Articles

In some instances to find the courage to address core issues and come into our power, we need to go through rites of passage, … a coming of age. In the book “Iron John”, by Robert Bly, the central character is a young boy who goes out in to the dark swamp and comes across a giant man in the swamp with long hair covering him, and he is told by the swamp man to steal the key from under his mothers pillow, i.e. to claim his treasure. When looking at a man’s self development, connecting with ones masculinity requires a paradigm shift in thinking. Men tend to hold a “brave front” approach of stoicism and an attitude of “I can fix it myself. This attitude tends to lead to a place of loneliness, frustration and stress (particularly when things feel unmanageable) and potentially deep seeded depression.

By claiming your right to have your needs addressed, and by taking a rite of passage to discover your sense of self, your authentic power will naturally reveal itself. This authentic power is one derived from humility, and can be further facilitated by the guidance and support from someone you trust and whose skills will help crystalize your vision and enhance your courage and confidence to take action toward this vision.

Exercise

Explore within if there is something you need to be claiming in your life right now, that undergoing a rite of passage may help manifest this claim that you seek?

Author: David Kalmar

Psychologist