05.20.2013
This first post is the day after I got back from the training. The next day high after the training is evident in the post (with the excessive capitalizations), but 3+ weeks later the thoughts still resonate.
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So I'm back from the New Warrior Training Adventure. Boy, what a ride! I got a lot out of the experience and every man I did it with also got much out of it.
Highly recommended if a rite of passage ritual is something you are interested in, or you don't feel like a REAL man now.
This post might be quite incoherent because I am simply just typing what comes to mind.
An implicit belief that I had before the training was that ALL men were not to be trusted and OLDER men were useless. I am not certain if this was unconscious or conscious but based on many actions this was true for me. I now see the value in men. They can hold you accountable and push you to better yourself. Men from all walks of life too, older, younger, father, son, brother, straight, gay, bi-sexual, godly, atheist, hippy, corporate, elder, etc. All were there to help us men with facing our demons in a constructive way. It was extremely powerful and everyone was very compassionate. Each man even if he is 180 degree opposite from me has something to teach me. I have a much GREATER respect for men now. Being around the men, it felt like I was coming home.
After sharing stuff with the other men who did the training with me, we all formed a bond. Even though we come from different areas, many of our issues were ROOTED to the same things. Seems to be universal to all men! So I feel more connected to men and myself. See us in this together even though we might have different goals. GP, I agree with you here too, the camaraderie among the guys being initiated was one of the best parts, as the weekend went on were busting each others balls pretty good! It's as if we went from strangers to brothers. These guys know more about ME than many of my friends!!!
I got a lot of value out of seeing my brothers go through the process, the energy becomes contagious and every man started to open up because every man was dropping the mask that they put on to society. This was an extremely valuable thing for me because I saw that most men have, though, or going through something similar to what I went through or thing. This was the linchpin that helped to solidify my new positive believe in men, that the are not adversaries but friends and just like me.
I let out the WILD MAN quite a bit this weekend. GOD, it was awesome. It's good to know he's still around. I had suppressed him so much, I felt like what I call a "Pussy Bitch." Well, the pussy bitch has been killed and the Wild Man and I are starting to get to know each other. I feel much more powerful and open. It's like after doing something like this, going to a bar by myself is a walk in the park. Also, by letting out the Wild Man, I have destroyed some things holding me back and have befriended other demons. I feel more powerful and I KNOW this will have an effect on others, especially women.
I feel much more confident, it will be interesting to see how it portrays to my daily life. I will attend the I-group in my city so this is not simply a fun weekend in the park as GP stated, but that it is fully integrated into the nervous system.
I’m not sure how I can tell people about this experience. One of the biggest take home messages for me, is I can *try* to explain it as best I can, but life is visceral. This is the type of weekend that has to be experienced, words do not do it justice. Plus, every man’s experience will be different I am sure, but based on what I saw, it will be powerful.
At the end of the training, I could see the pride in the older brother’s eyes (not necessarily age, but I mean the guys who did the training previously). I am sure it brought back positive memories of each man’s own NWTA but also to see the growth in a weekend of a bunch of guys who showed up as PUSSIES and got their BALLS back! It takes BALLS!
That’s all for now, but if anything else comes up I’ll post.
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The Wild Man refers to the Wild Man in the book Iron John by Robert Bly
http://www.naturalfreedom.info/viewtopi ... =22&t=3254