What is the relationship between the Archetypal Masculine and women?
It is a fair question.
Patriarchy, discrimination against women, physical and sexual violence, exploitation, trafficking, slavery, rape -- these are actual, historical facts; they actually happen every day to women we know. These realities are the result of immature, unintegrated masculinity.
There have been advances (and setbacks), improvements (and failures), and significant cultural change that have opened avenues for women to power, authority, wealth, status, employment, and advancement in political, economic, social, and all other realms of life.
There is no dispute that women have been struggling and continue to struggle against millennia of culturally embedded oppression. It has been and remains part and parcel of virtually all cultures around the globe.
There is also no dispute that men have been the oppressors.
The expression of the Archetypal Masculine in humanity manifests a dark side. This is the side of Masculinity that is violent, abusive, oppressive, undisciplined, aggressive, brutal, greedy, hating and murderous. It is also the part of masculinity that is weak, deceptive, unauthentic, cowardly, unreliable, willing to betray, narcissistic and passive aggressive. Underneath those traits lies a core wound: fear, insecurity, yearning for maternal care and safety, a devastating sense of inability – primordial, infantile, terrifying weakness – to survive outside the womb, the nurturing embrace of the Feminine. That is the root cause of men’s oppression, abuse and disempowerment of women. This is not an excuse. It is a caution that points to a solution:
The Quantum Man™ Experience: Initiation, Embodiment, Connection.
This is a program that heals the core wound and allows men to contain their dark side, moving toward a mature, positive expression of their Masculinity.
True Archetypal Masculinity recognizes that most men have no idea what it means to be a woman in this culture. Archetypal Masculinity recognizes the differences between men and women, Masculinity and Femininity. It honors those differences and the significance and consequences of those differences.
Archetypal Masculinity does not let fear of the Feminine – internal or external – compromise authenticity, accountability, or integrity. It can embrace the Feminine – internal and external – without getting lost in the fog of yearning for affirmation, approval, or care.
As a result, Archetypal Masculinity can empathize with and to some extent feel the suffering, struggles, needs, wants, and ambitions of women. A man imbued with Archetypal Masculinity can dare to admit weaknesses, ignorance and mistakes. With a strong sense of boundaries, he can carry a partner’s projections with awareness and compassion, without trying to “mansplain” or fix a partner’s psyche. He can own his own projections without making his feelings or behavior his partner’s fault. He does not need to regress to infantile violence or abuse, exploitation or oppression.
Such a man can risk falling in love. Such a man can be a true life partner.
In short, Archetypal Masculinity, secure in its own identity, has no need to relate to women with anything other than the humanity, respect, and regard that is every human’s right. Indeed, Archetypal Masculinity joins the battle against the abuse, exploitation and oppression of women, not with lip-service or tokenism but with full commitment of energy, resource and will.
Menswork Institute manifests Archetypal Masculinity to counteract the destructive potential of the masculine.
WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION
We are all created of the same residue of the Big Bang, stardust – “and we got to get ourselves back to the Garden.” Menswork Institute's programs are primarily, but not exclusively, for cis men who identify as male.
Right now, the only Menswork Institute activity exclusively for people who self-identify as male is the Quantum Man™️ Experience, a program of masculine Initiation, Embodiment and Quantum Connection
Women are invited to participate on our governing board and on our board of advisors. Menswork Institute believes that the ultimate fulfillment of its vision implicitly requires the inclusion of energies of people of all perspectives.
Anyone interested should contact mg@mensworkinstitute.com
Women are also encouraged to participate in Menswork Institute's Conversations About Masculinity. These face-to-face or Zoom group meetings will explore many of the questions that arise about masculinity in general and specifically about Archetypal Masculinity. We believe that women’s contributions and questions about Masculinity are necessary to achieve any holistic approach to Masculinity.
Finally, Menswork Institute's one-on-one consultations (face-to-face or Zoom) are open for all who have issues with or questions about masculinity.