Jerry Tello has appeared in Time, Newsweek, Latina and Lowrider magazines and has received many major awards including: the Maria Shriver’s Annual Advocate for Change award; the White House Champions of Change award; the Presidential Crime Victims Service award, presented by President Bill Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno; two California Governor’s Awards and the Ambassador of Peace Award presented by Rotary international.
Jerry is considered an international expert in the areas of trauma, healing, men and boys of color, fatherhood, family strengthening, racial justice, racial healing, community peace and mobilization and culturally based violence prevention and intervention issues.
He is co-founder of the National Compadres Network. He has authored numerous articles, videos and curricula addressing the issues of Fatherhood, Male “Rites of Passage,” relationship and gang violence prevention, racial justice, teen fatherhood, pregnancy prevention, family strengthening, fatherhood literacy and community peace.
Jerry is the author of “A Fathers Love”, a series of children’s books, co-editor of Family Violence and Men of Color, a series of motivational health and healing CD’s and author of the recently released award winning book “Recovering Your Sacredness.”
Jerry is from a family of Mexican, Texan and (Koa-wilt-con) roots and raised in the south central, Compton areas of Los Angeles.
Friday night my dear friend, John Fleming, along with my producer, Dennis Tardan, and I recorded a deep, passionate and meaningful conversation about the murder of George Floyd and racism in America. I consider John to be an example of the New Compassionate Male standing in his truth with an open heart. His message is powerful and needs to be heard. A word of caution, you may be triggered by some of what is shared. I invite you to listen to this excerpt in its entirety. Additional excerpts will follow in the coming days.
John Fleming is a Prayer Chaplain and a true servant leader and volunteer at Unity Church of the Hills in Austin Texas. He is on the music team, is a Prayer Chaplain, and he is part of the Pastoral Care Team. John is Director, Advocacy and Partner Relations – Survive2Thrive Foundation | Staff Staff Services Officer at the Texas DSHS/Vital Statistics Unit.
Author and Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas – Dr. Gard Jameson received his PhD from Pacifica Graduate Institute in 2005. He teaches Chinese and Indian philosophy in the Philosophy Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Prior to his tenure at UNLV, Mr. Jameson spent 25 years practicing as a Certified Public Accountant and Director of Financial Planning at Piercy, Bowler, Taylor & Kern and Touche Ross. He is the author of three books, Footprints on the Sands of Time, the story of his mentor, Dr. Raymond M. Alf, Phaethon, Our Mythic Moment, an ancient Greek tale that illuminates our current predicament, and Monkey, Our Mythic Moment, the grand epic of China. Mr. Jameson helped found and chairs the boards of the Children’s Advocacy Alliance, the Interfaith Council of Southern Nevada and the Nevada Institute for Spirituality in Healthcare. He is the Treasurer and Cofounder of VMSN (Volunteers in Medicine in Southern Nevada). Mr. Jameson also helped found the Nevada Community Foundation. Mr. Jameson also serves on the board of the Stillpoint Center for Spiritual Development and the Alf Museum of Life in Clarement, California; and is a minister at the Grace Community Church in Boulder City, Nevada. Mr. Jameson has a BA in Religious Studies from Stanford University (1975). Mr. Jameson’s greatest joy is his wife, Florence and their two children, Michael and Julia.
A fascinating conversation about the new movie The Green Knight with Dennis Slattery, Author & Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Pacifica Graduate Institute. In our conversation Dennis connects to dots between The Green Knight, Moby Dick, Chaco Canyon, archetypal astrology, and the events affecting our lives today.
Dennis Patrick Slattery, Ph.D., is Distinguished Emeritus Professor in Mythological Studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, California. He has taught there for the last 26 of his 52 years in the classroom. He offers riting retreats and workshops in the United States and Europe on exploring one’s personal myth through the works of Joseph Campbell and C.G. Jung’s Red Book.
In his 30th published volume, The Way of Myth: Stories’ Subtle Wisdom, Dennis Patrick Slattery reaches back in “Part I: Mining the Myths Anew,” to some earlier essays on classic films and works of literature. He also includes extended meditations on the thought of mythologist Joseph Campbell; on creativity’s hungers; on beliefs as mythic constructs; and on the joys of painting. Many of the essays explore the act of reading and the importance of stories as they relate to one’s personal myth.
Manly Palmer Hall (March 18, 1901 – August 29, 1990) was a Canadian-born author and mystic. He is perhaps most famous for his work The Secret Teachings of All Ages: An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy, which is widely regarded as his magnum opus, and which he published at the age of 25 (or 27, 1928)a
He has been widely recognized as a leading scholar in the fields of religion, mythology, mysticism, and the occult.
Carl Jung, when writing Psychology and Alchemy, borrowed material from Hall’s private collection.
In 1934, Hall founded the Philosophical Research Society (PRS) in Los Angeles, California, dedicating it to an idealistic approach to the solution of human problems. The PRS claims to be non-sectarian and entirely free from educational, political, or ecclesiastical control, and the Society’s programs stress the need for the integration of philosophy, religion, and science into one system of instruction. The PRS Library, a public facility devoted to source materials in obscure fields, has many rare and scarce items now impossible to obtain elsewhere.
In 1973 (47 years after writing The Secret Teachings of All Ages), Hall was recognized as a 33º Mason (the highest honor conferred by the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite), at a ceremony held at PRS on December 8th, despite never being initiated into the physical craft.
In his over 70-year career, Hall delivered approximately 8,000 lectures in the United States and abroad, authored over 150 books and essays, and wrote countless magazine articles.
Finding My Purpose:
The Search for the Essential Meaning of Life
Viktor Frankl – The Will-to-Meaning – “Don’t aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself.”
Authentic Happiness
This website has more than 2 million users from around the world, and you are welcome to use all of the resources available here for free. (all kinds of extensive tests)
Authentic Happiness is the homepage of Dr. Martin Seligman, Director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania and founder of positive psychology, a branch of psychology which focuses on the empirical study of such things as positive emotions, strengths-based character, and healthy institutions.
Jerry Tello has appeared in Time, Newsweek, Latina and Lowrider magazines and has received many major awards including: the Maria Shriver’s Annual Advocate for Change award; the White House Champions of Change award; the Presidential Crime Victims Service award, presented by President Bill Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno; two California Governor’s Awards and the Ambassador of Peace Award presented by Rotary international.
Jerry is considered an international expert in the areas of trauma, healing, men and boys of color, fatherhood, family strengthening, racial justice, racial healing, community peace and mobilization and culturally based violence prevention and intervention issues.
16-03-30-CSUSB– Jerry Tello –Latino Education & Advocacy Days (LEAD) in the Santos Manuel Student Union (SU) at California State University, San Bernardino on Wednesday, March 30, 2016. Photo by Robert A. Whitehead/CSUSB
He is co-founder of the National Compadres Network. He has authored numerous articles, videos and curricula addressing the issues of Fatherhood, Male “Rites of Passage,” relationship and gang violence prevention, racial justice, teen fatherhood, pregnancy prevention, family strengthening, fatherhood literacy and community peace
Jerry is the author of “A Fathers Love”, a series of children’s books, co-editor of Family Violence and Men of Color, a series of motivational health and healing CD’s and author of the recently released award winning book “Recovering Your Sacredness.”
Jerry is from a family of Mexican, Texan and (Koa-wilt-con) roots and raised in… the… south central, Compton areas of Los Angeles.
David Huff is a corporate storyteller and national champion speaker with over two decades of experience helping leaders think creatively, overcome obstacles, and achieve their goals.
He has served as a community development director for a network of inner city agencies in Washington, DC, led an in-house communications and marketing team for one of the largest public sector employee benefits companies in the southeast, and developed fundraising strategies for a regional nonprofit healthcare system.
He puts his own leadership skills into practice as a board of trustees member for the Asheville Art Museum, where he serves on the diversity, equity, and inclusion and communications committees, and on the board of AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) Asheville as business outreach co-chair.
David received his training in interpersonal dynamics from Mid-Atlantic Training Consultants and his outdoor leadership training from the North Carolina Outward Bound School. He holds a master’s degree in education and human development from The George Washington University and a master’s in psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute.
When not traveling, he makes his home in Asheville, NC, where he soaks up the region’s rich natural beauty and vibrant culinary and arts scenes.
Todd has been leading compassionate communication workshops in business, religious and community groups since 2012. Todd’s participation in the Houston NVC board stems from the desire to further his own learning and to foster the spread of compassion in the world. He is convinced that empathy is the key element in transforming the world and that NVC is central to practicing empathy in a practical way. He would like to be part of the change he sees in the world by spreading NVC as far and wide as possible. As a new board member in the North Texas Area, Todd invites collaboration with his local community as well as through projects such as these: US-CLO‘sHBCU Oral History Project.
Life Skills Coach with a compassionate and counterintuitive approach to working with people and organizations, Author – Circles of Men: A Counter-Intuitive Approach to Creating Men’s Groups, Founder – Men’s Fellowship: Circles of Men Project. As a life skills coach and business leader, Clay Boykin has developed a compassionate and counterintuitive approach to helping people and organizations find their purpose, direction, and path in the world. Clay’s life purpose is to help make the world a better place by helping raise compassion consciousness among men. He is the author of, Circles of Men: A Counter-Intuitive Approach to Creating Men’s Groups and has dedicated his next twenty years to make the world a better place by cultivating compassion consciousness among men. He Founded the Circles of Men Project in 2012 which has grown to a worldwide network. Clay facilitates retreats and workshops and has led them in both the U.S. and Kenya. Clay hosts both men and women on his podcast: In Search of the New Compassionate Male, which he launched early in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Clay is a former United States Marine Corps officer and in 2007, after 38 years in the corporate world, a mystical experience sent Clay on a journey through his own dark night of the soul, later emerging to find his calling.
Clay shares his story of finding peace during the midst of a heart attack in the fall of 2007. He then found himself laid off and experienced his dark night of the soul for the next two years. He metaphorically reached the top but found himself wondering what it was all for and what to do next.
“The new compassionate male is emerging as a new archetype.” – Clay
What is the new compassionate male? Clay is on the search for the answer. The whole world is currently going through massive change and there is a lot of time for reflection within. It is something you can feel even if you can’t articulate it. He shares of tremendous stories of people who are also joining him in the search.
Watch the video called the My Mandala of Lifewe spoke about on this episode. Find out more about Clay on his website and check out his podcast, In Search of the New Compassionate Male.
In high school track I was not much of a sprinter so I never learned just how to pass the baton, and on the rare occasion when called upon in practice to fill in and run with the relay team, I sometimes fumbled or dropped it. What I did learn was that I had endurance. I would run the half-mile, the mile, and later in life, the marathon. (I ran one in a row.)
In the early spring of 1999, the day before the Motorola Austin marathon, I drove the route and came up with twenty-seven words that became mantras dedicated to each of the 26.2-miles, each representing something or someone special: faith, hope, love, courage, Mother, Father, vulnerability, compassion, etc.
The following morning the energy in the air was palpable as the starting horn blasted and we all took off; a sea of bobbing heads, and the arms, torsos and legs, and the feeling of being one with the people around me. I clocked just under 9-minutes the first mile; a respectable pace, but too fast for me for the distance. With each mile marker there were people cheering, live music playing, and hands reaching out with cups of water; all a reminder to slow down and pull the next word from my small fanny pack and begin the next mantra.
Eventually, behind the thinning tail of the pack I crossed the finish line on Auditorium Shores. A finisher’s metal was handed to me to place around my own neck, as well as a thermal blanket to wrap around myself like a centurion’s cape.
Now, almost every day when I drive downtown across some portion of the route I reflect on the word for that mile of the race and, for a moment, I feel it all again; the excitement, the heart pounding, the pain and fatigue, the humbling pride; another memory turned metaphor to reflect upon.
Today, it’s hard to believe that after almost nine years, almost 450 weekly gatherings, and over 20,000 collective man-hours invested in the overarching topics of male spirituality and compassion, it’s time to pass the baton.
Nothing is going away, the circle, the network, the connections, holding space for one another, it will all continue. But, for me the change is a bit scary to say the least. At the same time, I am excited to share that a seasoned team of guys is picking up the baton and bringing fresh energy to our Monday contemplative circle. I will still be involved, participating and facilitating from time to time, but this will enable me to increase my focus in two key areas:
First, my podcast, In Search of the New Compassionate Male. It is resonating with more and more thought leaders around the world. They are surfacing to join the search and I want to continue to provide a platform for them to be heard.
Second, I will be investing more time into my Life Skills Coaching which I am offering to both men and women. This, to help fund the Search.
I believe that during this incredible time if change, the New Compassionate Male is emerging as the new archetype. I have witnessed it within our circle and within myself, and it is being confirmed with each podcast episode.
I am truly grateful and blessed to be on the path with so many heart-centered and compassionate men and women, and I am looking forward to our collective, and unfolding future; somewhat of a marathon ahead perhaps, but one filled with excitement, if we choose.
Arun Wakhlu, (born 1955) is the Founder Director and Chief Mentor of Pragati Leadership Institute, Pune, India . He is also theChairman of Pragati Foundation, an NGO dedicated to unfolding Joy, Peace and Abundance through facilitating connections, conversations and co-creation. He is the initiator of Poorna Pune, (Compassionate Pune), and the Foundation for Peace and Compassionate Leadership.
Arun holds a B. Tech degree from IIT Delhi, and a PGDBA from IIM Ahmedabad. An eloquent presenter, insightful coach and a Master Facilitator, Arun has logged over 30,000 hours of facilitation and coaching internationally. He has worked to develop leaders in leading organizations (Business, Education, NGOs and Governments).
An accomplished writer, Arun has published more than twenty eight papers and written the award winning book “Managing from the Heart”. He has helped pioneer the concept of “Wholesome Development” and “Wholesome Leadership” aimed at working from joy for prosperity with peace. His latest book ( co-authored with his father Prof. Dr. Omkar N Wakhlu ) “One Wholesome World” , is a practical game changing manual for global transformation post COVID-19.
Arun volunteers with the Charter for Compassion as a member of the Executive Board, and has also co-created the movement in India called Education Today, Society Tomorrow (ETST). This is aimed at developing more compassionate schools.
Arun’s seven core strengths are Compassion, Creativity, Optimism, Enthusiasm, Relationship Building, Strategic Mindedness and Resilience. He loves life, and sees it as Love In Full Expression!
She was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She’s best known for her series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. She was respected as a spokesperson for black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of Black culture. She’s Maya Angelou and here in video are 25 quotes to inspire you, her Top 10 Rules for Success, and her famous poem, Still I Rise.
1. Just do right!
She became a poet and writer after a series of occupations as a young adult, including fry cook, sex worker, and nightclub dancer. 2. Be courageous
She was an actor, writer, director, and producer of plays, movies, and public television programs. 3. Love
In 1982, she earned the first lifetime Reynolds Professorship of American Studies at Wake Forest University. 4. Laugh
She was active in the Civil Rights movement and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. 5. Be a blessing to somebody
Beginning in the 1990s, she made around 80 appearances a year on the lecture circuit, something she continued into her eighties. 6. Turn struggles into triumphs
With the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou publicly discussed aspects of her personal life. 7. You are talented
Attempts have been made to ban her books from some U.S. libraries, but her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide. 8. Learn to say no
She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. 9. Always do your best
Her books center on themes such as racism, identity, family, and travel. 10. Keep rising
She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees.
On the day when he first read Greenleaf’s essay The Servant as Leader in 1986, Don Frick decided to dedicate the rest of his career to understanding and teaching Greenleaf’s ideas about servant leadership. Since then, he has written books and essays about servant leadership—including Greenleaf’s biography—made presentations, conducted workshops, taught graduate seminars, and consulted with corporations on the principles of servant leadership. He is currently working on another book that offers details about how various organizations have implemented servant leadership. Before encountering Greenleaf’s work, Don engaged in multiple careers, including: managing departments at a university and museum of art; university teaching; television, radio, and film writing, production, and performance; trainer; specialist in advertising and marketing for Fortune 500 companies, plus an entrepreneur. His formal education includes a B.S. in Education, Master of Divinity, and PhD in Leadership and Organizational Studies.
Some about Nic Tovey’s journey: At 22 I experienced what was to be my first great initiation into life. On a regular drunken night out with my brother and a friend, acting like a fool, I was forcibly removed from a night club whilst being punched and kicked.
A few hours later I was in hospital after collapsing with massive internal injuries being told I might die. Thankfully my injuries weren’t as severe as initially thought and after a week in hospital I was discharged with a nice big scar from sternum to pubic bone but without a spleen.
While my physical body miraculously adjusted to its spleenlessness, what started to become apparent was some dramatic internal changes that had occurred. I did not see and relate to the world in the same way I was used to; My self-confidence was shattered, I could not handle any hint of conflict or violence even on TV, I was unable to cope with the slightest stress, and I couldn’t sleep. My previously solid self-identity had crumbled in a heap. I was confused, angry and really scared… Complete story: http://www.nictovey.com/about-nic/
Nic Tovey is a Relationship, Intimacy and Sexuality Coach, who wants to help people experience a rich, joyful and authentic experience of life through their relationships, their love life and their life’s work. Nic has a background in psychotherapy and has done a lot of work with youth and men to help them develop their emotional intelligence and relationship skills. He now focuses on his work as a Relationship Coach where he offers a range of programs to help individuals and couples develop and reignite the passion, intimacy and love in their relationships.
The other day I shared a clip from this conversation. Here is the full episode.
“There is a revolution taking place, right now, and it is time for us all, who have been interested in these ideas, to get to work at making the world better for us and those around us.” – Christopher Howell
Sara Jamil is a Muslim Woman, born and raised in Denmark, of Pakistani heritage, and she currently calls Toronto, Canada home. She is a Mother, Mentor, Author and Spiritual Activist. She is a skilled intercultural communicator, navigating various cultures as a world citizen. She engages with ease in interfaith dialogue and bridge-building. Sara uses her agency in disrupting stereotypical narratives and advocating for several initiatives near and dear to her heart.
Sara holds a Bachelor of Education and has 20 years experience of mentoring women and girls. She is the proud Founder and Visionary Leader of CompassionFirst, a mother-daughter venture on a mission to create a better world one woman at a time. Sara lives compassion by modeling the affirmation, which she coined: “A Better World Starts With Me“.
Lastly, Sara dedicates many volunteer hours as Co-lead Facilitator of the Charter for Compassion International Women and Girls sector.
Matthew Hayes is a transformational results coach from Southern California and he affectionately describes himself as a Son, a Sun, and a Son. A son to his loving mother Robin, a sun (or light) to the world, and a Son to his creator. With a firm belief in the human spirit and the power we hold when we lead with love- he has dedicated his life to helping those who crave more. More peace. More joy. More passion. More connection. He believes that ‘in order to take people to higher ground, you must first find common ground’. Because of that, he is not shy with what he has been through and hopes that if he can’t help someone directly, his story can stand in as a reminder to keep believing in what’s possible.
Dennis Patrick Slattery, Ph.D., is Distinguished Emeritus Professor in Mythological Studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Carpinteria, California. He has taught there for the last 26 of his 52 years in the classroom. He offers riting retreats and workshops in the United States and Europe on exploring one’s personal myth through the works of Joseph Campbell and C.G. Jung’s Red Book.
He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of 30 volumes, including seven volumes of poetry: Casting the Shadows: Selected Poems; Just Below the Water Line: Selected Poems; Twisted Sky: Selected Poems; The Beauty Between Words: Selected Poems of Dennis Patrick Slattery and Chris Paris; Feathered Ladder: Selected Poems with Brian Landis; Road, Frame Window: A Poetics of Seeing. Selected Poetry of Timothy J. Donohue, Donald Carlson and Dennis Patrick Slattery; and Leaves from the World Tree: Selected Poems of Craig Deininger and Dennis Patrick Slattery. He has co-authored one novel, Simon’s Crossing with Charles Asher. Other titles include The Idiot: Dostoevsky’s Fantastic Prince. A Phenomenological Approach; The Wounded Body: Remembering the Markings of Flesh; Creases in Culture: Essays Toward a Poetics of Depth; and Bridge Work: Essays on Mythology, Literature and Psychology.
With Lionel Corbett he has co-edited and contributed to Psychology at the Threshold and Depth Psychology: Meditations in the Field; with Glen Slater he has Myth and Metaphor. His more recent books include Our Daily Breach: Exploring Your Personal Myth through Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick; Day-to-Day Dante: Exploring Personal Myth Through the Divine Comedy; and Riting Myth, Mythic Writing: Plotting Your Personal Story. With Jennifer Leigh Selig, he has coedited and contributed to Re-Ensouling Education: Essays on the Importance of the Humanities in Schooling the Soul and Reimagining Education: Essays on Reviving the Soul of Learning. With Deborah Anne Quibell and Jennifer Leigh Selig he has co-authored Deep Creativity: Seven Ways to Spark Your Creative Spirit; with Evans Lansing Smith he has co-edited Correspondence: 1927-1987 on the letters of Joseph Campbell. His most current book is a series of essays: An Obscure Order: Reflections on Cultural Mythology published by Mandorla Books. He has also authored over 200 essays and reviews in books, magazines, newspapers, and on-line journals.
For recreation he takes classes painting mythic themes in both watercolor and acrylic. He also enjoys riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle with his two sons, Matt and Steve, through the Hill Country roads of Texas.
***
Continued from home page: Through the publication of over thirty books that I have authored, co-authored, edited or co-edited—as well as hundreds of articles and book reviews in journals, newspapers, books and on-line venues—I have given shape to many of my ideas on this subject. Through the dozens of workshops, writing retreats, and presentations in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Italy and Switzerland, I continue to explore the relationship of narrative, mythology, and the shaping of personal identity more deeply.
But what are these arenas of exploration in service of? I think that their fundamental goals include: a deepening of self-consciousness; cultivation of a coherent life of meaning; compassion for the suffering and struggles of others; a deepening practice of contemplation and meditation to enrich one’s spiritual life; and a further understanding of the mysteries and miracles of the human imagination.
I invite you to explore my writings and future plans as well as to consider joining me in one of my programs that will allow you to explore your own myth, including an awareness of the webbing that relates all of us to one another and to the suffering earth that yearns for our constructive intervention to restore her exhausted body.
I thank you in advance for your interest and attention to my life projects.
Simon Cohen exemplifies the essence of the new compassionate male and shares his views on the suffering of women, from childbirth to the ancestral and the strategic suppression of women by the patriarchy. Simon shares from his own profound journey and his awakening to a greater purpose.
Faculty for the Amani Institute, teaching and training social entrepreneurs from around the world in ‘Marketing and Open Leadership,’ in Sao Paolo, Nairobi, Bangalore
Host, Chief Storyteller and Facilitator at the Just Peace Summit – a global mentorship programme – with Nile Rodgers and the We Are Family Foundation
Keynote speaker on leadership and entrepreneurship for various national and international organisations, including Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, United Nations, Worldwide
Meeting on Human Values, and many others
Devised and led global communications campaigns for TED, HH the Dalai Lama, UNESCO, HRH The Prince of Wales, Gandhi’s grandson, and many others – reaching hundreds of millions of people with positive social stories
At the age of 24, set up Global Tolerance – an international communications agency that only worked with people committed to positive social change. Built it over the next decade to be a global leader in social change communication
‘Pause for Thought’ contributor on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2, the most popular broadcast show in the UK, for two years
Multi award winning entrepreneur and leader; Fellow for the Royal Society of Arts; Global Brain Trust, Boma; Senior Advisor, Purpose; writer for Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Huffington Post; voted one of the most influential people in the PR industry; voted Interfaith Visionary by the Temple of Understanding; UnLtd level 1 and level 2 funding
First person in the UK to place an entire company on a one year sabbatical; first to give away his £1m company through a new exit strategy, the Open Leadership Exercise, to reflect the value of non-material values
Manage the global communications for a Buddhist master (lineage holder) based in India, and an Indigenous leader in Australia
Clay Boykin is In Search of the New Compassionate Male. Since the fall of 2018, Clay has been on a quest to connect with men all over the world in the belief that a New Compassionate Male is emerging as the new archetype; and this quest has taken him across the U.S., Canada and into Africa.
Clay founded the Men’s Fellowship Network in 2012 which has grown into a global constellation of men and women. Clay’s podcast, In Search of the New Compassionate Male, has recently been ranked #4 out of over 300 podcasts related to men and men’s health.
Clay has over forty-years’ experience as a change agent transforming cultures within organizations. He is a former officer in the United States Marine Corps and, throughout his career, has been described as a servant leader.
In 2007, at age 53, a mystical experience and heart attack led Clay to leave the business world and begin pursuing his spiritual path towards inner healing.
Clay is the author of the book, Circles of Men: A Counter-Intuitive Approach to Creating Men’s Groups, published in August 2018. In addition to founding the Circles of Men Project, Clay is developing the global Men & Boys Initiative for Charter for Compassion. As well, Clay is working with International Peace Initiatives-Kenya and United Religions Initiative (URI) to bring his counter-intuitive approach to men’s circle-work to Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and elsewhere along the Nile River Basin.
He is also in close collaboration with Gender Equity & Reconciliation International in the area of deep healing between women and men which addresses many of the issues raised as a result of the #MeToo Movement.
Clay is an international speaker and conducts workshops on the topic of The New Compassionate Male, which is the subject of his next book. As well, he is a strategy consultant for organizations and mentors individuals applying a uniquely counterintuitive approach to finding clarity, direction and purpose.
Neil Feiereisel grew up studying Christian Science for more than 20 years, including stints as a Sunday School teacher and a leader in his Christian Science college organization. After a 10 year exploration of all things spiritual, through many books, workshops and classes, Neil and his wife were led to Unity Church of the Hills in 1995 and have “grown up” there spiritually, along with their children. Neil has grown through service to others as a leader in the Family Ministry, a Sunday School teacher and by serving on the Board of Trustees. For the last 20 years, Neil has studied and facilitated study groups for A Course in Miracles, bringing him a greater sense of peace as he learns to listen to God’s guidance and see the best in his fellow man. By day, Neil is a Chief Software Architect at National Instruments, where he masquerades as an engineer, but really serves as an instrument of joy and cooperation.
I thoroughly enjoyed my 36-year career in international finance. During that time, I had the honor of serving for six years as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of a children’s welfare operation in central Kenya. Based on that work, I was presented a Global Volunteer Award by Bank of America.
Since I retired from my professional banking career, perhaps the most rewarding endeavor has been composing my first book, Hope and a Future: Life, Survival, and Renewal on the Streets of an African Slum, which chronicles the true story of a street boy, John Maina, who lived in the slums of Nairobi. Eventually, John and I became so close that in an African sense, we are now father and son. On its launch in April 2020, the book rose to the rank of #1 Hot New Release among Amazon’s African biographies. In conjunction with its publication, I created a public charity, Little Boost Children’s Fund, whose mission is “Giving vulnerable kids a little boost.” All proceeds from the book go directly to the fund.
I hold academic degrees in philosophy, politics, and economics from Cornell, Oxford, and Johns Hopkins and continue to enjoy a wide range of intellectual pursuits, especially early Christianity, and modern history.
My wife, Linda, is a classical pianist, an award-winning filmmaker, and now runs a tour company offering a unique “Women’s Journey to Kenya.” We are proud parents of two sons—Lars, and his wife, Brei, are environmental scientists, and Nils, is a professional jazz drummer. Linda and I live north of Chicago on the edge of the Kettle Moraine forest in the southern lakes region of Wisconsin. We share our home with five cats, who graciously allow us to serve them.
The New Compassionate Male and the Myth of Liminality
By: Clay Boykin
During the 12th century the myth of the Holy Grail surfaced. Since then, countless stories and legends have been written about it including, stories about King Arthur and his knights and, in more recent times, Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Holy Grail is said to be an artifact from the Bible and to have supernatural powers to heal, and to grant immortality to anyone who drinks water from it.
In the Grail Myth, the Fisher King has a grave wound that will not heal. As a result, his kingdom is also very ill. The people are sick. Crops will not grow. Cows will not give milk. And commerce is at a standstill. The only thing that will cure the king is for a happy fool, Parsifal, which means happy fool, to come and ask him the right question.
Parsifal comes to the castle and visits the king. By his bedside he asks the king, “What ails you?” The king replies that his throat is dry and that he is thirsty. Parsifal takes a cup of water from the table and hands it to the king. As the king drinks his body begins to heal, and the cup turns to gold and becomes the Holy Grail.
Parsifal’s act of asking and giving is an act of compassion, and from this I believe compassion “is” the Holy Grail.
In his book, Cosmos and Psyche, Richard Tarnas points to three great myths that are playing out today. These are, (1) the myth of Human Progress, (2) the myth of the Fall, and (3) the myth of No Pattern.
The myth of Human Progress represents man’s desire for more but does not know to what end; and is rooted in patriarchy. The myth of the Fall is represented by the thought that humanity is losing its intelligence and wisdom, and as a result, is destroying mankind and the planet. The myth of No Pattern, suggests that everything is totally random and man has no say in the matter.
I submit that there is a fourth myth. It is the Myth of Liminality. Liminality is a state of transition between one stage and the next, especially between major stages in one’s life or during a rite of passage. More and more people talk about the world being on the verge of a great transition; that the planets are aligned, and say that we are in the liminal space. – At times I have referred to it as, the pause of change.
Like the knights searching for the Holy Grail, I am In Search of the New Compassionate Male. The New Compassionate Male has integrated head and heart, and carries the metaphoric-sword in one hand, and Compassion in the other.
Compassion is the Holy Grail and in it is the water of life. The water that cured the Fisher King. It is the water that will cure us of all the pain we now suffer, the ache and void within, the burn of shame and anger; the fear, greed and hate that is destroying humanity and the planet.
We are living out the Liminality Myth and now is the time for the New Compassionate Male to take his place into the liminal space and do his part to heal the world.
Skip Swies has been counseling couples, families and individuals for 37 years. During this time, Skip has assisted his clients in identifying and overcoming obstacles on the path toward achieving their goals of closeness and understanding. Currently is working with Life Coach Austin.
His training began at Otterbein University where he held a double major in psychology and education. In 1983 Skip began teaching personal growth intensives and coaching individuals and couples for Global Relationship Centers( GRC). In 1994 he moved his family from Boulder, CO, to Austin where he joined the staff of GRC to train the future instructors while continuing to lead seminars across the country.
Beginning in the late 80s, Skip got involved with Men’s Work and joined his first Men’s group. Shortly after he developed his own seminar weekend entitled Finding the Father. In this experience the men examined the ” father wound” starting with the relationship they had with their fathers. This course and a sister course for women ran for about 10 years.
For the past 7 years, Skip has committed his expertise to “Healing Warrior Hearts”. A weekend to assist service members and their spouses in dealing with the challenges that life after service can present. The goal is to bring our service members more fully home!
Skip and his wife of 46 years have taught together for 37 years and still coach together. Their 3 children and 3 grandchildren all live in Texas.
“Seeing the other clearly and allowing the other to see you, is essential in creating empowering relationships”. – Skip
Mandalas take on countless sizes, shapes and forms and are a tool for gaining perspective, expanding thought and relaxing the mind.
Excerpt from the Power of Myth:
CAMPBELL: “Mandala” is the Sanskrit word for “circle,” but a circle that is coordinated or symbolically designed so that it has the meaning of a cosmic order. When composing mandalas, you are trying to coordinate your personal circle with the universal circle. In a very elaborate Buddhist mandala, for example, you have the deity in the center as the power source, the illumination source. The peripheral images would be manifestations or aspects of the deity’s radiance.
In working out a mandala for yourself, you draw a circle and then think of the different impulse systems and value systems in your life. Then you compose them and try to find out where your center is. Making a mandala is a discipline for pulling all those scattered aspects of your life together, for finding a center and ordering yourself to it. You try to coordinate your circle with the universal circle.
MOYERS: To be at the center?
CAMPBELL: At the center, yes….
My personal mandala has been evolving over the past few years. It is the place I can go at any time to pause and reflect, to pray, to meditate, or just sit in quiet contemplation in an empty space between the lines for a while. – Clay Boykin
Charles Barker MD, MPH is founder and president of Compassionate Dallas/Fort Worth, a non-profit organization that promotes the Charter for Compassion, the value of compassion and compassionate action in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, using the Golden Rule as operating principle.
He is currently president of Compassionate DFW and moderator of the Board of Directors, a board representing all twelve sectors of the international Charter and encourages and coordinates the Community Campaigns, as well as partnerships in the DFW area. His background and experience is in the field of medicine, with emphasis in preventive medicine and biomedical ethics, frequently facilitating medical school ethics sessions at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He is currently authoring a book centered on being and becoming excellent, a series of reflections.
Dana C. White, PhD – A graduate of Occidental College and the University of Southern California, Dana White received his PhD in Mythological Studies from Pacifica Graduate Institute in 2003. His dissertation is titled “Re-Imagining Work: Awakening the Call of Right Livelihood.” He currently serves as a contributing faculty member at Pacifica and as a reader on numerous doctoral dissertation committees.
He is the father of two sons, Michael and Andrew. He and his wife Michele live in Santa Monica with Odys – their 4-month old Whoodle (Wheaton Terrier and Poodle). He is a published poet, runs marathons, cooks and gardens.
Over the course of his career, Dana has worked in radio and industrial television, as a vice president of marketing for Merrill Lynch, and as an academic department chair at an art college. He edits and designs books, produces films and motion media for universities, corporations and non-profits, and is a professional photographer with more than 40 books to his credit.
He currently produces and hosts the Myth Salon, a venture he co-founded in 2016 with Dr. Will Linn, who serves as the moderator of the Myth Salon, which used to meet monthly in Dana’s home but now, because of the pandemic, convenes every other week in an online Zoom Webinar session that features a well-known presenter, a group of scholar-educator panelists, and an online audience.
Dana C. White, PhD – A graduate of Occidental College and the University of Southern California, Dana White received his PhD in Mythological Studies from Pacifica Graduate Institute in 2003. His dissertation is titled “Re-Imagining Work: Awakening the Call of Right Livelihood.” He currently serves as a contributing faculty member at Pacifica and as a reader on numerous doctoral dissertation committees.
He is the father of two sons, Michael and Andrew. He and his wife Michele live in Santa Monica with Odys – their 4-month old Whoodle (Wheaton Terrier and Poodle). He is a published poet, runs marathons, cooks and gardens.
Over the course of his career, Dana has worked in radio and industrial television, as a vice president of marketing for Merrill Lynch, and as an academic department chair at an art college. He edits and designs books, produces films and motion media for universities, corporations and non-profits, and is a professional photographer with more than 40 books to his credit.
He currently produces and hosts the Myth Salon, a venture he co-founded in 2016 with Dr. Will Linn, who serves as the moderator of the Myth Salon, which used to meet monthly in Dana’s home but now, because of the pandemic, convenes every other week in an online Zoom Webinar session that features a well-known presenter, a group of scholar-educator panelists, and an online audience.
Jeremy Solomons joins us again from Rwanda. What could you be doing that would provide more satisfaction? This time he shares about self-compassion and aligning with your purpose, not someone else’s idea of what your purpose should be. Jeremy has a fascinating world view and worth pausing for.
Jeremy is an independent global leadership consultant and writer, who was born in the UK, who was naturalized in the USA and who is now based in Kigali, Rwanda.
In the areas of Gender, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation, he is a passionate ally, advocate and activist for universal human rights, dignity, respect, inclusion and equity for all people of all genders.
On a personal level, Jeremy wants fair and just treatment for his beloved daughter, who has recently entered the world of work. On a professional level, he truly believes that an equitable workplace is the most creative and productive one for everyone. And as a highly educated, highly privileged and highly empowered man, he has the platform and access to work with other male leaders help bring about meaningful and sustainable systemic change.
Jeremy’s model for this is the high level of women’s education and empowerment that has actually happened here in his new home of Rwanda in the 26 years since the Genocide against the Tutsis. Women now represent two thirds of Rwanda’s parliament – the highest in the world. He coaches and mentors at the Akilah Institute for Women in Kigali and actively supports HERO, Rwanda’s independent new Health and Equal Rights Organisation.
In the past, Jeremy co-designed and –led many training workshops and dialogues on these topics, especially at Royal Dutch Shell in the Netherlands, UK and USA. He also co-facilitated special sessions on “Women and Power” for Leadership Texas; “Gender Dynamics” for Communities in Schools; “Cultural Competence” for young women leaders at GEN Austin; “Gays, God and the Workplace” for the American Cancer Society; and “LGBT and Allies” for the Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research (SIETAR) USA.
Jeremy was a co-founder and member of the Austin Men’s Group for seven years.
About Search of the New Compassionate Male with Clay Boykin. I am convinced that amidst all the turmoil in the world a New Compassionate Male is emerging, and this New Compassionate Male is emerging as the New Archetype. ~ I am on a journey to every corner of the planet. I am on a journey within; a journey of self discovery to learn what it means to be a compassionate male. ~ I do not have the answer, but I know there is a spark of compassion emerging within every man and within every woman. Regardless of sexual orientation, nationality or religious tradition I invite you to join me. Let’s travel together and find answers to questions like: Who is this man? What makes him compassionate? Is he born this way, or how is compassion learned? Is there a place or time where compassion is not relevant? How many ways does the compassionate male show up in the world Together, we can find him. Together, we can hold a mirror up for one another and find the compassion within ourselves. ~ The more adversity there is in the world, the hotter the ember of compassion burns within. It may be smoldering and unrecognizable at the moment, or burning brightly lighting and warming others. ~ Who is the New Compassionate Male? Join me in our search.
Follow me on Facebook: In Search of the New Compassionate Male
Twitter: @ccboykin Write me at: [email protected]
Free On Amazon: Circles of Men: A Counter-Intuitive Approach to Creating Men’s Groups – Compassionate men gather differently. – “With this book, Clay Boykin has created a spiritual blueprint for men around the world. Not only does this book provide a detailed guide for starting and maintaining a men’s group, but it also contains rich insight into the struggles and challenges of being a spiritual male in today’s western culture.” – Review on Amazon
“Somewhere between the dark night and joy lies a place of simple peaceful loving kindness. A place where I rest and lean safely against myself for awhile; a place where I can be in the silence and hold a sacred space for myself; a place where I know and embrace the full spectrum of vulnerability without judging myself; a place where courage and compassion are not actions, but simply states of being; where self-forgiveness gives way to hope and self love.. an awakening. Here, I lift myself up and know again for the first time what is in my heart… my intentions… and my passions… And from this place I embrace my powers and manifest all that is mine to hold and all that is mine to share…” – c.Boykin
About Search of the New Compassionate Male with Clay Boykin. I am convinced that amidst all the turmoil in the world a New Compassionate Male is emerging, and this New Compassionate Male is emerging as the New Archetype. ~ I am on a journey to every corner of the planet. I am on a journey within; a journey of self discovery to learn what it means to be a compassionate male. ~ I do not have the answer, but I know there is a spark of compassion emerging within every man and within every woman. Regardless of sexual orientation, nationality or religious tradition I invite you to join me. Let’s travel together and find answers to questions like: Who is this man? What makes him compassionate? Is he born this way, or how is compassion learned? Is there a place or time where compassion is not relevant? How many ways does the compassionate male show up in the world Together, we can find him. Together, we can hold a mirror up for one another and find the compassion within ourselves. ~ The more adversity there is in the world, the hotter the ember of compassion burns within. It may be smoldering and unrecognizable at the moment, or burning brightly lighting and warming others. ~ Who is the New Compassionate Male? Join me in our search.
Free On Amazon: Circles of Men: A Counter-Intuitive Approach to Creating Men’s Groups – Compassionate men gather differently. – “With this book, Clay Boykin has created a spiritual blueprint for men around the world. Not only does this book provide a detailed guide for starting and maintaining a men’s group, but it also contains rich insight into the struggles and challenges of being a spiritual male in today’s western culture.” – Review on Amazon
Martin Dowman has taught me a great deal about men and compassion; by the way he shows up in the world and models the way for others. Martin knows the value of cultivating deep and meaningful relationships with men, how to stand in one’s truth with an open heart, and how to hold space for another man going through their dark night of the soul.
Martin is Co-Director of the Unity Light Center outside of Baldwin City, Ka., and has been instrumental in programs in South Africa supporting disadvantaged youth.
The Light Center is a beacon lighting the way into a vibrant future. Harmonizing with the earth, inspiring personal, local and global connection, providing safe space for spiritual growth and healing, and empowering youth. The Light Center is a retreat center, and an organic sustainable farm, providing natural sacred spaces for hiking and camping, celebrations and ceremonies. Here, it is a safe space for creating new paths into the future with open hearts.
In Search of the New Compassionate Male with Clay Boykin is a self funded effort. To become a patron or to make a one-time donations visit: clayboykin.com and click on Patreon.
Follow me on Facebook: In Search of the New Compassionate Male
Free On Amazon: Circles of Men: A Counter-Intuitive Approach to Creating Men’s Groups – Compassionate men gather differently. – “With this book, Clay Boykin has created a spiritual blueprint for men around the world. Not only does this book provide a detailed guide for starting and maintaining a men’s group, but it also contains rich insight into the struggles and challenges of being a spiritual male in today’s western culture.” – Review on Amazon
Geoffrey Manasseh is a peace builder, interfaith youth educator and education activist. Geoffrey is responsible for and deeply committed to mentoring and guiding youth to achieve their goals. He coordinates cultural preservation trainings, leadership and interfaith dialogue, peace-making seminars and holds capacity building trainings for youth as students on personal development and youth empowerment. Geoffrey is committed to making a different in his community in Malawi Malawi. Geoffrey completed his academic at Mkope Secondary School and further graduated with advanced diploma in construction engineering. He further went for two years training of psycho-social and interreligious/intercultural management.
Currently, Geoffrey is a country coordinator of United Religions Initiative (URI) and a senior advisor of Wildlife and Natural Resources Conservation and Rehabilitation Trust (WNRCRT), and Eastern region Psych socialist and education activist. Geoffrey is the founder and director of Nkhudzi Bay Utale organization (NBUC).
In Search of the New Compassionate Male with Clay Boykin is a self funded effort. To become a patron or to make a one-time donations visit: clayboykin.com and click on Patreon.
Follow me on Facebook: In Search of the New Compassionate Male
Twitter: @ccboykin
Write me at: [email protected] For Individual Mentoring & Coaching visit Clay at Let’s Talk on clayboykin.com.
Free On Amazon: Circles of Men: A Counter-Intuitive Approach to Creating Men’s Groups – Compassionate men gather differently. – “With this book, Clay Boykin has created a spiritual blueprint for men around the world. Not only does this book provide a detailed guide for starting and maintaining a men’s group, but it also contains rich insight into the struggles and challenges of being a spiritual male in today’s western culture.” – Review on Amazon
Orlando Johnson came to the realization that sometimes just a conversation can go a long way to helping someone heal. With this thought he decided to launch a podcast called – “The O-Johnson Podcast”. On his podcast he discusses masculinity, relationships, marriage, business and spirituality. It is his way of giving back to the generation before and after him, and a way for people in the world who may be looking for a connection to someone that’s just willing to listen.
Orlando is a husband to a beautiful queen and a father of two beautiful kids. For a living he is a software Implementation specialist. He travels all over the country to train doctors, clinicians and therapist on the use of medical EMR software. Orlando has been afforded the opportunity to meet and speak with some great men and women about life. Since he works close to the medical field he sees many sad things, mostly with people who struggle with emotionally stability.
***
About Search of the New Compassionate Male with Clay Boykin. I am convinced that amidst all the turmoil in the world a New Compassionate Male is emerging, and this New Compassionate Male is emerging as the New Archetype. ~ I am on a journey to every corner of the planet. I am on a journey within; a journey of self discovery to learn what it means to be a compassionate male. ~ I do not have the answer, but I know there is a spark of compassion emerging within every man and within every woman. Regardless of sexual orientation, nationality or religious tradition I invite you to join me. Let’s travel together and find answers to questions like: Who is this man? What makes him compassionate? Is he born this way, or how is compassion learned? Is there a place or time where compassion is not relevant? How many ways does the compassionate male show up in the world Together, we can find him. Together, we can hold a mirror up for one another and find the compassion within ourselves. ~ The more adversity there is in the world, the hotter the ember of compassion burns within. It may be smoldering and unrecognizable at the moment, or burning brightly lighting and warming others. ~ Who is the New Compassionate Male? Join me in our search.
Follow me on Facebook: In Search of the New Compassionate Male
Twitter: @ccboykin Write me at: [email protected]
Free On Amazon: Circles of Men: A Counter-Intuitive Approach to Creating Men’s Groups – Compassionate men gather differently. – “With this book, Clay Boykin has created a spiritual blueprint for men around the world. Not only does this book provide a detailed guide for starting and maintaining a men’s group, but it also contains rich insight into the struggles and challenges of being a spiritual male in today’s western culture.” – Review on Amazon
Jeremy Solomons is an independent global leadership consultant and writer, who was born in the UK, who was naturalized in the USA and who is now based in Kigali, Rwanda.
In the areas of Gender, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation, he is a passionate ally, advocate and activist for universal human rights, dignity, respect, inclusion and equity for all people of all genders.
On a personal level, Jeremy wants fair and just treatment for his beloved daughter, who has recently entered the world of work. On a professional level, he truly believes that an equitable workplace is the most creative and productive one for everyone. And as a highly educated, highly privileged and highly empowered man, he has the platform and access to work with other male leaders help bring about meaningful and sustainable systemic change.
Jeremy’s model for this is the high level of women’s education and empowerment that has actually happened here in his new home of Rwanda in the 26 years since the Genocide against the Tutsis. Women now represent two thirds of Rwanda’s parliament – the highest in the world. He coaches and mentors at the Akilah Institute for Women in Kigali and actively supports HERO, Rwanda’s independent new Health and Equal Rights Organisation.
In the past, Jeremy co-designed and –led many training workshops and dialogues on these topics, especially at Royal Dutch Shell in the Netherlands, UK and USA. He also co-facilitated special sessions on “Women and Power” for Leadership Texas; “Gender Dynamics” for Communities in Schools; “Cultural Competence” for young women leaders at GEN Austin; “Gays, God and the Workplace” for the American Cancer Society; and “LGBT and Allies” for the Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research (SIETAR) USA.
Jeremy was a co-founder and member of the Austin Men’s Group for seven years.
About Search of the New Compassionate Male with Clay Boykin. I am convinced that amidst all the turmoil in the world a New Compassionate Male is emerging, and this New Compassionate Male is emerging as the New Archetype. ~ I am on a journey to every corner of the planet. I am on a journey within; a journey of self discovery to learn what it means to be a compassionate male. ~ I do not have the answer, but I know there is a spark of compassion emerging within every man and within every woman. Regardless of sexual orientation, nationality or religious tradition I invite you to join me. Let’s travel together and find answers to questions like: Who is this man? What makes him compassionate? Is he born this way, or how is compassion learned? Is there a place or time where compassion is not relevant? How many ways does the compassionate male show up in the world Together, we can find him. Together, we can hold a mirror up for one another and find the compassion within ourselves. ~ The more adversity there is in the world, the hotter the ember of compassion burns within. It may be smoldering and unrecognizable at the moment, or burning brightly lighting and warming others. ~ Who is the New Compassionate Male? Join me in our search.
Follow me on Facebook: In Search of the New Compassionate Male
Twitter: @ccboykin Write me at: [email protected]
Free On Amazon: Circles of Men: A Counter-Intuitive Approach to Creating Men’s Groups – Compassionate men gather differently. – “With this book, Clay Boykin has created a spiritual blueprint for men around the world. Not only does this book provide a detailed guide for starting and maintaining a men’s group, but it also contains rich insight into the struggles and challenges of being a spiritual male in today’s western culture.” – Review on Amazon
Christopher Howellbrings a bigger than life message about our world today in the New Compassionate Male podcast episode with, creator, Clay Boykin and producer, Dennis Tardan.
As a gifted and compassionate teacher in Austin, Texas, Christopher Howell works one-on-one and in groups utilizing adventure, movement, breath, guided-imagery, fun and humor, as education tools for self-exploration and increased aliveness. His adventures are more experiential than cognitive.
He has served as a Trainer and Instructor for Global Relationship Centers, a teacher for Austin School of Massage Therapy, Owner of the Center for Health Resources, Facilitator for the Men’s Fellowship Network Retreats, founder of Yoga Hike and number one cheerleader, for his wife of 25 years, Korey Howell.
His commitment to this work extends extends beyond the learning opportunities and into our communities. For it is recognized that the more alive, empowered, loving and mindful our participants are, the more they work toward improving the quality of life for their friends, families, communities and eventually the world as a whole.
How can I go in Search of the New Compassionate Male and sidestep racism. On May 25th, at the same time as we sat in our men’s circle contemplating the topic of Aspirations, George Floyd was murdered. When I learned about it the next morning I wondered to myself what George Floyd’s aspirations were. I learned later that his second grade school teacher found a project of his where he aspired to become a U.S. Supreme Court Judge. This is an excerpt of a conversation with Renée Yaworski on the evolution of the MFN Circles of Men Project.
The other night my dear friend, John Fleming, along with my producer, Dennis Tardan, and I recorded a deep, passionate and meaningful conversation stemming from the murder of George Floyd. In this episode John shares a bit more about his life and the launch of Conscious Conversations in Austin, Texas.
I consider John to be an example of the New Compassionate Male standing in his truth with an open heart, and his message is powerful.
Mandala–The Sanskrit word for “circle.”
A circle designed to have meaning of a cosmic order.
This is my mandala.
My life in symbols,
In sacred geometry
In the relationship in the white space between the words
Enfolded within the universal circle.
Created and recreated over many years.
Growing in depth and breadth as I grow.
A reflection of my expanding consciousness.
Revealing who I truly am.
Pulling all the scattered aspects of my life together.
One tiny pencil stroke at a time.
Here I find my center.
Knowing that I will create it again,
and again,
as I evolve and grow with time.
This is my mandala.
“My work is to assist you[men] in reminding women that you are trying. And if we don’t give you a space to show up in your authenticity, then what was the work for?”
Donna Mills is a community advocate, healer, professional speaker, embodied wellness practitioner, and Center for Partnership Studies Practitioner. Donna is also a Charter for Compassion Ambassador for women and girls. Previously, Donna served as the Board President of Rural Roots in Moscow, Idaho. She brings a wealth of experience to Civic Engagement Alliance, and we look forward to utilizing her skills in facilitating community education workshops. In Coeur d’Alene, Donna Mills works professionally as a holistic health practitioner for her business HumanWell.
Today, Alfredo Gomez is a compassionate male, but life growing up was tough. Born in Mexico into a family of twelve children, Alfredo struggled to cope with an aggressive and angry Federale father; the equivalent to a Texas Ranger. In this podcast, Alfredo shares about how he coped at home. He talks about his family’s move to Texas at age twelve where he experienced racial discrimination in school for the first time, suffered severe anxiety, and came dangerously close to committing suicide. How he grew up managing his own anger with life, then bringing his best to the world, is a heart warming story worth pausing for.
All is not what it appears to be. The dynamics beneath the surface may surprise you. Dennis Tardan, Renée Yarworsky and Clay Boykin explore this question from varying perspectives. For a man, fear of being laughed at often lies just below the vibrato; for a woman, it’s likely to be fear for her safety including fear of being killed.
Mend-ing
BY: Dr Nancy Gahles, DC, CCH, RSHom(NA), OIM
…my heart broke wide open as I felt the pain and the woundedness in men that I hadn’t given much thought to…
“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.” This is the custom that I was brought up to practice when one had transgressed upon another. It is an act of contrition in the Catholic religion. One confesses that they are ‘heartily sorry’ for the offense. Breast beating the words of contrition “ through my fault, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault”. Only the priest has the authority to forgive you and to mete out a punishment to you. You must perform an act of penance after your confession.
The patriarchal authority always bothered me. It brought up feelings of inadequacy in me, a sense of weakness, and dependency. It bred a sense of learned helplessness in me that went deeply against my grain.
I was a good girl. A smart girl. A kind girl. A fun-loving girl. Yet I was being trained to doubt that and to be watchful for any misstep lest, when I die, I will be judged by the All Powerful Man, who could, at his Will, send me to the Eternal flames of hell to suffer mercilessly forever.
Fortunately, my father, (earth father not the one who Art in heaven) was a progressive man, a Women’s Libber, as we called them back in the day. I was one of 5 girls and he taught us that we could be anything we wanted to be and encouraged higher education as a foundation for intelligence, right thinking and decision making based on your own inner authority.
My father, son of a blue collar worker, went to college and law school on the GI bill. He studied with the Jesuits. The key Jesuit values permeated the way in which he lived his life. The Jesuits are an apostolic religious community called the Society of Jesus. They are grounded in love for Christ and animated by the spiritual vision of their founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola; to help others in all things. Cura Personalis is a Latin phrase meaning having concern and care for the personal development of the whole person. Another key value is Men and Women for and With Others. This value embodies a spirit of giving and providing service to those in need and standing with the poor and marginalized. One is encouraged to pursue justice on behalf of all persons.
I grew up in a small neighborhood where the Church was the center of our schooling and our social lives. I attended an all girls Catholic High School where academic excellence prevailed. I recall these facets of my upbringing because they were exactly that . Facets of my upbringing that shone crystal clear after I attended a webinar on Gender Reconciliation where Clay Boykin, author of Circles of Men, a leader in the field of male spiritual development, spoke. My heart broke wide open as I felt the pain and the woundedness in men that I hadn’t given much thought to. There were some men, I knew, who had expressed their vulnerability and the ability to be emotional. There were many others who were emotionally unavailable, emotionally abusive and downright domineering .
Truth be told, my life as a woman from puberty on was at the behest of men. They had the power to ask you on a date, to take you where they wanted to go, to hire and fire you, to promote or demote you. The society I grew up in was controlled by men. A woman in my day learned quickly how to be wily, to subjugate her needs in order to be a good girl, desired and wanted by a man.
Women in my day objected to this status and were encouraged to rise above this culture. We were the rebellious bra burners . We didn’t need men. We were self sufficient. We went to college, became professionals and beat the pants off those men. In the pursuit of equality, we emasculated any who got in our way. It was war. I was a warrior. Kill or be killed. Either you eat the bear or the bear eats you.
When I heard Clay speak, my heart broke open with sorrow for those whom I left in the wake of my destruction. Bless me Father, for I have sinned . Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.
I awakened from a deep metaphorical sleep. The scales fell from my eyes. They are just like us! They were not given the chance in our culture to be liberated either. Men, too, suffer. We share a common humanity. Suffering from the suppression of emotions is a painful process. Fruitlessly searching for opportunities for expression of feelings, for a “soft place to fall” is daunting.
I now look at men as the “men” part of wo-men. I perceive a whole entity of an energy that radiates both feminine and masculine essences. I see how mercurial the elements are. Changing like quicksilver, the yin and yang constantly in flow, seeking its level, like water, in any given moment, responding to the environment, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually.
Burying the past grievous offenses on both sides of the aisle, I actualize the Jesuit values that I was taught, Cura Personalis, Men and Women for and With Others. It makes good sense now and it feels good. I soften my gaze, open my heart, and become a soft place to fall and a safe place to laugh and play. I have Men-ded.
Editor’s Note: My search for the new compassionate male has brought me into contact with interesting people from all over the world. As my search began in the fall of 2018 I was invited to develop an initiative for Men & Boys for the Charter for Compassion; an effort that continues today. Early on I was introduced to the Women & Girls Sector of the Charter and invited to be on their leadership team. The thinking was that I could learn how they are engaging women worldwide which might present new ideas while on my search. Said another way, the women were helping give birth to the men and boys initiative. One of the women I have come to know is Dr. Nancy Gahles. Nancy has written this article about her experiences growing up and how the patriarchal system shaped her views on men, and how those views have changed and become more compassionate in recent months. – Clay Boykin
About: Dr. Nancy Gahles, DC, CCH, RSHom(NA), OIM
Dr. Nancy Gahles is CEO and Founder of Health & Harmony Wellness Education and Center for Integrative and Holistic Healthcare, TeleHealth & Harmony and Spirit of Love~The Rockaway Sangha, a member of the Charter for Compassion. She is a Chiropractor (Ret.), Certified Classical Homeopath, Certified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) practitioner, Cert. facilitator in Compassionate Integrity and Secular Ethics and Ordained Interfaith Minister in family practice since 1980 specializing in the stress that underlies disease and pain management.
Dr. Gahles’ unique method, the Triumvirate Technique, integrates the best of the mind/body/spirit disciplines including homeopathy, diet and lifestyle, meditation, yoga/QiGong, breath/bodywork, cognitive behavioral techniques, spirituality in health and medicine, palliative care and end of life issues and positive potential practice.
Dr. Gahles is a member of the Board of Directors of the Integrative Health Policy Consortium (IHPC) and a Partner for Health for the Council for Homeopathic Certification (CHC) ; a member of the Advisory Board, Integrative Healthcare Symposium . Dr. Gahles is Pres. Emerita of the National Center for Homeopathy.
She is a free-lance healthcare journalist, newspaper columnist, member of the Association of Healthcare Journalists & author of The Power of $elf Care:A Common Sense Guide to YOUR Wellness Solution (http://amzn.to/16G1hAB). Dr. Gahles is a public speaker and TEDXTalk presenter (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6bZBwl636s)
Brecia Kralovic-Logan posed a very interesting question in reference to men and compassion. “What if the young men mentored the older men?” – Brecia is an artist, author and champion of creativity. Over the last 30 years she has taught thousands of art workshops at schools and colleges; art organizations; international, national, and regional conferences; museums; and at her studio. Kralovic-Logan’s award-winning artwork has been exhibited nationally and is in the permanent collection at the Ventura County Museum of Art and History, as well as private collections.Kralovic-Logan has been a speaker for International events including art conferences, women’s conferences, and peace conferences.
She is the author of the book: The Spiral of Creativity- Mastering the Art of a Spirited Life. She is currently the founder/ director of the Women’s Woven Voices: an international, collaborative art project that promotes the empowerment of women through writing, weaving, and sharing their stories. Lean more about Brecia and her work at: https://breciacreative.com
Join us as we go “In Search of the New Compassionate Male.” Perhaps you have a story, idea or message that needs to be shared. Contact me at: https://clayboykin.com
Have you ever been told that you have a blind spot? I have many times and my first reaction is to reject the notion and tell the person they are wrong. But, the truth of the matter is that they are right.
Granted, they are probably referring to the way I am acting or responding to a certain situation, but the fact is, we are all born with a blind spot.
Look this gentleman straight in the eyes, cover your right eye and move your head towards the screen and back again. What happens? That’s right, the coin suddenly disappears, like magic! Try it.
When I listen deeply to another person more is revealed than merely the point they are trying to get across or the story. Often times I will say, I hear you, I see what you are saying. My mind has just translated the words and inflections into a picture my mind’s eye can see. But I can’t always see what they are saying. Inasmuch as I do have a blind spot in my eyes, so does my mind’s eye have a blind spot, if not more than one.
What is the blind spot in your life? Do you take time to reflect; to go within and find it? Rather than thinking of it as a blind spot, perhaps it is a growing edge. Perhaps it is a door through-which a greater truth can be found.
Rumi said: “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”
Our friend, Dr. Karambu, has sent out an appeal for our support. Today, she is housing, feeding and protecting/isolating 63 children from the COVID-19 virus. Her video is compelling. Many of you remember her visit to our Men’s Circle late last December where she shared about Amani Children’s Home in Meru, Kenya. I have personally been there and witnessed the incredible work Karambu is doing and am prayerfully requesting your support.
High above the crowd she swung on her trapeze. To and fro in a mesmerizing rhythm; descending and rising as she accepted then broke away from the pull of gravity. Back, then forth, from high to low and back to high. At the apex of her arc she hung weightless in the air, and for that moment there was no up, no down, no to, no fro.
Then back as her swing reversed and took her once again to an apex. Then down, her trajectory fueled by her muscular intentions set free. Set free to thrust her down as if to welcome and enhance the gravitational pull towards earth. Then up once again, higher and into a new space of weightlessness. There she released her grasp on the known. Her body floated motionless in anticipation of the other acrobat’s hands rising to meet hers. Motionless, in pause, where seemingly nothing was happening, but where everything in the universe was acting upon her to present her into a special space.
During a call the other day with my dear friends of Gender Equity and Reconciliation International, the term, liminal space, was eloquently spoken of and held up as a metaphor, that of being at the threshold of possibility.
There have been times recently when I have felt in betwixt and in between, not fully here, nor there; but then I realize I am not there at all. I am in the liminal space; in pause, in suspense, trusting the universe to hold me safely as new possibilities arise.
As she paused in mid-air two hands came up to meet hers. The acrobat grasped her wrists; as she too took a firm grip they coursed their way down acting on their intentions and rose high together and into that place of exhilaration and anticipation; then back, then forth, then back, then forth, rising higher and higher each time, and each time pausing at the apex, and pausing within the liminal space, where all things are possible.
Recently, I hosted a workshop on Ideation, Mind-mapping and Reframing. This podcast includes comments from a few of the participants. – During the workshop we discussed how the world is in lockdown. How many are disoriented and frozen in fear and unable to create their new normal. For almost 40 years I have helped individuals and organizations conceptualize, think counterintuitively, and unleash their creativity and full potential. I train them how to reframe and find answers to their burning questions. If you have a burning question, feel disoriented, or just need a sounding board, I invite you to contact me directly.
Edafe Okporoarrived to the United States from Nigeria in 2016 seeking asylum due to persecution he faced in his native country for being gay. Okporo is now using his own personal experience to help guide other LGBTQ asylum-seeking refugees at a shelter in Harlem. In my search I would have to say that Edafe is an example of a New Compassionate Male.
My life, as you will read, has taken me from one place to another. Bed Number 26 is the story of how I fought my way out of constant persecution and reclaimed my freedom. It is my hope that by sharing my experience and my pain, you will begin to understand why people are forced to immigrate. This is a revealing memoir and empowering manifesto, with contributions from other asylees, refugees, and Nigerians. Nong Richie was born in one country and came of age in another more visible placeNigeria. In a strange world where he was continually persecuted, living soon became a personal nightmare of constant mob attacks and deaths of his friends to HIV. Nong escaped into the world of his mind from the expository details of the war he suffered as a child and high-profile attacks against gay Nigerians. Every detail of his personal life became public, and the realities of an inherently unlawful society emerged with every script of this book. The detention center packaged his trauma as a bombshell, hijacking his image and identity and making profit from every night he spent in it. Bed Number 26 is his raw, honest, and poignant accounta no-holds-barred, pull-no-punches account for the persecution of him and his community. He was a fearless activist and an unstoppable force for change who was determined to expose the truth. The target demographics of this book are clients of Immigration Equality, immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, attorneys representing Immigration Equality, clients and volunteers of First Friends, Eat Offbeat clients, and the network of mine from the United Nations department of NGOs.
Back in the 1980’s, as I was beginning to find my stride inside Motorola, we were faced with many large changes on a corporate-wide basis. These were not product changes, although there were plenty of those as well. These were changes that sought to speak to the essence of the Motorola culture and the essence of leadership. For me, it was both an exciting as well as a confusing time. I passionately believed in the essence of servant leadership, and what I was hearing at the corporate level had the same key elements. As well, there were many programs and processes that were being implemented corporate-wide such as Six-Sigma, 10x Cycle Time Reduction, etc… and, quite frankly, it was confusing for even the best to piece together into day-to-day action.
I was inspired by the corporate messages speaking to our culture such as, “Constant respect for people and uncompromising integrity” so I set out to wrap my head around my personal leadership style, and put this into context with the wave of activity inside the company; this to provide focus and meaning to the organization for which I was the marketing director.
An eight month self-study began which crossed many disciplines and perspectives. I went back to what was instilled in me about leadership during my time in the Marine Corps. I pulled books from my shelf at home by Peter Drucker-Frontiers of Management, Tom Peters-Thriving on Chaos, The Armed Forces Officers Handbook, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner-The Leadership Challenge, Robert F. Allen-The Organization Unconscious, and of course Robert Greenleaf on Servant Leadership. There were many more but these stood out most to me. My goal was to bring together the essence of leadership as described by all of these authors, mix in what I learned day-to-day in the Corps, and find the common threads buried within the Corporate messages, and decide how I intended to lead.
Along the way I was reminded that one could not go wrong taking to heart what Peter Drucker had to say; and while I loved the passion of Tom Peters, I knew that I could not show up as a “mono-manic with a mission” as he put it. And the Armed Forces Officers Handbook, while pragmatic in its approach offered sound advice about leading and life in general.
The Leadership Challenge really spoke to me. Within it’s five principles I began to find the common thread that brought Drucker, Peters, Allen, Kouses and Posner together with what I had been taught in the Marine Corps. Things began to solidify for me and I became grounded in my beliefs on leadership. I was finding my voice, and The Leadership Challenge was the common thread that tied them all together with the Corporate mantras.
Kouses and Posner summarized it with five principles:
Creating an inspired vision
Modeling the way
Enabling others to act
Challenging the process
Encouraging the heart
All spoke loudly to me. The ones I will touch on here are: “creating and inspired vision” and “encouraging the heart.” We had the technology, we had talent, the resources to grow, and we had the brand name. We also had stress, tension, egos, and disagreements on technologies that would seem to cross into the esoteric. If you singled anyone out and gave them a truth serum one would invariably find an undercurrent of fear.
The popular book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall used fear as the underlying motivator: In the book he writes: “Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.”
I remember hearing Born to Run quoted many times over the years. What was odd to me was that its premise was fear. Semantics, maybe, but it’s worth considering whether or not any of us would rather be led by fear, or led though inspiration and encouragement; and whether or not you want your team to be running away from failure or running towards a vision.
Creating an inspired vision, Modeling the way, Enabling others to act, Challenging the process, Encouraging the heart; The common I had found the common thread and I had found my voice.
Ram Dass wrote a letter some years ago to a family who had lost their young daughter, Rachel. Although he wrote it to these two parents specifically, everything in this letter applies to anyone who has lost a child.
Dear Steve and Anita,
Rachel finished her work on earth, and left the stage in a manner that leaves those of us left behind with a cry of agony in our hearts, as the fragile thread of our faith is dealt with so violently. Is anyone strong enough to stay conscious through such teaching as you are receiving? Probably very few. And even they would only have a whisper of equanimity and peace amidst the screaming trumpets of their rage, grief, horror and desolation.
I can’t assuage your pain with any words, nor should I. For your pain is Rachel’s legacy to you. Not that she or I would inflict such pain by choice, but there it is. And it must burn its purifying way to completion. For something in you dies when you bear the unbearable, and it is only in that dark night of the soul that you are prepared to see as God sees, and to love as God loves.
Now is the time to let your grief find expression. No false strength. Now is the time to sit quietly and speak to Rachel, and thank her for being with you these few years, and encourage her to go on with whatever her work is, knowing that you will grow in compassion and wisdom from this experience. In my heart, I know that you and she will meet again and again, and recognize the many ways in which you have known each other. And when you meet you will know, in a flash, what now it is not given to you to know: Why this had to be the way it was.
Our rational minds can never understand what has happened, but our hearts – if we can keep them open to God – will find their own intuitive way. Rachel came through you to do her work on earth, which includes her manner of death. Now her soul is free, and the love that you can share with her is invulnerable to the winds of changing time and space.
The Gender Equity and Reconciliation process seeks to heal the profound wounds around gender, sexuality, and relational intimacy. It brings together people of all sexual orientations and genders to jointly confront gender disharmony to reach healing reconciliation. Will and Cynthia have developed the method over 28 years, introducing the practices in nine countries.
Gender reconciliation’s startling successes in South Africa have played a role in transforming that country’s AIDS and HIV policies, and exciting new academic research on the program is underway at two South African universities. Learn more about the work of Will Keepin and Cynthia Brix via their organization, Gender Reconciliation International.
Will Keepin and Cynthia Brix with Bishop Desmond Tutu
This powerful presentation is well worth pausing for.
Leadership is not about personality; it’s about behavior—an observable set of skills and abilities. The “Leadership Challenge” by Jim Kouze and Bary Posner has been a favorite of mine throughout my 39 year career spanning the USMC, Corporate hi-tech, start-ups and small established businesses.
The Leadership Challenge addresses 5 leadership practices:
1) Modeling the way,
2) Inspire a shared vision,
3) Challenge the process,
4) Enable others to act,
5) Encourage the heart.
Whether in uniform, suit or jeans these practices stand the test of time, and yes, a spiritual male can be on top at work.
Deep listening occurs when your mind is quiet. Your thoughts are flowing rather than crowding your mind with distractions, interpretations, judgments, conclusions or assumptions about the other person. Your mind is open, curious, interested — as though you were hearing this person for the first time. Deep listening applies not only to communication with another, but also to listening to ourselves and to life in general. The goal of deep listening is to hear beyond the words of the other person and yourself, to the essence of what the words and feelings are pointing to. Your mind and heart are joined in union — you are listening wholeheartedly.
Deep listening is synonymous with Compassionate listening as explained by Thich Nhat Hanh in this short SuperSoul Sunday video clip:
To go a step further, deep listening is normally thought of in the context of listening to another person. Another aspect of deep listening to ones-self. Thich Nhat Hanh speaks to this in terms of mindful listening. It can only happen in the present moment which is the only moment where one can truly live. He says that we have an appointment with life and that appointment with life takes place in the present moment.
By request, these are my notes and the diagram I created.
What makes you, you? Is it how you think of yourself, how others think of you, or something else entirely? In this talk, Julian Baggini draws from philosophy and neuroscience to give a surprising answer.
Sande Hart is the Founding Director of the Charter for Compassion Women and Girls sector, Founder and President of the women’s interfaith organization S.A.R.A.H., Past Chair of the United Religions Initiative for North America, and co-Founder of Alchemy Productions. She is a Mother, Daughter, Wife, Sister and Aunt, and new grandmother!
A certified Compassionate Integrity Trainer, Sande is passionate about leading people to a new understanding of who they are through the lens of compassion and compassionate action, and the role they contribute to the world around them. With a strong emphasis on personal awareness and self advocacy, Sande developed the 18th Sustainable Development goal with the intention and expectation that we will wake up to our personal responsibilities to be stewards of our planet and those we share it with.
With a strong commitment to elevating women and girls by providing dialogue and circle experience, Sande’s workshops and productions provide opportunities for weaving relationships, and being in service to the divine feminine that is rising strong in our world right now.
Sande speaks and conduct workshops on a variety of topics relating to community building, women and girls, and kids activism through service.
Paying attention to patterns in community and community building, it became clear that, with some thoughtful adjustments that seem to be easily missed, and some safeguards in how leadership teams work together, we could accelerate and leverage the highest vision and success of any given group. –Sande Hart
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About Search of the New Compassionate Male with Clay Boykin. I am convinced that amidst all the turmoil in the world a New Compassionate Male is emerging, and this New Compassionate Male is emerging as the New Archetype. ~ I am on a journey to every corner of the planet. I am on a journey within; a journey of self discovery to learn what it means to be a compassionate male. ~ I do not have the answer, but I know there is a spark of compassion emerging within every man and within every woman. Regardless of sexual orientation, nationality or religious tradition I invite you to join me. Let’s travel together and find answers to questions like: Who is this man? What makes him compassionate? Is he born this way, or how is compassion learned? Is there a place or time where compassion is not relevant? How many ways does the compassionate male show up in the world Together, we can find him. Together, we can hold a mirror up for one another and find the compassion within ourselves. ~ The more adversity there is in the world, the hotter the ember of compassion burns within. It may be smoldering and unrecognizable at the moment, or burning brightly lighting and warming others. ~ Who is the New Compassionate Male? Join me in our search.
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Circles of Men: A Counter-Intuitive Approach to Creating Men’s Groups – Compassionate men gather differently. – “With this book, Clay Boykin has created a spiritual blueprint for men around the world. Not only does this book provide a detailed guide for starting and maintaining a men’s group, but it also contains rich insight into the struggles and challenges of being a spiritual male in today’s western culture.” – Review on Amazon
Dr. Howard Teich has addressed groups such as C. G. Jung Institute and the International Conference on Shamanism on such topics as High Performance Leadership, Six Steps to Creative Collaboration, Quantum and Reflective Consciousness, Twin Leadership, Eros and Psyche, Gender Relationship and Consciousness.
Psychologist and teacher Dr. Teich founder of PACE PROFILE® applies his extensive background in psychology and his pioneering work in conscious empathy to create more effective outcomes in individual evolution, relationships with others and organizations. Combining his expertise in the fields of archetypal psychology, mythology and neurology, Dr. Teich’s notoriety as a scholar and lecturer is based on his theory of the tripartite integration of mythology, archetypal psychology (including dreams), and neurobiology and their effects on human consciousness. With this theory of integration, Dr. Teich has created a body of work that supports rapid understanding and changing human behavior.
Dr. Teich’s formative work began while he was teaching a course at the University of California at Berkeley titled Dreams: the Language of the Unconsciousness. His deep appreciation of and curiosity about the role dreams has had on shaping human outcomes has driven him to begin years of Jungian analysis with world-renown experts Joseph Henderson, John Beebe, and Joan Chodorow.
Dr. Howard Teich’s interest in the deep cultural ties mythology has within the unconscious realm led him to focus on the work of Joseph Campbell, the master of mythology studies now famous for his contributions to the Star Wars movies and his series of interviews with Bill Moyer. After Campbell’s death he has had the honor of contributing to Use of Comparative Mythology: Essays on the Work of Joseph Campbell (Garland Publishing, 1992).
Dr. Teich’s seminal work defining solar and lunar psychology is described at length in John Beebe’s 1992 book Integrity in Depth (Texas A&M University Press, 1992). Dr. Teich’s writings have appeared in publications such as Chrysalis, Parabola, San Francisco Jung Institute Journal, and Noetic Science Review; and been included in several anthologies, including Christine Dowings Mirror of the Soul. His latest works, Solar Light Lunar Light: Perspectives on Human Consciousness, is now available through Apple Books as well as Amazon.com. Dr. Teich was a consultant on Transforming Terror: Remembering the Soul of the World which was published in 2011 by University of California Press; and author of article Our Culture’s Divided Soul.
To measure the solar and lunar perspective of human behavior and how it can facilitate high performance Dr. Teich has developed the PACE PROFILE®. What makes the PACE Profile unique is that it highlights not only preferences and behavior but the underlying motivations that lead to behavior based on our engagement with ourselves, those around us, and our environment. And unlike other assessment tools the PACE does not divide people into types or assume that they have fixed temperaments from birth. A key element of the PACE is its focus on where an individual is now and how they can grow and develop if they choose.
A frequent lecturer in Mexico, Canada, and the U.S., Dr. Teich has addressed groups such as C. G. Jung Institute and the International Conference on Shamanism on such topics as High Performance Leadership, Six Steps to Creative Collaboration, Quantum and Reflective Consciousness, Twin Leadership, Eros and Psyche, Gender Relationship and Consciousness.
In addition to teaching at the University of California, the California Institute of Integral Studies, Sonoma State University, the University of San Francisco, and the Esalen Institute, Dr. Teich has coached executives at some of the world’s most respected corporate giants, including Microsoft, Intel, and Wells Fargo, as well as at emerging companies funded by venture capital firms.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13
Nate Phelps, in his TED Talk titled “Faith, Hope and Love”, explains that hope seems to be a rather benign condition, because it doesn’t actually promote action as it waits with bated breath for an outcome once action is taken. He goes on to explain that faith is belief not sustained by logical proof or material evidence. – Then he challenges faith, and the broad acceptance of the idea that faith is all good, by sighting events of 9/11 and the faith held by the 19 terrorists… But, this is not the end of his message. – a powerful message on love.
A powerful video short: Love is the Most Powerful Force in the Universe
Justin Baldoni wants to start a dialogue with men about redefining masculinity — to figure out ways to be not just good men but good humans. In a warm, personal talk, he shares his effort to reconcile who he is with who the world tells him a man should be. And he has a challenge for men: “See if you can use the same qualities that you feel make you a man to go deeper,” Baldoni says. “Your strength, your bravery, your toughness: Are you brave enough to be vulnerable? Are you strong enough to be sensitive? Are you confident enough to listen to the women in your life?”
Sometimes people look for the quick fix–that one thing that will suddenly change their life. More times than not, the more we look for that one quick fix the less often we find it; or the quick fix turns out to be a traumatic life-changing event that is not what we had hoped for.
What would the result be if we were to lift our trajectory by just one degree? We did this 7-years ago when we started the Men’s Fellowship Network. Today, we have collectively invested over 20,000 man-hours in contemplative conversations on male spirituality and I would venture to say our lives are transforming.
Over time we have witnessed several transformations within our circle. One beautiful example is our brother, Kevin Wood, who has created and produced his first album in several years. It reflects his heartwarming journey of transformation.
This 30-minute talk is thought-provoking and worth pausing to watch.
Does a socially just society require a radical feminist overhaul of dominant patriarchal structures? Dr. Robert Jensenis a professor of journalism at The University of Texas, Austin. He is the author of many books, and he writes opinions and analytics on foreign policy, politics, and race for popular media. His work has appeared in papers and magazines across the United States.
New Thought is an American metaphysical religious movement that is approximately 150 years old. William James called New Thought, “[T]he religion of healthy-mindedness.” And that’s really the truth! Don’t confuse New Thought with what is often called “New Age” in the media today, New Thought is actually a perennial philosophy, that thread of truth that is woven through all the world’s great spiritual traditions.
New Thought principles are found in Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Zen, Hinduism, African Traditional Religions and many other philosophical and theological works. There are several hundred New Thought churches world-wide, which include Unity churches, Centers for Spiritual Living, and independent New Thought churches like Open Heart.
“I’ve never done a thing I’ve wanted to do in all my life.” – Last line in the book: Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis
Babbitt (1922), by Sinclair Lewis, is a satirical novel about American culture and society that critiques the vacuity of middle-class life and the social pressure toward conformity.
The word “Babbitt” entered the English language as a “person and especially a business or professional man who conforms unthinkingly to prevailing middle-class standards”.
Great advice from Joseph Campbell: “Follow your bliss. If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in the field of your bliss, and they open the doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be. If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn’t have opened for anyone else.”
I invite you to pause a few moments and let me share a little about our counter-intuitive approach to the men’s spiritual circles in the Men’s Fellowship Network.
I sat together with a friend one night within the dark night of his soul. I held for him a greater truth, the essence of which he could not see. I held it until he was eventually able to shed enough of what no longer served him, and was able to see the spark of light that had been within him all along. It was the spark of his true spirit; his goodness and his gifts. It gave me pause. I later realized that sitting with him was his gift to me and it inspired me to produce this short video about holding sacred space. After I finished making this video and put the music to it I realized the title of the guitar piece was “Diagonal” by Richard Crandell. Perhaps a touch of Divine order at play here… Clay Boykin
Claude Bristol is a name not often heard these days, yet his message on the power of believing is timeless and draws on the teachings of Buddha, Jesus, Phineas P. Quimby, Mary Baker Eddy, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and others.
The Magic of Believing (1948) – Claude M Bristol
For a two year period, I was church editor of a large metropolitan newspaper, during which I came in close contact with clergymen and leaders of all sects and denominations, mind-healers, divine healers, Spiritualists, Christian Scientists, New Thoughters, Unity leaders, sun and idol worshipers – and, yes, even a few infidels and pagans…
I have read literally thousands of books on modern psychology, metaphysics, ancient magic, Voodoo, Yoga, Theosophy, Christian Science, Unity, Truth, New Thought, Coueism, and many others dealing with what I call “Mind Stuff,” as well as the philosophies and teachings of great masters of the past.
Much has been written and said about mystical powers, unknown forces, the occult, metaphysics (beyond science), mental physics, psychology (the science of mind), black and white magic, and many kindred subjects, causing most people to believe that they are in the field of the supernatural. Perhaps they are for some. But to me, the only inexplicable thing about these powers is that belief makes them work…
Claude Bristol was a hard-headed journalist for several years, including stints as a police reporter and as church editor of a large city newspaper. In this post, he met people from every denomination and sect and later read hundreds of books on psychology, religion, science, metaphysics and ancient magic. Gradually, Bristol began to see the ‘golden thread’ which runs through all religions and esoteric teachings: that belief itself has amazing powers.
Having spent years thinking about the power of thought, he had assumed others knew something about it too. He was wrong. Strangely, he found that most people go through life without realizing the effect that strong belief can have on reaching their goals – they leave their desires vague and so they get vague outcomes… (continued)
More on Claude Bristol – The Magic of Believing was written, he says, for ex-servicemen and women who would have to adjust to civilian life and try to prosper in it. It was published when he was in his 50’s and followed the success of a small book he published in 1932 entitled T.N.T. – It Rocks the Earth… (continued)
“It is paradoxical, yet true, to say, that the more we know, the more ignorant we become in the absolute sense, for it is only through enlightenment that we become conscious of our limitations. Precisely one of the most gratifying results of intellectual evolution is the continuous opening up of new and greater prospects.” – Nikola Tesla.
I invite you to set your phone to chime every day at 11:11am. Then, at that time pause a few seconds to energetically, mentally or spiritually, send a good thought to someone, or send a text, or give them a call.
This tradition was started a few years back in our men’s circle and has since begun spreading throughout Austin, Tx. Imagine the effect if everyone in Austin were to do it! Imagine if this went viral and the wave of good that would ripple around the world if all people were to do it.
According to numerology, the number 11 is a “master number” which signifies intuition, insight, and enlightenment. Seeing 11 11 is a good sign! An energetic doorway is being opened in which you will experience spiritual growth. – In World War I, on the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918 the armistice took effect. – This year has additional importance in that 2018 adds to the number 11, so it is the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of a year that signifies eleven”
Circles of Men – “A wake-up up call for men who believe they can go it alone.” – Don Frick
“…every single one of the major world traditions has highlighted — has said —and put at the core of their tradition what’s become known as the Golden Rule.First propounded by Confucius five centuries before Christ:“Do not do to others what you would not like them to do to you.” – Karen Armstrong – 2008 Ted Talk
The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the center of our world and put another there, and to honor the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity, and respect. – Charter for Compassion
Triangulation is a manipulation tactic where one person will not communicate directly with another person, instead of using a third person to relay communication to the second, thus forming a triangle. It is also a form of splitting in which one person manipulates a relationship between two parties by controlling communication between them.
Triangulation may manifest itself as a manipulative device to engineer rivalry between two people, known as divide and conquer or playing one (person) against another.
After his wife died, Rick Rigsby was ready to give up. The bare minimum was good enough. Rigsby was content to go through the motions, living out his life as a shell of himself. But then he remembered the lessons his father taught him years before – something insanely simple, yet incredibly profound.
These lessons weren’t in advanced mathematics or the secrets of the stock market. They were quite straightforward, in fact, for Rigsby’s father never made it through third grade. But if this uneducated man’s instructions were powerful enough to produce a Ph.D. and a judge – imagine what they can do for you.
Join Rigsby as he dusts off time-tested beliefs and finds brilliantly simple answers to modern society’s questions. In a magnificent testament to the “Greatest Generation” which gave so much and asked so little in return, Lessons from a Third Grade Dropout will challenge you while reigniting your passion to lead a truly fulfilling life.
After all, it’s never too late to learn a little bit more about life – just ask the third-grade dropout.
When one conjure up images of General George Patton (portrayed by George C. Scott) in the epic movie, Patton, one can easily think of glory, but what about humility? Much has been written about Patton and his complex nature. Among other virtues, some say he was a man with an iron will combined with humility, at times veiled thinly behind his bluster.
Perhaps it is easier to think of Nelson Mandel as a man with an iron will combined with the virtue of humility. It is written that despite Nelson Mandela’s profound impact on South Africa, democracy and the struggle for equality around the world, he remains a famously humble man. Mandela says it was necessary to transform himself into a modest man in order to change society. During an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, this former South African president shares the importance of humility with Oprah.
These two video clips serve to only scratch the surface of the topic: Of Glory and Humility.
https://youtu.be/W2BSGjg4bwU
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Shared below is an excerpt of Patton’s writings which reveal his knowing about the true nature of glory in the context of victory. His words are poignant and expressed with humility.
“For over a thousand years Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of triumph, a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeteers, musicians and strange animals from conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conquerors rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children robed in white stood with him in the chariot or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror holding a golden crown and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting.” – George S. Patton
What Is Emotional Intelligence? – Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others. It is generally said to include 3 skills:
1. Emotional awareness, including the ability to identify your own emotions and those of others;
2. The ability to harness emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problems solving;
3. The ability to manage emotions, including the ability to regulate your own emotions, and the ability to cheer up or calm down another person.
The UC Davis Executive Leadership Program is a transformative, interactive seminar series that will expand your ability to confidently guide and direct your organization. Gain practical techniques, effective strategies and essential personal insight to become a passionate, inspiring leader. In this video, instructor Mitchel Adler, Psy.D., CGP, discusses emotional intelligence and how good leaders use it to their advantage.
Servant leadership is both a leadership philosophy and set of leadership practices. Traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the “top of the pyramid.” By comparison, the servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible. Servant leadership turns the power pyramid upside down; instead of the people working to serve the leader, the leader exists to serve the people. When leaders shift their mindset and serve first, they unlock purpose and ingenuity in those around them, resulting in higher performance and engaged, fulfilled employees. A servant leader’s purpose should be to inspire and equip the people they influence.
What do you wake up in the morning for? What is your reason for being? How many times in your life have you asked yourself this question?
Ikigai (生き甲斐, pronounced [ikiɡai]) is a Japanese concept meaning “a reason for being”. Everyone, according to the Japanese, has an ikigai. Finding it requires a deep and often lengthy search of self. Such a search is regarded as being very important, since it is believed that discovery of one’s ikigai brings satisfaction and meaning to life. Examples include work, hobbies and raising children.
In the culture of Okinawa, ikigai is thought of as “a reason to get up in the morning”; that is, a reason to enjoy life. The word ikigai is usually used to indicate the source of value in one’s life or the things that make one’s life worthwhile. Secondly, the word is used to refer to mental and spiritual circumstances under which individuals feel that their lives are valuable. It’s not necessarily linked to one’s economic status or the present state of society. Even if a person feels that the present is dark, but they have a goal in mind, they may feel ikigai. Behaviours that make us feel ikigai are not actions which we are forced to take—these are natural and spontaneous actions.
In the article named Ikigai — jibun no kanosei, kaikasaseru katei (“Ikigai: the process of allowing the self’s possibilities to blossom”) Kobayashi Tsukasa says that “people can feel real ikigai only when, on the basis of personal maturity, the satisfaction of various desires, love and happiness, encounters with others, and a sense of the value of life, they proceed toward self-realization.” Finding your Ikigai podcast
Can culture hold a people together and song save a nation?
These short video clips gave me pause, and nudged me to reflect upon the many solemn blessings of our freedom, often taken for granted.
Oh, that we hold ourselves to a higher purpose through these trying times. –
The song, Finlandia (This Is My Song), was originally written and sung in 1899 as a covert protest against increasing censorship of Finland by the Russian Empire. The lyrics written in 1941 are powerful and speak to the beauty, strength and love of a nation struggling to hold to a higher purpose…
Perhaps one of these version will speak to you, as they all did to me.
The Indigo Girls
The military history of Finland during World War II encompasses three major conflicts. The first two––the defensive Winter War in 1939–1940, and the Continuation War alongside the Axis Powers in 1941–1944––were waged against the Soviet Union. The third one, the Lapland War in 1944–1945, followed the signing of an armistice agreement with the Allied Powers, which stipulated expulsion of German forces from Finnish territory.
By the end of hostilities, Finland managed to defend its independence, but had to cede nearly 10% of its territory, including its second largest city, Viipuri, and pay out a large amount of war reparations to the Soviet Union. As a result of this territorial loss, all Finnish Karelians were evacuated from their homes, relocating to areas that remained within the borders of Finland.
COO to CEO – “Why are things not clicking? We’ve got the Vision, Mission, Strategy, Tactics, Objectives, Game Plan, Goals, Funding, Talent, Technology, Economy is up, Tasks/Action Items… but we don’t seem to be getting anywhere. What did we forget?”
Often times companies get so wrapped up in the all the above they forget about the company’s culture.
Before you scoff and hit delete, I challenge you to read on.
Believe me, there is nothing “touchy feely” about examining, paying attention to and consciously shaping a company culture. And left to evolve on its own can be disastrous.
If you don’t believe me, think back on an organization that was really being successful; people working hard; passionate about winning; cheering one another on; growing profitably. What happened when it sold, or when the leadership changed hands? If all went well and things continued to progress… good! Most likely, however, it felt like an out of balance tire at 75-mph down a bumpy road.
A company’s culture can take years to build up, but in the wrong hands, can falter overnight. Alternatively, a culture can change overnight in the right hands… for the better. A change in leadership is only one of a thousand factors that can impact a company culture.
The trick is in recognizing that the culture may be the elephant in the room, and that it takes a special skill set to handle successfully.
What is consciousness? What is the link between consciousness and our brain? How does consciousness affect our mind, and how does it shape our lives? Is consciousness separate from our brain; like a radio that receives the signal?
It’s a well known fact that the average human being uses only about 10% of their brain. What about the other 90%? What about the fact that we can change our minds and that there is such a thing as neuroplasticity?
Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity, is an umbrella term that encompasses both synaptic plasticity and non-synaptic plasticity—it refers to changes in neural pathways and synapses due to changes in behavior, environment, neural processes, thinking, emotions, as well as changes resulting from bodily injury.
The subconscious mind can make roughly 10-million observations in any one setting, whereas, the conscious mind can only keep track of about 100. This means that 99.999% of the observations you make you are not consciously aware of.
Intuition can be described in several ways such as the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. Some use the term intuition in the same context as instinct, but if looked at closely, instinct refers more to the fixed pattern of behavior in response to a certain stimuli.
While both intuition and instinct can be sparked in the same instant by the same event, instinct is tied more closely to a fight, flight or freeze responses; whereas, intuition is tied more closely to deep listening to the still small voice within, those 10-million observations coupled with one’s past experiences, and involves some level of judgement. In a fleeting instant when a feeling is triggered instinct may cause the body to react instantaneously. Conversely, intuition may say stop, make another choice. –
Said another way, we use the words instinct and intuition interchangeably. And while they do exist on the same spectrum, there’s still a crucial difference between the two ideas. Instinct comes from the word instinctus, or, “impulse,” meaning it’s a biological tendency. It’s the transient reaction that happens in our bodies, apropos of right now. Intuition comes from the word intuitio, or, “consideration,” meaning it’s an accumulated belief. It’s the ongoing collection of experiences, apropos of everything up until now. –
So this raises good question: How does one connect in with those 10-million observations… what many call the still small voice within?
Back in the early 1990’s, on the first day in my new position as Marketing Director, one of the first things I learned was that our division was not permitted to grow to more than 4% marketshare; this because the entire corporation lost money one quarter due to the sudden crash in DRAM prices. This led to Motorola exiting the DRAM business, but eventually getting back in at the strong requests of our customers.
So, we reentered the market with the caveat that it would limit its exposure with a 4% market share cap. I was charged with bringing in new ways to grow our business. After having idea after idea shot down with the excuse that it would make us larger than 4% marketshare I decided something needed to be done. After all, with a battle cry of “no more than 4%” it was no wonder why morale was down, attrition was up and we had no mindshare or respect from the salesforce.
After studying the size of the market and all the major players I met with the division GM. I ask him if we had a snowball’s chance in hell of ever reaching 4%. He replied that even if we had all the resources and capacity available we could not come close. This gave me an idea. I left his office and typed up a letter that looked like it came from the Corporate office. It basically said that the 4% marketshare cap had been lifted. I took it to Bud, our GM, and asked him to share the “news” with the organization. He took exception and pointed out that it had not been lifted. I asked what difference it made if we could never reach 4%.
He got the message and shared the letter that the 4% cap had been lifted and that we could grow a big as we wanted… he left out the small fact that we’d never get there. Overnight, spirits lifted, morale improved, new ideas began to flow and the general performance of the organization began to pick up.
What was learned? Perception is 9/10th of the law.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt – Excerpt from the speech “Citizenship In A Republic” delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910
“Don’t aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to listen to what your conscience commands you to do and go on to carry it out to the best of your knowledge. Then you will live to see that in the long-run—in the long-run, I say!—success will follow you precisely because you had forgotten to think about it” ― Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning
In this rare clip from 1972, legendary psychiatrist and Holocaust-survivor Viktor Frankl delivers a powerful message about the human search for meaning — and the most important gift we can give others.
This video was created for a graduate-level Theories of Counseling Psychology course at The University of Texas at Austin. Its intent is to provide some insight into Viktor Frankl’s life and his work in Logotherapy.
Article Excerpt: “Logotherapy is composed of three basic principles. The first basic principle is that life has meaning in all circumstances, even despondent ones. The second principle is that the main motivational force is the desire to find meaning in life. Lastly, the third basic principle states that humanity has the freedom of attitudinal choice, even in situations of unchangeable affliction (Frankl, 1959). Thus, Frankl purports that people can discover meaning through creative, experiential, and attitudinal values (Hatt, 1965). Creative values consist of achievement of tasks such as painting a picture or tending a flowerbed (Boeree, 2006). Experiential values consist of encountering another human, such as a loved one, or by experiencing the world through a state of receptivity such as appreciating natural beauty (Hatt, 1965). Attitudinal values speak of the potential to make meaningful choices in situations of suffering and adversity (Gelman & Gallo, 2009). Frankl contends that everything can be taken away from a person but the freedom to choose one’s attitude (Frankl, 1959). He stressed that people should not suffer unnecessarily in order find meaning but that meaning was possible when suffering is inevitable. For example, a person subjected to an incurable disease or placed in a concentration camp can still discover meaning even though his or her situation seems dire (Hatt, 1965). Moreover, tragic optimismmeans that people are capable of optimism in spite of the tragic triad. Frankl believes that all humans will be subjected to the tragic triad, which consists of guilt, death, and unavoidable suffering (Ponsaran, 2007).”
INSPIRATION | Follow your heart
“Your time is limited so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by DOGMA, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice, and most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition – they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs
Servant leadership is a philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more just and caring world.
While servant leadership is a timeless concept, the phrase “servant leadership” was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he first published in 1970. In that essay, Greenleaf said:
“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.”
“The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?“
Sarcasm: The use of irony to mock or convey contempt… Anyone who has suffered from the sarcastic remarks of others will not be too surprised to learn that sarcasm, “a cutting remark,” comes from a Greek verb, sarkazein, that literally means “to tear flesh like a dog.” Very early, though, this Greek verb came to mean “to bite one’s lip in rage,” and “to gnash one’s teeth,” and finally “to sneer.”
The Greek noun sarkasmos, from which the English sarcasm comes, meant “a sneering or hurtful remark.” But even today sarcasm is often described as sharp, cutting, or wounding, recalling in a faint way the original meaning of the Greek verb.
Life & Livelihood Change Self-Assessment - 50 Questions
Life & Livelihood Change Self-Assessment
Your Information
Welcome! This self-assessment is designed to help you reconnect with what you already know about yourself. It's not about finding what's broken—it's about remembering who you are and accessing the wisdom within you. There are no right or wrong answers—only honest reflections that will help you hear your own voice more clearly.
Instructions: For each statement below, rate how true it feels for you right now using this scale:
1 = Not true at all
2 = Slightly true
3 = Moderately true
4 = Very true
5 = Completely true
What Brings You Here Today?
Understanding your current situation helps us provide more meaningful insights. Please select any that apply:
This assessment is designed for self-reflection and guidance purposes. It is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace professional mental health care when needed.
If you're looking for clarity or just need a fresh perspective, I'm here to help. Click here for a complimentary 20-minute 1:1 chat. No pressure, just a conversation to see how I can support you on your journey.
Jerry Tello has appeared in Time, Newsweek, Latina and Lowrider magazines and has received many major awards including: the Maria Shriver’s Annual Advocate for Change award; the White House Champions of Change award; the Presidential Crime Victims Service award, presented by President Bill Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno; two California Governor’s Awards and the Ambassador of Peace Award presented by Rotary international.
Today, it’s hard to believe that after almost nine years, almost 450 weekly gatherings, and over 20,000 collective man-hours invested in the overarching topics of male spirituality and compassion, it’s time to pass the baton.
On the day when he first read Greenleaf’s essay The Servant as Leader in 1986, Don Frick decided to dedicate the rest of his career to understanding and teaching Greenleaf’s ideas about servant leadership. Since then, he has written books and essays about servant leadership—including Greenleaf’s biography—made presentations, conducted workshops, taught graduate seminars, and consulted with corporations on the principles of servant leadership. He is currently working on another book that offers details about how various organizations have implemented servant leadership. Before encountering Greenleaf’s work, Don engaged in multiple careers, including: managing departments at a university and museum of art; university teaching; television, radio, and film writing, production, and performance; trainer; specialist in advertising and marketing for Fortune 500 companies, plus an entrepreneur. His formal education includes a B.S. in Education, Master of Divinity, and PhD in Leadership and Organizational Studies.
With Lionel Corbett he has co-edited and contributed to Psychology at the Threshold and Depth Psychology: Meditations in the Field; with Glen Slater he has Myth and Metaphor. His more recent books include Our Daily Breach: Exploring Your Personal Myth through Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick; Day-to-Day Dante: Exploring Personal Myth Through the Divine Comedy; and Riting Myth, Mythic Writing: Plotting Your Personal Story. With Jennifer Leigh Selig, he has coedited and contributed to Re-Ensouling Education: Essays on the Importance of the Humanities in Schooling the Soul and Reimagining Education: Essays on Reviving the Soul of Learning. With Deborah Anne Quibell and Jennifer Leigh Selig he has co-authored Deep Creativity: Seven Ways to Spark Your Creative Spirit; with Evans Lansing Smith he has co-edited Correspondence: 1927-1987 on the letters of Joseph Campbell. His most current book is a series of essays: An Obscure Order: Reflections on Cultural Mythology published by Mandorla Books. He has also authored over 200 essays and reviews in books, magazines, newspapers, and on-line journals.
exemplifies the essence of the new compassionate male and shares his views on the suffering of women, from childbirth to the ancestral and the strategic suppression of women by the patriarchy. Simon shares from his own profound journey and his awakening to a greater purpose.
My life, as you will read, has taken me from one place to another. Bed Number 26 is the story of how I fought my way out of constant persecution and reclaimed my freedom. It is my hope that by sharing my experience and my pain, you will begin to understand why people are forced to immigrate. This is a revealing memoir and empowering manifesto, with contributions from other asylees, refugees, and Nigerians. Nong Richie was born in one country and came of age in another more visible placeNigeria. In a strange world where he was continually persecuted, living soon became a personal nightmare of constant mob attacks and deaths of his friends to HIV. Nong escaped into the world of his mind from the expository details of the war he suffered as a child and high-profile attacks against gay Nigerians. Every detail of his personal life became public, and the realities of an inherently unlawful society emerged with every script of this book. The detention center packaged his trauma as a bombshell, hijacking his image and identity and making profit from every night he spent in it. Bed Number 26 is his raw, honest, and poignant accounta no-holds-barred, pull-no-punches account for the persecution of him and his community. He was a fearless activist and an unstoppable force for change who was determined to expose the truth. The target demographics of this book are clients of Immigration Equality, immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, attorneys representing Immigration Equality, clients and volunteers of First Friends, Eat Offbeat clients, and the network of mine from the United Nations department of NGOs.
Dr. Teich’s seminal work defining solar and lunar psychology is described at length in John Beebe’s 1992 book Integrity in Depth (Texas A&M University Press, 1992). Dr. Teich’s writings have appeared in publications such as Chrysalis, Parabola, San Francisco Jung Institute Journal, and Noetic Science Review; and been included in several anthologies, including Christine Dowings Mirror of the Soul. His latest works, 
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