A Call to the Wild Interior of Mature Masculinity
We gather where the forest meets the river to undertake the shared labor of responsibility, mythic imagination, and generative leadership.
Who we are
The Cascadia Men’s Conference is stewarded by a collective of men inspired by the rich mythopoetic tradition, dedicated to stewarding a culture of emergence, depth, and healthy relationality.
We are fathers, brothers, sons, craftsmen, artists, writers, farmers, therapists, poets, and lovers of the wild. A shared love of story, wisdom, and ancestral remembrance animates our understanding of what it means to be a man today.
Why We Gather
We gather because men need other men—as mirrors, allies, challengers, and companions. We gather because the world is rapidly changing and systems are crumbling, and because we believe that the times ask for men who are capable of depth, discernment, and the right kind of strength.
This is not a retreat from the world, but a preparation for it. We gather to remember what has been lost, to carry forward what is essential, and to practice the kind of culture we long to see in the world.
By undertaking this soul-soaked labour, we return to our families and our lands as men who can be leaned upon. We gather so that we might finally become the cool shade trees our communities require in the heat of these times.
Our Pillars
Pillar 1: Descent
This is the "down and in" work of the soul—the essential grounding required before a man can truly stand.
Healthy Masculinity: Masculinity, at its core, is noble and good. All men need mentoring, guidance, and embodied examples to unfurl to our full potential in serving life.
Self-Responsibility: Your decision to attend is yours alone. We expect men to look out for themselves while looking out for each other. Leaders are here to support you, but they are not a replacement for therapists or mentors. If you need help, we expect you to ask.
Security vs. Safety: We strive for depth over comfort. While we cannot promise absolute safety, we strive to create a secure container. We ask all men to commit to non-violence—to self, others, the land, and the property—so that even the "unsafe" elements of our times can be worked with together.
Initiation: Modern culture offers entertainments but few initiatory thresholds. While this conference is not an initiation, it is designed to be initiatory in its ripening of men through meaningful trial, honest reflection, and sincere ritual.
Pillar 3: Ecology
This is how we move from the "I" into the "We" and serve the larger relational web.
Wholeness: We strive to touch each of the four facets of wholeness: mind, body, spirit, and soul. Our offerings include intellectual discourse, movement, ritual, myth-telling, poetry, song, grief and praise, and celebration.
Grief & Praise: We make room for both. Grief waters the roots of our humanity; praise feeds our capacity for wonder, gratitude, and devotion. When men gather to speak honestly of what has been lost and what remains, a deeper ground of connection becomes possible.
Ancestry: We seek to include local and indigenous perspectives while advocating for each man’s responsibility to learn the practices of his own ancestors. People connected to their ancestral stories make the best allies.
Pillar 2: Sovereignty
This is the "threshold" of maturity - the individual responsibility and tempering required to become a bedrock for others.
Deep Diversity: Differences are sacred. Our welcome extends to men of all denominations, ages, and identities—Straight, Queer, Religious, Atheist, Young, and Old. We prioritize relational diversity over ideological unity, building trust through time and honest connection.
Affinity: Our affinity group is simply men. Our aim is that we gather as a specific group so that we may better serve those who are outside of the circle.
Elderhood: Elderhood is not an age but a practice of wisdom, humility, and stewardship. We have turned to elders in the creation of this event and will continue to do so, recognizing that elders are made by younger people asking for their "eldering."
Honoring the Land
We also gather to honor the lands and waters of Cascadia,
and the Indigenous peoples who have tended these territories since time immemorial.
This gathering is held on the traditional territories of the Chi'yakmesh
people of Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Nation in the heart of the newly designated Átl’ka7tsem/Howe Sound UNESCO Biosphere Region.