In Robert Bly’s “Iron John” he speaks to the issue of a man going through the ashes before he can emerge as a fully developed man. Joseph Campbell wrote, “It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure.” A similar viewpoint is attributed to Nietzsche who said, “Out of life’s school of war: what does not destroy me makes me stronger.”
Prior to my formal exploration of masculinity in my work as a president and group facilitator for my non-profit men’s organization, Men Mentoring Men, I did go through the ashes and climbed out of my abyss. Years later with what I have learned about life, the men’s studies literature and with the clarity of hindsight, I have developed a deeper appreciation of how my inherent manliness sustained me and motivated me in the recovery of my identity. This blog is intended to explore and understand what events and factors in my formative years helped create the man I became that allowed me to shed my ashes and grow stronger.