Productive Flourishing Podcast 080: Reclaiming Wild Men with Jonathan Mead
Many modern men are caught in a strange space. For one, we can’t and don’t want to be like our fathers and grandfathers, but we also don’t want to be some shade of Homer Simpson. And yet, there’s not much space to talk about this in public either. Add in the fact that many of us, men and women alike, work in confined spaces indoors, and what you get is a ‘caged-in man’, both literally and metaphorically. Jonathan Mead joins me today to jam about reclaiming wild men and how physical movement is tied to our encaging. Note, we discuss the apparent heteronormativity of these views in this conversation, so if that’s bugging you, listen in first. Ready? Let’s do this!
Key Takeaways:
[1:08] Thank you to our sponsor, SaneBox.
[2:10] Quick shout out to Lee, Nadia and Rob. Thanks for the emails and ratings about the show you all!
[2:16] Charlie tells us a little bit about Jonathan Mead.
[4:18] How did Jonathan’s journey evolve from Illuminated Mind to Pay to Exist to the Uncaged Man?
[7:23] Jonathan is passionate about helping men uncage and reclaim their innate wildness to become the greatest versions of themselves.
[9:52] How has Jonathan created a brand that’s exclusively for men? He shares on the journey.
[14:28] Where are we as the modern man, right now?
[18:50] Men need to be physical and men need to have an outlet for expressing those sharper energies that don’t seem to have a place to fit within society.
[20:13] Nature vs. over-domestication of men. Jonathan explains the distinction.
[23:03] Everyone is on the spectrum of masculine and feminine energy.
[29:41] Aggressive loving? Jonathan gives examples to explain.
[33:23] Back to the wildness!
[36:26] We are animals, well, we wear cloths...and all animals play-fight.
[39:56] How does Jonathan help men uncage their mind, body, heart, and spirit? The fastest way to uncage and reclaim your wildness as a man is through the body.
[42:07] What are some things men can do to make natural movements more accessible in their everyday lives? “Squad and hang”
[46:15] If you are resonating with this discussion, check out Jonathan’s free resources on the Uncaged Men website.
[49:42] Jonathan’s challenge: Go outside and squad for 1 minute, barefoot.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Uncaged Man: Reclaim your wildness
The Illuminated Mind by Jonathan Mead
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