Men and the Quest: An Evolutionary Journey for the 21st Century June 5, 2009

A Weekend EnlightenNext/Mythodrama
Adventure for Men

at EnlightenNext London

Led by Richard Olivier, Chris Parish
Linus Roache,and Michael Boyle

This unique collaboration between Olivier Mythodrama and EnlightenNext London will utilise the ancient myth of Parzival as a gateway to explore the timeless qualities of masculinity within the context of an evolutionary view of spirituality

Parzival is the naive young man who painfully learns that an honourable life requires a quest for meaning that transcends individual triumph and ultimately serves a greater whole. In the 21st century men are now brought up within a value system of gender equality and gender neutrality. In consequence the accepted roles of men have changed unalterably whilst the historical underpinnings of masculinity are being fundamentally challenged.

This workshop aims to explore how a perspective of evolutionary spirituality can radically reframe the archetypical male developmental journey once more into a heroic quest for meaning and the pursuit of life’s most elevated goals.

Mythodrama is an exciting new form of experiential learning, which in this workshop will draw on the creative forms of story and theatre to enable participants to explore the fundamental principles inherent in manhood. EnlightenNext is generating a transformative movement within consciousness and culture, empowering individuals to realize their ultimate nature and inherent unity with the 14-billion year epic of cosmic evolution.

These methods will allow participants to recontextualize the male impulses for heroism, valour and virtue, and reawaken those fundamental qualities in men that naturally aspire towards wholeness and an evolved expression of the masculine principle.

Mythodrama Biographies

Richard Olivier is the founding voice within Mythodrama ‐ a new form of experiential learning which combines great stories with psychological insights, creative exercises and personal development techniques to explore issues faced by modern leaders.
From 1999‐2005 he was the Master of Mythodrama at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and his work today is at the leading edge of bringing the world of theatre into the development of authentic leadership. Richard worked closely with James Hillman, Michael Meade and other founding fathers of men’s development in the early nineties. He was a leading theatre director for over 10 years and directed Henry V for the opening of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London in 1997.
Richard is a Fellow of the Findhorn Foundation, works internationally as a workshop leader and conference speaker and is the author of Shadow of the Stone Heart ‐ a Search for Manhood and Inspirational Leadership ‐ Henry V and the Muse of Fire.

Michael Boyle is a psychotherapist, workshop leader and student of mythology. Over 15 years he has formed and facilitated a wide range of men’s groups in prisons, personal development, theatre and clinical settings and has co-created Mythodrama workshops at the Globe Theatre for the casts of Henry V and The Merchant of Venice.
He is a certified leader and leader trainer for the Mankind Project, a global men’s organisation upholding the values of emotional intelligence, mentoring and community, for whom he leads the New Warrior Training Adventure internationally. He has initiated multiracial rites of passage and mentoring projects for disaffected youth and is a keynote speaker on the value of mythology, emotional literacy and rites of passage in education.
Michael is the founding director of a BandofBrothers, a new charity seeking to engage and train adult men as ‘elders’ to foster male community and local youth initiation.

EnlightenNext Biographies

Chris Parish is a spiritual director and practitioner of over thirty-five years experience. For twenty of those he has been studying and introducing others to the Evolutionary Enlightenment philosophy of spiritual teacher Andrew Cohen. In association with Cohen, the founder and editor in chief of EnlightenNext magazine (formerly What Is Enlightenment?), he has been developing a process termed ‘Enlightened Communication’ for individuals to come together to explore - and literally co-create - the leading edge of consciousness. Chris has worked all over the world and presented his work at numerous international events and conferences.
For over fifteen years, he has directed the London centre of EnlightenNext, the organisation dedicated to supporting the development of the teaching work of Andrew Cohen. He has overseen the growth of the centre in Islington into a thriving vortex of evolutionary activity with public events including meditation seminars, discussion forums and a programme of visionary speakers.

Linus Roache is a professional actor and the Managing Director of the EnlightenNext New York centre. As a long-term and close student of Andrew Cohen, Linus is particularly interested in how awakening consciousness can impact culture and how this can manifest through the arts.

For over 24 years Linus has worked extensively in theatre, television, radio and cinema across the world. In 2002 he won the London Evening Standard best actor award for his portrayal of Samuel Taylor Coleridge in Julian Temple’s acclaimed film Pandemonium and in 2003 he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Robert Kennedy in the TV film RFK. With a career that has taken him from Shakespeare’s Richard II to Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, Linus is currently in his second year of the popular US TV series Law and Order where he plays District Attorney Michael Cutter.

The workshop will also feature live musical accompaniment throughout the whole weekend by electronic music composer and performer David Leckenby.

Booking Details:

Price: £140, including refreshments and lunch

Timing: Friday 6.30 - 9.30pm
Saturday 10.00am - 6.00pm
Sunday 10.00am - 4.00pm

Enquiries:
[email protected]
Call 020 7288 7000 (answer phone)

Website:
http://www.andrewcohen.org/london/mensquest.asp