It all Started in Rocamadour.
The home of the knights templar.
Rocamadour is epic. A vertical town with three levels: one for the merchants, one for the clerics and one for the Knights Templar who protected them all.
It was Rafa's birthday (07/24), a warm night in southern France.
We had been brainstorming men's group ideas all day. As we entered our 40’s, we felt called to this line of work, but we knew it was going to be an uphill battle getting men to sign up for support groups.
The guys we grew up with would never come to a Zoom meet to talk about their marriages. We knew we needed a new packaging for men’s groups.
After dinner, we climbed the steps to Notre Dame chapel.
The cathedral was about to close. The courtyard almost empty. Rafa and I were watching the sparrows dart through the dusk to hunt down dinner…
Then we heard something surreal coming out of the tunnel.
Humming? Singing? Chanting?
A choir of male voices echoed through a stone tunnel and spread through the courtyard. 30 French Eagle Scouts emerged from the tunnel singing together and carrying the cathedral's relic, The Black Madonna.
It was the end of their weeks long trek and they had climbed up the 216 steps on their knees (just to pray at this holy site).
We both realized that men need missions to grow. We are at our best when we take on a challenge with a team of peers. We are at our worst when we isolate and focus on acquiring more (status, money, materials).
That beautiful moment in France provided our answer: a men’s group that creates challenges, gamifies life and awards merit badges as prizes.
A few months later, we were at Rafa’s house outlining our vision.
Team CAPTAINS
RAFA RICE
Founder/COACH
Bio:
Core Wound:
Superpower:
Triggers:
Archetypes: Leo (Zodiac)
Hobbies:
Vanquished Enemies:
Still Battling:
Worldview:
CONNOR PRITCHARD
FOUNDER/COACH
Bio: Connor was born in SF and worked as a TV writer in LA for many years before moving home and becoming a coach.
Core Wound: Everything is my fault.
Superpower: Finding creative solutions to common problems.
Triggers: OCD control freaks, news junkies & selfish people.
Archetypes: Leo (Zodiac), Manifesting Generator (Human Design) and Type 9: Peacemaker (Enneagram)
Hobbies: Reading books about wars I could have died in, boxing, cooking healthy macro diet meals, doing basic house work on mushroom gummies, tarot cards and hiking.
Vanquished Enemies: alcohol, party drugs, pills, chew, porn, sports gambling, Catholic guilt and emotional avoidance.
Still Battling: victim consciousness, Zynns, rage, self worth, a healthy money mindset and people pleasing.
Worldview: I believe humans are inherently good, but the pressures and structures of civilization make some of us desperate and selfish. I believe consciousness does not reside in our brains and it’s more like a radio station that we tune into. I used to be an atheist, but after many medicinal journeys, I believe there is life after death.