We all move through life with conflicts within ourselves that require examination. Whether deep childhood wounds, inherited forms of racism and patriarchy, or relational triggers we’ve inherited later in life, we are invited to move toward the brokenness in pursuit of healing.
This past weekend, 17 men landed in San Diego for the Opening Retreat of our ‘23 Journey Home cohort. They each are trusting that the path to wholeness in our 2nd half of life isn’t found in avoiding the hard stuff (ego, power, patriarchy, racism, childhood wounds, etc) but in moving through it. Our time together gathered around tables and living rooms was holy ground. Unlike so many “leadership” spaces, there was no room for reciting our bios and resumes as we chose to leave our inherited metrics of success at the door. Rather than talk about organizational growth strategies, we created a space for tears, laughter, and the sharing of wisdom from “elders” who have gone before us. We experienced a sense of belonging that didn’t require anything other than our shared pursuit of healing and transformation. We made commitments to each other and the communities who sent us to show up fully with our heads, hearts, and feet.
As Everyday Peacemakers, we know the extent to which we transform the conflict(s) within will have a direct correlation to how we transform the conflicts in our world. That is why we launched the Journey Home cohort last year as a way for dominant-culture men (pastors, nonprofit executives, business leaders, etc) to move toward wholeness (peace) in their second half of life. We trust that as men do this deep work related to identity, vocation, and leadership, they will grow in their ability to lead toward equity, justice, and peace. The depth of community and transformation that occurred in last year’s cohort not only impacted the 12 participants but is having an exponential impact on their families, churches, organizations, and businesses.
The opening retreat of this year’s cohort was sacred and liberating, and we are thrilled about what will unfold in the coming six months of the journey that culminates in a shared pilgrimage on Camino de Santiago in October. It is there that we trust our destination isn’t a city in Spain, but the home that is our heart.
We appreciate your prayers for the journey, and if you’re interested in applying for the ‘24 Journey Home cohort, you (or someone you know) can join the interest list HERE.
P.S. We are especially grateful for the partnership of the Center for Action and Contemplation in helping make this possible.
