What happens when you retire and realize you don't have any in-depth male relationships outside of your professional life?

In this thirty-second episode of Follow Me to the M-R-O-P!, host Brian Mueller sits down with Steve Duncan to discuss his 2015 initiation at Camp Tamarack in Northern California. Steve shares his journey of taking a huge leap of faith into men's work, arriving at the rites in a carpool "clown car," and the transformative power of vulnerability.

Episode Highlights

• The Leap of Faith: How retiring and wanting a deeper relationship with his new son-in-law led Steve to seek out male connection.
• Supported in the Struggle: Steve recalls a deeply moving moment during a physical ritual when a team member gently supported him.
• Awakening to Contemplation: How the first morning sit around a campfire opened the door to a rich, ongoing contemplative practice.
• MROP vs. Elder Rites: Steve compares the multi-generational bonding of his men's rites to the profound, specific grief work of the Elder Rites.
• Holding the Thread: A beautiful reflection on William Stafford's poem "The Way It Is," and why Steve's marriage is the thread that keeps him grounded.

Links & Resources

• Brian Mueller (Host)
• BriansPoems.com
• Illuman MROP
• Choosing Presence (Sponsor)
• Practicing Presence App
• The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr
• Adam's Return by Richard Rohr
• Breathing Under Water by Richard Rohr
• Trust Stillness by Brian Mueller

Credits

• First and foremost, thank you to Steve Duncan for sharing his journey and his heart with us today.
• Thank you to Fr. Richard Rohr and the men of Illuman who have stewarded the Men’s Rites of Passage since 1996.
• Thank you to Jim Heaney and Jim Taylor for their dedication to Choosing Presence.

Music Credits:

• Slow Mo Dreams by Soundroll
• Becoming a Legend by Vens Adams