Photo by Jose Aragones
I’ve recently been reading a book called Iron John, which is a fascinating exploration of the Wild Man and the journey of a boy to discover sacred masculinity, through the wild man, as well as the sacred connection between the land and the spiritual king. I’m only halfway through the book at the time of this writing, but what strikes me about this book is a theme of journeys, and specifically the journey the boy is initiated through when he chooses to free the wild man (Iron John) from the cage he is in, and goes with him to the wilderness.
It reminds me of the Green Knight and the journey Gawain goes on to return the axe to the Green Knight as well as offer his head. All the experiences Gawain has along the way are part of an initiation into the mystery of the sacred masculine. When he first leaves on his quest, although Gawain is technically a man, he’s really a boy. He only begins to discover his own masculinity, in a sacred context, when he undergoes the various trials that reveal his weaknesses and failings as well as his strengths.
I recently read the Epic of Gilgamesh and that too is a story of initiation. In order for Gilgamesh to truly become a king he has to go on a journey where he discovers himself through the trials and travails and comes out the other side a wiser person, ready to truly rule from a place of sacred kingship because he has a different awareness of his people and the gods through the journey he has undertaken.
You can find this mythos in other modern frameworks. For example, God of War (the 2018 game) is a story of initiation for both Kratos and Atreus. Kratos learns what it really means to be a father and Atreus starts the journey to become a man (and a god).
The value of mythological stories, whether they are older or newer, is that they provide a framework to work within that can be helpful, when you have your own work to do. In my case, this focus on the sacred masculine has come about because of reading the Epic of Gilgamesh and then getting curious about what other stories are out there that seem to have similar themes of the initiatory journey for men. Reading Iron John, and having a few other books in my queue, as well as exploring some other mythological stories has shown me that there is a real need to go on the sacred journey and discover the lessons that transform you through the initiatory process.
One of the ways I’ve started applying this work practically to my own life is by starting to take some journeys of my own. While going for a day long hike isn’t quite the same as going on an epic journey, it nonetheless is a journey that allows me to visit the wildness of the land and commune with it while also connecting inwardly with my masculinity, and considering the ways that I haven’t fully gotten in touch with it or discovered my true strengths.
Another process I’ve been exploring is pathworking, using some of the mythology to find my inner warrior and other aspects of masculine power that I have only somewhat identified with because I’ve never had healthy models of this masculinity in my life. I am realizing that to discover such healthy models, I need to seek them out and establish a relationship with them. The wild man is the guide to the rest of the inner kingdom that awaits me.
