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Rekindling the Unselfish Way
There has been tremendous pressure these last years to regard selfishness as the normal way, perhaps, the American Way. Big money interests get what they want, many suffer — especially the jobless, the children and the returning veterans.
It would be good for grown men to imagine what a more unselfish road would look like. There needs to be discussion — in what way do men encourage each other to be selfish? How can we change that habit? What might be a way to begin?
- Robert Bly
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"If the rivers of the World were spun of pure silver,
and the leaves pure gold, Finn would have given
them all away." — Finn Mac Uail
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What a blessing it is to have so many great teachers returning this year.
Danny Deardorff and Martin Shaw, with their great love of old stories and myths, will bring us tales about Rekindling the Fiery Horses of Generosity through the Waters of Longing.
Malidoma Somé and Miguel Rivera, whose voices are deeply rooted in the indigenous world of Nature, will talk to us about what happens when we become disconnected from that generous source.
Tom Gambell, with his compassionate, open-hearted Aikido, and Doug Von Koss, with his arrows of love songs, will courageously lead us to break down the Dungeon Walls of Selfishness.
Robert Bly and Haki Madhubuti, great lovers of the spoken word, fierce and outspoken defenders for social justice and life long friends, join together once again to encourage and harangue us, as only true elders can, towards the righteous path of the Unselfish Way.
Finn Mac Uail
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Daniel Deardorff says: The image of rekindling is one I love; we might say Rekindling the Fire of Generosity. There is a deep rooted instinct toward the Unselfish Way that arises in men when we stand as protectors and guardians of culture and the life of the soul. Amidst the heartlessness of the corporate world we find that fire has been extinguished. If we want to rekindle such a generative fire we will have to devote ourselves to the life giving practice of striking flint on steel to catch the spark and gently breathe it into flame.
 Miquel Rivera says: Nature, in and of itself is always generous, whenever plants generate fruits or flowers it is always in large amounts. By being apart, removed from that aspect of Generosity, we do not feel capable of manifesting it in ourselves and in our lives. That is why we hoard, do not share and only think of ourselves. The sense of not being a part of the larger universal community, isolated and in a way exiled also contributes to the sense of selfishness.
 Martin Shaw gives us an this old
Irish saying about Finn Mac Cool:
"If the rivers of the World where spun of pure silver, and the leaves pure gold, Finn would have given them all away."
Tom Gambell says: An open heart is a
generous and loving heart. And a vulnerable heart. Reopening your heart is an act of courage. Learning practices which replace resistance with resilience and competitiveness with compassion begins the process of turning our hearts back to our original state. From clutching to caring, from bitterness to benevolence,
and from a living death to a living life.
Finn Mac Uail: A Giant of a Man
Fionn mac Cumhail (Finn MacCoul, Finn MacCool, Finn Mac Uail) was the greatest leader of the Fianna; the military elite of ancient Ireland responsible for guarding the High King.
The Fianna were founded in 300 B.C.
by the High King Fiachadh (fee-a-kuh).
Until Fionn mac Cumhail implemented a code of honor among them, the Fianna had a reputation of being a somewhat unruly bunch of men who considered themselves, to some small degree, above the law, due to their position of power. Fionn challenged the Fianna to become champions of the people; to make of themselves models of chivalry and justice that others may aspire to.
The tales of the Fianna are argued to be the basis of those of the Knights of the Round Table of England, with Arthur as their leader as Fionn was leader of the Fianna. He was also father of the great poet Oisín (o-sheen).
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 Robert Bly, internationally recognized and award-winning author and poet, helped found the modern men's movement. He has taught men how to create a home for what is best in them. He inspires both men and women to lead a life of intensity and beauty that brings them together into community.
Interview in the Rake Magazine January 2004
The Wind Isn't Depressed:
Robert Bly Talks With Michael Ventura About Art, Madness, And The Joy Of Loss in the Sun Magazine
May 2004- Robert Bly and Michael Ventura
download interview with Robert Bly and Michael Ventura in the Sun Magazine 2004
 Daniel Deardorff As a gifted singer, musician, and storyteller, he brings the luminous mythological to the conference. Danny Deardorff carries mysteries into a new place. "Myth is a story that tells a sacred truth without the use of facts."
 Miguel Rivera, a musician and drummer, is a man who is in love with the language of sound. A regular teacher at this conference since 1993 it is always an honor to have Miguel teach drumming, read poetry, and in leading rituals and reaching out to new particpants.
 Tom Gambell: a 6th Degree Black Belt, is a returning teacher this year. He has taught Aikido for over 30 years, and is the Chief Instructor of East Bay Aikido in Oakland, CA. He teaches that once the principles of Aikido are embodied, they become a source of strength and guidance in everyday living. He will do workshops that will be open to all participants on the art of compassionate self-defense.
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 Malidoma Somé: village elder, author, comes to us from the Dagara Tribe of West Africa. He an astonishing teacher, able to bring in ideas almost unheard of in the West. His first book was Of Water and The Spirit, and his new book is The Healing Wisdom of Africa.
 Doug von Koss joyously returns again this year to lead early morning chanting. Many participants return to this conference just to begin each day in “one voice” under his guidance. He teaches the vowel sounds as well as chants from the Near East and the West.
 Martin Shaw gifted musician, Rites-of-Passage teacher, mythologist and storyteller. A Branch from the Lightning Tree: Wilderness. Myth, and the Life Not Yet Lived is his most recent book. Martin has facilitated wilderness initiatory process for at-risk youth through to company directors, and spent years studying tribal lore, myth and ceremony.
Martin Shaw will be teaching about 'The Fiery Horses of Generosity' - how the old stories say that to find 'largesse' a split or rupture in our life must appear, through which the water of longing appears. When heated by desire we find that longing becomes a place where much understanding and fierce compassion can arise from. Nourished with drumming, Irish and Romanian Gypsy stories and time in the natural world, we aim to make a home in our chest for such a wild imagining.
 Haki Madhubuti, as poet, publisher, editor and educator, he has been a pivotal figure in the development of a strong Black literary tradition, emerging from the Civil Rights and Black Arts era of the 60s and continuing to the present. Over the years, he has published more than 28 books (some under his former name, Don L. Lee) and is one of the world’s best-selling authors of poetry and non-fiction, with books in print in excess of 3 million. His Black Men: Obsolete, Single, Dangerous?: The African American Family in Transition (1990) has sold more than 1 million copies. Selected titles include Don’t Cry, Scream! (1969), GroundWork: New and Selected Poems 1966-1996 (1996), HeartLove: Wedding and Love Poems (1998), Tough Notes: A Healing Call For Creating Exceptional Black Men (2002), and Run Toward Fear (2004). His poetry and essays were published in more than 65 anthologies from 1997 to 2007. His latest release is YellowBlack: The First Twenty One Years of a Poet’s Life(2006), a memoir of the people and places that were a part of his early life.
An award-winning poet and recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities fellowships, American Book Award, the Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award and others. Professor Madhubuti is also a founder and chairman of the board of the International Literary Hall of Fame for Writers of African Descent. In 2006, he was awarded the Literary Legacy Award from the National Black Writers Conference for creating and supporting Black literature and for building Black literary institutions. He received his third honorary Doctor of Letters from Spelman College in May of 2006. In 2007, he was named Chicagoan of the Year by Chicago Magazine. In May of 2008, Professor Madhubuti was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Art Sanctuary of Philadelphia.
Currently he is the University Distinguished Professor and professor of English, founder and director-emeritus of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center and director of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program at Chicago State University.
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For more information call:
Craig Ungerman (860) 923-6987,
(860-942-1658 mobile)
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email: hiddenwine@earthlink.net
http://www.hiddenwine.com/MMC
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The Conference History
The Minnesota Men’s Conference was started by Robert Bly in 1984. This was shortly after the interview between Keith Thompson and Robert Bly called “What do Men Really Want?” This first conference, as well as all the ones following have included the telling of old stories, the gifts of poetry, making music together and opening our hearts to grief, which sometimes appears when men who trust each other gather together for a few days.
This conference has been blessed with many fine teachers such as Etheridge Knight, James Hillman, Michael Meade, and Terry Dobson in the 1980’s. Aaron Kipnis, John Lee and Robert Moore joined us in the 1990’s. In 1993 with the addition of Malidoma Somé, Miguel Rivera, Haki Madhubuti and Martín Prechtel, the conference moved towards a richer diversity of thought and a deeper connection to our ancestors. In the last few years we have begun to ask that men who have been given the honey of the old stories and soul teaching give some of this sweetness back to younger men. So again we are inviting 30 young men between the ages of 13 and 20 to attend this years conference.
We are asking all the men to reach back toward young men-both the fathered and the fatherless—and to work out rituals and ways of communication in order to offer to the younger men what the culture as whole does not.
Conference Site
This years conference will be held once again at Camp Miller, a beautiful YMCA camp on 100+ acres of woods, fields and waterfront,on Sturgeon Lake 100 miles north of the Twin Cities. The cabins, dining room and main meeting lodge are a combination of rustic and modern. The camp staff are superb the food is excellent and the sauna is always hot!
MINNESOTA MEN'S
CONFERENCE 2008
September 30th- October 5th, 2008
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Past Themes
1984—What Do Men Dance About?
1985—Bringing Back the Gold! Men, Failure and Harvest
1986—Men’s Work in World: Leaving the Father’s House
1987—Animal Truths, Imagination and Danger: On the Track of Male Nature
1988—Passion and Purpose in the Male Psyche
1989—Developing the King: Inside and Outside
1990—Men in Community: Men in Ritual
1992—Men in Relationships
1993—The Hostile Brother
1994—The Generous Mothers and the Angry Mothers: Giving Gifts to Both
1995—Shimmering Flowers on the Community Tree: Growing Into Our Ancestor’s Faces
1996—The Adolescent Society and the Way Men Are
1997—Reaching Back to Younger Men
1998—Tracking Our Own Souls: Men in Nature and the Nature of Men
1999—Old Grandmother Growth: Men, boys and the Trickster
2000—Feasting the Mother Bear
2001—Who is the Friend of the Hidden One?
2002—What will Heal the Wounded King?
2003—The Dragon of Grandiosity
2004—The Souls Survival When Things Fall Apart
2005—Three Roots, Three Roads, Three Dances
2006—What Is Stealing the Courage of So Many Men?
2007—Keeping Our Feet on Human Ground
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24th Annual Minnesota Men’s Conference,
September 30th- October 5th, 2008
Camp Miller, Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota
Attendance will be limited to 90 adult men and 30 young men.
Cost : $750 Adult Men, $400 young men
After your registration is received, a confirmation letter with conference details will be sent.
Travel
By Air: If you are traveling by air, you will be arriving at the Mpls/St. Paul International Airport. We have reserved a charter bus to take you to and from the camp. The cost for this is $80 paid in advance.
The bus will be at the airport by 3:00 pm on Tuesday, Sept. 30th and will leave for the camp by 3:30pm.
The bus will return to the airport on Sunday, Oct 5th no later than 3:30pm. Please try to arrange your flights so that you arrive at least 1 hour before the bus departs from the airport and 1 1/2 hours after the bus arrives back to the airport.
By Car: Camp Miller is located 100 miles north of the Twin Cities, just off Interstate 35. To get to the camp, take Interstate 35 to the Sturgeon Lake exit. Go east approximately 1/4 mile to the Red Oak Inn, turn left and go approximately 1/4 mile to the Camp Miller entrance, which is on the right.
Additional Logistical Details for Minnesota Men's Conference:
For more Information call Craig Ungerman at Hidden Wine:
Phone: 860 923-6987, (860-942-1658 mobile)
email: hiddenwine@earthlink.net
Conference Cost :(Conference costs include all lodging and meals)
Adult Men: $ 750, registration deposit: $150.00
Young Men: (ages 13-20) $ 400, registration deposit: $75.00
Refund Policy:
All Deposits Refundable until Sept. 1st, 2008 less $30 handling fee,
after Sept. 1stt all deposits are non-refundable
Balance of fee Refundable until September 15th, 2008 less $30 handling fee,
after September 15th all fees are non-refundable
What you need to know if you are registering for the Men's Conference.
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Minnesota Men's Conference Registration
I am registering for the 24th Annual Minnesota Mens Conference
September 30th- October 5th, 2008
Please print this form on paper and send in with your registration deposit
Name:...............................................................................................................
Street:...............................................................................................................
City:................................................... State:................ Zip:...............................
Home Phone:.................................. Work Phone:.............................................
Fax:..................................E-mail.......................................................................
We accept Visa and MasterCard
Conference Cost (includes lodging and meals):
__Adult men $ 750 Registration deposit: $150
__Young men (Ages 13-20) $ 400 Registration deposit: $75
Refund Policy:
All Deposits Refundable until September 1st, 2008 less $30 handling fee,
after Sept 1st all deposits are non-refundable
Balance of fee Refundable until September 15th, 2008 less $30 handling fee,
after September 15th all fees are non-refundable
__Conference fee payment $_________________________
Please make check payable to Hidden Wine.
If you are sending the deposit $ 150 ($ 75) the remaining balance of $600 ($325) is due by Sept 1st
__Scholarship Fund donation_________________________________
__Total amount sent ________________________________________
--------------------------------------------or by credit card------------------------------------------------------------------
__Charge my Master/Visa Card ___$750 ___$400 (youth)
__Charge my Master/Visa Card the __$150 deposit __($75 deposit youth)
and charge the balance of __$600 __$325 (youth) on or after Sept 1st
__Scholarship Fund donation ___________________________________
__Total amount charged _______________________________________
Account No._________________________________________________
Exp. Date_____________________________CVV2 code: ____________
Signature____________________________________________________
Please include your CVV2 security code along with your credit card number and expiry date. What the CVV2 code is is a 3 digit number on the back of your card.To find it, look at the signature plate (where you sign your name) on your credit card, there should be a long line of numbers on that plate, the last 3 digits is your CVV2 code for that card.
Mail this completed form or
to
:
Hidden Wine Inc.
406A Lowell Davis Road
North Grosvenordale, CT 06255
For more Information call Craig Ungerman at Hidden Wine:
Call
in US: 860 923-6987. (860-942-1658 mobile)
E-mail: hiddenwine@earthlink.net
http://www.hiddenwine.com/
What you need to know if you are registering for the Men's Conference.
MINNESOTA MEN'S CONFERENCE 2008
September 30th- October 5th, 2008
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©2008 Hiddenwine
links to past Mn Men's Conferences
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Recommended Books:
Robert Bly:
Iron John,A Book About Men, The Insanity of Empire; My Sentence Was a Thousand Years of Joy; The Winged Energy of Delight; The Urge to Travel Long Distances; The Night Abraham Called To The Stars; Morning Poems; Eating the Honey of Words
Malidoma Somé: Of Water and Spirit;
The Healing Wisdom of Africa.
Daniel Deardorff: The Other Within: The Genius of Deformity in Myth, Culture, & Psyche
Haki Madhubuti: Yellow Black: The First Twenty-One Years of a Poet's Life, a memoir
Martin Shaw: A Branch From The Lightning Tree, Wilderness. Myth, and the Life Not Yet Lived
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Click here to link to other Hidden Wine events
this year and other online resources
Scholarship Fund
The Minnesota Men’s Conference is supported entirely by participant fees and individual donations to the scholarship fund. Help reach out to a young man by sponsoring him to this year’s conference. Please send a check or money order for $10, $25, $50, even a full scholarship
MINNESOTA MEN'S
CONFERENCE 2008
Please bookmark this page and return for
updated program materials and information.
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