This will be the third year that we are holding this workshop. For those who participated in the past and are considering to join again, you are very welcome. There is always much more to explore in this territory, and strong connections always grow in an environment like this one, where safety and trust hold space to welcome vulnerability.
Throughout history “man” has been portrayed as being powerful and strong, or involved in abusive power struggles, while little is said about a man’s internal experiences and feelings. Extreme role models are everywhere to be seen, from movies and TV shows, to billboards, fashion magazines and country music.
There is plenty of support and permission to posture and be tough and assertive, but this overrides the more whole, human experience that includes our internal world.
It takes courage to explore this territory and to be willing to show up just as we are. Complete with confusion, frustration, sometimes fear…and an open heart. The price of admission is courage, along with a little curiosity and humor!
In this 3-part series we will meet for two weekends in a row, let down our guards a little, show up for each other and let some light in. We will then have a two week break for integration and meet again two weeks later for our final meeting. This format will create some space to disengage from pre-conditioned ideas and will result in greater self-discovery and understanding.
We will share information and tools to support a growing understanding of the masculine and learn skills for deepening our capacities to foster healthy relationships.
In this first session we will be exploring the relationship with the father figure, whether present or absent. We often received confusing, contradictory or no messages at all about what it means to be a man. Trying to glean what’s expected of us out of this confusion makes it difficult to hear our own authentic voice.
Some questions we’ll explore together:
This week is on understanding and learning ways of cultivating safety. Learning ways to support yourself and bring awareness to the resources you have available. You will learn about different kinds of resources, such as grounding, establish healthy boundaries, and supporting our creativity and capacity for co-regulation with people in our lives.
In this part we will explore the conflict between being connected with what we feel and the struggle of seeking acceptance and approval. This is often referred to as the attachment styles.
We will be bring more awareness to the patriarchal conditioning that can aggravate such inner conflict and look at the strategies we developed in order to navigate this.
How did we need to modify ourselves, create masks, or numb feelings in order to fit into the mold?
In this final session we will be exploring relationships, particularly the intimate ones, and how the past relationships with our caretakers at a young age impacted them. We will look at how we needed to adapt in order to be accepted, respected and loved, and by so doing often disowned aspects of our true nature.
In exploring this you will step into autonomy, embrace what is yours to own, and develop a capacity to discern what is not. We will explore consent and some roles that might have overtaken us at times, such as the Victim, the Martyr or the Entitled One.
To ensure everyone receives the course material on time, and so that we can support any questions well before the program begins, registration for this program will close 24 hours before the course begins.
Our on-line courses have been designed as unique, one-time offerings from our Leaders, and recordings of modules will not be available. Thank you for understanding, and enjoy the course!
Nirodha first dove into the human potential movement in 1982. He become involved in group process work in 1991 and worked extensively with tantra, Primal, the man/woman relational field, trauma, attachment, and substance abuse.
Nirodha leads Awakening on the Path workshops around the States and facilitates the Path Retreat processes in America. He holds a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology, leads his own group workshops nationally, and has a private practice in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
“This work has given me a medium, support, and the inspiration for my personal inner journey. It’s awakened my passion for the healing that is possible, for myself, for each of us, and for this planet.”
Neil Ferguson, “Niten” is a Registered Therapeutic Counselor (RTC) and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP – Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute). His private practice includes working with trauma, including early developmental (pre-verbal periods), much of which focuses on the early attachment with our parents or primary care taker and how impactful the adaptations necessary to survive the early environment effect our adult lives.
He shares his passion of personal growth through facilitating groups and working privately with clients. His practice integrates Counseling, Trauma Healing (Somatic Experiencing) and Hakomi (a body centered system of psychotherapy). Niten is also a student of The Ridhwan School – Diamond Approach and he takes part in facilitating a weekly men’s group.
For more information on Niten, please go to www.nferguson.com.
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