Stories & podcast · on
topic 569086
Stories from the men who facilitate and attend these circles, on topic 569086.
31 stories
Teaching and Conscious Leadership
My chosen profession is teaching, specifically elementary school. This hasn’t always been the case, my undergraduate degree is in Finance (pronounced fuh-nance when you’re degreed) and my perspective changed when I…
mindfulness: the skill beneath every other skill
“between stimulus and response there is a space…” — Viktor Frankl after more than twenty years as a therapist, coach, and group facilitator, i’ve become convinced of something: most of the struggles men face—in…
Emotional Intelligence and Its Underlying Elements
When a whale breaches the ocean’s surface and takes a big breath, it feeds its body with a life-giving precious resource. This resource allows the whale to live in harmony with their natural habitat. For at least the…
There was a Man who had a Guru and his Name was Bingo…
Until I moved to Boston 4 years ago, I had never had a dog less than 35lbs. Of course I had never lived in a sub-1000sf apartment (since college), either. I LOVE living smack in the middle of downtown Boston…but a…
January Doesn’t Need a Better You
January often arrives loud—full of promises, pressure, and ideas about who you should be. From a relational lens, though, this season asks for something quieter and more grounded. Not reinvention, but re-orientation.…
Strong Enough to Forgive
“Our failure to know joy is a direct reflection of our inability to forgive.” — Charlotte Joko Beck As a therapist and coach, I see it all the time — and to be honest, I feel it in myself, too. Forgiveness might be the…
Nurture Your Mental Well-Being
Hey folks, Welcome to Mental Health Awareness Month! This week, I wanted to share an essential element of nurturing your mental well-being. Enjoy! consistent self-care routines carving out time for activities that…
Us and Them
I will be leading a MenLiving Weekend Advance in September focused around the music of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon . One song I’m really looking forward to discussing is “Us and Them” because it speaks to the…
An Invitation to Be an Enlightened Hero
I have long thought of myself as a hero. After the sudden death of my father when I was 11 years old, my uncle told me I am now the Man of the House. Throughout the rest of my life, I did what I thought was the best…
The Man Who Seeks Himself: A Journey to Self-Awareness
You are here. You were given a name, a role, a set of expectations. You were handed a map before you even knew how to walk—before you had a chance to draw one of your own. And like every man before you, you built…
What am I so Afraid of?
This past week I was lucky enough to attend the Zen Parenting Conference in suburban Chicago. For those not familiar, one of the co-founders of MenLiving, Todd Adams, and his wife Cathy host a podcast called Zen…
You know what your problem is…Your breath stinks!
Some psychologists estimate that the average person complains between 15 to 30 times a day, often without realizing they’re doing it. What’s wrong with you people?!! On top of that, research shows that complaining can…
The Gift of Silence
“Silence is a rare gift in our busy world.” For more than 8 years, I have participated in a monthly men’s group meeting that takes place outside of our MenLiving offerings. Much like MenLiving meetings, we share…
“When do I help someone in need?”
CRASH! The deafening explosion shattered the stillness of my home office, jolting me upright. The violence of it, so sudden and unexpected, left me momentarily stunned. My heart pounded as I sprang from my chair,…
MenLiving Suggestion #6. Living Authentically?
I enjoy writing these blog posts, it’s a very mindful and deliberate act for me. How can I express something meaningful and constructive, insightful enough to (hopefully) warrant the time you took to read it, is…
Self-Compassion Small Batch
Self-Compassion Small Batch details Goal – Build awareness of the value of self-compassion and cultivate self-compassion practices while working collectively through the “ The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook – A Proven…
Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
Thirty years ago in the early days of my martial arts training, one of my sensei recommended the book Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind by Japanese monk Shunryu Suzuki. Three decades later I’m still decoding the lessons. The…
The Practice Is Where It’s At
Last Saturday morning, my quads would have none of it. The yoga instructor called for a standing, bound, revolved figure 4. My lower back and legs laughed at the prospect. My expectations and determination didn’t find…
Is June Men’s Health Awareness Month???
Yes, June is Men’s Health Awareness Month. Nice!! Being a leader of an organization that is working to realize a world of HEALTHY, intentional, connected men, I want as many people as possible to understand and…
Human vs. Machine
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the dialogue re: AI these days. I get it’s a big deal, and like all big deals, our culture will give it non-stop attention. I suppose the scrutiny is…
Checking with Mr Nice Guy
I met Aditya Ganjoo for the first time last Saturday morning at a Full House meeting. For him, it was 9:30PM local time in New Delhi and he was attending his first ML event. He engaged with authenticity and…
MenLiving Suggestions for Living Fully: Live Consciously
MenLiving isn’t about creeds or gurus or judgments. Still, we believe that some approaches to life can lead to greater contentment. With that objective in mind, we created a list of 5 suggestions for living more fully…
Living Boldly and Consciously: How Two Entrepreneurs Are Changing the Way Consumers Make Sustainable Purchases
When the pandemic first began in the spring of 2020 and the impact of lockdown was hitting, people found lots of different ways to occupy their time. Some got into knitting, some became sourdough breadmaking…
React or Respond
On Oscar night, after what’s now being referred to as “the slap”, I posted this to the Men Living page: So many thoughts … The idea that a slap to the face is the way to resolve conflict is exactly the opposite of what…
Zen Parenting: A Q&A with Cathy Cassani Adams
On February 1st, MenLiving “extended” family member, Cathy Cassani Adams (she is our ED’s wife 😉) wil release her latest book, Zen Parenting. By the title, you might think this book is just about parenting (because it…
Cacao
Guest Author: David Young Cacao is served worldwide, often at empathogenic and entheogenic medicine ceremonies, yoga/tantric/breathwork/meditation sessions, and many other gatherings. It is easy for anyone to enjoy…
Be-Do-Have
“We don’t see the world as it is; we see it as we are” ― Anaïs Nin. What does this quote open up your awareness to? Can you reflect on an experience that might bring it alive? Perhaps if it has some truth, human…
Am I going to start crying?
Last night I was sitting alone on my back deck on a beautiful summer night and was a little beat down from a long week. I listened to some soft music (Natalie Merchant) and just sat there. I began thinking about my mom…
Just Sitting
I am 57 years old. Let’s say for the simplicity of round numbers, adulthood starts at 17. Therefore, I have been an “adult” for 40 years (damn!). For the first 30 of those adult years, I was a workaholic, mostly…
Finding Harmony
Breathe in… To live in a more harmonious world by deepening connections amongst men Breathe out… These prompts are reminders for me, as much if not more than, they are for anyone reading this. Between breaths is our…
What is “Men’s Work?”
Zen Parenting Radio is not so much about parenting, rather it’s mostly about self-awareness. Typically Cathy and I share our experiences of how we both can become more self-aware, but every now and again we invite…
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