Basecamp for Men E2: Men and the Hero’s Journey

E2: Men and the Hero’s Journey with Special Guest Mark Jackson

E2 Introduction

I absolutely love the myth of the Hero’s Journey and I use it all the time. Joseph Campbell called it the great mono-myth as it was present at all times in all cultures. It has been with us as long as we’ve been here. Myths speak the universal language of the heart and so are not dependent on a particular religion or way of thinking. As you read and then interact with this myth, it teaches you deep truths about what it means to be human, what it means to be a man, and what direction we need to go to do our part to help the world and its people.

What is this myth trying to teach us? For one thing, it’s teaching us that we need to be courageous every day. We need to be vigilant and discerning about our habits so that we don’t find ourselves just going through the motions of our lives.

When you start to live more mythically, you start to get more connected to the heart. You get more connected to the Divine and to a personal destiny. You feel connected to something greater than yourself and pulled out of your comfort zone. It feels exhilarating and enlivening. The more you say yes to this myth, the more clearly you will be shown your unique road. That is how it works.

Men, your comfort zone is your enemy. I hate to tell you that but it’s true. I know we all love to be comfortable but it will kill your chances of looking back on your life and honestly saying that you lived courageously. Our tendency is to think that the Hero’s Journey is only for these sort of epic historic figures like Gandhi, Dr. King, Mother Teresa. We rarely suspect that the archetypal hero in the story of our lives is us. Isn’t that interesting? Carol Pearson is a great writer and teacher of the Hero’s Journey and I hope to have her on the show soon.

Here’s how she describes the Hero’s Journey. And I quote,

“As you go on a quest to find greater vitality and life for yourself, you also seek answers that contribute to a collective transformation. In fact, anytime you identify a wasteland element in your life such as illness, boredom, lethargy, alienation, emptiness, loss, addiction, failure, anger or outrage, it is time to take a journey. You can be called to quest by such dissatisfaction or simply by a desire for adventure. The journey will inevitably transform you.” And then she goes on to say,

“Heroes are agents of change. The hero’s task has always been to bring new life to an ailing culture. So here you can see that you can be called out onto a new path by a sense of adventure or a sense of loss or boredom or even addiction. All can be seen as a call to the hero’s journey when viewed from this great mono-myth. When you step out onto a new path, it signals that the hero is leaving base camp and the world starts to shift and shape to the new reality. Change is afoot.”

And before get to our interview, I’d like to read you just one last quote.

I love this quote because it kind of perfectly captures the spirit of the Hero’s Journey.

“I have always known that at last, I would take this road, but yesterday I did not know it would be today.”

                                        Narithra

Mark Jackson Bio

Mark Jackson is long-time actor and artist and is the film editor for the Epoch Times newspaper, which is read all over the world. Mark is dedicated to his meditation and spiritual practice, Falun Dafa, which is a form of Chi Gung. In his spare time, Mark loves to take long rides on his Harley.

Here is my interview with Mark Jackson.

Final Thoughts-

That’s our show for today, men. Remember that the story of your life is not yet all told. I’m Tony Rezac and thank you for listening to Basecamp for Men.

 

 

Basecamp for Men E1: The Importance of Male Initiation

E1:The Importance of Male Initiation with

Special Guest Jon Wilson

 

E1 Introduction

Hello everyone.

My name is Tony Rezac and I’m the creator and host of Basecamp for Men. I have grown up inside of what has been called the men’s movement or men’s work for short. It is my mission and privilege to assist men in whatever way I can. Whether it’s writing, teaching a workshop, or running a men’s group, I seek to expand the conversation that men and women are having about what is healthy masculinity and what are the tools we can use to get there.

Collectively, men are showing much wear and tear. There is widespread depression, suicide, violence, and incarceration among the male tribe. When men do get in trouble emotionally, he will invariably feel that he has nowhere to turn, literally. We need to forge a new version of masculinity, you and I. I know a few things that will help get us there and you might know too. And our guests will bring much wisdom and insights to the show.

This podcast is meant to be a conversation about men, yet my hope is that women will find it insightful as well. I hope the women that listen will come away with a better understanding of the men in their lives; their partners, their sons, their fathers, & their friends. And I think it’s important that women know that the male community has identified some of our most important issues and that we are creatively working on them as a collective. Women need courageous men in their lives. Men who are willing to look honestly at themselves and speak truthfully and authentically about what is happening.

On a personal note, I’m a sucker for narrative building and I love myth to do that. Every man that has ever been in a men’s circle with me knows that I’m fond of the hero’s journey. My hope is that as we unpack the important issues that men are facing, the listener, whether man or woman will come to see themselves in the stories that we tell.

The Hero’s journey is, after all, both an individual as well as a collective awakening. It’s about you and it’s about us. So welcome to Basecamp for Men. You bring yourself and we’ll bring the stories and resources for a more courageous life.

And here’s our first show.

Jon Wilson Bio-

Jon Wilson is a leader among men and has staffed and lead over 50 Mankind Project’s New Warrior training adventures. Jon finished getting his Masters degree in Social Work in 2017 & now works as a clinician in the Mental Health industry.

Here is my interview with Jon Wilson.