The world is hungry for initiated, mature, adult males; men who are living equally from their hearts and their masculine drive and desire; men who respect uncertainty and vulnerability in themselves and others; men who are moving through the world as unapologetic courageous lovers, engaged not only with themselves but with everyone and everything around them in a power-with relationship instead of power-over.

I hear over and over from men that being male is a nearly impossible task in this culture. Men speak of themselves as split in two: the man the culture wants him to be and the man he feels is his true self.

The Culturally-Sanctioned Man, as described by the men I work with, is a linear thinking, aggressive, opportunistic, materially-driven creature easily made insecure when challenged; a man-boy who has great difficulty with emotional intimacy and often relies on physical intimacy as a result; a man who feels insecurity when relating to the mercurial presence and power of the feminine and women; a man who retreats into a boy-like state or withdraws entirely in the face of challenge.

The Authentic Man, as described – and beautifully embodied – by the men I work with, is a work-in-progress kind of man; a non-culturally-sanctioned man (actually, he’s an enemy of the state); a highly sensitive, joyous, reverent, wise, careful and caring, loving and strong creature who weathers storms well because he has found his core; a man with close male friends who help him stay centered; a man who has cultivated a deep conversation with his anger and rage, knowing that when it is expressed in service of life, in protection of beauty and life, it is welcomed…in fact, it is absolutely necessary to the survival of our species; a man who knows how to meet the feminine while maintaining his own identity and power. He is a man who does not apologize for his own truth or take others’ feelings and responses personally. He instinctively loves a challenge, for he sees this as an opportunity to test his own borders and integrity.

In the work of Re-Wilding we are calling out the authentic masculine archetypal man within the man. This work is not therapy. There is no pathology to be explored, only the cultivation of a perfectly brilliant man’s soul within the soil of intimate witnessing. And, this work is deeply intimate. It requires courageous explorations of safety and trust, rage and longing, grief and joy, passion, sexuality and intimacy. It is held in a container of clear and open communication, maintaining a fierce conversation focused on how this work is empowering him to unfold – or move deeper – into the world as a man of great integrity who is honoring his power, purpose and passion.