As men...
We assume that defenses are necessary to keep us safe, to protect our tribe and fight off the enemy. We learn to see other men as a threat and be guarded around each other. Being a man means being tough, and going it alone.
But inside we are hurting. Swallowing our emotions makes us numb, unable to feel. Our toughness can hurt those we love, fragment our world, and keep us isolated. The weight of this burden can slowly crush us, until we explode in rage, or crumble in defeat.
A Men’s Medicine Journey is an opportunity to shed the programmed layers of defense that keep you walled off from others. It connects you again with your inner feelings and authentic self. You realize the power and magnificence of the natural world that surrounds you. And you remember what makes you feel happy and alive.
In this sacred circle we recognize each other as allies, not enemies. We understand and empathize with each other because we share the experience of being men. And we are uniquely qualified to help each other heal.
As our defenses melt away we connect with our real power. We realize that the pulse of life within us is much greater than the forceful anger we mistook for strength.
In the face of our inherent majesty, the competitive bravado that we once aspired to seems like a childish game. Our tenacious defense of our cherished isolation looks pitifully weak and ineffective.
As the medicine softens our guard, we realize that our true strength is in our vulnerability. It is our connection with all of life which makes us invincible and immortal.
A medicine journey is a deep dive into your own healing. It can illuminate places where you are stuck in your life and show you the origins of your patterns. By bringing them into your awareness, old traumas can heal and patterns that no longer serve you can shift. It offers you a chance to experience yourself and your life story from a new, expanded perspective.
A journey is similar to deep meditation or any practice which cultivates insight, revelation, or mystical experience. It enables us to see the larger picture and understand the deeper meaning of life. It often shows us our greater purpose and gives direct guidance about where and how to act in the world.
Journeying in this way can be challenging. You may feel some discomfort and become disoriented. These are temporary states that will pass. And going through these difficult moments is often when the deepest growth occurs.
The journey is also full of joy and light. It shows us how to heal with immense love and playfulness. We remember how to laugh and see the wonder of ourselves and our surroundings.
About Your Guide
Miles was trained in meditation in a Buddhist Monastery in 1976. He has 49 years of experience with personal and spiritual growth including Insight Meditation, Conscious Communication Skills, Conflict Mediation, Men’s work, Medicine Journeys, A Course in Miracles, and Co-counseling. ​
He attended his first men’s retreat in 1985, with Stephen Botkin, founder of the men’s resource center of Amherst Mass. From 1990 – 2021 he was an integral part of the Men Alive community in Vermont. In 1998 he was initiated into the Mankind project, and has been part of a regular I-group since that time. His first medicine journey was in 1978. He saw how it expanded his
awareness and deepened his insight. Since then he has participated in or helped facilitate 24 medicine journeys in the Peruvian Amazon in the Shipibo tradition, and approximately 40 here in the US.​
Miles also teaches Insight Meditation and Conscious Communication Skills and works as a Couples Coach. He is author of six books and a dedicated earth-steward, organic farmer, and naturalist. His passion is helping people find meaning, purpose, and contentment through self-awareness and inner vision.