06 Nov European Men’s Gathering – Sweden 2018

The MeNvolution was created – among other things – as a consequence of the event that was my participation, in the first days of September 2018, European Men’s Gathering in Sweden.
140 men from 22 countries met during amazing men’s workshops in an atmosphere of brotherhood. The highlight of the meeting was the night ritual The Rites of Passage, run by Arne Rubinstein from Australia, to which we were guided from the first moments of the weekend. The night ritual was full of inner power, presence and movement. The final stage was own gift for the world made in the form of a commitment in front of the elders and the masculine and feminine symbols of existence. Declaration of own participation in making the surrounding world in a better place. I remember this time as very special for myself. And I am waiting for next September in Mundekulla.

And it started innocently.
Shortly after completing the two-year Zen Coaching training, I went to the website of the Mundekulla retreat center to pay for accommodation for the next May Zen Coaching Advance training. The appearing sneak peek about the next workshop at this place has led me to click on it. I clicked. European Men’s Gathering, 12-14 September 2018. I began to read in details. But after a while, I wanted to close this window. With the fact that the computer mouse has stopped working. Battery run out. Somehow the touch pad of the computer didn’t work, the system suspended. And so, there was a big window on the screen talking about courage and brotherhood, during the international meeting of men. And I stayed – watching and feeling what is happening in me.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the mouse battery has said ‘pass” at that moment. And that the Safari browser didn’t want to collaborate. The further I read, the more I wanted to be there. And I didn’t wanted. Something drew me, but I also felt fear. Against male energy and strength? Against the courage to be vulnerable to other men? Against my own authenticity? Against discovering who I really am as a man? Or maybe just before the great unknown, what is male friendship and brotherhood?
My internal critic began to evaluate, to compare and to be very active. From the position of a comfortable chair, of a victim I watched him set aside his stage performance, taking on new forms. And I even had fun. At that time I was already at the same website www.maniphesto.com but in the tab – submit your participation. And nothing could stop me. If something is happening in me, something is alive, it is really SOMETHING to do.

It was the first time for me to meet such a large number of men in consciousness, intention, presence and strength. For two full days there were many workshops conducted by a group of experienced facilitators from many countries. It was a pity that their numbers of workshops they had to be conducted at the same time. Hence, it was necessary to choose, what was not an easy task. The place itself in southern Sweden, in the middle of nothing, harmonized with what was going on. Naturally, slowly, truly. Still green meadows of the ending summer, an azure pond, a thicket of surrounding forest and seven buildings of the resort create spectacular view. Walking ponies, nearby birds, floating ducks, all favored proximity with authentic nature. Authentic existence and passing away. This reality, truth, peace and acceptance have permeated us, it would seem, to the very essence. Because we were really there in the essence.