August 2018 The Newsletter of the 
ManKind Project USA. 
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Learn more about the MKP USA #iamresponsible Campaign.

Leadership as Listening and Learning

from 2018 MKP USA Chairman Ed Gurowitz

“In an organization or team that creates a culture of leadership as listening and learning, people will be engaged, feel valued, and gladly work with the leader as well as leading themselves. For me Consultative Leadership in MKP starts with listening for the gold in what anyone communicates to me, without regard to the form of the communication – I believe that every complaint comes from a commitment to the organization and what it is about, and may hide a request for change.”

read the full post

Thank you.

NWTA Participation, Membership, Engagement. 
We’re All In. And All Rising.

Because of the outstanding efforts of volunteers across the ManKind Project, unified Area and Support Service efforts, community engagement, and because of the continued commitment of Supporting Members, our numbers are growing. 

Supporting Membership in MKP USA at an all time high. 

Average Participants / NWTA & Enrollment for NWTA Trainings Up for the Last 2 Years.

The number of MKP USA Communities is up.

The number of Open Men’s Groups and Virtual Men’s Groups is up.

The number of Partnerships and Catalog Offerings is up.

the “Barrier Free” NWTA 

The Southwest Community of the ManKind Project USA will present the first ever “Barrier Free” NWTA (New Warrior Training Adventure), taking place in Prescott, Arizona November 30th through December 2nd, 2018, including both staff and participants with varying physical abilities and challenges. This is a “Gateway” training for men with physical disabilities. 

“At Death Do Us Part”

A Grieving Widower Attains Healing After the Loss of his Wife to Cancer By Frederick Marx

New Warrior Frederick Marx’s most intimate work to date. Beautifully written, At Death Do Us Part is a memoir that doesn’t blink from talking about the death of one’s beloved partner. It is unapologetic, un-euphemistic, and unafraid.

“This book shivers with the frailties of what it means to be human, enfolding loss in all its forms, finding a way through acceptance and the pure ground of being back to love.” — Ram Dass, the author of Be Here Now

“Raw and beautiful, this tender, joyous look into the shared intimacy of a mature couple, seems almost too secret to put into words. I felt touched so many times in so many ways by this unique wisdom-teaching.” — Bill Kauth, co-founder of The ManKind Project; author of A Circle of Men and with Zoe Alowan, We Need Each Other: Building Gift Community

“How to express how deeply I am touched by this remarkable tale of the truth of living and dying? This is not just an autobiography and history of [their] time together and its cancerous ending, but also a Buddhist dharma teaching. Life and death lived within the Buddhist perspective. It is gift from them to and for all of us. We all need to come to compassionate understanding and radical acceptance of the truth of dying. This book is a great sharing teaching of this understanding.”―Jun Po Denis Kelly, Abbot of the Hollow Bones Order of Rinzai Zen

Kalani Creutzburg – Cammies and Canines and the ManKind Project

New Warrior Kalani Creutzburg, a formerly homeless Marine veteran, started a non-profit Cammies and Canines. Cammies and Canines provides transitional services to homeless vets, rescues dogs and trains rescued dogs to serve transitioning veterans. They were given a given a 289 acre site outside San Diego to train dogs and work with vets. In addition, MKP is hosting NWTAs there! 

We’ve written about Cammies and Canines before. Recently, we interviewed Kalani about his involvement in the ManKind Project.

“MKP gave me permission, for the first time in my life, to touch my feelings. I learned how to give words to my emotions. I shed tears that were locked inside for so long. I let out years of anger without harming anyone else, and each time I saw myself in a mirror. I felt like a monster for so long but the reflection in the mirror was a scared little boy that needed a voice.”

The Gate

Recent Writing from Wentworth Miller

Well known Actor, Writer, and New Warrior Wentworth Miller keeps a public presence on Facebook where he shares thoughts about his personal journey and insights about his life. 

He sometimes mentions men’s work from his experience in the ManKind Project. A recent essay from his page takes a deep look at psychic and emotional safety, projection, crossing through the Gate, and even describes a clearing with a man in his men’s group. It’s raw, it’s transformational. Here’s a section …

“Years ago doing men’s work, while sitting in circle taking an uncomfortable look at my sh-t, someone pushed that button. One of my brothers. He said or did something – what I don’t remember (tellingly) – and I Reacted with a capital “R.” (EASY.) I let him Have It. All Of It. I screamed, I shouted. I cried and cursed a blue streak. I was like, Hold up, Motherf-cker. Not Tonight, Nuts-cker. Allow Me To Tear You A New One. Then A Back-Up Just Because.*

And he got it. This man. I looked him in the eyes and saw understanding. Compassion. I felt confident from that moment forward, this Nuts-cker was going to think very carefully before pushing my button again.†

Then I looked behind that man… and saw 7.6 billion standing in line. Waiting their turn. Waiting to push my button. Invisible to the naked eye. But they were there.

Sh-t.”

You can read the full story on Facebook. 

Monday Motivation

Michael Taylor – “Adversity is Your Greatest Ally”

Monday Motivation from the Universe (and #NewWarrior Michael Taylor)

Be sure you hit the ON button!

Did you know, Michael, that whenever you say, “I think I’m onto something HUGE, I’m so excited, I love my life, I have total clarity…” it’s like hitting an “ON” button that throws countless supernatural, invisible mechanisms into action that gradually begin physically rearranging the props and events of your life so that they’ll soon yield something HUGE, generate excitement, inspire love, and provide clarity?

And that whenever you say, “I don’t know what to do, it’s all so hard, I hate my life, I don’t ever want to return to time and space…” it’s like hitting an “OFF” button.

Of course you did, ~ The Universe

See Michael’s latest book, “Adversity is Your Greatest Ally” on Amazon. And check out his new “Shatter Stereotypes” clothing.

“The Spider Glass”

New Warrior Craig Malpas’ Play about Masculinity Gets Critical Acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

From the web site: “In the cultural landscape of #MeToo join one man as he navigates the harsh terrain of modern masculinity.

A ‘nice guy,’ James thought he knew what it meant to be a man, yet as he sorts through his childhood possessions he witnesses a growing dark shame lurking in him as he questions his journey to manhood.

In a funny, raw and compelling performance, The Spider Glass explores thoughts and feelings we would rather not acknowledge in adulthood; how messages from school changing rooms, mum-saving spider-catching family rituals or seemingly innocent sexual explorations have blurred our idea of what healthy masculinity looks like in our world.”

“I believe my story of masculinity kept me imprisoned for years. With The Spider Glass, perhaps men and women will resonate with James’ story, and see why it’s important we turn toward that narrative of what it means to be a man so we can change it, and thrive.” 

Craig had this to say about the ManKind Project. 

Q: When did you complete the NWTA?

A: Completed the New Warrior Training Adventure in February 2018. Ireland. PIT Training in May in London. Member of Bristol, UK I-Group. Staffing as MoS in the Nordic NWTA in October (first staffing…moving to Norway to be with my partner in Oslo in Sept).

Q: What impact has the ManKind Project had on you?

A: MKP has helped me begin to navigate the questions that have been locked inside me for so long; why do I so often feel like a child? When will I feel like a man? What do I have to do to be at peace with who I am? The dawning realisation that there has been something missing – an initiation and witnessing by the world around me of my becoming an adult, a man – was not only a huge load off my shoulders, but to start that journey with the NWTA there is no looking back. Even through the tough times, of which will always come my way as a human being, I have support and guidance in a brotherhood that I know will call me out when I’m out of integrity and give me the strength to do so for myself and others too. No longer hiding from the bonds of male connection that my life had taught me to fear, my training helped me to see how taking responsibility for my thoughts, feelings and actions can lead me to aligning to the man I want to be; showing up with fearless authenticity.

2018 USA Gathering of Elders

Every two years (2018, 2020, etc.) the ManKind Project USA calls the elders to gather for a powerful weekend for connection, fun, growth, teaching and mentoring. Programming varies widely and can be related to living life more fully, aging with grace, better health, experiential workshops and more.

October 18-21, 2018 there will be a gathering of women and men, Elders, near Orlando, Florida in a lush and beautiful natural place. 

There will be many elders from the Mankind Project but also from Native American tribes, from Elderhood programs of all kinds, from other personal growth and transformation groups, and simply men and women coming to connect, open their hearts, expand their minds, and feed their spirits.

Join the USAGE – learn more and see the schedule at the Landing Page.

#HealingMasculinity. Become a Member.

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