85. Rites of Passage: When Your Soul is Calling for Change w/ Jeddy Azuma

Have you ever undergone a rites of passage? Have you ever felt called to do a rites of passage? Do you even know what I’m talking about? In this episode, my guest, Jeddy Azuma … the founder of Rising Man Movement and the Podcast of the same name, … and I mine these questions and more for useful insights to make a meaningful difference in your life. When I was 19, I asked my dad and my step-mother to drive me 3 hours from their home to a cave set deep in the hills of Kentucky … I wanted to spend 3 days in that cave, alone, with only myself and the spirits for company, and in mostly darkness. I somehow got it in my mind that I needed to be initiated. Only thing is, I had no idea what I was wanting to be initiated into. So, not knowing at all what I was doing – my dad had no idea what I was doing either, but he was excited to drive me to that cave – I took some candles, a sleeping bag, and some grapes, and walked about half a mile into the dark.  I don’t think I lasted 24 hours. I was so bored, so disillusioned, that I walked out of the cave probably not long after I’d ran out of grapes, and never looked back. Initiation failure. I didn’t realize, I had walked into that cave because I was hearing and listening to an ancient voice deep in my soul that was crying out for something essential. I just had no guides at the time to help steward me through. Which brings me to Jeddy Azuma. Jeddy is another beautiful and wise man I’ve been blessed to cross paths with in recent years. In our conversation today, we talk about rites of passage. Jeddy guides men through rites of passage, specifically through the indigenous tradition of multi-day vision fasting in the wilds of nature. We talk about the three stages of rite of passage, and some things you can do, if you feel called, to prepare for stepping into a rite of passage. Jeddy brings a deep and nuanced understanding of the deep need for men to regularly mark the transition points of our lives– whether from boyhood to manhood, from single man to married man, or vice versa, or from simple man to father. Jeddy shares an ancient wisdom practice that our modern western world is tragically missing, and with tragic consequences. Our conversation is a fascinating and essential one. At the end, I ask Jeddy Azuma what his 5 emotional triggers are … this is one of my favorite parts of the interview, so stay tuned all the way through to the end of this episode of Men, This Way. Highlights/Keypoints: (04:16) What shaped Jeddy to become the man he is today? (07:53) What is a rite of passage ceremony? (11:09) Why are boys desperately seeking initiation?  (17:22) Signs that a man is ready for a rite of passage (24:01) Vision Quest Format (34:03) What should man expect after a rite of passage? (38:44) The Compass Process (43:13) What does the integration look like? (47:20) Jeddy’s key insight on rites of passage Links: Website: https://risingman.org/  LinkedIn: Jeddy Azuma Facebook: Jeddy Azuma Instagram: @jeddyazuma Twitter: Jeddy Azuma (@jeddyazuma) ELEVATE 2023 You should know I’ve only got 2 spots left for my ELEVATE 2023: Year-Long coaching Adventure For Men Committed to Thriving We begin in January, right around the corner. So, if you’re a man interested in stepping into a powerful brotherhood of men, alongside 10 other like-hearted men and me, please apply now @ https://bryanreeves.com/elevate