In today’s modern world, most men grow up being groomed to believe that their feelings are not valuable aspects of human experience. This lack of emotional guidance and support has left many men without much of a feeling-life, often painfully consumed by depths of unprocessed emotions. The result including: a lack of intimacy and a struggle to communicate vulnerably, often leading to unfulfilling relationships.
Similar to the endangered fresh water areas around the globe that are continuing to be contaminated by our dominant culture, the minds of many men are being implanted with the notion that ‘to feel is to be unmanly.’ But what happens when we challenge this stale and marginalising idea?
Ancestrally, water has long been revered for its nourishing and purifying qualities, sometimes used as libations or gratitude-offerings to deities. As West-African Dagara elder Malidoma Somé suggests, “without the water of life, nothing can be purified” – and without a healthy relationship to it, we deny the sacred substance that nourishes our existence.
In the third part of this Men’s series, we will explore our relationship to water as an element and also one of its symbolic associations: Emotions.
Through the use of Earth-based ritual, music, self-enquiry, deep listening and collaborative dreaming we will explore some of the following questions:
How do I relate to water as an element in my life? What are the qualities that it represents?
How can I build a healthy relationship to the element of water?
What is my relationship to anger, joy, sadness, grief, fear and shame? How do I experience and express them in my life?
What ideas and stories have I inherited about feelings and emotions?
What does it mean to be emotionally intelligent and literate?
About the Series
Re-wilding Man is a 4-part series dedicated to the exploration of what it means to be an authentic, wild, and spiritually connected man, living in today’s modern dominant culture.
Through the lens of the elements, we will collaboratively explore ancient, conventional, and emerging ideas to re-imagine as a community of men: how can we practically engage with the Earth and Nature to affect positive change?
This series is a part of a rolling series of Men's Circles held at Fairfield Uniting Church. They are an opportunity for Men to come together and explore important themes and ideas. They are an opportunity to sit with like minded men in a space geared towards curiosity and deep listening.
About Alexandre Jodun
Bookings
We have limited space for these workshops and registration is a must. Please contact Anthony Olsen to book or find out more information.
