Brotherhood is as ancient as man. 

The men (and boys) in our ancestry would sit together, often, and talk, share, plan, decide, release, grieve and support each other.  

In today’s world, men’s groups are still on the fringes of society.   

They are important. 

And needed.

Male isolation, loneliness and suicide is the silent epidemic of our times

Lockdown 2020 (remember that?), I was experiencing a deep dark depression, isolated from people, and relying on my partner to be my everything.   It wasn’t natural.

 Initially, I resisted the online realm of ‘zoom’ brotherhood, but I was pushed and encouraged by deeper parts of myself (and others).   That was to be my first time hosting a men’s group online. 

It changed everything for me.   For one, it showed me the power of brotherhood and connection is not diminished through a laptop screen.    Simply showing up, listening, talking, sharing, celebrating, being courageous and vulnerable, had a big positive impact on the men present.

The truth is we all share the fundamental needs:

• To be seen

• To be heard

• To feel safe to express ourselves

• To be held and comforted  

 

Life's value lies in our relationships with others; these connections are what truly matter.

 ‘Community is the medicine’ 

How does it work?

“Everyone carries with them at least one piece to someone else’s puzzle.” Lawrence Kushner

The power of togetherness cannot be underestimated.  

 Sharing and articulating your inner world in the presence of others requires immense courage.

 Actively listening to others as they courageously share their experiences is a profound source of wisdom.

A healthy dose of shadow work

 Shadow work is giving name and form to those parts within you that are held back, suppressed or denied.   

This can sometimes be an uncomfortable process of acknowledging, recognising, accepting and integrating parts of yourself that have been kept hidden. These could be emotional aspects, thoughts or ideas, memories or projections.   

 But it’s not all dark, there is also a light shadow, the parts of your creative genius, your skills and positive traits that sometimes go unrecognised by yourself and others.

 This is an opportunity to not only integrate the dark murky sh*t of human fragility, but also assimilate the brilliance within you.

Learning to trust men again

The masculine archetype, with its complex tapestry of the Father figure, the King, the Warrior, the Lover, and the Magician, has been lost in the modern world.   It is through the process of witnessing the archetypes in other men that allows us to recognise and integrate these parts within ourselves. 

The modern world is a sh*t storm of complexity.   We are disconnected, fragmented and out of alignment with ourselves, each other and the natural world.  

On top of this, men’s superpower has been stolen.   Our ability to focus on one thing is constantly being hijacked, often right in front of our noses. 

I call this the ‘Three-Body Problem’.

• Stolen Focus

• Forgotten Masculinity 

• Disconnection 

Together, we unravel this mess.  

The Core Values Of Brotherhood 

Commitment is vital in any endeavour.   You are fully committed to showing up on time for every session and the exercises, practices and connections in between.   

Fire is a fundamental energy every man must cultivate.  This means each man is open to being challenged, open to challenging each other, holds themselves accountable and encourages action and momentum in each other’s lives.   

This is paramount, for without it, the group can struggle and get lost in endless emotional processing. 

Confidentiality matters.    All men are encouraged to use ‘I’ statements and share only about their personal experiences, and not to share about anyone else's process, in or out of the group work sessions.   This fosters and cultivates a deep trust that leads to deeper connection, which lies at the heart of this work. 

Courage is welcomed and held in high regard.     Courage and vulnerability go hand in hand.   Courage to be seen, to be heard, to be held and ask for support.   Courage to try something new, courage to make mistakes, to fail and to try again.     And the courage to see, hear, hold and support others without judgement.     

 Without courage, we remain prisoners of our own fears and limiting beliefs, never truly experiencing the depth of connection, growth, and authenticity that life offers.

Truth is the cornerstone of men’s work.    In parallel to courage, truth is speaking directly, articulating as best and as honestly as possible.  Truth is transparent, real and raw.   Truth is ‘I’ statements.   Truth is rarely opinions or stories projected onto others or the world.   

Through the power of speaking, sharing, intuitive potential of active listening and the joyous healing of community, our true essence becomes manifest.  Be it through creativity or life-force energy, we emerge reborn and ready for adventure. 

We live in a crazy, complicated, fast paced and disconnected modern world.   Our intention with this work is to untangle the complex knots that divide the simple connections between us. 

 

Be brave | be bold | be beautiful 

BEING | BELONGING | BECOMING

If you are interested in joining us, or curious to know more, you can find our event booking page here:

 

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