Manhood
‘Men today are divided against and within themselves, to the extent that they are unable to distinguish the very things that are important to them.’

Men today say they are troubled by many problems. They try hard to be masculine, only to feel completely disconnected from who they really are.

Are you:

• Too busy to be you?
• Struggling with the differences between assertiveness and aggression?  
• Filled with negative thoughts?  Often depressed?
• Addicted to alcohol, drugs, sex, smoking or eating?
• Disorganised, late or always looking for things?
• Afraid of intimacy?

Do you:

• Wonder who you are?
• Feel you are just going through the motions?
• Feel isolated, alienated or lonely?
• Lack true friendships with other men and instead feel rivalry and competition?
• Find relationships difficult?

This seminar, lead by Paul Blackburn, creates an atmosphere of trust, in which each man can discuss his journey into manhood, tell stories of his childhood, perform the ‘rituals’ he has concluded are his, and celebrate the journey.

Participants in Manhood will live in the bush for several days, while they explore the seven stapes that lead to a fulfilling life. They are:

Make peace with your father. Like it or not, your spirit remains deeply rooted in this first demonstration of what it means to be a man (or lack thereof).
Embrace your sexuality. Until you are able to rejoice in the masculinity into which you have been born, it will be a hindrance to your soul’s expression.
Meet women as equals. Soft men get left, and bullies drive their partners away. We need to learn how to create a safe environment in order to argue passionately and fiercely, without dishonouring our partner.
Fathering. Much of a man’s sense of himself as ‘good’ is derived from his ability to protect, teach, and love his children. Men will wait their entire life to discover whether their children love and respect them.
Real male friends. Men need to relate to other men by sharing openly in order to give and receive emotional support for the transitions required on the journey to manhood.
Heartwarming work. A man needs to expend his effort on work that has work and substance. The factories and office buildings have stolen his spirit by turning him into a faceless number.
Free the spirit. Every man needs to find the base for his spirit in nature. He needs to connect to the living earth, honouring it as his source and sustaining it by nurturing it.