The Mythic Masculine

To brood is to wander through a grovewhere one sheep straysand a hundred wolves follow.Why did I make brooding my vocationwhen AWE was an option?Thought spinner, mull the wine of wonder.- RUMIThree years ago, my colleague Deus and I joined forces to craft an experiment. We invited 12 men out to the forest. He brought his years of training in breathwork, transformational art, and psychedelic facilitation. I wove my love of archetypes, fairy tales, and the lineage of mythopoetics.The result: a cauldron of mystery that we named AWE - Awakening the Wild Erotic. Since that time, we’ve ran the 3 day weekend over 7 times, supporting over 90 men through the journey. Deus and I still have a difficult time describing what happens during these ritual gatherings. What feels most true: it is the rite of passage that most men never received as we entered into our erotic birthright. It is the beginning of coming into right relationship with sexual energy, responsibility, and self leadership. Plus, it’s a lot of fun. Here’s what some of the men have said: "I really got to know men in this time—more so in three days than in the 49 years I've been alive. And through that, I got to know so much more of me. I feel more open to vitality, to passion, to pleasure and joy... to the juice of life... the nectar of the Gods.""I arrived at the retreat seeking to heal shame carried in my body... What I discovered was an inner fire. Beyond healing, I left the weekend ablaze with energy and purpose, ready to fully embody my life as a father, a son, a husband, a brother, and a friend.""Upon returning home from AWE, my wife said to me: ‘The pilot light of our love was going out. You came back with the flame to relight us.’ If feeling what it means to be alive, to love and be loved, to breathe in the air of erotic life-force resonates within, you owe it to yourself to work with these men."The terrain of sex, eros, and intimacy is edgy territory.Especially these days, when the shadow of men is running rampant, as we’re confronted with the Epstein files, endless wars and abuses of power. On the personal front, there’s the continual seduction of numbing out with substances, pornography and now AI “girlfriends” that promise pseudo intimacy without any real-world risk or rejection, or reward of being truly seen.In the face of all that, over and over, I’m astounded by the men who choose to attend AWE. These are men who want to access a deeper vitality in their being, who wish to connect with the current of life, and show up as more grounded, integrated and passionate lovers.UPCOMING WEEKEND - APRIL 24-26Once again, we return to Black Creek on Vancouver Island. This is likely to be the only AWE we are offering in the region this year.If you feel the pull - or if you know a man who needs this kind of medicine - you can find the application and full details below.We have 4 spots left. Begin the Descent - Apply for the April 24-26 AWE ImmersionP.S. For those of you who can’t make it to the island, the next cohort of our 12-week online journey, The Deep Masculine, begins in mid-May. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

Today is International Transgender Day of Visibility and right moment to kick off this new series on The Mythic Masculine.It didn’t grow out of a plan; it grew out of a message from a trans man named Emmanuel H. Brown.Emmanuel was looking to join an in-person gathering of mine—a ritual space he discovered was not open to trans men. It was an intentional choice made with my collaborator Deus Fortier, rooted in cultivating a container for men whose maps of masculinity have always (at least on the surface) lined up to how they were culturally assigned at birth.But I’d left a note in the invitation for anyone to reach out if they wanted to talk about it. Emmanuel reached out. He invited me into a circle with several other trans men to hear about their lives and their perspectives on men’s work and masculinity.This series is the result of that invitation.You can find the full participant bios series page here.Subscribe to get the full series in your inbox.In Part One we look at the collective cultural moment. We look at how trans folk represent a ‘trickster’ figure, troubling the psychic architecture of the binary many of us were raised with. We talk about the urge to ‘monster’ the other, but we also look at the history of how gender has been used as a tool of social control.We explore the tension: How do we hold space for genuine confusion and curiosity without defaulting to a label of ‘transphobia’ if someone doesn’t immediately adopt the progressive position? How do we reckon with the real violence trans folk experience while creating more acceptance and room for their perspectives? And how do we navigate the certainty of ‘biological essentialism’ and the expansive possibilities of gender that are an invitation for us all?Now, it’s worth saying up front: there is a lot of volatility around this subject. Emotions run high and it can feel like there’s a lot at stake.Wherever you currently find yourself, whatever you might already believe, this is an invitation into a beginner’s mind.My intention with this series isn’t about preaching indoctrination.It’s about seeing how the tapestry of masculinity might be troubled, re-woven, and made more beautiful for us all.You’re welcome to leave your respectful & nuanced thoughts in the comments below. Any aggressive, dismissive or mean-spirited posts will be deleted.Let’s see if we can craft an approach filled with mutual respect and wonder. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

My guest today is David Sutcliffe, a somatic psychotherapist and former actor who has stepped off the red carpets of Hollywood to venture into the deeper landscapes of the masculine soul.David is something of an enigma to me. He’s a therapist who champions the necessity of men getting in touch with their feelings and expressing their rage and grief. Yet, he is also an ardent Trump supporter and has interviewed uber-masculine figures like Andrew Tate.In this conversation, we certainly don’t align on everything, but we remain willing to lean in and see what the friction reveals.It’s worth saying: this conversation was recorded in September 2025, before the wake of the Epstein files released December 2025. This would have come up in our conversation if we had recorded this afterwards.A little more about David. For years, he was an archetypal “cute guy” or “bad boyfriend” on television - but behind the scenes he eventually found himself on his own road of ashes - where the trappings of fame and success turned to dust, inviting him into a more rigorous descent.Together, we explore the cost of the “nice guy” mask and the disorientation of a fatherless upbringing. We speak of the “devouring mother,” the search for authentic masculine role models, and his own views on “masculine leadership” and traditional gender roles.And finally, David reminds us that maturity demands the courage to face or darkness, tame the flames of our inner dragon, and take up the seat of our own sovereignty.A brief aside: for men who wish to work with me, you’re invited to my upcoming immersion & online cohorts:* Awakening the Wild Erotic, Vancouver Island (April 24-26)* The Deep Masculine, Online (next cohort begins May 3)As well, don’t miss the inaugural Cascadia Men’s Conference, happening just north of Vancouver Aug 6-9th, 2026.For those drawn to David’s style and offerings, check out the links below:SHOW LINKS* David Sutcliffe School for Kings* David Sutcliffe on IG * Poem - How to Tame A DragonSHOW NOTESHere are the show note highlights with the updated timecode format, tightened for impact:* 03:55 — The Geographic and Spiritual Check-in: David shares his current life in Mexico and how his relationship with God has become the anchor point of his life and marriage.* 05:40 — The Interviewer’s Tightrope: Reflecting on David’s interviews with polarizing figures like Andrew Tate and the “art of the interview” when navigating high-defense mechanisms.* 07:18 — From the Red Carpet to the Road of Ashes: David recounts his twenty-year acting career and the mid-life collapse that led him to trade Hollywood fame for the rigors of somatic healing.* 09:51 — The Alchemy of the Mat: An exploration of Core Energetics and the necessity of physical expression—hitting, kicking, and shouting—to move repressed “sob and rage.”* 13:10 — The Missing Father and the Devouring Mother: Discussing the psychic consequences of an absent father and how the resulting “devouring mother” energy can lead men to self-abandonment.* 26:45 — The War of the Sexes: A look at the “bitterness and vitriol” in modern gender relations and the cultural propaganda of the “bumbling father” in media.* 28:26 — Feminism and the Manosphere: David offers his take on how radicalized social movements can lead to a reactive “manosphere” and the collective struggle to truly see one another.* 39:15 — The Politics of Polarity: David addresses his shift from Hollywood progressive to a supporter of traditional values and Donald Trump, framing it as a return to “reality.”* 53:12 — The Strongman Archetype: Exploring the qualities of figures like Trump and Tate, and why men are gravitating toward “strongmen” in a landscape of cultural chaos.* 1:11:15 — Taming the Inner Dragon: A concluding reminder that our inner shadows are not to be slain, but looked in the eye until they recognize their master. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

Friends, it’s been a minute. I’m deeply troubled by the times - yet, I’m honoured to share this conversation with Nisha Moodley, an integrative leadership coach, community builder, and founder of the Center for Devotional Leadership.We have been in mutual orbit for years, including sharing a number of mutual friends and an appreciation for each other’s work in the realms of cultural healing. While much of our current collective attention is fixed on the horrific revelations of the Epstein files, Nisha and I sit on either side of this inquiry to ask: What is the deeper work required of us now?Nisha shares her perspective on the “holy wail” currently rising from women and mothers—a fierce refusal to continue normalizing a culture of domination and extraction. We explore the “social codes” that keep men silent and the “alpha” masks used to hide deep-seated anxiety. Together, we look at the necessity of moving beyond the trap of being a “good man” to instead take a clear-eyed look at the shadow we all carry.Central to our talk is the exploration of matriarchy- not as a mirror of patriarchal power, but a return to the sacred circle, where our societies are reorganized around kinship, service, and a “soft-bellied” freedom that makes the world safer for all our children.Subscribe to The Mythic Masculine for new episodes in your inbox.For men who wish to do this inner work, you are invited to my upcoming immersion & online cohorts: * Awakening the Wild Erotic, Vancouver Island (April 24-26) * The Deep Masculine, Online (next cohort begins May 3) As well, don’t miss the innaugural Cascadia Men’s Conference, happening just north of Vancouver Aug 6-9th, 2026. LINKS* Nisha Moodley Official Website* Nisha Moodley on IG* Nisha’s post An Open Letter to MenSHOW NOTES* The collective “quiet heaviness” and nervous system exhaustion felt in the wake of the Epstein files and global revelations of exploitation.* Why Nisha feels a “holy wail” of rage rather than shock, as these headlines mirror patterns women have navigated for a lifetime.* The danger of distancing ourselves from “bad actors” and how that prevents us from seeing the micro-ways domination exists in our own communities.* Ian’s reflection on moving from being a “good man” who points fingers to a man who stands with others to say, “Brother, we can do better.”* A story from Nisha’s youth about the “parking lot code” and how social pressure often forces men to choose status over the truth.* An analysis of the “alpha” performance—using figures like Andrew Tate—as a mask for deep-seated anxiety and a desperate need for control.* How we have all internalized systems of domination and extraction, even in our most personal relationships and parenting.* Why we often use outrage as a “safe” way to avoid the deeper, more transformative vulnerability of collective grief.* The unique healing and “dropping of the guard” that happens in single-gender spaces when the performance for the other is removed.* Exploring “matriarchy” as the fundamental antidote to patriarchy—shifting from a culture of domination to one that centers the protection of life.* The shift from “power over” to “power with,” moving from ego-driven heroism to leadership rooted in service to the whole.* A closing vision of “soft-bellied” freedom—the ability to live without armor and build a world that prioritizes the well-being of all children.ALSO RECOMMENDED: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

My guest today is once again Stephen Jenkinson, a culture activist, teacher and author, and principal 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).The School, though now formally closed, has made an incredibly significant mark on my life and Stephen continues to tour and teach all over the world. I’ve had the wild good fortune to have collaborated with Stephen in numerous ways, including producing the short film Lost Nation Road, as well as being part of the team architecting The Scriptorium - an Orphan Wisdom online archive.His most recent book Matrimony: Ritual, Culture and the Heart’s Work, is the subject of our conversation today.In a time when many couples are opting out of marriage altogether, sensing that the modern wedding has often become a hollow performance, Stephen offers a different perspective. He suggests that “wedding” and “matrimony” are not interchangeable at all. One is largely engineered so that nothing really happens; the other, when approached as a deity, can be an alchemical ritual, where vows are enactments and blessings might bind all who attend with real consequence.Through personal stories from the trenches, Stephen reminds us that matrimony, at its core, is a radical act of citizenship: a cultural undertaking where love is asked to nourish more than the couple themselves, and where village emerges from the willingness to place life at the center.LINKS* Stephen Jenkinson Official Website* The Scriptorium* Matrimony - Ritual, Culture and the Heart’s WorkSHOW NOTES* 00:01 — Ian introduces Stephen Jenkinson and frames the conversation around his new book Matrimony: Ritual, Culture, and the Heart’s Work.* 00:02 — Stephen names the modern wedding as a hollow performance engineered so that “nothing really happens.”* 00:03 — Ian describes matrimony as a radical act of citizenship where love is asked to serve culture, not just the couple.* 00:05 — Stephen recounts learning to understand death as a deity, a presence requiring etiquette and literacy.* 00:06 — He draws the parallel: matrimony, too, is a neglected deity — an ancestral presence asking something of us.* 00:07 — Ian speaks about how witnessing Stephen’s ceremonies reshaped his understanding of what a wedding can be.* 00:08 — Discussion of village-making: thresholds like death and matrimony as visitations where culture has a chance to appear.* 00:15 — Stephen distinguishes ritual from celebration and explains why most weddings are not rituals at all.* 00:16 — He clarifies the differences between weddings, marriage, and matrimony — three undertakings often collapsed into one.* 00:17 — Exploration of the etymology: matrimony rooted in mother — the repertoire of mothering culture.* 00:18 — Matrimony as a repertoire of culture-mothering, not dependent on having biological children.* 00:41 — Stephen describes “the sacraments of trade” and how ancestral presence is elevated in a true matrimonial exchange.* 00:42 — Ian reflects on death and matrimony as moments when life, not the individual, is placed at the center.* 00:51 — Ian describes how village-mindedness appears through threshold events: birth, death, love, and the guidance of community.* 01:04 — Stephen shares what it meant to be a “spirit lawyer” for matrimony, serving the deity rather than the couple.ADDITIONAL EPISODES This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

My guest today is Miki Dedijer, a writer, ecologist, and mentor devoted to the ancestral arts of belonging, fatherhood, and grassroots initiation.In our conversation, Miki invites us to look at the crisis facing young men and the absence of meaningful adulthood in our time. He speaks to the ecological and emotional consequences of failing to initiate the young, how untempered fire in boys becomes turmoil in families, and how communities have lost their memory of what it means to guide the next generation.Together we explore initiation not as an event, but a cultural responsibility. Miki shares how rites of passage serve life itself, how they awaken responsibility in parents and mentors, and how inviting others to help mature a child becomes its own act of initiation. We touch on the longing that erupts when boys are unmet, the loneliness of a culture without elders, and the courage required to guide a child into a larger story.Miki reminds us that initiation is not about control. It is about stewarding a young man’s genius back into the world. It is a return to the village, a remembering of our place in the weave of life, and an invitation to rebuild the cultural vessels that once shaped humans capable of serving a cosmos greater than ourselves.Register for an upcoming webinar: FROM SCREENS TO SOUL: Raising Embodied Young Men (Dec 2)You’ll learn how to help steward your sons toward this deeper connection — how to anchor them in their bodies, nurture their love of the living world, and prepare them for future relationships that are grounded, heartfelt, and capable of holding real intimacy. This webinar offers parents and mentors a way to guide boys toward a young manhood shaped not by algorithms, but by aliveness.LINKS * Miki’s Official WebsiteSHOW NOTES* 00:09 Miki describes where he is and the seasonal mood on the west coast of Sweden.* 02:52 His early work as an environmental journalist and the shift toward quieter, place-based stories.* 04:38 Moving from grand narratives of saving the world into intimate, relational, land-rooted life.* 12:28 The pine tree story and how tending the land taught him the meaning of belonging.* 17:04 Entering fatherhood later in life and wanting his sons to grow up rooted in place.* 18:24 Burnout as a turning point that reopened childhood vitality and led to cultural mentorship.* 21:39 The guiding question: how do we steward children well through life’s stages?* 24:07 Recognizing and honoring childhood stages long before adolescence arrives.* 26:32 Why initiating teenagers may be the most ecologically responsible act we can take.* 27:15 How asking others to help mature a child initiates the adults themselves.* 31:05 What happens when a culture fails to initiate its boys.* 37:15 The tensions Miki encountered guiding his own sons and how conflict became tempering.* 54:04 Why integration after a rite of passage is essential for families and community.ADDITIONAL EPISODES This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

I’m pleased to share this #mini episode with Maria Souza, a Comparative Mythologist, Poet, and Educator, and founder of Women & Mythology. As we name in the conversation, we’ve known about each other for some time and appreciated each others’ work from afar. Just as Robert Bly’s ‘Iron John’ is the book that ignited the mythopoetic men’s movement, so too, does Clarissa Pinkola Estés’s book ‘Women Who Run With The Wolves’ occupy that position for women.Maria shares how her journey with myth began has evolved into her podcast, along with courses that bring mythopoetic depth into the lived experience of women today. We touch on iconic stories like La Loba, Seal Skin/Soul Skin, and La Llorona—each a mirror of feminine initiation, creativity, and soul recovery. In this tradition, myth isn’t escape - it’s a way of waking up, a path to gather the scattered bones of the psyche (and culture) and sing them back to life. LINKS* Women & Mythology Website* Women & Mythology on InstagramTo receive new posts and support The Mythic Masculine, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.SHOW NOTES* 0:00 — Ian welcomes Maria and introduces a dialogue on Women Who Run With the Wolves as a counterpart to Iron John in the mythopoetic tradition.* 1:17 — Maria recalls her studies with Martin Shaw and her search for stories that speak directly to women’s initiatory paths.* 2:41 — Early book study circles evolved into her first myth-based teaching course.* 4:46 — Contextualizing Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ book: a 30-year creation published in 1990, still resonant due to its timeless archetypal themes.* 7:13 — The book quickly became a global bestseller, sparking women’s groups and soulful discussion circles.* 10:01 — Myth gives women a language to “wake up” to their inner and outer experiences, offering deep recognition and practical insight.* 11:49 — Stories like Seal Skin/Soul Skin, Baba Yaga, and La Llorona reveal key initiations around creativity, intuition, and integration.* 21:15 — Ian reflects on the power of La Loba’s “singing over the bones” as a metaphor for enlivening the psyche.* 29:48 — Maria describes her “Year of Myths” immersion—one myth a month as a practice of ongoing maturation.* 34:36 — She shares her next creative focus: introducing Brazilian myths and under-told folktales to her community. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

“Eros is not something you get from another person. It’s the aliveness that rises when you are fully in your body.” - Victor WarringMy guest today is Victor Warring, a somatic educator and founder of Rewilding Eros - a body-centered path to reclaiming our natural erotic intelligence.In our conversation today, Victor invites us to look deeply at the condition of modern men: domesticated human animals, cut off from the wild currents that once shaped our bodies, relationships, and souls. He names how much of our struggle with intimacy, desire, and disconnection is not personal failure, but the inheritance of a culture that has forgotten the way of village.Together we explore the meaning of Rewilding Eros - how centuries of colonization and conditioning have constricted men’s vitality, and how we might return to a more embodied, enlivened masculinity. We speak of civilization and desire, patriarchy and the loss of community, the tyranny of the dyad, and the hunger for wholeness that haunts the modern man.Victor reminds us that Eros is not merely sex, but the living current of aliveness itself - an invitation for men to reclaim their erotic sovereignty and rejoin the flow of life.LINKS* Rewilding Eros - Victor’s Office Website* Rewilding Eros on IG* Book - Monogamous Mind, Polyamorous TerrorSHOW NOTES* 00:55 — Opening with embodied presence to reveal the importance of grounding in sensation before exploring sexuality and intimacy.* 02:50 — Rewilding Eros framed as reconnecting to the deep, natural erotic intelligence that lives in the flesh, not the mind.* 04:45 — Men’s struggles around desire and intimacy understood as symptoms of domestication, not evidence of personal failure or inadequacy.* 06:20 — Patriarchal systems teach men to control themselves and others, while simultaneously cutting them off from their own vitality.* 08:55 — A wider historical and evolutionary view shows our current way of living is the anomaly, not the baseline of human experience.* 10:53 — Cultural norms become invisible, shaping what we think is normal in relationships, sex, and masculinity itself.* 12:55 — Wildness reframed as authentic human expression that is often more attuned and less harmful than “civilized” behavior.* 16:00 — Sexual disconnection emerges in captivity; when context limits freedom, erotic life withers — just like animals in a zoo.* 19:20 — The drop in desire inside long-term relationships is tied to isolation and stress, not a lack of attraction or compatibility.* 20:00 — The nuclear couple becomes overburdened when expected to meet every relational and erotic need without communal support.* 23:10 — Secure attachment has roots in village life where many caregivers hold the child — not a single partner doing it all.* 27:15 — When relationships are held in a wider web of kinship, Eros can breathe again and love becomes less pressured and more alive.* 32:40 — Erotic sovereignty arises from within; Eros is not something we get from others but something we generate by being fully alive.* 36:55 — Eros includes sex but extends far beyond it into movement, creativity, and the embodied flow of everyday life.* 39:20 — Pornography becomes a substitute when men lose access to their own erotic source; healing means coming home to the body’s desire. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

An audio version of my long-form essay that explores my encounter at the 40th Anniversary of the Minnesota Men's Conference in 2024. For the full references and links to supporting interviews, check out the essay on Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

My guest today is Jonathan Stensland, a poet and long-time collaborator and friend of Robert Bly.This conversation was recorded in 2024 at the 40th anniversary of the Minnesota Men's Conference. Speaking from the banks of the Saint Croix River, Jonathan offers a unique insider's perspective on four decades of men's work.In his early 20s, Jonathan was involved with Bly as he worked on his seminal book ‘Iron John’, through typing-up handwritten pages, revisions, and countless conversations- a process he describes as practically like quilt making. His relationship was deeper than professional collaboration, as akin to a godson to Bly and his wife Ruth.In our conversation today, we explore the origins and evolution of the mythopoetic men's movement, from its roots in Robert Bly's poetry about fathers and grief. We delve into the power of men gathering around the goodness that exists in the marrow of masculinity. He speaks to the movement's influence on broader culture, and the morphogenetic field that made new ways of being available to men everywhere.We ask: What does it mean for a 40-year tradition to cross from the wilderness into culture? How can we broaden the spaces where men can do the necessary soul work of maturation? And what mythic stories might guide the next chapter of this work?You’re invited to join the 41st Fall Conference Oct 7-12, 2025 “Men Who Stand Atop the Old Mound of Miracles”Catch the companion conversations to this episode: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

My guest today is Miguel Rivera, a seasoned ceremonialist, musician, and ritualist.This conversation is a two part series recorded in 2024 at the 40th anniversary of the Minnesota Men’s Conference. Miguel is a longtime facilitator to the conference where he has played a pivotal role in guiding men through transformative experiences.Miguel's journey began in the vibrant cultural landscape of the 1980s, where he was drawn to the path of healing through indigenous medicine and becoming a Sundancer. His involvement in the men's movement began with an invitation from Robert Bly in 1992, where he suddenly found himself at the heart of a cultural force that sought to reconnect men with their inner selves and the sacred.The Mythic Masculine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.In our conversation today, we delve into the transformative power of men's gatherings and the role of ritual in healing and initiation. Miguel shares his experiences of how these ceremonies amplify healing and create a sense of belonging and brotherhood.We also discuss the challenges faced by modern men, including the "lone wolf syndrome" and the importance of finding older men who can offer guidance and mentorship. Miguel's insights into fathering and the necessity of creating a safe and nurturing environment for the next generation are both poignant and profound.We ask: what is the legacy and evolution of the mythopoetic men’s movement? How can modern men find their way back to a sense of community and belonging in an increasingly isolated world?You’re invited to join the 41st Fall Conference Oct 7-12, 2025 “Men Who Stand Atop the Old Mound of Miracles”Also don’t miss my interview last year with conference organizers Walton Stanley and Ben Dennis.ADDITIONAL EPISODESCheck out these conversations for more on the history of the men’s movement. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

Recently I spoke with Adam Lewis, co-founder of MANCAMP, a Canadian gathering dedicated to “the celebration of masculinity.” (Disclosure: Adam is also a mentorship client of mine).Now entering its second year, MANCAMP emerged from Adam’s experiences organizing raw and elemental camping trips with small groups of men in the wilderness. What began as paddling into Algonquin Park has grown into a vision of 150+ men coming together for a weekend of transformation, brotherhood, and celebration.Adam shares the story of how MANCAMP was born—first as a seed of inspiration, then through the alignment with his co-founder Geoff ‘Rawa Larden, and finally in the inaugural gathering last September that drew men from across Ontario. Despite the (sometimes) chaotic organizing of a first-year festival, the event sold out and left lasting ripples in the lives of the men who attended. From deep heartbreak to profound breakthroughs, Adam recounts stories of men who returned home more grounded, more alive, and more connected to their families and communities.In our conversation today, Adam and I explore the ingredients that shape the container: archetypal frameworks drawn from King, Warrior, Magician, Lover and a roster of diverse facilitators, as well as sweat lodge, ecstatic dance, shared meals, and the sober presence of men choosing to lean into the work, together. The medicine found in connection and brotherhood itself becomes the initiatory field.I am honored to join as a speaker at this year’s event, taking place September 18–21, 2025 at Merkaba Acres in Ontario. Use my promo code below for MYTHIC20 for 20% off the ticket price. Get full info & tickets here http://mancamp.ca This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

My guest today is Darren Silver, a rite of passage guide, ceremonialist, and storyteller. With nearly two decades of experience, Darren has devoted his life to ritual, wilderness living skills, and guiding transformational experiences across the world.. An apprentice to the old myths, he weaves the power of the natural world, vision, and community in service of regenerative culture.Darren’s path began in the forests of Virginia and later deepened through the teachings of Tom Brown Jr. From these roots, he cultivated a lifelong devotion to vision, animacy, and the mysteries between humans and the more-than-human world. His journey led him to wilderness therapy, guiding quests, and the practice of divination as passed down through the lineage of Malidoma Somé and Carter Brown.The Mythic Masculine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.In our conversation today, we explore the initiatory dimensions of blood rites and the sacred hunt, and how encounters with mortality awaken a man’s power and responsibility. Darren shares stories of divination as a way of orienting one’s soul, restoring ancestral connection, and realigning with the genius each of us carries.We look at the role of wilderness rites of passage in breaking the spell of modern isolation, how vision arises both as daily practice and as life-altering encounter, and why ritual remains essential for men seeking to live in right-relation with themselves, their communities, and the living world.Together we ask: What do blood rites reveal about masculine initiation? How does divination open a dialogue with the unseen? And in an age of rupture, how might men return to the wild conversation that remakes us whole?LINKS * Courting the Sacred Hunt - Men’s Initiation Program beings Oct 1st* Darren’s official websiteADDITIONAL EPISODES This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

My guest today is Daniel Waite Penny, a journalist and cultural critic whose recent work investigates the connection between masculinity and the climate crisis. He’s the creator of NonToxic, a podcast exploring men and sustainability, and co-creator of Carbon Bros, an investigative series made in collaboration with Drilled.Here’s an overview of the series:You’ve heard it from cable news pundits, Democratic strategists, and your favorite YouTuber: young men swung the last U.S. election for Trump. Understanding what’s driving “the manosphere” and how to reach the young men in its grips is on everyone’s mind right now, but we’re zooming in on a different corner of it: the intersection between male grievance culture and climate denial. Why are men less likely than women to believe in climate change, or take personal or political actions against it? What does their reluctance to deal with the climate crisis have to do with men’s shift to the right in general? And what can be done to reverse it?Daniel and I first connected years ago when he interviewed me about the mythopoetic men’s movement.In our conversation today , we return to the themes of men, meaning, and the cultural forces shaping our times. We trace the strategic targeting of men by fossil fuel interests, the rise of the manosphere, and the appeal of dominance-based narratives offered by figures like Trump and Tate.The Mythic Masculine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.We ask why so many men resist climate action, and how the deeper hunger for belonging, nobility, and story has been misdirected. We explore the absence of an inspiring masculine vision within progressive politics, and what might be possible if men were invited into a role of protection and stewardship.Would love to hear your comments below!For men who wish to join me in-person, I have one more Awakening the Wild Erotic weekend Aug 22-24 on Vancouver Island. Otherwise, men from all over the world can take the Deep Masculine journey.ADDITIONAL EPISODES: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

My guest today is Matt Sturm, a guide and writer dedicated to the evolution of masculinity. His offerings include psychotherapy, psychedelic-assisted work, sacred sexuality, and men’s retreats. He is the author of two books—The Organic Masculine and Primal Drives—and the creator of the Living Kosmos tarot deck.(You might also remember Matt from when he joined Deus and I to discuss eros & intimacy in men’s ritual space).After a decade working in the corporate climate sector, Matt left his dream job to embark on a spiritual path that led him deep into yoga, tantra, and the mythic roots of masculine identity. His work bridges archetypal psychology, developmental theory, and sacred embodiment, inviting men into a more integrated and life-affirming expression of their power.In this conversation, we explore the crisis and rebirth of masculinity in a time of global unraveling. Matt shares his framework of the "organic masculine," and how the primal drives of aggression and sexuality—when unintegrated—fuel much of the world’s destruction. We look at the role of rites of passage, the death-rebirth journey of the hero, and the challenge of moving from domination to deep relationality.We discuss the symbolic power of myths like Hercules and the Hydra, the collective adolescent psyche behind our social and environmental collapse, and how reclaiming the warrior archetype can support a shift from violence to sacred protection.Together, we ask: How might men transform their primal drives into devotion? What kind of masculine presence is needed to meet the polycrisis of our time? And how do we embrace the monster within so that it becomes an ally rather than an adversary?This episode is a call to enter the depths—where masculinity is not conquered or discarded, but composted, reimagined, and reborn in service to life.The Mythic Masculine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.MATT’S LINKS* Website* Essay: Masculinity & The PolycrisisADDITIONAL EPISODESIf you like our conversation, check out my earlier complimentary conversations: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

Note: you can watch the Youtube version of this podcast here.___Well, the saga around Aubrey Marcus continues.You may recall a few weeks back when I spoke about Aubrey, an American entrepreneur, influencer, and “psychonaut”, who released an episode of his podcast with his wife Vylana, their lover Alana, and their mentor Marc Gafni. The main reveal was that during a trip to Egypt, Aubrey received a “download” from the goddess Isis instructing him to “impregnate both women.”They described this not as polyamory but as “radical monogamy.”​Their episode originally titled “A New Pattern of Sacred Relationship" created a wide cultural ripple, sparking deep conversations around sex, relationships, monogamy/polyamory, spiritual bypassing, divine union, cult dynamics, and more.In my initial response with Deus Fortier, a central point I emphasized was the crucial role of community in holding the intense energies of intimacy and sex — something we learned through our years documenting Tamera, the radical “free love” community in Portugal, and featured in our film The Village of Lovers.Following that newsletter, a mutual friend connected me directly with Aubrey. I invited him and his partners to watch The Village of Lovers. They did - and they loved it.This opened the door for a deeper, more nuanced conversation directly between Aubrey and I, which is available now.In this new interview, Aubrey and I explore:* The cultural impact and backlash to his original podcast — and whether he can truly receive and integrate some of the core critiques rather than dismiss them only as a “witch hunt.”* His evolving understanding of power, influence, and community accountability — including reflections on the risks of spiritual grandiosity.* The difference between personal sovereignty and relational ecology, no matter your relationship container* The question of whether “downloads” or divine guidance can ever be fully trusted outside a community context.* The tension between individual desires and collective responsibility in love and intimacy.* What it would look like to truly embed these experiments in a supportive, truth-telling community.Rather than a debate or a takedown, this is a respectful invitation to wonder together.We seek to illuminate the edges and complexities of relational evolution - for ourselves and for all who are navigating love in these turbulent times.__ Note: This conversation has already been out almost a week, and while I’ve received a number of positive reviews, I want to address one of the main criticisms: my decision not to bring up the presence and influence of Marc Gafni. Someone even made the assertion that Aubrey must have “made a deal” with me prior to the interview. In truth, Aubrey and I didn’t speak at about what we would cover. I made the call for two reasons: Watching almost 2 hours of a podcast where Aubrey interviews Marc and his partner Kristina Kincaid spend a lot of time speaking to the controversy from their perspective. Aubrey also responded to the controversy around Marc in the follow up newsletter to the the “Sacred Relationship” podcast:"Finally as a last note, I’ve already addressed the historic controversy surrounding our lineage teacher Dr. Marc Gafni in a podcast that I did with his life partner Kristina Kincaid. I’ve read the published letters of analysis from those who have analyzed the issues well, and spoken to people who have known him for decades. I trust his goodness and his greatness. But more important than any of that, is what I feel in my own body after the hundreds of hours we have spent together with him and his partner. Whether that is grieving together for ten days after the death of my father, grinding out sets with a barbell, or raising cups of wine with a bellowing “CHAAAAAAA.” He’s a brother, he’s my teacher, and he’s not my guru. Marc has been unwaveringly loving and fair to each of us individually in this relationship process, seeking only to serve our own highest sovereign will."To be clear: do I believe the presence of Marc and his influence is troubling? Yes. Do I find it odd that he plays in the original conversation with Vylana and Alana, where he contributes to the confusing and spiritual jargon? Yes.And yet, confronting Aubrey one more time about this did not seem a worthwhile avenue given he would have just repeated what he's already said. There was zero chance, in my opinion, about him changing is stance. And overall, my conversation aimed to be about Aubrey and his relational explorations with his partners, and not about Marc Gafni. There are plenty of podcasts and videos out there that critique Marc and Aubrey.The goal in my conversation with Aubrey was not to cover all the bases, but to bring in some additional pieces that would contribute to the collective feedback loop. Once again, you’re invited to watch The Village of Lovers to understand more deeply the lens I was attempting to offer. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with

Greetings friends. By now you have likely heard about, if not already listened to, Aubrey Marcus’ podcast “A New Pattern for Sacred Relationship.” If you haven’t I would recommend at least check out the first 30 minutes. Last weekend I listened to the whole thing, all 2.5 hours. I've also read and watched a number of responses to it (and there are many).Some folks call him a "false king" who is not a "real man". Others say the women (his wife and their lover) are being manipulated and have lost their own inner compass.Marc Gafni, their mentor (also featured on the podcast) calls them "evolutionary lovers in a field of erotic mystics" ... or something.It seems to have hit the cultural zeitgeist on sex, relationships, monogamy/polyamory, spiritual bypassing, divine union, cults, psychedelics, all of it.Just that alone has been fascinating to witness.A few days ago I posted an initial response on my Facebook. I also sent the episode to my friend and collaborator Deus Fortier, and he responded with is take here.I felt inspired to jump on a call today and record an emergent conversation between us. Enjoy! As named, you can stream my film The Village of Lovers.And check out Deus and I’s upcoming men’s offerings here: * Awaking the Wild Erotic (In-Person) * The Deep Masculine (Online)SHOW NOTES* 00:00 – Opening and framing: why this conversation matters now* 00:50 – Who is Aubrey Marcus? Context on his influence and subcultural position* 02:45 – Summary of the podcast episode: divine union, polyamory, and the “radical monogamy” claim* 06:50 – The Egypt “download”: Aubrey’s call to impregnate both women* 08:00 – Mark Gafni’s role as spiritual mentor and the atmosphere of unquestioned affirmation* 10:30 – Deus shares his initial unease and what made the episode feel “off”* 13:30 – The concept of krivda: when truth is wrapped in distortion* 17:00 – Power dynamics, spiritual bypass, and concerns about lack of transparency* 22:00 – Reflections on biological imperative and cultural conditioning around monogamy* 31:00 – Lessons from Tamara: embedment and forum as collective relational technologies* 40:00 – The danger of personal downloads without communal discernment* 44:00 – Deus’s personal journey of erotic healing, trauma, and moving at the speed of trust* 50:00 – How to offer better relational support to each other This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

Last week, I sat down with Chris Kyle, co-founder of the upcoming Big Tent Summit, a gathering for men & woman who are involved in the stewardship of healthy masculinity today. Chris has been in the exploration for nearly three decades, and he articulates his perspective on the “three waves” of the modern men’s movement: from its mythopoetic roots, to the rise of embodied presence, and now—an integrative call to wholeness. We speak of the fragmentation many men feel, the seductive pull of the mansophere & adolescent masculinities, and the hunger for a mature, grounded path rooted in a greater cosmology.The Big Tent Summit, happening May 29–June 1 in Loveland, Colorado, is a gathering of leaders, facilitators, and culture-makers. It will be a place to compare maps, cross-pollinate practices, and connect with others engaged in this work.Get full info & tickets at BigTentSummit.com—For more of the history and evolution of men’s work, you’re invited to check out my free webinar An Introduction To Mythopoetic Masculinity. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe