepest heartbreak of her life, how this led her to look into intergenerational grief through her father line, and ultimately, the willingness to end the war between the polarities of her soul.
Just a note: halfway through this episode, Boe performs her song “Undefended Heart”, which she wrote to crystallize the courtship of this sacred union. The full song will be released on Boe's Patreon.
LINKS:
Boe Huntress - Official Website
Green Dragon - Live Music Video
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My guest today is the venerable Michael Meade, author, mythologist, and storyteller, who was a prominent figure in the first wave of the mythopoetic men’s movement of the 80’s and 90’s. Michael was right in the center of it - sitting alongside legends such as Robert Bly and James Hillman. By the mid 90’s Michael moved away from the men’s movement, and founded the Mosaic Multicultural foundation, a non-profit dedicated to education and cultural healing, working with at-risk youth, returning veterans, prisoners, and youth involved in gang life. Over the last few years, I’d met Michael at a few public gatherings, and have long desired to sit down with him to understand what happened back then, and what the current mythopoetic wave can learn from his perspective. Just a note: This episode was recorded in late January, at Michael’s studio on Vashon near Seattle. This was before the coronavirus lockdown, and therefore of course, we don’t speak to this topic. At the same time, in our conversation we cover many other rich areas, including those early days of the mythopoetic men’s movement, the problem with codifying archetypes like king, warrior, magician, and lover - and the heart of men’s work, which for Michael, has always been about journey of the soul.
LINKS
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In Canada, we are just beginning to feel the impact, and the future is deeply uncertain. Which is why I am deeply honoured to share my conversation today with my friend and beauty maker Day Shildkret.
Day calls himself an impermanent earth artist, who has developed quite a following with his practice of Morning Altars - gorgeous mandalas that he builds through foraging for natural materials in each place that he goes.
In fact, I highly recommend pausing this podcast and visiting his Instagram to see this beauty for yourself.
In this episode, we begin with the obvious - speaking about the coronavirus that has now overtaken the public imagination. We explore his own roots as a young Jewish boy that was almost killed in a bombing in Israel, before coming out as gay in New York City and claiming his sexuality for the first time. And finally, we make a plea for the willingness to craft beauty in a time of fear, as a way to court life back into the center of the spiral.
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I was introduced to Adam when I attended their Sacred Sons convergence in San Diego last October, and was impressed with the way they stewarded 200 men over two subsequent weekends into realms of connection, healing, and empowerment.
In this episode, I speak with Adam about the recent birth of his second son Holland, along with the birth story of my own son Oryn. We explore the importance of not losing yourself as a new father, how he uses ritual to stay connected with his partner, and why the return of the Father archetype is so needed in modern culture.
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I’m pleased today to share my conversation with visionary philosopher Charles Eisenstein. He is the author of numerous books, including the recent Climate: A New Story.
I first came across Charles’ work over 10 years ago with his book The Ascent of Humanity, where he articulates the deep story of separation that lives at the heart of modern civilization. From there, he wrote Sacred Economics, which inspired me to reach out to him and collaborate on a short that to this day remains one of my most popular films.
Since then, I’ve been privileged to call Charles a friend and ally in weaving the story of re-union - what he calls: the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.
A few years ago, Charles developed his own interview series exploring the new story of masculinity. In this episode, I learn what he brought back from his journey, how he understands the role of the true king, and humanity’s coming initiation to cross the threshold from Mother to Lover Earth.
A technical note: the lower quality of my audio recording becomes better about halfway through the episode.
LINKS:
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Today I’m happy to share my interview with Pat McCabe, an indigenous grandmother, activist, artist, and ceremonial leader. She is an international voice for global peace, and someone I seem to continually cross paths with at new paradigm gatherings around the world. I suppose we’re following the same song lines.
Recently on Facebook, I asked others to speak about the value of men’s work, and Pat wrote an intriguing response where she named her own explorations into a “thriving life” paradigm - and a new narrative for the sacred masculine that is longing to be born.
In this episode, I learn more about her personal journey with spirit, how she integrated her rage as a woman on this planet, and the deep prayer she holds for men to connect once again as functional members of the Hoop of Life.
By the end of our conversation, both of us are in tears. I wish the same for you.
LINKS
Support this podcast http://patreon.com/ianmack
Join the Conversation http://themythicmasculine.com/network
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Eamon Armstrong is the host of his popular podcast Life is a Festival, promoting adventure and personal development through the lens of festival culture.
I first met him as the Prince of Parties when he worked for Fest300, where he got to travel the globe and report from world’s best festivals. It was at Rainbow Serpent in Australia where he happened to attend one of my first talks on masculinity and love. We bonded soon after, and kept in touch after returning to our home places.
A year later, Eamon and I returned to Australia where we offered a series of talks on the subject of mature masculinity - we were a great combination. I brought my experience and knowledge and he offered his playfulness and vulnerability. Plus, he made me just a little more fabulous.
More recently, he has experimented with stand-up comedy, exploring the conversation around men’s work with a poignant irreverence. Up next, I’ve included a short clip before we dive into our conversation.
LINKS:
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Benjamin von Mendelssohn is a longtime resident of Tamera peace research village in Portugal, which for the last 5 years has been the focus of a documentary I’m co-directing titled Love School. Benjamin is co-leader of the Global Love School, as well as the director of The Grace Foundation which aims to heal our collective relationship to money.
I first met Benjamin actually in my own kitchen, back when a friend asked on his behalf for a place to stay for a stop on his North American tour. At the time, I didn’t know much about Tamera, though we said hello and I continued on with my day. It was a year later in 2014 when I encountered Benjamin again at the Findhorn community in Scotland for The New Story Summit- he was attending as a speaker along with a few other Tamerans from his community, and it was then I recognized they were carrying an entirely different field of being.
I was invited to Tamera to make a short film about their research in healing love and sexuality, and in 2015, after my marriage ended, I knew it was time to visit. That journey began a love story with the community and a deepening relationship with Benjamin who I am now grateful to call a friend and a mentor.
In this episode, we discuss his first experiences coming to Tamera, what he had to unlearn as a man, and why truth in love is the foundation of a healed culture.
LINKS
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Dr Sharon Blackie is an award-winning writer, teacher and speaker, aimed at cultivating the mythic imagination. She is the author of numerous books, including “If Women Rose Rooted” and the host of her own podcast This Mythic Life. Sharon specializes in the myths, folklore and fairy tales of the Celtic nations and the British Isles.
In today’s episode, I’m excited to speak with her about her historical and psychological insight into the masculine: from understanding the role of myth and re-examining classic stories like the quest for the Grail. Finally, we touch on the limitations of the hero’s journey and what may come next.
LINKS:
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Zamir Dhanji is a longtime friend and ally in our mutual exploration of emerging culture. He is trained in Hatha yoga in the lineage of Swami Gitananda. His spiritual guru of the last eight years is the Buddhist wisdom master Maticintin, lineage holder of the “Mind Treasure Teachings” which are aimed as a direct means of cultivating the mind of enlightenment. This path includes the study of Buddhist teachings and applying oneself as a bodhisattva, dedicated to the benefit of all sentient beings as a servant of life. He serves as a lead instructor for the Langara College Yoga Teacher Training program. Instructing in yoga asana, pranayama, philosophy and meditation. He weaves a long-time love of music, poetry and movement into his workshops and sessions, and continues to play with the Vancouver-based world music collective Naad. In this episode, Zamir and I discuss the masculine cosmology of India, what human love taught him about the divine, and his own journey into healing the relationship with his father. Ultimately, we explore how the mythic archetypes of the past could provide us with a model of healing the current conflict between the masculine and the feminine. Links: Official Website Zamir Dhanji
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In 2015, John and I began work on our feature documentary Love School, exploring the radical research community of Tamera in southern Portugal. Since then, we have been on a deep journey of collaboration and brotherhood - complete with many bumps along the way.
I am happy to have John in my studio today, where we discuss the his own rite of passage - through the lens of catastrophic personal heartbreak, which catapulted him on a journey into the underworld and back again. We speak about men’s sexuality, the gateway of grief, and the perspective that we are now in a time of planetary initiation.
PART II is available as a bonus hour via my Patreon page.
LINKS
John Wolfstone - Medium essays
Johh Wolfstone - Official Website
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This resulted in a massive debate on whether he was taking a stand for free speech, or simply a bigot who refused to bow to the progressive future. Since then, his popularity has exploded. With the release of his new book “12 Rules for Life” he has become a Youtube star and been called the most influential public intellectual in the Western World right now.
On today’s show, my guests are Patricia Marcoccia and Maziar Ghaderi, co-directors of the new documentary titled The Rise of Jordan Peterson. The film has just finished a North American theatrical tour, and is now available widely online.
In this interview, we discuss the journey of making the film, the reasons why he is misunderstood by the political Left as well as the Right, and the mythic lens by which to understand his crusade in this cultural moment.
Official Website - The Rise of Jordan Peterson
Facebook Fanpage - The Rise of Jordan Peterson
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