Last year in Avalon, I had the great pleasure of spending time with Jonathan and his wife Sarah as they embarked on a journey of renewing their vows through the sacred art of anointing with the holy oils. It was one of the most moving experiences I’ve curated and focalized as a ceremonialist. I was deeply touched by Jonathan’s ability to enter into deep sacred relationship with the holy oils, and I knew then that I wanted to interview him about masculinity and how to support healing between men and women.
In this beautiful deep-dive dialogue, Jonathan shares some of the inner workings of the masculine psyche and some of the ways men interpret the things they hear from their partners. Translation can be a real issue!
What I loved most about this interview was hearing about how Jonathan resisted coming into doing his own work, and how this shifted for him. If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it a thousand times – women on a spiritual path really want their men to do it with them. Yet, they often don’t know how to invite them to engage in deeper transformational work.
In this episode, we explore:
Challenges men face in expressing emotions and connecting deeply in relationships
How men are often socialized to suppress emotions and focus on being providers rather than emotional connectors
How women can encourage their male partners to do personal growth work without forcing it
Differences in communication styles and needs between men and women in relationships
How to make clear requests and then step back to help men feel empowered to respond
Why men may fear failure or disappointment and how this causes them to put less effort into their relationships
Recognizing and appreciating subtle expressions of vulnerability from men
The importance of understanding each other's "love languages" in a relationship
