We Pray for a man rooted in awareness
A man who acts from a place of free will
He is not controlled by his ego, his subconscious patterns
He is a free man
His practice of revealing his true nature is most important to him
He is committed to this cause
He starts his day mindfully, consciously, and carries this presence throughout his day
His awareness spreads to everyone he shares with
We Pray for an Honest Man
A man in complete control of his behavior
For him there are no problems, only challenges
He doesn’t blame any event or person for his suffering
He realizes that his view of the world is simply a mirrored reflection of his own internal projections
A triggered response to another is a chance to reveal his shadow
A chance to embrace his vulnerability
We Pray for an Integral Man
A man who walks his talk
He is decisive and sticks by his word
His word is his honor
He is a man of trust
A solid man
We Pray for a Present Man
A man who accepts and has learned from his past
He forgives his past and is grateful for every experience
He has forgiven himself of guilt and shame.
He has learned valuable lessons from the past that enable him to be more authentic as a man today
He lives in the present moment
We Pray for a Self-Respected Man
A man who honors his body as a sacred vehicle for life
He takes care of his body as if it were his child
He rests deeply and sets boundaries
He sets high standards
A accepts responsibility
We Pray for a Wild Man
A man who fights for a cause
He pushes his boundaries
Lives on the edge, confronts danger
He takes risks for the sake of others
His wildness is no longer repressed
He is a man on fire with passion
We Pray for a Vital Man
A man who vibrates with life-force
A man of enthusiasm
He energizers others by simply looking into their eyes
He knows how to cultivate, move, and restore energy
A man of joy
We Pray for a Feeling Man
A man who feels safe in his heart and his gut
He accepts and learns from his emotions
He recognizes that each emotion is a doorway into a deeper version of himself
He remains stable in a tornado of grief
He can mindfully express the fire of anger
He embraces the river of sadness
A man who can laugh at himself
We Pray for a Decisive Man
A man who knows what he wants
He is a confident man
He knows he has all of the answers inside
He communicates with precision
He acts with assertiveness
A man grounded in his mission
We Pray for an Integrative Man
A man of the world
He, who makes a difference
He values interdependence
He is tribal man
A man of community
A mentor
A brother
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Photo: Getty Images
What we should be praying for is a Renaissance of masculinity not a new masculinity, as if all men are broken. If one were to go back to the men of the second world war, for instance, read their journals, watch their videos, hear their words, see how they are with other men, families, children, one would see not only what we once were but where we need to be. the men that those involved in men’s groups, therapy see, are the men who have fallen from that path, are lost, in need of direction, but this is not a… Read more »
There are a lot of men praying for the dawn of a new women.
But according to all the stats (like the ones on OKCupid), that’s not happening anytime soon.
I wonder why that is.
I hear you Alan, I hear you clearly. Its not just us men who need to change. However, in the communities that I see the women are making much more of an effort to step through mental boundaries and reclaim their inner power. In GENERAL, we have lots of catching up to do
This is truly beautifully-written and poetic. However, with utmost respect, I’m concerned that it might not be a total refutation of aspects of the dominant construction of masculinity that can be toxic. For example, it seems to posit that part of being a strong man is not blaming anyone for suffering, and viewing suffering as a projection–as something that might not even be real. Emotions, including negative emotions and suffering, are real. They can in fact be caused to well up in one person by the actions of another. We have some control over how we react to situations, which… Read more »
Jordan,I agree with lots of what you said here.
Jordan. Thanks for a very observant and thorough comment. In relation to the emotional suffering of men all I can say is that in my life and my work with men the one’s who continually suffer and hold on to this victimization the most are the one’s who continually blame the external world and everything in it for their suffering. They refuse to internalise and own part/if not all of their suffering. Of course suffering is part of the game of life with reference to the ancient teachings such as in buddhism. However, we know that 10 different men would… Read more »