Mike Keller is a member of the Illuman Board of Directors.
In Gratitude for Your Support of Illuman by Joe Hebert, Illuman Treasurer
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Illuman is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose vision is to see
men transforming men and, through them, families and communities for
generations to come. Our mission is to
engage those seeking a life-long journey of spiritual transformation.
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1. "Meditation on Manhood"
By Terry Symens-Bucher, Illuman President
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There have been many media stories and movies in recent years about becoming a man. Several are helpful in marking the signposts and pitfalls of that process, while some simply confirm and keep us stuck in what Thomas Merton called our "false self." There's a new movie out that may be worth seeing. The review alone seems worthy of reflection:
http://www.americamagazine.org/issue/moonlight-and-manhood.
Moonlight
is called a "heartbreaking meditation on manhood, suffering and the boundless ache for human connection." The main character is practically mute, voiceless, due to the way his circumstances have initiated him into manhood. He lives in a world "where manhood is defined by violence, control and domination." This is not unfamiliar territory to most of us.
Life initiates us. Some circumstances work more clearly than others, perhaps, or faster, or deeper. But, in the end, we all face our own end. Some of us are fortunate to participate in a communal Men's Rite of Passage. We are invited into initiatory rituals that can focus, intensify, and raise to awareness the lessons life is teaching us. In Illuman, those rites are presided over by men who love us, who see us, who are willing to walk the path with us.
This isn't a personal salvation project. It's a call to serve our people as a man. But the Rites can become just another event. To use Winston Churchill's characterization of history, they can be just one more thing in a life composed of "one damn thing after another." The Rites are called an initiation because, at one level, they are intended to be a
beginning
. They can start a journey, an adventure, a life of committed service-or they can become a failure to launch: just another badge in a life based on merits and demerits.
The question is: How do we prevent the Rites from becoming just another event, another in a series of occasions, tests, programs, experiences, or bucket-list items, before we, too, return to our ancestors? In future posts I will share how the Illuman Board, Weavers, Ritual Elders, Wisdom Elders, our Conveners, and others are working on initiatives to strengthen and deepen the lessons of initiation through the Journey of Illumination.
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2. "A Letter of Gratitude" By Joe Hebert, Illuman Treasurer
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In lieu of a
Reflection for the Drumbeat this month, Joe Hebert, Illuman Treasurer, offers a "letter of gratitude" for all who support Illuman and describes how funds have been used for our mission to be men transforming men in 2016.
2017 will be another powerful and transformative year for men who are on the Journey of Illumination with us. We ask for your continued support as Illuman is a careful steward of the generous donations. Opportunities to support Illuman are available
on our website
.
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3. Men's Rites of Passage for 2017
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Registration is open for eight Men's Rites of Passage scheduled for 2017. To learn more about Men's Rites of Passage,
please click here
. To learn more about specific opportunities in 2017, please click the links below.
May 17, 2017 - May 21, 2017, Twisp, Washington
June 21, 2017 - June 25, 2017, Sandstone, Minnesota
August 22, 2017 - August 26, 2017, Queensland, Australia
West Virginia/Washington, D.C. Men's Rites of Passage
October 4, 2017 - October 8, 2017, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
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WE ARE ILLUMAN:
"WITHOUT US GOD WILL NOT.
BUT WITHOUT GOD, WE CAN NOT."
Fr. Richard Rohr
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