Walking into the Unknown
It’s been a year since the first day of my 2nd year seminary intensive. I didn’t quite know what to expect, but the vision was being laid. The Sympónia Men’s Studio was a vision that came through from first year seminary and carried throughout my seminary journey. Today, the Sympónia Men’s Studio is in its infancy and beginning to build traction.
The vision from 2 years ago was to be in an inquiry to see what. becomes possible if we bring men together across the political, sexual, racial, and religious spectrum. To explore as a community of men how we can tap into our compassion on a deeper level, work through our triggers when men come into a room to be vulnerable together, and explore how men come into a room to be vulnerable together. From here, how we can build bridges with ourselves, each other, and all across the gender continuum. Using ourselves and the energy in the room as our laboratory for healing and understanding.
The vision still holds true from 2 years ago and the original inquiry by asking three questions: What if more men had an experience of personal transformation that integrates the conscious masculine and feminine? What if we were able to create true gender balance as a path way to innovating differently and addressing organizational and societal challenges differently? What if we could transform systems and structures from a more integrated, inclusive, conscious, compassionate, and connected way? What would become possible?
The reason for the focus on men is that men, especially straight white men, hold power. Yet, the zeitgeist suggests that power dynamics are shifting, the rules and roles around gender are shifting, and demographics are shifting. Public sentiment is shifting and many men are trying to find the roadmap that doesn't exist. Systems and structures are crumbling all around us, systems are in the process of being dismantled, and a new reality is emerging.
The work of compassionate masculinity is to explore these new realities without an agenda and without judgment, but to be bring a level of compassion into the process that helps men, and women, and those who don’t identify as either, walk into the liminal space without feeling like they are going to fall. Men have traditionally not had the support to walk in this space of not knowing and the work of the studio to is raise one’s agility to be able to navigate these uncertain waters - where one’s sense of identity, sense of purpose, sense of connection, and sense of power are all being challenged.
We are supporting men as they walk into the not knowing with a sense of love and compassion to navigate these uncertain waters. To create an emerging sense of self that is authentic, integrated, and resilient. One that requires a relaxed ego and challenges the norms, constructs, and mentality that has prevented us from walking into the fullness of our humanity.