Introduction to my new book

Hey, friends! Here's the introduction as it currently stands for my new book. What are your thoughts? Does it engage you? Does it cover things we discuss in a nice follow-up to Journey to the Ecstatic Self? 

Much love!

Introduction

Shhhhh…do you hear it? The whispered calling in the dark? The beckoning toward adventure?

In the quiet of the night, you hear it slipping under the door to your bedroom, inviting you to explore what it really means to be a man. It’s an expedition to throw off the notions of who you are supposed to be and instead embrace a wilder, more feral, more integrated version of masculinity that this world is sorely lacking.

In modern times, following the masculine path can feel like navigating a dense forest without a compass. We are thrust into a proverbial labyrinth of expectations and stereotypes, boxing us into complex yet concrete notions of what it means to be a man. The rules are hard and unforgiving — the corners are sharp and perilous.

But here’s the secret I wish to impart: deep within you is a wild, untamed forest. Hidden amongst the underbrush and foliage is a hidden path that your soul already knows how to walk. It is an ancient route toward a truer sense of masculinity untethered to modern norms and mores. It is wild, it is free, and it defies expectations. This path doesn’t just lead to a sense of ecstasy; it is the mainline for healing the masculine in the modern world by connecting with your divine nature.

Prepare yourself for an adventure, for a transformative journey that will have us upending societal norms and constraints, for a plunge into the untamed wilderness of the soul. This journey is laid for those who have an unquenchable longing for a more genuine and empathic masculinity and those who yearn to reconnect to the divine essence within.

In today’s world, finding an example of grounded, empathic masculinity is as rare as a minotaur sighting in a city. The role models society gives us often come from the realms of action heroes, car racers, and cowboys — leaving us thirsty for a depiction of manhood rooted in purpose, steeped in dignity and respect, and fortified by unwavering self-love. We have examples of boasters, grandstanders, and dominators aplenty, but where are the kind-hearted, serene, and playful embodiments of man?

Where are the legends, the role models, the heroes that show us that men can be both strong and tender, powerful and kind, bold and thoughtful all at the same time? Where are the depictions of maleness that are integrated, whole, and intrinsically well? This search for healthy examples of masculinity leads us on a spiritual trek to ask the deeper questions: “Why am I here?” “What does masculinity truly entail?” “Who or what is the divine?”

This road is not for the faint of heart; it is rife with existential turbulence and emotional crags aplenty. It demands the shedding of societal expectations to unveil the raw authenticity that lies beneath. It is the path of a warrior—but not the callus battle heroes we see in army films. It is the path of the humble, inquisitive warrior. He who has known pain, known suffering, but continues onward. He who embraces the complete dismantling of his known world and yet pursues his duty. It is he who is unafraid to strip away the masks we’ve (knowingly or unknowingly) worn and deconstruct the personas we’ve projected, the walls we’ve built to keep our tender souls safe.

This expedition beckons us into an unfamiliar jungle, an unknown space where masculinity as we traditionally conceive of it gets dismembered and reassembled. Through this process, we will emerge more complete, integrated, and intrinsically aligned beings. We will boldly question, “Who am I at my core?” If we are not the personas we project, if we are not the men that society tells us we should be, then who are we indeed? What is our connection with the divine masculine? How do we unleash the sacred power that dwells within? How do we honor our bodies and minds, coming to see every aspect of ourselves as sacred? Even our broken bits; even our shame. Yes, even our phalluses, which have been deemed dirty and dangerous.

This adventure guides us to the realization that we are manifestations of the divine here on Earth. We will recognize the god-like qualities within ourselves and—simultaneously—recognize the same divinity in every being we encounter. We will uncover the perfection amidst life’s chaos and embrace the inherent imperfections in our world with a playful spirit.

Together, we will explore these profound questions with the aid of some reexamined heroes of lore: the might of Hercules, the tender love of Krishna, the ecstasy of Dionysus, the harmonious dance of Shiva and Shakti. These are not just figures out of legend; they are guiding lanterns illuminating our path. We will explore historical role models like Martin Luther King Junior, Mahatma Gandhi, Fred Rodgers — men who inspire us with aspects of how they lived and held their masculine power. These stories will invite us to venture deeper, to challenge and transcend preconceptions regarding masculinity, and unveil a more profound, awakened understanding of ourselves. They will highlight attributes that we, as modern men, can strive to attain.

So grab your walking staff and step into your boots, for we have swamps to wade through, jungles to traverse, and mysteries to unearth. Through this exploration, we will emerge as more vital, aligned, and empathic embodiments of the divine masculine. We will be better lovers, brothers, spouses, and friends. We will embody examples of leadership, fatherhood, and masculinity that others can appreciate and aspire toward themselves.

Welcome to a journey of self-discovery, a quest that leads us to a reconnection with the essence of our very nature as men. This is an adventure to rediscover our playful, empathic cores.

What a privilege it is for us to embark on this transformative journey together as brothers.