The HERE.together Podcast

What if you had the confidence and boldness to ask for what you want, go for the promotion, choose to change lanes, or live your way into your biggest goals?

How many Feminist men do you know? You know what they say in cosmology - there’s either zero, one, or infinity of something!  And given that there's one feminist man on our podcast team, what does that mean?

For more about Maria Orihuela, Mentalkfeminism, and a curated list of feminist resources, view the show notes at: https://www.here-together.us/pod/how-to-talk-feminism-with-men

If you could time-travel, what band would you go back and befriend right before they made it BIG??  

For more about Ponderosa Grove, the musicians, and links to the June 18th live stream, and curated book suggestions view the show notes at: https://www.here-together.us/pod/how-to-take-it-to-the-next-level

For generations, our culture has taught us a narrow and limiting set of rules for how to be a man. The end result? Epidemic levels of isolation for boys and men and embedded repression and violence for the vast majority of women and children. As a boy and young man, I learned that same set of rules and I adopted that stoic, suppressed, and sometimes emotionally violent version of manhood. It took me years to find a way back to the real authentic version of myself that is open, loving, curious, vulnerable, bold, and creative.

What if there were ways… paths… programs… groups… a movement, that helped men break out of the Man Box, find their authentic selves, and become happier, less destructive, and more constructive? This episode is about just those paths, those groups and that movementt.

This week on the HERE.together Podcast we are releasing, in full, another of the early episodes of the Remaking Manhood Podcast which I co-host and co-produce with Mark Greene. In this episode, we interview Boysen Hodgson,  the Communications Director for the ManKind Project USA. For the last 35 years, ManKind Project has been providing intensive weekend retreats and long-term peer support groups for men all over the world.

In this conversation, Boysen quickly sets the bar for vulnerability, insight, and truth. Mark and I also end up sharing our deep backstories about how we created our old, mistaken assumptions about ourselves and the world.  Mark explains how those old bad stories cause many men to either self-sabotage or lash out.

All three of us men share our experience with the work it took us to become a man of connection, accountability and purpose. For all of us, men's work is an ongoing process and one that constantly reveals new ways of seeing and being. Boysen's own knowledge of men's work, both as a leader and as a man is a powerful resource for all the men in our community. I end up surprised by a couple of new ideas that come from the conversation and by some insight that comes bubbling up out of me at Boyson’s invitation.

I’m really pleased, and a little nervous to share this episode with you, but here we go.

For more about Boysen, the Mankind Project, other mens work resources, and curated book suggestions view the show notes at: https://www.here-together.us/pod/the-personal-impact-of-mens-work

Who cares about big business when you’re just trying to get your small business off the ground?  What do CEOs have to do with running a successful family? If you just re-watched Wall Street or read the news and need to feel hopeful about business and the world, this is the episode for you.   Welcome to Part IV of our Spiritual Warrior series.

For more about Angel Ribo, links to his social media and website, and curated book suggestions view the show notes at: https://www.here-together.us/pod/how-to-be-the-solution

Is your ego running your show?  Are you making choices guided by fear?  What would it be like to put your purpose and soul in charge?  How would your life be different if you did?

Spoiler alert: you’d have more freedom, more real power, and you’d be able to join with others to create the sustainable world we need...

It’s all hands on DECK time.

Guest Bio:

Our guest this week is Christian de la Huerta, a spiritual teacher, personal transformation coach, and leading voice in the soulful breathwork community. Not only is Christian one of the warmest, loveliest humans we’ve had the privilege to speak with so far, he is a kindred spirit who challenged us to think bigger.  Sooo much bigger.

When there isn’t a pandemic on, Christian travels the world, leading inspiring and transformational retreats and treks that combine psychological and spiritual teachings with lasting and life-changing effects.  He’s recently published the book, Awakening the Soul of Power, [described by multiple Grammy Award–winner Gloria Estefan as “a balm for the soul of anyone searching for truth and answers to life’s difficult questions.”]

Christian talks with us about the Hero’s Journey, giving our egos the right job, why connecting with our personal power is a good thing, and presents us with multiple paths to that authentic power.

Stick around for an enriching conversation that takes us - and you - from the metaphorical stadium out into the cosmos.  It’s full of practical ideas for real life and big, inspiring visions that definitely left us feeling well-fed, body and soul.

Fair warning… we start the interview with about a four-minute breathing exercise/guided meditation. We hope everyone listening will breathe along with us. If you’re driving or operating equipment right now, or doing something else that requires your attention, perhaps return to this episode when you can do so safely and comfortably.

For more about Christian de la Huerta, links to his social media and website, and curated book suggestions view the show notes at: https://www.here-together.us/pod/how-to-build-soulful-power

A photographer, a Civil Rights Lawyer, and an Episcopal Priest walk into a bar…

If you want to try out some ideas and actions to push your average happiness up to 88%, we have the conversation for you. 

For the complete show notes, including links to other relevant episodes, Dr. Marissa's resources happiness, AND a curated reading list, go to: https://www.here-together.us/pod/how-to-be-88-happy

For generations, our culture has taught us a narrow and limiting set of rules for how to be a man. The end result? Epidemic levels of isolation for boys and men and embedded repression and violence for the vast majority of women and children. I learned that same set of rules and I adopted that stoic, suppressed, and sometime emotionally violent version of manhood. it took me years to find a way back to the real authentic version of myself that is open, loving, curious, vulnerable, bold, and creative.

What if it were easier for boys to grow up whole and for men to break the shackles of dominance based masculinity?

I (Charles) spent most of my life, struggling to balance my desire for equality, authenticity, joy, nonviolence and connection with my desire to fit in with my gender. It took years to find them, but it turns out there are men who are choosing a kind of masculinity that encompass real human values. Thousands of men have broken out of the man box and its rigid repressed dog eat dog version of masculinity. They - we - are choosing a masculinity of connection, compassion, and collaboration. In return we have healthier relationships, and more meaningful, lasting lives. And now there’s a new podcast dedicated to interviewing some of those men and encouraging others to join them: Remaking Manhood, The Healthy Masculinity Podcast.

This week on the HERE.together Podcast we are releasing, in full, the first episode of the Remaking Manhood Podcast which I co-host and co-produce with Mark Greene. In this episode, both Mark and I share old stories of shame and (somewhat delayed) redemption. Mark explains with powerful clarity the system that keeps most men in the Manbox and then I lay out the three different ways men can start their own path toward authentic, healthy manhood. I really hope you find it inspiring and I hope you share it with the men and young men in your life.

For the show notes, including links to other relevant episodes, resources for men, AND a curated reading list, go to: https://www.here-together.us/pod/how-to-break-out-of-the-man-box

When was the last time you asked a family member for the secrets to their successful relationship?  Do you talk about what makes a happy marriage with your friends over dinner?  If you don’t have these conversations and access to the wisdom of people who have “figured it out,” then we have the resource for you.  It’s Relationship Month here at HERE.together and our guest has 1000 years of relationship wisdom cued up for YOU.

Guest Bio:

Our guest this week is Claire Vande Polder, a journalist and producer - Claire Vande Polder has spent a career in the nonfiction world as a television producer and writer. She began at National Geographic Television in Washington, DC.

After traveling the world, she joined the Discovery Health Channel as an executive producer. Since then she has worked independently with a variety of networks and production companies including TLC, Investigation Discovery, Smithsonian Channel, HGTV, Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios, and others. She has a B.A. in English from Calvin College and an M.A. in 19 th Century English and American Literature from King’s College London.

Claire probably produced or wrote projects you’ve seen!!  So cool.

Last year, Claire went down the rabbit hole on the question of what makes for a happy marriage.  She interviewed couples from all over the world, all ages and stages and stations in life - adding up to a THOUSAND years of marriage - to get some pearls of wisdom we can all learn from. Her book Making Marriage Happy: Hard-Won Wisdom from Real Couples is an accessible delight that breaks these successful strategies and behaviors down by subject area and into bite-sized nuggets that are easy to try on.

For the show notes, including links to other relevant episodes, AND a curated reading list, go to: https://www.here-together.us/pod/how-to-make-your-relationship-happy