Natural Passages

In This Issue

Upcoming Programs

Natural Passages

MoMen Return

Read more about all of our workshops, retreats and resources on our website.

Natural Passages Newsletter

JANUARY 2009

In this newsletter, we address the ingredients for change. In today’s economic and tumultuous environment, change is inevitable through job loss, client loss, additional duties, and the stress of everyday life. I’ve included the four laws of change that have been passed onfrom Vick Ordaz, Shawnee elder, to me. I have been granted permission to use these laws to support others to make positive changes in the world. I think you will find them to be useful in understanding how to manage and to enact real change in your life that moves one from acting out of desperation to acting out of clarity and courage.

The next Natural Passages program is scheduled for April 16-19, 2009. Several men have sent in their registration. I am looking forward to the program startup. Details are below.

Jeff Endemann has written and recorded a song about his experience in the Natural Passages program. A link to the song has been included below. We have also included a link to a slide show that reflects the program experience.

Bountiful blessings
Herb Stevenson


The Four Laws of Change

In the Native American oral tradition, the Shawnee nation enhance the effectiveness of the big decisions by understanding and using the four laws of change.

  • Change comes from within. This means that change will always come from within the individual, from within the group, and/or from within the organization. Change is a relationship with yourself. Ideally, the change will be like a pebble thrown into a lake where the change ripples from within all of these configurations.

  • Permanent change requires a vision. This means that unless we hold a clear and/or compelling picture of what is the change that needs to occur, the initial insight or energy or reason for changing will fade into the background until triggered by the next difficult reminder and/or painful event.

  • A great learning must occur. This means that change is accompanied or created by a personal insight or a group awareness of something old that has always existed and not been seen or the learning of something totally new. For an individual, it could be an insight that he or she is actually creating most of his or her problems by how they behave towards others. For an organization, it could be a shared awareness that each person within the organization is responsible for how the organization functions. What grounds the change is that the insight or shared awareness becomes the responsibility of the group to sustain the changes.

  • A healing forest/force must be present. Change requires a partnership between those initiating the change and those participating in the change. Change is a partnership with others, whether it be amongst family and friends or co-workers. This partnership requires that others be involved in the change and that we help others to break from the past. This means that any change to be permanent must have the support of the larger community. For an individual, it could mean that the insight or vision is shared with family and friends. For a group, it could be that the change is shared with people outside the group who can support the changes versus unknowingly undermining it by not knowing that change has occurred. For an organization, it could be building a change management team that supports the organization throughout the change process. Regardless, a healing forest or force must be in place to hold the change, the new way of being in the world, otherwise, old ways will retrench and return.

 


Upcoming Programs

Natural Passages

One-Year Initiation Program for Men
Starting in Spring, April 16, 2009
4 Seasons, 4 Weekends:

April 16-19
June 25-28
Sept 10-13
Nov 12-15

Natural Passages one-year program is a 4-session male initiation. It is a program that enables the core integrity of the man to surface. It is designed to awaken, develop, and nurture the essence and fullness of being a man in today’s world. Our focus is developmental. We seek to invoke the unfoldment of mature masculine energies. Our goal is specific. We seek to assist each man to find his place in the world. Our hope is honorable. We seek to fill the void of mature men that can stay within the center of whom they are regardless of circumstances. Our dream is selfish. In helping you to find your place in the world, we envision your helping others to do the same. Therein, we can build community and make a difference in the world.

Find out more...

Download the PDF brochure

MoMen Return

July 23-26, 2009

The MoMen Return weekend is a return to where we started. It is an exploration into the four principles of presence. The focus is to delve deeply into the relational next steps of the four chambered heart, the four phantoms of fear and the resulting shadow behavior. Dynamic exercises will be provided to support an inward journey and then the opportunity to share these private stories with each other.

Find out more...

Download the PDF brochure


LISTEN to Falling Leaves - music and lyrics written and performed by Jeff Endemann, a participant in MoMen 2006. The song was inspired and written during a MoMen weekend.

Falling Leaves

WATCH our online slide presentation of the Natural Passages program.

MoMen Slide Show Presentation

If you are unable to view either of these from your email program, please visit the website at www.natural-passages.com and try again there. You will find them in the left-hand column of all pages.