Male Pagan Groups

As some of you already know, I am the head of Tribe of the Crow and Stag. This is a shamanic wiccan group with a very strong lean toward the masculine aspects of pagan spirituality. Over the past few years, however, I have been searching on my own for any male-oriented pagan spiritual groups that I can learn from and I have come up empty-handed. There are gay male groups, which I personally find to be repulsive. Being a gay man myself, I grow weary of gay guys who refer to themselves as "faeries" or "queer". That irks me and, in my opinion, it sets the gay rights movement back. So the gay groups are out. Non-sexually-oriented groups, like Knights of Herne, are often lacking in spirituality (at least to my liking) and seem to be more focused on SCA-like activities. Don't get me wrong, they are nice guys, but not the spiritually-focused group that I am looking for.

So the question is, are there any male pagan spiritual paths out there that are not froofy gays or attempts to re-enact the days of Camelot? This world seems severely lacking in "Male Mysteries" and I'm getting a little discouraged.

That's all. Thanks for your time.

ps. PLEASE do not mention the Minoan Brotherhood. Thank you.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Poisoned Spoon on April 15, 2009 at 9:22am: Do you do any of the 4 Quarters events?

~*Spoon*~; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Robert Chapman on April 15, 2009 at 9:24am: I went there years ago (1998) and I did not like the place or the people who ran it, but maybe things have improved since then?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Poisoned Spoon on April 15, 2009 at 12:26pm: Rovwan, why didn't you guys just join EPM?

~*Spoon*~; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Houngan Matt on April 18, 2009 at 6:09pm: Im a little confused why some groups you find repulsive would rule out all gay oriented groups... not all of us restrict our world to only other homosexuals; just sometimes happens that there's a higher proportion of 'awakened' guys who happen to be gay in an area... Radical Faeries might not be the ideal place for you if -that- kind of behaviour is not what you like (but even to them its an in-joke and meant to break down all the barriers that "society" places on people... there are even tons of women numbered amongst the radical fae; taking the pride parade as an example of all homosexuals is just as bad as letting the people who get photographed show you what everyone else looks like ;)

Not to mention we wouldnt have a gay movement -at all- if it werent for the leather men and drag queens at stone wall... we as a community tend to forget that the very loudest of our fringe elements are the very people who opened the doors for us to have the rights we enjoy today. Looking down on them in the name of the general gay movement is kinda an insult as many of them actually did give their lives so you could write the word 'gay' in a place that shows your face picture. Just sayin'. ;)

Ive seen a few man's groups active in a few areas, but there's one in specific I would reccommend reading extensively about before thinking about joining... if you've heard of Men's Division International or anything related to the Sterling Institute; please please please google and read everything you can on them before thinking about joining.

Other than that, check your local bookstores for men's drumming circles... The Black Forest Clan is very heavily based in that side of PA and has quite a few guys, gay straight and who knows, who might be up for some serious rhythm.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by crookedpath on April 18, 2009 at 7:45pm: It isn't a group, exactly (though there is one associated with it), but I recommend the podcast "The Unnamed Path". It is hosted by a good friend of mine. He is gay, and the podcast is aimed at "mem who love men", but as a straight man I have no issue with it - I enjoy the podcast - and the group Eddy runs is not just for gay men, despite the whole "men who love men" thing - no fairies or queers here, definitely for manly men :o)

The Unnamed Path

Bendith,

Peter; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Noli on April 18, 2009 at 8:52pm: Alternative spirituality tends to be alternative, and after 2000 years of patriarchy, that tends to mean feminine. I had the same problem...sort of, with a group I was with. Strictly female...too strict though. One woman was having her initiation ceremony and her born and raised pagan son wanted to attend and there was a big stink about it. We changed the rules so he could be there and honestly, the majority of the women in the group were glad to finally include a man. Now they are a mixed group but, the men in the group have meetings separate from the women and the women in the group have meetings separate from the men. Then they have some meetings and rituals together. It's a really nice balance.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Robert Chapman on April 23, 2009 at 6:25am: So I thought I would bring this thread back to life and give an update:

The other day I was sitting in the middle of the lake, meditating, and feeling a VERY strong connection to both the spirits of the land and the Goddess. This is easy to do when you're sitting in a tiny little boat all by yourself in the middle of a lake! And I do this almost every afternoon. But looking around the edge of the lake at the forest I just felt like I was so separated from the God. So when I parked the boat and walked through the woods, I kept thinking of the different spirits I was sensing as "female". This is definitely some sort of imbalance that I hope to work on. I have a much easier time connecting to the feminine energies while the masculine energies seem somehow alien to me. Even my male friends in the real world are either gay or very gay-acting.

In my group we have certain ceremonies that call upon the energies of God exclusively, yet even these seem a bit lacking to me. So perhaps Im just looking at it the wrong way?

Any straight guys out there who want to join my group??? lol

So there you go. Not very interesting and not really much of an update, but that's all I have to say right now.

have a nice day everyone.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by NOCOL Pagan on April 23, 2009 at 7:43am: Sorry no advice I can give you other than I also wish I could find a group similar to what you are looking for. My cousin and her husband are Wiccan and he is a normal guy that was raised pagan, but aside from him I have met very few others that are a "mans man" and spiritually-focused in the same person.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Robert Chapman on April 23, 2009 at 7:45am: as someone else suggested, perhaps it's time to start a group. It's possible we are looking for something that just does not exist yet. ;p

I'd be up for starting something, but not on my own. I already have a full schedule with my own group. There are plenty of guys on here who have good ideas.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dragon Ritual Drummers on April 23, 2009 at 8:55am: Good day. Our entire troupe are members of the Niagara Pagan Mens Circle, dont google it, its not on the web. We just celebrated 14 yrs of monthly mens circles. Groups like the one you are looking for are out there, and for those of us that are dedicated to male mysteries, a very important thing, we know how hard it is to find ones in certain parts of the continent. Just about all of our media talks about our mens circle roots and magik.
Our mens circle meets a different Saturday every month, men from a few hours away come to it, when they can, its a flexible group, we get guests and friends from the U.S as well quite often ( we are right at the border). Usually outside, regardless of weather, but we have some regular spots that offer shelter from various weather, and there is an indoor one here and there through out the year. Our drum troupe travels to many pagan festivals in Canada and the U.S., and so we meet many elders and folks of like mind, so we have been lucky that we have been able to make amazing connections, learn and share what we know. We usually offer mens circles at the pagan events that the Dragon Ritual Drummers go to. Once we get to know someone at least a little bit, its not a problem to crash in the area for the day and night of the the circle. Our group has men of all sexual orientations.
Anyway, glad you started the discussion, based on some of the replies its clear not people know what male mysteries are or why they are there in the first place.
We just sent you a message, we can open up a dialogue if you would like, we know of several mens groups continental..although you may have to travel a few times a year to get to them, but its well worth it!
Brightest blessings!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Robert Chapman on April 23, 2009 at 9:20am: hey thanks so much for this response! I have guess-timated that you guys are about 7 hours away from me.... I will have to keep track of your festival schedule. I listened to the music on your page and have decided that I am NOT a drummer...lol. You guys are awesome! Im in total awe of the drumming skills of your group.

Thanks again for the response, message, and friend request. I am definitely interested in learning from you. ;p; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dragon Ritual Drummers on April 23, 2009 at 9:48am: *lol* thanks for the kind words, the DRD are but a fraction of the mens group, we are just the ones that go and tour. The whole mens group drums together and plays various instruments and chants etc at circles, all levels of drummers at circles, and for those that dont drum its not a problem. So drumming talent is not an issue with us, its a fluid and natural thing. This drum troupe practices on our own time for this project.
We will be in PN next week at the Fairie Festival..not the kind you were mentioning *lol* We will be in Glen Rock for the weekend of Beltaine and will be meeting up with a few friends from that general area.
Starting a mens group as was mentioned in this discussion is the way to go, just helps to be at a few integral ones to get the jist of it and how to deal with a few issues that always come up.
Anyone who is interested in mens circles, who what when where why, never hesitate to contact us, we are dedicated to the movement and will try to connect men with a group in their area if its possible. Most are grass roots and not posted on web sites, a few myspace pages here and there, but its always been a grass roots movement, we just forget sometimes how big and fast the pagan world grows, and male mysteries to this day are a "mystery" to many.
The easiest thing for a few to do is go to one of the mens weekends that are out there, there are several, we have a few right in Ontario, and there are some great ones in the States as well, scattered all over. We will be hosting one in the New York Stare in the fall, in Sherman NY where Sirius Rising and Starwood is at, for much the same reason as this discussion, why and how to get one going in your area. Its not posted yet but will be in the next couple of months.; ▶ Reply to This