The New Warrior Training Adventure

It completely freed me up to be the man that can live on purpose and with meaning, a clear meaning. I now have the power to conquer anything that presents itself with the tools I've received, and from the ongoing work I do with the support of other men. It's a brotherhood like no other. These men call me on my shit and I call them on theirs. That's a true brotherhood beyond friendship.

The ManKind Project was a tremendous learning experience for me and it gave me a whole new outlook.

It's the most important men's work occurring in the U.S., and perhaps in the world, today.

MKP has personally taught me more about how to step into mature masculinity than any other single influence in my life. That is a big admission for a psychologist to make.

I highly recommend the MKP New Warrior Adventure personally and professionally. I went through the program in September, 1999 and found it to be life changing. I have been to numerous workshops and trainings for myself personally and professionally and believe MKP to be one of the best. I was in need of healing around the wounding I experienced from straight males for being gay throughout my childhood. I never felt so loved and respected by heterosexual men as I have in the MKP circles. Bringing all men together—gay, straight and bisexual—is a great healing for everyone. The work involved in the MKP is done professionally and with the highest level of integrity I have ever experienced and witnessed. - Joe Kort, MSW, PhD, author of Gay Affirmative Therapy for the Straight Clinician

From: “10 Tips For Mothers of Troubled Teenage Sons” - Direct them toward strong men: There is a group of men who have willingly and very seriously shouldered the task of ushering the young males of today into the manhood of tomorrow. This is a group of men that all boys and men should be exposed to. I mean that without qualification. This is a group of men, dedicated to creating and supporting an environment for deep, honest and necessary male exploration. Here is a link that should be explored by any adult that would like to provide optimal conditions for a young male to become a man: The ManKind Project West Coast British Columbia.

The Mankind Project (MKP) has granted me the space to be more aware of what is driving my thoughts and my actions. With that awareness, I am able to make decisions that more closely align with who I would like to be; the man I aspire to be. MKP has also helped me to come into knowingness around who this man really is. At MKP I am not given the template for this ideal man. I am not told who to be or how to be. Rather, I am prompted to explore what this man is to me, and how he shows up in the World. What he says, how he acts, how he relates, etc. With that prompting I am able to step into a dedicated practice of creating, allowing, and insisting on that man I want to be. Personally, I relate this to the times when I see trash on the ground, and have the choice to walk past that trash without picking it up or to consciously pick up the trash and throw it out. To me, I value a clean environment and believe it is consistent with my highest man to pick up that trash. MKP has shown me that when I make the choice to walk past that trash, I am acting from a lesser man than I want to be, and a lesser man than I have the potential to be. I see that I have the choice to pick up the trash or leave it on the ground in all different walks of life. With that awareness, I allow a transformation in the way that I live in this World. I step into a place where I hold myself accountable for creating the man that I want to be, while compassionately moving away from the distractions and conditions that keep me from this space. MKP is both a tool and inspiration for my expansion as a man in today’s society.

On the weekend I found a degree of clarity and emotional authenticity that I had never experienced before. It was a huge breakthrough for me and my life has been forever changed for the better; in my marriage, my personal relationships, my fatherhood, and my career. This world needs fiercely generative, emotionally intelligent, loving men; committed and conscious partners, fathers, citizens, and MKP grows and empowers just such men.

Big snow day today, here in Groton MA. I made an agreement with my three kids (10, 9, and 6) - if they shoveled the sidewalks and the deck (no small chore) they would each earn $5. They started out great. After an hour, they were 90% done, but started to get frustrated with each other. There was some name-calling, which escalated into minor pushing, which further escalated into a fight. Someone went to their room while the rest of them finished up. Everyone was overflowing with emotion so I decided to hold a small circle. Everyone checked in with their feelings (a lot of anger, sadness, fear about punishment, and to my surprise, shame).

Next we held a small integrity round. Two of the three claimed they were out of integrity. With a couple of questions, both were able to articulate the impact (on the group) of their actions. Both offered simple acts of service that were accepted, and everyone checked out with happy. I explained that this is basically what happens in my men's group, and also what we do in the circles of men that I work with in prisons through the Jericho Circle.

I got a taste of how young children might respond to this work last August when I attended a father-daughter weekend put on by the NY community with my 10 yr-old daughter. Since then, I've been doing regular check-ins with her. This was the first family circle we held. I judge that it was an incredible success.

In a word GOD, in a feeling Spirit, interpersonally Connected, in a smell the Dawning of a new day as the sun crests the horizon, in a sight Truly one to behold, in a sound the Gentlest of whispers and the loudest of booms, in a taste Bittersweet, in a touch the Stongest support I have ever known, in the purest of words, LOVE.

I am rich in the blessings, stories and feelings I have been priviledged to experience these past 3 years and I know beyond a shadow of my being, I have a thousand times more coming. This work has truly altered the course of my life, while at the same time given it one. My immeasurable thanks to every man that has touched my soul and to the ones that will.

The day I moved out of Phoenix, Arizona I remember looking back and telling myself my life was great. No more problems. No more drugs, no more violence, and no more life drama. The day I left Utah and moved back to Phoenix I remember feeling the relief of no more drugs, no more violence, and no more life drama. I got to feel that feeling all 9 times I moved across 6 different states. All 72 change of address forms, every finger print station, and a criminal record in every state had the same feeling. A new start. Get out of jail then start over.

Then came the year 2000. In a drunken stupor the mother of my kids told me that we had to move far away, get married, and that I had to get clean or I would never see her or my kids again. Three days later we moved 2,400 miles to Massachusetts. I met a man at a 12 step meeting who told me about the New Warrior Training. I was skeptical, but I trusted the man who invited me. In November of 2000 I was initiated.

Since my NWTA I have had two addresses. I moved 6 years after being here during my peaceful divorce. All four of my kids are in my life abundantly today. I am clean, sober, and nonviolent since 2000. The work of the ManKind Project saved my family. The dedication and passion of men saved my life. Today my family proudly supports the work I do. They know first hand the impact we have in the world.

I really do have a say in how I want to live my life. Accountability can exist. Integrity is amazing. Authenticity is every bit as great as it sounds.

I was at a crossroads – I'd hit a new/different 'bottom' in some parts of my life, I'd lost some measure of control over my behaviors and choices and I knew that I needed a really deep-level, fundamental SHIFT.

CHANGE. SHAKEUP. DNA REPATTERNING, metaphorically speaking (or not?)

I learned about the NWTA from Chad Porter, did as much research as I could, attended an Open House in Memphis, and signed up. Then spent another few months waiting and worrying about what I'd gotten myself into, whether I'd entered myself into a cult somehow, and about how these mostly straight men would treat me.

Finally the event came along – it was the first one ever at Taylor's farm in Moscow (outside Memphis, TN). I remember pretty much everything about it – not all of the staff names or other initiates so much – but it definitely was the SHIFT/REPATTERNING opportunity I'd been seeking.

In 2004, my wife and I began counseling. We had been married for nearly 20 years, and her issues and my issues dove-tailed nicely, making us a mess. As she started to get clarity on her family stuff, I came to understand my own issues — an abusive mother, a father who suffered from WWII PTSD, a heavy religious upbringing that filled me with an overpowering sense of shame and anger. After a couple of years of therapy (including two stays at Onsite) I wanted to move along on my journey (and stop spending all my money on shrinks) and with a couple of my best friends we looked up the Nashville Sunday night I group. I did my weekend at Ed Taylor’s farm in October of 2006, and it was a powerful weekend of moving myself in the direction I wanted to be heading, toward healing. The Nashville I group, and now the Clarksville I group, give me strength and hope.

I have brought the spirit of MKP into my home and it has substantially changed people's lives. Two close friends had a breakdown in expectations and trust, and were very disillusioned and even fearful of each other. They knew of our clearing process, so requested one at home, off-line. Another MKP trained facilitator and I created a sacred space to work, and we went through three clearings over three hours.

It eventually became very intense, and we remained neutral, supportive and observing and let the men run with their intense feelings while preserving safety for each of them. The process worked, and both parties came to understand their own roles in the issue, and the other's needs and perspective. It was quite amazing, and they have removed this barrier to their future relationship and friendship.