New Warrior Training Adventure
The New Warrior Training Adventure is a modern male initiation and self-examination. We believe that this is crucial to the development of a healthy and mature male self, no matter how old a man is. It is the “hero’s journey” of classical literature and myth that has nearly disappeared in modern culture. We ask men to stop living vicariously through movies, television, addictions and distractions and step up into their own adventure – in real time and surrounded by other men.
"My New Warrior Training Adventure initiation weekend allowed me to really look myself in the eyes again, after so many years. What a miracle."
– Tim Keats
The New Warrior Training Adventure is a singular life affirming event, honouring the best in men and revealing what mature men have to offer the planet. We are only able to recognize the powerful brilliance of men when we are also willing to look at, and take responsibility for the pain we create and suffer. This is the paradox of modern masculinity, a lesson the ManKind Project is dedicated to exploring, understanding, and sharing.
"There is no comparison as there is nothing like it."
– Rob Leibrandt.
The Adventure
The New Warrior Training Adventure (NWTA) is an opportunity to review your life as a man and to challenge the limitations of past wounds and current mindsets. It is a self-claimed space to discover what holds you back from being the man you were born to be. It is an intense and carefully choreographed event designed to help you see how you hurt yourself and those you love, to face the pain you may experience yourself or impose on others, and to learn the art of transforming these dark symptoms into authenticity. The NWTA is a gateway to liberation from the past.
"I can improve myself to be a stronger, more loving man, more considerate and respectful of my wife and daughter."
– Martin Anda
The great disappointment of modern masculinity is that there are few mature, wise men to show us the way. Most men can admit they did not get enough fathering; many feel that they grew from boy to man without much guidance. The ManKind Project cannot replace missing fathers but it can empower men to father themselves and become the elders and fathers our communities are waiting for, and create a brighter future.
"I was able to find the key to a door that had been locked for most of my life."
– Mick Clements.
The Adventure is a modern male initiation and self-examination. We believe that this is crucial to the development of a healthy and mature male self, no matter how old a man is. It is the “hero’s journey” of classical literature and myth that has nearly disappeared in modern culture. We ask men to stop living vicariously through movies, television, addictions and distractions and step up into their own life adventure – in real time, surrounded and supported by other men – as men have always been until recent times.
“Adventure! The pursuit of life.”
– M Lynne.
- Who, What and Where? … The Adventure in Brief
- What Should I Expect from The Adventure?
- Who Runs the Training?
- How Do I Register?
- How Much Does the Training Cost?
- Who Comes to the Training?
- Am I Ready?
- What Happens After The Adventure?
- Does this Work Make a Real Difference?
- Is The Adventure for Every Man?
- What Will I Get Out of This?
If you don’t see what you are looking for here, try the FAQ’s.
Who, What and Where?… The Adventure in Brief
The basics: You will join a group of between 15 and 40 other men at a camp or retreat facility somewhere in one of our geographical centres. You will be asked to car-pool as a way of beginning to create connections and camaraderie with the other men attending the training.
From Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon, (with meals, breaks and time for sleep) you will be asked to join in a series of processes and activities – all designed with one goal in mind – to help every man at the training step into his own unique sense of himself as a man among men. Some of the activities are individual, some are group processes. There are physical activities, writing, and visualizations. It will be one of the most action packed weekends of your life.
You will be guided on this journey by a group of staff men. Some of these men will be staffing for the first time, others will have had decades of experience and advanced training.
On Sunday afternoon, after celebrating your successes, you will return home. It will be up to you what you do with what you have learned about yourself and the nature of men. For many, Monday’s sunrise is the beginning of a life with a renewed sense of vitality and purpose.
What Should I Expect from The Adventure
From arrival on Friday to departure on Sunday you will not have access to cars, computers or phones, except for emergencies. The training is designed to help you step out of your ordinary life into an extra-ordinary space, within which you will see yourself and your life with greater clarity. You are asked to organise your life so you can be fully present to the training for its entire duration, without outside distractions. Dedicated focus is part of what makes the training so powerful. Think of it as ‘you’ time.
This training does not involve any assault courses or military style training. Macho or violent behaviour is not tolerated. There will be no alcohol. Any man with a medical condition will be closely monitored by a medic who is present for the entire training.
Who Runs the Training?
The ManKind Project Western Australia, a registered not-for-profit organization, assemble a highly-motivated and experienced staff to lead the training programs. Staff members are volunteers, and because all have experienced the initiation process themselves, they have a compelling sense of male initiation and authentic self-examination.
The Leader team on your training will have years of experience working with men in transformational settings. Leaders in the ManKind Project have chosen to live a life of fierce and rigorous self-examination. They have been judged repeatedly by their peers, and by the ManKind Project, and certified to lead the New Warrior Training Adventure, a serious responsibility. Their commitment is to the safety and success of each man on a training weekend.
In the final analysis, however, you run your own training through the responses and decisions you make along your journey. The staff serve as your guides and mentors, but you choose your own level of commitment, and you decide how far you will explore the inner terrain of your life, to discover the treasures, and obstacles buried within yourself. Any man may pass on any process.
How Do I Register?
Only you can decide if you are ready to participate in an NWTA. If you already know this is for you and the time is now REGISTER HERE. Not every man is ready for The Adventure, but many men are. It is natural to feel some fear about signing up to anything unknown, but the vast majority of men are glad they took the risk.
How Much Does the Training Cost?
Tuition varies from community to community depending on the local costs for site rental and the cost of living.
In WA the cost of the training is currently $1250 with a discount for early bird registration. Payment plans are available and MKPWA are committed to the principle that no man will be excluded for financial reasons.
Please contact the Enrolment Coordinator Ronan Mckenna on 0492 461 617 OR via WANWTA23@gmail.com
Who Comes to the Training?
During the training you will stand shoulder to shoulder with a rich mix of men. You will encounter men of all ages (18+) with a range of beliefs, occupations and success levels as wide as masculinity itself. All come to an understanding that their lives can be empowered with focus and direction, and that the principles of initiation are integral to a fully developed masculinity.
Men come to this work when they know it is time. Some men come to heal conflicts within themselves or with others. Some men come to find role models for positive and mature masculinity. Some men come to explore their leadership abilities and expand their skills. Some men come to make a conscious transition from adolescent life to the life of a man. Some men come to find peace of mind in their transition to elder-hood. Some men come simply because they know they have a part to play in this work. All men leave with gifts they could not have anticipated.
Am I Ready?
Experiencing the NWTA would probably benefit any man. However we encourage you not to apply to this programme without serious forethought. Do not enrol simply at the urging of a partner, friend, or employer. To participate fully in this training you must be ready to face the prospect of transformative change in your life.
On an NWTA you will be invited to engage in a range of activities, many of which help you to look at yourself, your fears, your wounds from the past, and how to take control of and improve your life. If you are willing to examine your life to date, break the constraints, and ask “what more?”, then you are ready.
What Happens After the Training?
Do not expect this one weekend to “cure” you or “fix” your life. The awakening that results from The Adventure can be a very powerful beginning to transformation but the lasting self-awareness and empowerment that most men seek comes from participation in I-Groups (Integration Groups). These are circles of men that meet regularly (typically weekly) to do the work of being men with other men who have a shared commitment to authenticity, accountability and integrity. After your NWTA you will be invited to participate in I-Groups.
You will become a part of the Global Community of men that is the ManKind Project. Within MKP you can participate in advanced leadership and skill trainings, learn facilitation skills, and participate as staff at any of our trainings. You will also discover wider communities of men, women, families and organizations dedicated to making the world a better place through missions of service.
Does This Work Make a Real Difference?
Like a stone dropping into a pond, the NWTA sends ripples through the lives of men, their families, and their communities. The growth and healing that men experience doesn’t stop with them. Globally, MKP men and Centres are involved in mentoring disaffected youth, working with gangs and men in prison, building shelters for the homeless, creating programmes for war veterans, and other causes that cry out for a healthy masculine presence. You may choose to initiate of participate in such a mission.
Before any man can change the world, he needs to work on how he lives his own life. This is what really makes the difference. First, he benefits. Then his loved ones. Then others. Then the world around him. Watch the videos, read the testimonials, read about projects that MKP men have created.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” — Marianne Williamson
Is The Adventure for Every Man?
No. This training is not intended for men with currently active mental health issues that might lead to harm to self or others. If you have been involved in ongoing treatment, talk to your provider about whether an intense men’s weekend could be valuable to you. Involvement with the ManKind Project is often recognized to have positive effects for men in recovery from chemical addictions or a history of addictive behaviour.
What Will I Get Out of This?
We can’t know exactly what you will walk away with. Your experience will be unique. You will learn about yourself and how you show up in the world. You will discover a community of men. You will learn about masculinity and the possibility of creating a new kind of man, one in touch with all aspects of himself and not afraid to play his part in healing the wounds in our society. You will see men mentor other men, support each other, play together and form a safe, authentic container where men are free to be exactly who they are, without defences or masks.
It’s likely that when you leave this training you will have the capacity to love and be loved in a way you have not experienced in a very long time. You’ll have a gift to offer the world, and the energy to share it.
“Previous cultures throughout history always intended authentic masculine initiation. But their vision and their cultural context of the world was necessarily limited. Since the first earthrise photograph from outer space, we have entered a new mythological era. For the first time in human history, we have before us the possibility of authentic masculine initiation – an initiation into the global brotherhood.”
— Dr. Robert Moore, co-author of King, Warrior, Magician, Lover