The Mythic Masculine Ian MacKenzie

My guest today is Andrea Villa, a scholar, a mentor of men, a restorer of old practices and languages of the sacred.
He has spent several years studying male initiation with indigenous peoples from India to West Africa to Native America, developing a unique understanding of gender as intelligence. His passion is to support men in regaining their erotic agency in love & relationships.
In today's episode, we delve into the profound realms of Eros as a multifaceted force that transcends mere physical attraction, touching upon the realms of the spiritual, the creative, and the deeply personal aspects of human experience. Andrea shares his journey of being undone by Eros, highlighting its crucial role in our connection to the world. He describes the important differences between masculine and feminine energies, and advocates for the significance of adoration and devotion in the dance of partnership.
Andrea also introduces the concept of erotic discipline, a practice of staying present with beauty to transcend the visible and touch the essence of our being. And he references Dante’s Divine Comedy, the monumental epic from the Middle Ages, and the poet’s adoration of Beatrice as a model for a love that can elevate our spirits to the divine.
I’d love to hear what you think of this episode! Leave your comments below.
Heads up: I’m inviting Andrew to offer an upcoming webinar in the next month. Stay tuned for details.
LINKS
* Official Website - Andrea Villa
ALSO, BEGINNING THIS THURSDAY:
There’s only a few days left to join the very first online cohort of The Deep Masculine, a 3 month journey for men.
I wanted to offer further insight behind the inspiration for this offering, with its roots in the soil of a fairy tale:
First published in 1990, Robert Bly's "Iron John: A Book About Men" is a key work in the mythopoetic men's movement.
The book rides the story of Iron John, a fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, as a framework to explore masculinity and men's issues. Throughout the book, Bly discusses the concept of "the deep masculine," a term he uses to describe an essential, positive aspect of mature masculinity that has largely been lost in modern society - due to cultural poverty, lack of rites of passage, and the absence of positive male mentorship.
I've spoken on this thread in multiple conversations, including one with poet & author Sophie Strand in "Revisiting The Wild Man."​
Mythopoetic men's work grew as a response to these challenges - and many men & organizations have picked up the torch from the first generation and the task they bequeathed to us.
Now, it's also true the Wild Man archetype has become overly fetishized in many men's work spaces, with an emphasis on pushing back against the "domesticated life." (Think Tyler Durden in Fight Club, or Lester Burham in American Beauty).
And yet, the Wild Man remains a mysterious and alluring presence for a deeper invitation into a lovership with life.
After almost 5 years of inquiry, alongside mentors, elders & many conversations under The Mythic Masculine podcast, as well as numerous months in the creative cauldron, The Deep Masculine journey brings together the most effective elements we could muster for igniting the hearts & souls of men.
We begin April 11.


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Last week I had a lovely conversation with Jumana Sophia, creator of Her Mystery School.
In this enlightening inquiry, we delve into the origins and evolutions of her initiation school for women, with clear parallels to what I’ve been developing for The Deep Masculine.
We explore the role of these dedicated spaces to heal and deepen our understanding of gender dynamics in modern society. We touch upon our personal journeys, insights into the challenges of creating potent realms of transformation, and the power of embracing one's depth and nobility.
This episode invites listeners to reflect on their paths and the importance of community, mentorship, and the ever-unfolding mystery of life. Join us for a journey into the heart of what it means to embody the deep masculine and feminine in today's world.
LAST CALL FOR MEN! Join Deus Fortier and I for a 12-week online expedition into the mysteries of The Deep Masculine.
This inaugural journey brings a particular focus to the alluring, seductive force that animates all of life - Eros. Together we will explore rich archetypal investigations, powerful somatic practices, and mythic tales of transformation in order to illuminate the beauty and power which has been long hidden within our own hearts.
At this critical time on our planet, when so many have fallen prey to numbness, let us come together as men in solidarity to remember the magic and mystery that we are a part of, in service to thriving life.
Start Your Application Now



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Spring is stirring, and I’m excited to announce the next offerings with my good friend and collaborator Deus Fortier.
After two successful immersive weekends for men held last year, formerly titled MXM, we’re pleased to announce our next one is coming soon April 5-7, 2024 in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island.
You’re welcome to listen to our conversation recorded after our first weekend, which is how we were inspired to rename this offering Awakening The Wild Erotic.
This weekend is a mythosomatic immersion for men who wish to heal their sexual blocks, liberate their essential nature, and embody the archetype of the Lover. We will draw on modalities of breathwork, mythology, ecstatic dance, council & more to journey through this container.
We’re 50% full already. Don’t miss the chance to attend if you’re lit up with excitement and fear (a good combination).
Apply for Awakening the Wild Erotic
The second offering is the first fully original online men’s course I’ve ever co-created, and it’s a 12 week exploration titled The Deep Masculine.
Also developed with Deus, this course draws upon the elements of myth, archetypes, & somatic practices to explore the deeper realms of masculinity and lay a foundation of self-trust and vitality.
In 3 months, this cohort will enhance their ability to skillfully navigate their full spectrum of emotions, integrate their shadows & addictions related to sex & erotic energy, and cultivate a meaningful connection to a like-minded community of men.
The journey begins April 11, 2024.
Apply for The Deep Masculine.



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Barbie is back in the news again. The Oscars race is on and the film was nominated for numerous awards including Best Picture.
Ryan Gosling received the nod for Best Actor, while Margot Robbie & Greta Gerwig were passed over. Ironic snub, given the context of the film? Or just how it goes sometimes?
Now before you roll your eyes and wonder ‘who cares?’ I’ve decided to do some of the mythic heavy lifting around why Barbie is a culturally significant film at this moment. And not just because it crossed a billion dollars at the box office and became a clear phenomenon.
Last summer, colleague Alex Beiner wrote eloquently of the cultural complexities in his essay Castrated Utopias: What Barbie and Oppenheimer reveal about our sexual politics.
He writes:
Barbie is one of the most interesting films to come out of Hollywood in some time. It’s a strange phenomenon; a feminist initiation myth that critiques, sometimes with joyful nuance, capitalism and patriarchy, but which is paradoxically designed to sell a corporation’s product. Instead of a film we might read an ideology into, it’s a film woven around an existing ideology: feminism. However, the vision of the feminism it champions is what makes it particularly interesting.
It’s fun, well structured and at times leans toward a kind of metamodern feminism that seems able to hold the complexity of both social construction and biological difference. At other times, it slipped into a more simplistic feminism, and I found myself shaking my head at its narrow depictions of men and masculinity. 
[…] I had a strong feeling that the film wasn’t really made for me as a man. It wasn’t trying to actively exclude me, but it was speaking to lived experiences of women, so I tried to listen to the message on its own terms.
I’ve finally decided to hoist my take into the ring, and I invited UK based writer, psychotherapist, and mythologist Carly Mountain to join me.
I was previously on her podcast to speak about the descent of Inanna, and so it felt perfect to bring her on to explore Barbie through this lens.
As well we touch on the arc of Ken and the advent of Patriarchy as borne from the rejection of the Feminine. Ken needs to go on his own quest to re-source the Feminine from within and meet the Great Goddess.
(This is much of the recent men’s work that I’m collaborating with Deus Fortier on. Our next Awakening the Wild Erotic weekend is coming up in April).
I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Also stick around at the end of the episode for a little easter egg…
P.S. you’re invited to check out Carly’s book “Descent & Rising: Women’s Stories & the Embodiment of the Inanna Myth”.
P.P.S Here’s a few music videos from Barbie.
I’ve love to hear your comments on our conversation below. What’s your take on Barbie?





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“Every group and every single gathering is an opportunity to remake and re-story culture.” - Al Jeffery
My guest today is Al Jeffery, an integrative psychotherapist, meditation guide and regenerative leadership practitioner. 
He is also a conscious explorer of queerness and masculinity. In this episode, Al shares his journey, unlocking the potential and power of queerness as an aspirational approach to love. He speaks of queerness as identity and as orientation, and how it intersects with living fully in oneself. We also touch upon what it means to create inclusive spaces for men to explore these topics, as well as the complexity of lust and attraction.  
And finally, we explore how each moment carries the possibility of remaking a culture of possibility and the inherent risk in leaning into the mystery of being.
LINKS
* Al’s Official Website
* Al’s Instagram
* Cornerstone Melbourne
* Al’s paper on Eros, The Evolution of Life and Mind, and Moving From Psychology Toward Soul-Making
SHOW NOTES
- **Concept of queerness**: An extensive exploration of "Queerness" in the context of identity, understood from both philosophical and socio-political standpoints. 
- **Implicit transgressions and societal norms**: This topic investigates how "implicit transgressions" lead to the feelings of non-inclusion and marginalization within society.
- **Al Jeffery's complex personal relationship with the identity of 'queer'**; functioning as both an attraction and a defense mechanism.
- **Masculinity and societal expectations**: Discussion revolves around masculine societal norms, and the confusion that can result from a perceived need to strike a balance between strength and sensitivity. 
- **Relationships and sexual attraction in the face of societal expectations**: A review of how societal norms and expectations can complicate the navigation of relationships and sexual attraction.
- **Queerness as a 'spiritual bypass'**: Al comments on the potential for queerness to be used as a spiritual bypass, avoiding confronting the vulnerability required when claiming gay identity. 
- **Queer Inquiry**: The aspect of living as a question is discussed in reference to being queer, asserting the need for a persistent state of exploration and uncertainty clouding one's identity.
- **The role of eroticism and sensuality in sexuality exploration**: An insightful look into how eroticism and sensuality contribute to an individual's understanding of their own sexuality under the banner of queerness and how cultural norms impact this exploration.
- **The impact of a lack of cultural distinctions**: This segment reviews how culture’s lack of distinction - such as between the concepts of sensuality and sexuality, contributes to confusion and indirectness concerning male sexuality.
- **Al’s ongoing exploration of queerness**: The intrigues of Al Jeffery's ongoing exploration are highlighted as he questions his own identity labeling phenomenon, moving further into understanding himself and societal norms.


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My guest today is Rabbi Zelig Golden, the co-founder of Wilderness Torah, an organization dedicated to supporting Jewish people to heal, learn, and grow together through reconnection to the earth. 
Zelig also holds a Masters in Jewish Studies and previously worked as an environmental lawyer protecting food and farms, and has long guided groups into the wilderness.
In our conversation today, we speak about Zelig’s upbringing as a youth embedded in Jewish ritual yet missing the deeper connection to his ancestral roots. We discuss the mystic origins of Judaism and his own path to Rabbihood.  And of course, we speak of the war in Israel/Palestine and the sorrowful complexity that contributes to the ongoing horror. 
We also touch on a recent year-long program that Zelig co-created for initiating the lives of Jewish men. And finally, he offers insights into how to dwell in the darkness before seeking the light as we approach the threshold of winter solstice.
LINKS
* Wilderness Torah Website
FROM THE ARCHIVE:


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