The Mythic Masculine

Can you feel it? Already the summer heat is ebbing. Walking the trail near my house, I see the first leaves curling at the edges, turning toward brown and gold. I am not ready for the season to change, and yet I know it must.With the shift toward autumn comes the next invitation for the Deep Masculine, my three-month online quest.This invitation is for the men who have been listening. Absorbing. Contemplating. I know you are there...Perhaps you’ve listened to a few episodes or many. You have felt the spark when the conversation lands. You have recognized a calling towards this mythic terrain and a longing for who you might become.Then you close the laptop or finish the episode, and go back to the life that is not quite “wrong” enough to force you out of it.I know the feeling. I have been that man. I harvested wisdom to feel like I was changing…without risking anything.But the core patterns of stuckness remained.I think deep down, most men want the same thing: richer relationships, meaningful work, and a deeper sense of being alive.But here’s the truth: real change takes work. It takes commitment. And it takes the willingness to give up the part of you that keeps you stuck.It’s understandable to feel that it hasn’t been the right time yet.You’ve needed more money. More clarity. More space.That you will begin the work when the kids are older or the job is less stressful. This is the same lie that has kept good men in comfortable paralysis for their entire lives.You already know enough. Another conversation or instagram reel or well-written book will not free you.The question is whether you will let your ache turn into action.So here is the invitation:The Deep Masculine is my 3 month online quest to repattern your relationship to sex, soul and purpose. Developed with my colleague Deus Fortier, it draws from embodied somatics and the mythopoetic lineage. Robert Bly’s Iron John. The archetypal map of King, Warrior, Magician and a special emphasis on the Lover.We work with four pillars. Mythopoetic maps. Somatic skills. Ritual rhythm. And brotherhood. Ongoing connection with men around the world who are walking the same terrain.We track the Wild Man, with the hard distinction that Bly himself made. Wild is not savage. The wild man is deeply attuned to the natural order, moving with his own sense of rightness. This in stark contrast to the ‘savage man’ - one who is disconnected from that order. He is dangerous. The world has seen enough savagery dressed up as masculinity. We are after something far older and more disciplined than that.We also center the Lover, because most men’s work chases the King and the Warrior while neglecting the one archetype that keeps all the others humane. In the words of Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette, the Lover keeps the other masculine energies loving and related. Without him, men default to numbness or anger. We are doing the work of resensitizing, of coming back into right relationship with the living world.And we go into the shadow, the parts of you that were punished into exile did not die. They just found distorted ways to express themselves. Integration is how you reclaim that vitality and wield it consciously rather than letting it leak out in addiction, manipulation, or self-sabotage.This is the end of our third year running the Deep Masculine, gathering men from all over the world, including Australia, the UK, and across North America.Ultimately, what we’ve found is the deepest wound is disconnection. The medicine is walking the path with other men.And so, the next Fellowship is gathering.We begin the week of September 21st.Book your intake call on the calendar before September 1st, and get a 30% early-bird discount on the investment. (The call itself can happen after the 1st. What matters is that you reserved your spot before the deadline). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

My guest today is Jonathan Stensland, a poet and long-time collaborator and friend of Robert Bly.This conversation was recorded in 2024 at the 40th anniversary of the Minnesota Men's Conference. Speaking from the banks of the Saint Croix River, Jonathan offers a unique insider's perspective on four decades of men's work.In his early 20s, Jonathan was involved with Bly as he worked on his seminal book ‘Iron John’, through typing-up handwritten pages, revisions, and countless conversations- a process he describes as practically like quilt making. His relationship was deeper than professional collaboration, as akin to a godson to Bly and his wife Ruth.In our conversation today, we explore the origins and evolution of the mythopoetic men's movement, from its roots in Robert Bly's poetry about fathers and grief. We delve into the power of men gathering around the goodness that exists in the marrow of masculinity. He speaks to the movement's influence on broader culture, and the morphogenetic field that made new ways of being available to men everywhere.We ask: What does it mean for a 40-year tradition to cross from the wilderness into culture? How can we broaden the spaces where men can do the necessary soul work of maturation? And what mythic stories might guide the next chapter of this work?You’re invited to join the 41st Fall Conference Oct 7-12, 2025 “Men Who Stand Atop the Old Mound of Miracles”Catch the companion conversations to this episode: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

Recently I spoke with Adam Lewis, co-founder of MANCAMP, a Canadian gathering dedicated to “the celebration of masculinity.” (Disclosure: Adam is also a mentorship client of mine).Now entering its second year, MANCAMP emerged from Adam’s experiences organizing raw and elemental camping trips with small groups of men in the wilderness. What began as paddling into Algonquin Park has grown into a vision of 150+ men coming together for a weekend of transformation, brotherhood, and celebration.Adam shares the story of how MANCAMP was born—first as a seed of inspiration, then through the alignment with his co-founder Geoff ‘Rawa Larden, and finally in the inaugural gathering last September that drew men from across Ontario. Despite the (sometimes) chaotic organizing of a first-year festival, the event sold out and left lasting ripples in the lives of the men who attended. From deep heartbreak to profound breakthroughs, Adam recounts stories of men who returned home more grounded, more alive, and more connected to their families and communities.In our conversation today, Adam and I explore the ingredients that shape the container: archetypal frameworks drawn from King, Warrior, Magician, Lover and a roster of diverse facilitators, as well as sweat lodge, ecstatic dance, shared meals, and the sober presence of men choosing to lean into the work, together. The medicine found in connection and brotherhood itself becomes the initiatory field.I am honored to join as a speaker at this year’s event, taking place September 18–21, 2025 at Merkaba Acres in Ontario. Use my promo code below for MYTHIC20 for 20% off the ticket price. Get full info & tickets here http://mancamp.ca This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

My guest today is Daniel Waite Penny, a journalist and cultural critic whose recent work investigates the connection between masculinity and the climate crisis. He’s the creator of NonToxic, a podcast exploring men and sustainability, and co-creator of Carbon Bros, an investigative series made in collaboration with Drilled.Here’s an overview of the series:You’ve heard it from cable news pundits, Democratic strategists, and your favorite YouTuber: young men swung the last U.S. election for Trump. Understanding what’s driving “the manosphere” and how to reach the young men in its grips is on everyone’s mind right now, but we’re zooming in on a different corner of it: the intersection between male grievance culture and climate denial. Why are men less likely than women to believe in climate change, or take personal or political actions against it? What does their reluctance to deal with the climate crisis have to do with men’s shift to the right in general? And what can be done to reverse it?Daniel and I first connected years ago when he interviewed me about the mythopoetic men’s movement.In our conversation today , we return to the themes of men, meaning, and the cultural forces shaping our times. We trace the strategic targeting of men by fossil fuel interests, the rise of the manosphere, and the appeal of dominance-based narratives offered by figures like Trump and Tate.The Mythic Masculine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.We ask why so many men resist climate action, and how the deeper hunger for belonging, nobility, and story has been misdirected. We explore the absence of an inspiring masculine vision within progressive politics, and what might be possible if men were invited into a role of protection and stewardship.Would love to hear your comments below!For men who wish to join me in-person, I have one more Awakening the Wild Erotic weekend Aug 22-24 on Vancouver Island. Otherwise, men from all over the world can take the Deep Masculine journey.ADDITIONAL EPISODES: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

Note: you can watch the Youtube version of this podcast here.___Well, the saga around Aubrey Marcus continues.You may recall a few weeks back when I spoke about Aubrey, an American entrepreneur, influencer, and “psychonaut”, who released an episode of his podcast with his wife Vylana, their lover Alana, and their mentor Marc Gafni. The main reveal was that during a trip to Egypt, Aubrey received a “download” from the goddess Isis instructing him to “impregnate both women.”They described this not as polyamory but as “radical monogamy.”​Their episode originally titled “A New Pattern of Sacred Relationship" created a wide cultural ripple, sparking deep conversations around sex, relationships, monogamy/polyamory, spiritual bypassing, divine union, cult dynamics, and more.In my initial response with Deus Fortier, a central point I emphasized was the crucial role of community in holding the intense energies of intimacy and sex — something we learned through our years documenting Tamera, the radical “free love” community in Portugal, and featured in our film The Village of Lovers.Following that newsletter, a mutual friend connected me directly with Aubrey. I invited him and his partners to watch The Village of Lovers. They did - and they loved it.This opened the door for a deeper, more nuanced conversation directly between Aubrey and I, which is available now.In this new interview, Aubrey and I explore:* The cultural impact and backlash to his original podcast — and whether he can truly receive and integrate some of the core critiques rather than dismiss them only as a “witch hunt.”* His evolving understanding of power, influence, and community accountability — including reflections on the risks of spiritual grandiosity.* The difference between personal sovereignty and relational ecology, no matter your relationship container* The question of whether “downloads” or divine guidance can ever be fully trusted outside a community context.* The tension between individual desires and collective responsibility in love and intimacy.* What it would look like to truly embed these experiments in a supportive, truth-telling community.Rather than a debate or a takedown, this is a respectful invitation to wonder together.We seek to illuminate the edges and complexities of relational evolution - for ourselves and for all who are navigating love in these turbulent times.__ Note: This conversation has already been out almost a week, and while I’ve received a number of positive reviews, I want to address one of the main criticisms: my decision not to bring up the presence and influence of Marc Gafni. Someone even made the assertion that Aubrey must have “made a deal” with me prior to the interview. In truth, Aubrey and I didn’t speak at about what we would cover. I made the call for two reasons: Watching almost 2 hours of a podcast where Aubrey interviews Marc and his partner Kristina Kincaid spend a lot of time speaking to the controversy from their perspective. Aubrey also responded to the controversy around Marc in the follow up newsletter to the the “Sacred Relationship” podcast:"Finally as a last note, I’ve already addressed the historic controversy surrounding our lineage teacher Dr. Marc Gafni in a podcast that I did with his life partner Kristina Kincaid. I’ve read the published letters of analysis from those who have analyzed the issues well, and spoken to people who have known him for decades. I trust his goodness and his greatness. But more important than any of that, is what I feel in my own body after the hundreds of hours we have spent together with him and his partner. Whether that is grieving together for ten days after the death of my father, grinding out sets with a barbell, or raising cups of wine with a bellowing “CHAAAAAAA.” He’s a brother, he’s my teacher, and he’s not my guru. Marc has been unwaveringly loving and fair to each of us individually in this relationship process, seeking only to serve our own highest sovereign will."To be clear: do I believe the presence of Marc and his influence is troubling? Yes. Do I find it odd that he plays in the original conversation with Vylana and Alana, where he contributes to the confusing and spiritual jargon? Yes.And yet, confronting Aubrey one more time about this did not seem a worthwhile avenue given he would have just repeated what he's already said. There was zero chance, in my opinion, about him changing is stance. And overall, my conversation aimed to be about Aubrey and his relational explorations with his partners, and not about Marc Gafni. There are plenty of podcasts and videos out there that critique Marc and Aubrey.The goal in my conversation with Aubrey was not to cover all the bases, but to bring in some additional pieces that would contribute to the collective feedback loop. Once again, you’re invited to watch The Village of Lovers to understand more deeply the lens I was attempting to offer. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe

Last week, I sat down with Chris Kyle, co-founder of the upcoming Big Tent Summit, a gathering for men & woman who are involved in the stewardship of healthy masculinity today. Chris has been in the exploration for nearly three decades, and he articulates his perspective on the “three waves” of the modern men’s movement: from its mythopoetic roots, to the rise of embodied presence, and now—an integrative call to wholeness. We speak of the fragmentation many men feel, the seductive pull of the mansophere & adolescent masculinities, and the hunger for a mature, grounded path rooted in a greater cosmology.The Big Tent Summit, happening May 29–June 1 in Loveland, Colorado, is a gathering of leaders, facilitators, and culture-makers. It will be a place to compare maps, cross-pollinate practices, and connect with others engaged in this work.Get full info & tickets at BigTentSummit.com—For more of the history and evolution of men’s work, you’re invited to check out my free webinar An Introduction To Mythopoetic Masculinity. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themythicmasculine.substack.com/subscribe