A Journey through Shame, Curiosity, and Liberation.

Some of the most difficult emotions to sit with, and come to accept and embrace for any human are Shame, Guilt and Fear.

In society these emotions are not often talked about. We either deny, avoid or suppress these emotions. Or on the other end of the spectrum we overly dramatize and cling to these emotions. Both are forms of not actually processing, embracing and being with what is here.

More often than not, it is difficult for individuals to ‘admit’ that emotions such as shame, guilt & fear are alive in their emotional system.

There must be something wrong right?

Well, no not really, this is actually really healthy.

Men’s Work is a mountain with many trails and routes. The kind of journey that awaits a man as he embarks along any one of these pathways can vary significantly.

The reason he takes that pathway will be unique to him.

The underlying intention which may well have gotten him, and many other men, to that mountain in the first place…?

To answer a call to live from true meaning, purpose and connection...

Three thousand years ago, there was a human just like you and who lived near a city surrounded by mountains.

The human was studying to become a medicine man, to learn the knowledge of his ancestors, but he didn’t completely agree with everything he was learning.

In his heart, he felt there must be something more.

Our subconscious is made up of many thoughts & beliefs which we are not consciously aware of.

However they can leave their impressions on our emotional and our physical cellular memory, and distort our way of perceiving, and therefore creating, reality.

The breath is one of the most powerful tools that we’ve found to explore the subconscious mind.

The Rebirthing style of breathwork especially looks to explore the subconscious mind, meaning we go beyond the conscious mind into layers of unconscious patterning.

In this way, Rebirthing breathwork is a great tool to deepen our spiritual practice and can help us in understanding ourselves and reality.

The smoother our breathing, the smoother our living.

What is the first thing we do when we enter this world?
That’s right, take a deep breath.


What is the last thing we do when we leave/move on from this world?
Let the breath fall out.

Our first experience of the world, and our first breath in this world is like an imprint on the body. Literally the cells in the body respond to this very first experience.

Therefore, our first experience in this world has a huge influence on the way we view life and the world, and our place in it. This then sits at the very foundation of our lives and the lens we view life through.

The practice of Zen inspires me.

Especially the well known Buddhist concept of a Beginner’s Mind.

Some people say that practicing Zen (or any other form of spirituality) is ‘difficult’ or ‘hard’, but there is a misunderstanding as to why. It is not difficult because it’s hard to sit in a cross-legged position, eat well, sleep well, spend time in nature, fast, spend time in solitude and take care of the body or because of any other practices one might undertake to clear the mind.

It is difficult because it is hard to keep our mind pure and our practice pure in its fundamental sense.

In its fundamental purpose.

The structures of our mind determine the ways we lead. First and foremost how we lead ourselves and also how we lead organizations, within a family system or in a club or team.

Our perspective on leadership & leading, the actions and behaviors that follow, develop through a series of sequential stages.

An organization can not organize at a higher stage of development than the consciousness of its leadership. Deep systemic change only occurs if we, ourselves, can be the change we want to see. The way we regularly show up, the way we manage our own thoughts, states and emotions, the way we communicate, the way we hold ourselves energetically and the way we can hold multiple perspectives determines the direction of the organization. The direction of the organizations we create determines the direction of humanity on this planet.

Sparked by the School of Life, I’ve been contemplating the components of emotional development. I’ve been asking myself questions like:

• How do we know when we’re developing emotionally

• What are the signifiers?

• What are some ways to develop emotionally?

• How do we recognize emotional immaturity?

Throughout that exploration, I’ve come up with these various markers of emotional maturity that you can use to gauge your own developmental process.

There is an inherent substratum that exists beneath the veil of our ordinary human perceptions.

The true nature of reality escapes ordinary intellect, as meaning is placed on words, words are placed on events in the world, other people and ourselves. We oversee, overlook and overthink what is actually right here, right now.

Neurobiology shows us that “reality” appears in a similar way to members of the same species, equipped with the same neuronal system. Different species have different perceptions of the world. Which means reality is modified and distorted by the neuronal system that is perceiving it.

There are two layers to unpack here;

(1) First there is the layer of meaning constructed in mind.

(2) The second layer is the layer of perception through our senses.

Read the full blog, written by Sara de Clercq.

Theory plays an important role in how we make sense of the world.

It’s how we explore the meaning of and connections between our personal and our collective experiences.

On a journey into making sense of and exploring solutions to the current state of our world, using certain theories and frameworks can be really useful. Integral Ecology is a great example of such a theory.

Photo by Jacek Kurlapski

What if we attempted to find the critically essential keys to human growth, based on the sum total of human knowledge and wisdom available to us at this point in time?

Does that sound complicated and absolutely not possible?

The results turn out to be surprisingly refined, elegant and effective.

Over the last few decades there has indeed been outstanding research into the development of an all-inclusive map for human growth and potential.
The integral map. Also known as Integral Theory.

What is Integral Theory?

And how can this Theoretical framework support us in understanding Human Growth and Potential, Solve Complex issues and heal Relationships?

How comfortable can we be with stillness, nothingness, silence?

With not achieving or ‘doing’ anything.

Many of our thoughts can be wrapped up in productivity and achievement if we place our value or sense of fulfillment in what gets done.

Breaking this habit of being ‘busy’ and moving back into silence can in fact reveal the fullness that we are seeking ‘out there’ that already exists.

We have a moment-by-moment opportunity to notice the attraction and distraction of ‘busy’.

To consciously identify that which is taking us away from what is actually true about our essential nature.

To exist more often in presence with the absolute perfection of reality in this exact moment and our pre-existing whole capacity to respond to each moment, exactly as we are right now.

Who are you?

What is your identity?

How does this identity serve you and where does it hinder you?

How can you use it to amplify your potential in work, life and/or business?

In Sara’s latest blog she describes how the Enneagram (a system of personality profiling) can show us what we are NOT.

Now, What is the Enneagram?

Accepting and acknowledging the presence of division in society is indeed the first step to transcending it’s pitfalls.

Allowing ourselves to see it all is the starting point for finding the capacity to move through a sense of separation to something else, something more useful and conducive.

Working within a team, including leading or managing a team, adds additional layers of complexity to communication.

Communication requires climbing up and down logical levels of thought, and expressing ideas that are complex in a variety of different methods. From why, to how, to what, from global ideas and vision, down to specific steps and detail.

We then also need to integrate communication from multiple people, and merge ideas into a cohesive whole that allows us to take useful action together.

Communicating within teams, communities and groups, or any relationships, places us in the midst of a web of expectations, decisions, unknown information. It challenges us to find solutions in a way that suits multiple perspectives.

Matching and mis-matching, combined with attachment and aversion.

This is the formula for human suffering.

And therefore, paradoxically, one of our greatest potentials, that can set us free.

I am talking about one of the 60 meta-programs (thinking patterns) that all of us, humans, filter reality through. The "relationship filter", to do with matching and mis-matching is also known as the "sameness - difference filter".

This filter is an important part of how we perceive, experience and respond to the world.

It influences how we compare information.

We aren’t just random things in reality, we are portals of transformation.

We are constantly transforming and changing. As moving trans-form-ing.

Where form informs form.

And the flavour, texture and shape form takes, is directly influenced by how we perceive ourselves in reality and how we perceive reality at large.

As we transform, the world transforms.

As the world transforms, we transform.

From land custodianship as a human right, seed to soil practices, caring for selves in the midst of an ontological awakening and the one question we can be asking ourselves…

Charles Michel joined the YES& FESTIVAL LIVE Q & A session on Sat 20th March, to answer three important questions that have been asked to speakers throughout the Pre-Festival Program..

Read on to join the YES& Team & Charles as they kick of the Q & A and explore question one..

When might we finally begin to feel open to letting go of what needs to be let go of?

An enquiry into the source of the apprehension and uncertainty which keeps us from such a surrender may, initially, be quite uncomfortable. This could be uncharted territory and far beyond the comfort zone.

The opportunity to take a look within ourselves is always there but the idea of doing so can definitely seem quite daunting. There’s a sense of trepidation, of uncertainty about what we might uncover.

There is no such thing as leadership. The concept of leadership is a story, and more often than not, an unresourceful story.

Recognising and moving beyond the preconceptions that might be hold about leadership allows for the development of self awareness and the space to respond authentically, and lead, with wholeness moment by moment.

This latest blog from Marion dives into two specific frames of thought which can support your ability to lead as only you can.