Reviews of January Practicums

As men in our culture, we are so thirsty for a deep bond with our mothers, our fathers, our spouses and lovers, our children. Yet, we goose step through our existence thinking our worth can, and somehow should, be tallied on a balance sheet with an accountant’s pencil. Our culture supports us in going unconscious to our connection to the divine, our intuition, our broken hearts, and remaining so. The baby boom generation has forged its relationship with Iron John, in all its dimension and complexity, to the extent that it has done so, through the crucible of ostensible freedom of the late 60’s and 70’s. The post baby boom generations, it seems, are focused on simply making themselves a life. Yet, they too need to wake up to the metaphysical talents that lie within and should be touched and developed so as to fully realize one’s genetic potential.

So, what do I mean? What am I talking about? It is simply this. It is not enough for men to talk about self realization, love, relationships, life. . . . we must learn to employ ways of learning and knowing that do not depend upon the use and refinement of the frontal cortex of our brains. That is what the new practicum sessions led by Dr. Johnson are really about. Learning the practices that awaken our deeper wisdom, the non-linear centers of our being, and making them our own. Introducing the techniques that allow us to think with our gut and know with our heart. If all that seems airy-fairy, it’s because you’re in your head. Come and try a practicum. You will feel what our words cannot really express.

Our first practicum has come and gone, but like the tail of the wind, still remains. We welcome those men that want to take their practice of ways of knowing below the head level to new depths as we go through the remaining events this year. I believe everyone who was there this past week will agree that the experience is so worthwhile, and one that in many ways is beyond words. It is an example of the very special resources available to us through the Men’s Center.

-Mitch Roth

I have attended the great majority of colloquiums last year, and I must say in all honesty that the Practicum held on January 26th was a mammoth step above those, both in the content of the day’s teachings and activities and the willingness of the participants to let it all hang out and go with Dr. Johnson’s flow.

Rather than talking about problems, we entered into a world of practical solutions in the form of practices that would bring us into altered states of consciousness and help to clear the cobwebs from our thinking. We moved from a state of thinking to a state of being – and the men were willing to risk it all in their depth of participation. I have never seen so many men get so much out of the breath work in which we participated, and the meditation/Yoga worked wonders for centering ourselves.

The most exciting thing about the series of Practicums is that each one builds on the previous sessions, so that by the time the series ends, the men will have a great variety of tools on which to draw.
I look forward to seeing you all there!

- Rich Manners