Illuman is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose vision is to see men transforming men and, through them, families and communities for generations to come.  Our mission is to engage those seeking a life-long journey of spiritual transformation. 

 

Men tend not to want to do inner work until they are forced to. In many respects (and yes, this is a sweeping generalization), men are not encouraged to do inner work. We pay a high price for this cultural tendency. A man who is not engaged in some sort of an inner journey is less likely to trust, less able to be vulnerable, and more likely to be competitive with other men. In addition, the spiritual journey becomes about belonging to the "right" group or church. When men do not embark upon an inner journey, they resort to schemes to make themselves "right and good" in the eyes of others because they have no other spiritual compass available.

The good news is that many men are open to finding a different way to live. But the spiritual journey is not a "quick fix"; it requires time and effort. It's also not mainstream (neither is the Gospel); it requires that we shift our focus away from the external world. Most of us had no need for this in earlier phases of our life but, once we hit our 30s and 40s, it's required if we are to avoid feeling empty, unfulfilled or, quite simply, lost.

At some point, life will give us an opportunity to do our inner work, whether we like it or not. It becomes inescapable. When that happens, most of us are surprised to learn that there are other men out there who are searching for meaning, searching for real connection and community, searching for God. We are amazed to find that the path to real manhood requires that we become vulnerable in the company of other men.

Illuman is focused on connecting men who are willing to embark upon this inner journey. We know that "doing our work" is best accomplished when we do it in the company of other men. Our societal programming-that we should be tough, not cry, and be strong-has caused much pain and wounding for men. One of the greatest forms of healing for men is to be surrounded by other grounded, searching, loving, spiritual men. Illuman aspires to create these communities of men through our small groups and local chapters.

If you are a woman and have read this far, know that the wives and partners of men who do this inner work report that their loved ones have become much better husbands and partners. After our MROPs, wives often submit letters thanking us for sending home a more connected, grounded and loving man. When a man does his work, relationships with his children, spouse/partner, wider family and community are changed. There's a big external payoff, but it requires some big internal work.

So what are you doing, now, to start or sustain your inner work?