New vision for masculinity: calling for an integral journey for men
G. Steinmauer invites men to stand up with their full masculinity on the 5th of May at the Integral European Conference:
An interactive journey through the major stages and roles of masculine development. Participants experience and give voice to each stage from their own individual perspective, while collectively focus on the embodiment of an emerging integral masculinity – a new vision for collective challenges.
Men are increasingly confused about how to live their masculine essence
in a rapidly changing world. Old role models have worn out and pressures are rising – individually as well as collectively in business, relationships and the current European crisis.
Many men struggle to integrate their strength and ability to take clear positions in life with a growing sensitivity and capacity to take more complex perspectives.
In his paper he says:
“What’s a real man for you? Is he a real man when he’s radiating testosterone returning from a wilderness trip, fully emancipated pushing the baby carriage, or if he just meditated 24 hours non-stop for World Peace? Modern life is complex and dynamic, and as men we can choose nowadays from a big variety of available roles. But beside the common stereotypes and new clichés, there are also some general roles that men have developed over the span of our collective evolution. Even if we sometimes think that all men are the same, we actually know that this doesn’t really reflect the reality of life…
…When we talk of different stages of development it is important to mention that we are not talking about something “better or worse”, but simply about the different stages in any growth process. The acorn is not better or worse than the oak tree, but has reached a higher unfolding of its inherent potential…
…Right now we are living in times where changes and progress in these cultural stages are coming in on us with an unprecedented speed. While it took usually centuries to create enough potency for cultures to move to the next stage, this is now happening within decades or even years.”
The workshop is a group exploration of the major stages of masculine roles (Archaic/Magic, Mythic, Rational, Pluralistic, Integral) through role play, movement and invoking the energy. We experience, integrate and give voice to the capacities, gifts and pathologies of each stage, harnessing the collective wisdom through personal expressions. I refer to the different color codes that are used in different modalities of integral understanding (Wilber, SD) and overlap it roughly with the map of the chakras, in order to help participants have an embodied experience of each stage and its relationship to their own energy system.
The main focus of the journey is the embodiment of an emerging integral masculinity and creating a vision of how an integrated masculine power can respond and relate to current challenges in Europe and on the globe.
What it means to be a man
The development of male roles using the map of the chakra system using parallel the integral model as outlined by Ken Wilber in using Jean Gebser’s terms of worldviews.
Root Chakra – Red – The archaic magic Stage “The man as Hunter – Warrior”
A man at this stage represents the archetype of the Hunter – Warrior. His strength comes from his connection to the body, which has its strongest expression in the root chakra. Being a man or not is not a philosophical question, but simply a biological fact. A simple look is enough…
Sacral Chakra – Orange – The mythological Stage “The man as Ruler and Family Man”
This stage is called mythological because it created all the big epics and heroic myths in order to give authority and structure to the world and transmit the value system of its culture. A real man therefore is a pious, honest and good man who protects, respects and honors his family (this can also be represented by any group, nation, religion, gang, club, etc…) and if possible also embodies some heroic qualities!
Solar Plexus – Yellow – The rational, individual Stage “The doer and man of action”
The rational man freed himself from the tight clutches of mythological worldviews and social classes, and elevated himself to the highest pedestal in existence. A real man is defining himself at this stage through his actions, his success (in the Wall Street, with women, in sports, personal development, …), and how much recognition he earns with it.
Heart Chakra – Green – The pluralistic, egalitarian Stage “Man as Peacemaker”
This is probably the best known picture of contemporary men nowadays. This is the man who changes diapers, shares the car and separates the accounts. For the first time we are meeting a man, who is interested to integrate his interior world of feelings into his life and relationships. One might even say: „A man is what he feels”!
Throat Chakra – Light Blue – The integral Stage “Man as an integrated being”
The man of the integral age is passionately interested to be able to integrate in himself as many different qualities as possible, in order to face life always in the most appropriate way. He is not imposing his fixed ideas onto life, but is rather drawing from a rich set of experiences and perspectives when responding to situations. This means he can listen and feel into others, is able to take on the lead if needed, knows about his place in a larger universe, and is not shying away from applying his physical strength if needed.
Download the complete article from Greg. He discribes the stages in more detail, uncovers what the use of this knowledge is and how a contemporary useful form of initiation for young men could be done: What it means to be a man
Presenter
Gregor Steinmaurer
Systemic Therapist, Coach, Trauma Therapist and Group Leader. Lives in Austria, working in private practice and teaching workshops and trainings internationally, with a focus on integral development, meditation and an embodied Spirituality. Long-term practice of different spiritual traditions, Psychotherapy, Bodywork, Martial Arts and Meditation.
Works with men towards an awakened masculinity, and in cooperation with his wife, Komala de Amorim on conscious relationships.
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